A Manx contestant is set to take part in the second series of a hit ITV1 fashion show hosted by Vernon Kay and AJ Odudu.

Daniel Thomas, who was born and then raised in different parts of the island including Ramsey and Ballaugh, is set to appear on ‘M&S: Dress The Nation’.

The show sees nine contestants compete over five 60-minute episodes to secure an exclusive mentorship with UK fashion retailer Marks & Spencers, as well as having their winning design sold at M&S stores across the UK.

A London-based copywriter, the 31 year old spends much of his spare time either sewing or knitting.

A proud maximalist, he loves bold, floaty, colourful designs that bring joy and self-expression to his everyday life.

Talking about the show, Daniel said: ‘The show includes those who want to be in the fashion industry or want to push themselves further in that sphere. We compete to win the sponsorship so we can further our careers in the industry.

‘For quite a few years now I’ve been knitting, sewing and crocheting. I've been posting my designs online for quite a long time, and I had one of the casting people from the show pop on my Instagram and ask if I would ever be interested in applying for it.

‘I've had a couple of those kinds of messages before, but never really felt like it was the right fit. However, this time, I thought you only live once so you might as well try it!’

Daniel spent a lot of time with his grandma in the island, due to his dad being ill and going away with Daniel’s mum for treatment at Clatterbridge in the Wirral during his childhood.

He learned to sew from his grandma, with no formal training - just hundreds of hours spent creating different pieces of fashion together.

‘My grandma is incredible,’ Daniel said.

‘She has dementia now and lives in a care home, but she was a painter, she sewed, she embroidered - she did everything.

‘I spent a lot of time with her growing up, and she was always impeccably dressed, had great hair and didn't go anywhere without a pair of high heels on!

‘She taught me how to get started on a sewing machine, how to knit and embroider, and since then I've always enjoyed making my own clothes.’

The entire series of ‘M&S: Dress The Nation’ was filmed back in June, with a premiere for the first episode taking place in London last week. It will now be released weekly on Sunday nights.

Daniel said his experience of filming the show was ‘a bit of a blur’ which took him by surprise.

‘I really enjoyed the experience, but I was just kind of naïve to it,’ he explained.

‘In my head, I was going to go into a room for four hours and sew - but they took us out for interviews and there were cameras in my face.

‘It’s going to be interesting watching it back and seeing what I actually remember!’

The first episode of the new series will air on Sunday, September 14 at 6.55pm.