Byker Grove cast: Where are they now?

BBC's Byker Grove - that shot singers turned presenters Ant and Dec to fame - is getting a reboot but there's other familiar faces from the show that's got us wondering where are they now?

The show, which first hit screens back in 1989 was a popular teen drama and television series that focused on the lives of youngsters growing up in the north east of England, with storylines centred around their youth club.

Yes, not sitting on mobile phones for the endless scrolling of Instagram stories or TikTok or working out how to use Threads. 

There were a whopping 344 episodes over five seasons despite only originally planning to run for six episodes.

Fans praised its way of tackling serious issues from teen pregnancy and drugs, to drinking and experiencing homosexuality.

And it's raised some cracking stars, giving them a platform to go on and do some great things, as we look at the cast then and now...

1. Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly - PJ & Duncan

Ant and Dec have come full circle since their Byker days. They left the show in 1994 when their characters were written out. But they decided to stick together and went on to have a successful pop career with hits like Let's Get Ready to Rumble. They also turned to presenting top shows including SM:TV Live, Britain's Got Talent and Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Take Away - to name but a few.

Dec is married to Ali Astall since 2015 and they have a baby son Jack who turns one this month. Meanwhile Ant split from long-term wife and make-up artist Lisa Armstrong in 2018 and is now re-married to Anne Marie Corbett.

And now, with dozens of awards under their belts, Ant & Dec are helping bring back the show that made them famous.

They shared a clip explaining the reboot, Dec said, "Hi everybody, Ant & Dec here with some pretty exciting news that we wanted to share with you all."

Ant interrupted, "Don't you mean PJ & Duncan here with some pretty exciting news? A little clue there."

Dec said, "Yes, you could say that. That is a clue, it's a nice clue. Don't worry we're not making another album...no the very exciting news is that 17 years after it closed its doors for the final time, Byker Grove is opening them up again."

Ant continued to explain that they've teamed up with TV company Fulwell 73 to work on a reboot of the 90s TV classic. "Bringing it back for a whole new audience as well as those of us who are old enough to remember it so fondly."

Dec admitted it is a show that is "very close" to their hearts and added, "the show which gave us our breaks so we couldn't be more excited that we'll be giving it a new lease of life."

The show is expected to follow a new generation of young people and their families as they try to navigate the challenges they face today in the 2020s. It's also set to champion talent and job opportunities in front and behind the camera for those living in the north east.

2. Jill Halfpenny - Nicola Dobson

From 1989 to 1992 Jill starred in 31 episodes of Byker Grove, her debut being when she was just 14 years old. She left to further pursue her acting career and landed a role in Coronation Street before joining rival soap EastEnders as Kate Mitchell. She proved that she can dance, after starring in Strictly Come Dancing and was partnered up with Darren Bennett. The led to her landing West End role of Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago, followed by Legally Blonde which she won an Olivier Award for.

Jill also appears on Loose Women and in 2021 she played a grieving mother who believed she'd found her son nine years after losing him to a drowning, in Channel 5 drama The Drowning.

Speaking about her Byker Grove days she said, "It takes a strong person to put themselves through that. If you don't gain perspective, you can become bitter or anxious."

Jill has also previously opened up on the 'mum guilt' she feels as mum of Harvey, 15 with ex-husband actor Craig Conway. While she has kept her love life private, Jill opened up about the death of her partner Matt, whose death mirrored her father Colin Halfpenny, who died of a heart attack when she was just four years old.

3. Donna Air - Charlie Charlton

Donna joined Byker Grove in 1992 and stayed for 13 episodes. Like co-stars Ant & Dec, Donna pursued a pop career, and joined pop duo Crush and it led to her touring the US, Japan and South East Asia.

She became a TV presenter for MTV in the 90s and has taken part in a few reality TV shows including Dancing on Ice, Splash! and even Celebrity MasterChef. 

She went on to land roles in Hollyoaks and play characters in The Split, Age of Kill and Hotel Babylon. Her latest project is The Bubble. 

Recently, Donna fractured her spine in two places leaving her bed-bound and wearing a neck brace just before Christmas 2022 and has since made a full recovery.

At the time she said, "'I feel very blessed and very lucky to have made a full recovery, it was very debilitating, but I did a lot of reading and a lot of walking.

"It was quite a different pace of life for me. It was a reminder to myself to cling to the things that really matter."

Donna Air once dated James Middleton and attended Pippa Middleton's wedding.

4. Dale Meeks - Greg

Dale Meeks played Greg in Byker Grove from 1990 to 1992 appearing in 12 episodes. Other hit shows he worked on include Emmerdale (2003-2006), The Bill, Casualty and most recently The Hunt for Raoul Moat.

He sadly died on April 22nd 2023 in South Shields from heart failure aged 47. Ant and Dec led tributes to the star at the time, "We are so incredibly sorry to hear the very sad news of Dale's passing. He was the loveliest of guys, even though he was a Denton 'Burner', the the arch nemesis of the Byker 'Grovers'! A sad loss at such a young age. RIP Dale. Sleep well bonny lad."

5. Kerryann Christiansen - Flora McKay

Kerryann played Flora for three years in Byker Grove and was on screen for a total of 73 episodes. She joined ITV series Close and True alongside Robson Green and Jamie Bell but it was short-lived. In 2000 she starred in film Purley Belter before studying Media Production at the University of Sunderland. In 2005 she returned to screens in short film Trainlines.

6. Charlie Hunnam - Jason

Charlie had just a brief stint on Byker Grove but still made a successful name for himself worldwide after appearing in Queer As Folk (1999), Sons of Anarchy, and was originally cast as the lead in 50 Shades of Grey before Jamie Dornan landed the role.

His latest role in Netflix film Rebel Moon got cancelled following the pandemic. 

He is dating Morgana McNelis and has been since 2005.

7. Andrew Hayden-Smith - Ben Carter

Andrew Hayden-Smith played Ben Carter in the drama from 1995 to 2003, appearing from the eighth series in a total of 23 episodes. He went on to land roles in Doctor Who, Cucumber and more recently Hollyoaks (2016-2017). His older sister was part of the Byker Grove film crew.

He's since landed voiceover jobs. 

Speaking about his acting days, he told ReVamp magazine, "I had a taste of working on a soap during my time at Hollyoaks and loved it. I was there for almost two years. 

"I would have stayed longer but my character was such a villain, there was no going back for him - but I'd definitely like to do another soap in the future. Some proper gritty drama too."

8. Nicola Bell - Debbie Dobson

Nicola played Debbie from 1990 util 1992 and starred in 34 episodes. She went on to have brief roles in Kavanagh QC, Crocodile Shoes II and Paradise Grove. She's now known as Nicola Garraway with her Instagram describing her as a "Mam of 4 babies, wife, makeup artist, ex cabin crew, Qualified level 2 and 3 PT instructor"

9. Billy Fane - Geoff

As youth club leader Billy Fane - real name Malcolm Collins - is one of the most recognisable stars, after spending 10 years on screen as Geoff. However, he was dramatically killed off in an accidental gas explosion in 2000. But that didn't stop him from aiming big with his career and he landed a role in Billy Elliot. After a few other acting roles he got a masters in special needs education, graduating in 2006 and went on to teach inmates at prisons in the north east.

In a previous interview with Chronicle Live, he admitted, "It was something I wanted to do from my 20s when I dropped out of working with disadvantaged kids as I didn't believe I could get the qualifications needed.

"But after Byker Grove finished I started a creative writing class at Castington Offenders Institute and things just took off.

"I loved learning at university and now I am able to pass that knowledge on. I don't think I've been as happy."

Most recently, he returned to screens on Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway (2014) and The Last Leg in 2020.

10. Charlie Hardwick - Sian

Charlie Hardwick was a regular on Byker Grove for four years playing the role of Sian. But that's not her only notable role, her career includes appearances on soaps EastEnders and Emmerdale plus dramas Vera and Ackley Bridge. Her film credits also include Billy Elliot and Purely Belter. Plus numerous on stage roles.

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