Sometimes, being left out, or pushed aside, can be a great thing; it very much depends on the character of the individual that is being rejected. But for me, it spurs me on.

It’s happened a fair few times in my career, but rejection is a huge part of the industry, it’s perhaps more important and prevalent than success.

To succeed you just have to find a way to use it to your advantage.

I found myself in Oliver!, playing the Dodger, on the UK tour, yet, initially, getting the role wasn’t straightforward.

At first they said I’d got the part, but then rescinded it. So me mum had to speak to me agent. I remember hearing her say: “No, they offered the Dodger and it’s that or he’s not doing it!”

Needless to say I was reinstated. But this uncertainty on their part seemed to carry on well into rehearsals, the first press and photo call and beyond.

They were always saying things like, ‘are you going to be okay’ and ‘will you be ready’.

At the press call I was asked to join the other main cast members, only to be left out of the photos. No journalist was asking me questions, so I don’t even know why I was there. Subsequently these things began to get to me, and I had to keep picking myself back up, after all, I was having a great time, and I hadn’t forgot how lucky I was, to be where I was, and not at school like thousands of others.

Nonetheless, it seemed to give me further motivation. I wanted to prove them wrong.

The last straw was perhaps when they suggested, about two nights before my first performance, that they could get the boy who played the role in the previous town.

I’d seen this guy and as good as he was, I knew, deep down, I was far better. I mean, I wasn’t arrogant, at all, never have been, never will be.

But as any great performer will probably tell you: You need to believe in yourself wholeheartedly, and believe you are the best, there’s no room in any performer’s psychology to mess with that.

So, when they suggested a replacement, it proved the vital catalyst to make me show them.

Reviews of the opening night at The Theatre Royal, Norwich, were dominated by rave reviews for yours truly.

It was probably the moment Cameron Mackintosh decided that if the show was going to Broadway I was 100per cent going to go with it.

l This column contains extracts from David Garlick’s forthcoming memoir, My Eyes, How Green! Broadway Davey G