VIDEO: Oscar winner David an inspiration for pupils on return to his former Peterborough school

David Malinowski with pupils at Thomas Deacon Academy

Fresh from winning an Oscar and Bafta for his work on Second World War drama Darkest Hour, the celebrated make-up artist returned to the city of his birth with his glittering awards in a bid to inspire the next generation of pupils.

The former Deacon's School pupil returned to its successor Thomas Deacon Academy where he met Year 11 and sixth form arts, media and drama studies pupils before taking part in a question and answer session at the front of the school, where he was inundated with requests for autographs and selfies.

The 39-year-old said: "It's just amazing - it's been overwhelming. It's just nice to be back.

"If it inspires just one students who thinks 'he can do it, so I can do it', I would love it."

David spoke to the pupils about his 18 hour days working on Darkest Hour to make sure Gary Oldman - who won a best actor Oscar for the part - looked like former prime minister Winston Churchill.

Taking questions from two classrooms, he spoke about a number of topics including listening to David Bowie music with Gary when applying his make-up, spending six hours getting Will Ferrell into character on Zoolander 2 and the thrill of meeting Michael Jackson.

But he admitted that after all his work on major films and TV series, he now just wants to stay at home with his wife and cats.

Mitchell Fryer (17) was one of the lucky pupils to listen to David talk. He said: "It was amazing. I want to get in the profession myself as a director so it was definitely inspirational."

Georgi Hawkins (18) said: "It's quite inspiring with him coming from Peterborough. He's a role model for us."

Aslan Amjad (18) said: "As an aspiring thespian I hope to hold an Oscar in 15 years.

"It was good to touch the gold to get a sense of what it feels like."

After speaking to the pupils David was then interviewed in reception by principal Geoff Walls, with a large number of pupils listening in and taking photos of David with the awards, with some then speaking to him afterwards.

Geoff said: “David is an inspiration to the young people of Peterborough. Despite his busy schedule he came to TDA and was so practical and positive, encouraging everyone to pursue their dreams.”

Earlier in the day David had met pupils at New College Stamford where he learned his trade.