Career: Berry's big break came when he clinched the role of Simon Wicks in EastEnders in 1985. He played the ladiesman for five years. During that time he had a number one single with Every Loser Wins - a song originally sung by his character in the show. After leaving Walford, his next big role was PC Nick Rowan in rural drama Heartbeat. Set in the 1960s, it was a big success, and Berry had another chart success - this time reaching Number 2 with the show's theme tune. He departed after six years, before taking parts in Paparazzo, Harbour Lights, The Mystery of Men and In Deep. He now prefers to stay behind the camera, running the company Valentine Productions.

Career: Fowlds made his stage debut in the West End in The Miracle Worker and continued to win stage work and small roles in films before he became known to millions as Mr Derek in children's series The Basil Brush Show, which ran from 1969 to 1973. His big break came in 1980 when he landed the role of Bernard Woolley in BBC sitcom Yes, Minister and its sequel Yes, Prime Minister. He went on to play Oscar Blaketon in long-running ITV police drama Heartbeat from 1992 until 2010.

Career: Maynard's big break came in 1951 when he worked with comedy actor Terry Scott at Butlins in Skegness. Maynard began getting work on radio shows for the BBC and it was at this time he changed his name. His first TV appearance came in 1953 when he performed on Henry Hall's Face the Music. In 1955, he partnered with Terry Scott again on popular comedy TV series Great Scott, It's Maynard! He then switched to acting and was soon starring in the West End in You Too Can Have a Body. He continued to have success on the stage throughout the 1960s but by the end of the decade he was forced to return to doing stand-up in working men's clubs to earn a living. An offer to play a part in the film version of Till Death Us Do Part (1969) came out of the blue and this led to work on the big screen in the Carry On films and the Confessions Of movies, and on the small screen in popular sitcoms Oh No, It's Selwyn Froggitt, Selwyn, and The Gaffer. In 1992, he landed the role of Greengrass in Heartbeat, a part he would play on the series until 2000 when he was forced to retire temporarily from acting after suffering a number of strokes. He returned to the Greengrass character in 2003 in Heartbeat spin-off The Royal.

Career: Reid started out as a stage manager, then worked in rep. Her first TV work came alongside Benny Hill, but it was playing Ken Barlow's tragic wife Valerie in Coronation Street for 10 years that turned her into a household name - more than 18 million viewers tuned in to see her character die in 1971. She later took a break from acting to raise a family, but returned in the 1980s, cropping up in several popular TV shows before showing her comedy prowess in dinnerladies in 1999. In the years since, Reid has landed some fantastic roles that have enabled her to show off her range as an actress. She was particularly daring in 2003's The Mother, in which her character had an affair with Daniel Craig. She's since appeared in Upstairs, Downstairs, Five Days, New Tricks, Doctor Who, Marchlands, In Love with Barbara, Moving On, Song for Marion and Last Tango in Halifax.