Penny Mordaunt is 'lovable, reliable and supportive', says her ex-drama teacher

She is the surprise favorite in the race to become our next prime minister.

But long before the perfectly styled bouffant and catchy campaign slogans, young Penny was already a born leader.

Indeed, those who knew her as a child say it was clear that by the age of 10 she was someone with the ambition to succeed, someone which "really stood out".

Among them was her local drama club teacher, Lorraine Hepburn, who knew Penny during one of the most difficult times of her life - and couldn't be more proud of the current MP for Portsmouth North .

Lorraine, now 63, told the Mirror: "I watched her grow up. She was one of the first to walk through the door when she was maybe 10 or 11.

"She already had leadership qualities. She was really good with the younger kids and led the teams. And she was always comfortable on stage."

His Game of Thrones campaign in 2017 (

Picture:

DAILY MIRROR)

Penny, now 49, has spent much of her after-school and weekend time at the local Victory-land drama school in her home town of Portsmouth, Hants. And she soon became the teacher's pet.

"She was lovely, really reliable, she learned her lines, she did her groundwork, she really supported the other people on stage and she was very popular too.

"She stayed with me for a long time."

This is one of the few times someone from Penny's childhood has spoken, and until now so little was known about the emerging dark horse of the leadership race.

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But it seems that may be how Penny likes it.

Born alongside her twin brother James in March 1973 in Torquay, Devon, Penny is the daughter of former paratrooper John Mordaunt, now 83, and named after the Royal Navy cruiser HMS Penelope.

She was in the Royal Navy Reserve (

Picture:

DAILY MIRROR)