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From Ant & Dec to Charlie Hunnam: Where are the cast of Byker Grove now?

Where are the cast of Byker Grove now? From Ant & Dec, Charlie Hunnam and more
Where are the cast of Byker Grove now? From Ant & Dec, Charlie Hunnam and more

For many, there is only one show they think off when they think of their childhood.

With a great theme tune, brilliant storylines and of course we can't forget about one of the best moustaches in TV history, Byker Grove had it all.

But now, after more than 15 years since it said goodbye for good, we'd thought we'd take a trip down memory lane and see what the cast of the hit show has been up to.

From iconic PJ and Duncan to Ben Carter and Nicola Dobson the cast of the hit Tyneside show has gone far and wide, with some even becoming big names in Hollywood.

Where is the cast of Byker Grove now?

Ant and Dec (PJ and Duncan)

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Now some of the biggest names in UK entertainment, Ant and Dec have gone on to celebrate 30 years in the TV industry.

Hosting hit shows from I'm a Celebrity, Saturday Night Takeaway, Britain's Got Talent and of course, we couldn't forget their music career with the hit song 'Let's Get Ready to Rhumble'.

But the pair first got their bond on the set of Byker Grove where they created iconic scenes including the unforgettable moment when Ant was blinded in a paintball game.

Now the pair have become national treasures and have over 40 National Television awards to their names.

Jill Halfpenny (Nicola Dobson)

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Jill Halfpenny was on the hit show for over ten years, from the ages of 3 to 17 as Nicola Dobson.

Her character quickly became a viewer favourite, and now the actress is still a star on the screen and features in popular soaps.

As a TV regular on Coronation Street and Katie in Eastenders, she went on to win Strictly Come Dancing in 2004.

Since her win, she's starred in Chicago, Legally Blonde, and has even won an Olivier award. Most recently, she starred in The Holiday on Channel 5.

Donna Air (Charlie Charlton)

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Donna Air was first featured on the show when she was just 10 years old.

And alongside her co-stars Jayni Hoy and Vicky Taylor they became chart-topping names with their single Love Your Sexy peaking at number 46.

Since then, Air from Newcastle has featured as a TV presenter on The Big Breakfast, Live from Studio Five.

Air also appeared on Dancing on Ice and even had a long-term relationship with Kate Middleton's brother James.

Andrew Hayden-Smith (Ben Carter)

Andrew from Gateshead was one of the longest-running characters on the show before his bad-boy character Ben was killed off.

After leaving Byker Grove, Andrew gained a couple of presenting gigs on Live & Kicking and with CBBC.

The actor also appeared on Doctor Who, Cucumber, and on Hollyoaks as DS Gavin Armstrong before being killed.

Now you'll hear him as the voice on many ITV links as he's been the top voice-over guy for a few years now.

Charlie Hunnam (Jason)

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Charlie Hunnam joined Byker Grove to star in his first-ever role in a three-episode arc, which he apparently landed hungover in a shoe shop.

He then went on to star in the groundbreaking show Queer as Folk as Nathan Maloney, which gave him international fame.

A few years later, Hunnam lead the cast of the hit American show Sons of Anarchy in the role of Jax.

He was even billed to play Christian Grey in Fifty Shades of Grey before deciding to leave the project.

Now he has a wide range of projects under his belt and has worked with top directors including Guy Ritchie, Guillermo del Toro, and many more.

Billy Fane (Geoff)

The staple character of Byker Grove, Geoff, was loved by many until the club's head met his sad ending in a gas explosion back in 2000.

Since then, the 74-year-old has appeared in many pantomimes in the North East as well as the hit show Heartbeat.

He also appeared in the acclaimed County Durham-based film, Billy Elliot and Purely Belter.