Channel 5 cast Gavin & Stacey legend and Only Fools and Horses star for Newcastle based drama

Residents in and around Newcastle might stumble upon a famous face or two in the coming weeks, as Channel 5 drama The Feud continues to film in the area, with a cast of famous faces, including a Strictly winner, soap icon and a Gavin and Stacey legend involved.

There was some excitement for locals in Jarrow over the weekend when production vehicles were spotted in the vicinity of the Town Hall, before Geordie actress Jill Halfpenny, famous for roles in the likes of EastEnders and Waterloo Road, as well as being victorious on Strictly in 2004, was seen on set, along with Derry Girls favourite Jamie Lee O'Donnell.

Jill is no stranger to a Channel 5 drama, having already starred in three - The Drowning, The Holiday and most recently, The Cuckoo, where she was right at the centre of the action as mysterious lodger turned villain Sian; as many viewers hooked on the many twists and turns thrown up by the plot.

READ MORE Channel 5 drama The Feud takes over Jarrow as Jill Halfpenny and Derry Girls star spotted

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And Jill will be firmly in the spotlight in The Feud too, this time as one half of a married couple, with her husband played by Spooks and Our House star Rupert Penry Jones. The couple appear to live an idyllic life with their teenage daughter on Shelbury Drive, next to neighbours they consider friends. However, when they decide to add a kitchen extension to their house, relationships spin out of control as objections are raised and life-threatening secrets begin to surface.

As well as teasing the storyline for the six part thriller, early details about The Feud have also revealed a cast list that reads like a who's who of big names in TV, Joining Jill, Rupert and Jamie are Larry Lamb, soon to be back on screens to reprise his much loved role as Mick in Gavin & Stacey; ex Emmerdale star Amy Nuttall, Barbie and Harry Potter actor Ray Fearon and Tess Peake Jones, most famous for playing Del Boy's long suffering wife Raquel in Only Fools & Horses.

Someone else in The Feud cast is Chris Gascoyne, the ex Coronation Street legend who had been linked to a part in the final series of Vera, having been spotted by fans in Newcastle, as filming on the smash hit ITV drama also continues in the North East.

Talking about the new thriller, Paul Testar, commissioning editor for drama at Channel 5, commented, “Neighbourly disputes happen every day. The Feud takes that premise and runs with it to its extreme limit. What starts as an innocuous renovation triggers an extraordinary sequence of events. We’re excited to work with the wonderful team at Lonesome Pine again to bring this great story and stellar cast to the Channel 5 audience.”