Despite struggling with dyslexia and ADHD, Newton pursued acting, telling "The Independent" that he was drawn to musical theatre because music was easier for him to grasp. He got his theatre break when he was cast as the understudy for the lead role of Elder Price in "Book of Mormon" on the West End while still in school. "It was just a really overwhelming experience," he said of the gig. "I never thought that leaving college I'd go straight into the West End, I felt so lucky to be given that opportunity. That whole year, it's almost a blur now, I just was on such a high the whole time."