Byker Grove: The biggest stars who appeared in the CBBC show

"Let's get ready to rhumble...!" Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have announced they are to produce a revival of the kids show that launched them to stardom - Byker Grove.

Renamed Byker the BBC show - which broadcast the first gay kiss on children's television in 1994 - will be set in a youth club of the same name in the North East of England and highlight issues that affect teenagers and young adults today.

Read more: Byker Grove: Ant and Dec to bring back teen drama that made them famous

Donnelly said: "Byker Grove will always be very special to us as the show which gave us our break, so we are beyond excited.

"We are looking forward to bringing this fresh incarnation to a whole new generation as well as those who remember it as fondly as we do."

Watch: Ant and Dec have announced they will produce a reboot of Byker Grove

McPartlin said: "We owe such a lot to Byker Grove and the North East so we can't wait to start working to bring this iconic series back to life.

"Already talking characters and storylines has us all buzzing at the possibilities ahead," he added.

Ant and Dec, both 47, rose to fame after meeting on the set of Byker Grove in 1989, when they were cast as best friends PJ and Duncan.

They went on to launch a pop career as PJ & Duncan releasing their well-known dancefloor-filler Let’s Get Ready To Rhumble in 1994 and started presenting TV with kids morning show SM:TV Live.

Since then they have continued to become arguable the most popular presenting duo on UK TV, hosting I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, Britain's Got Talent and Saturday Night Takeaway.

They have one the TV Presenter award at the National Television Awards (NTAs) for the last 21 years.

But Ant and Dec are not the only stars who started out on Byker Grove.

Read more: Saturday Night Takeaway fans 'gutted' as Ant and Dec announce break from show

Here are some of the other celebrities who entered the spotlight thanks to the CBBC show.

Charlie Hunnam

Hollywood heartthrob Charlie Hunnam was just 17 when he appeared as teenager Jason in Byker Grove.

He went to be cast as rebellious schoolboy Nathan Maloney discovering his sexuality in Russell T Davies' cult hit Queer As Folk.

Hunnam, 43, has now become a global star in films including Pacific Rim and The Gentleman and hit TV series Sons Of Anarchy.

Denise Welch

Loose Women star Denise Welch, 65, played youth club staff member Polly in the kids TV show back in 1990.

Her role as Marsha Stubbs in the hit drama Soldier Soldier followed, alongside Robson Green and Jerome Flynn. And she become a well known actor on primetime TV with roles including Natalie Barnes in Coronation Street, Steph Haydock in Waterloo Road, and Trish Minniver in Hollyoaks,

While the fame that came with her successful soap career was marred by a battle with addiction she is now loved by many of the most outspoken panelists on hit ITV panel show Loose Women, sharing her experiences with the nation after being sober for 11 years.

In 2012 she won Celebrity Big Brother after her frank and honest attitude proved a hit with viewers.

Jill Halfpenny

Jill Halfpenny, 47, has starred in Coronation Street, EastEnders, Waterloo Road, In The Club and most recently drama The Holiday.

In 2004 she took part in the second series of Strictly Come Dancing and clinched the glitterball trophy when she won with Darren Bennett. And in a Christmas special which saw them pitted against former winners Natasha Kaplinsky and Brendan Cole, it was Halfpenny who was crowned Strictly's 'Ultimate Champion'.

But back between 1989 and 1992 she was known to Byker Grove viewers as teenager Nicola Dobson.

Donna Air

Now a wealthy socialite whose exes include the Princess Of Wales' brother James Middleton and a member of London's partying Primrose Hill set, Donna Air began her acting career whens he was just 10 as youth club member Charlie Charlton alongside PJ and Duncan down at The Grove.

The 43-year-old went on to have a pop career, first with girlband Byker Groove, and then duo Crush. She has presented TV on The Big Breakfast, competed on Dancing On Ice and still acts, most recently appearing in BBC drama The Split in 2020.

Charlie Hardwick

Veteran soap star Charlie Hardwick, 62, is known to many as Val Pollard in Emmerdale, picking up several awards for her performance from 2004 to 2017 in the ITV soap.

But Byker fans may remember her as Assistant Youth Leader Sian, who helped Geoff run Byker Grove, and looked out for the kids who hung out there.

Chelsea Halfpenny

Just like her older sister Jill, Chelsea, 31, cut her tooth acting in Byker Grove as Lucy Summerbee from 2004 until it came to an end after 18 series in 2006.

Since then she's starred in Emmerdale, Casualty and on the West End stage in musicals including The Waitress.

Andrew Hayden-Smith

After landing the role of Ben Carter in Byker Grove Andrew Hayden-Smith, 39, went on to present TV on CBBC, UK Top 40 TV and even This Morning. He has also continued to act, appearing in Russell T Davies' E4 series Banana and Cucumber and played DS Armstrong in hit E4 soap Hollyoaks between 2016 and 2017.