Career: Shaw's first major TV role was in a 1967 episode of Coronation Street. Keen on Shakespeare, he appeared in a TV movie of Hamlet, and Roman Polanski's 1971 film Macbeth. After impressing TV executives with his performance alongside Lewis Collins as Purdey's ex-fiance in The New Avengers, he landed the part of Doyle in The Professionals. When it was axed after four years in 1981, he went back to the stage. In 1993 he returned to TV with The Chief, and three years later starred in BBC mega-flop Rhodes. Since then, he's appeared in The Scarlet Pimpernel, A&E, Judge John Deed, Death in Holy Orders, Inspector George Gently, Apparitions and picked up a Tony nomination for a Broadway production of An Ideal Husband.

Career: He switched his name due to another actor called Peter Clarke. One of his earliest screen roles came in Sean Connery's 1981 sci-fi thriller Outland. Peters appeared in a string of TV and film projects, including Mona Lisa, Between the Lines, Jonathan Creek, Notting Hill and K-Pax. His stage hits have included The Iceman Cometh, Blues in the Night, Porgy and Bess, The Witches of Eastwick and Five Guys Named Joe (which he also wrote). He has appeared in critically acclaimed dramas The Wire and Damages; played Nelson Mandela in TV drama Endgame, and also appearing in Marley and Me. Aside from appearing in Holby City, his other projects include HBO drama Treme (from The Wire's David Simon). He's also appeared on stage in the title role of Shakespeare's Othello alongside his Wire co-star Dominic West.

Career: Dance spent five years with the Royal Shakespeare Company and made his TV debut in miniseries Edward the King in 1975, following it up with appearances in Tales of the Unexpected and Fatal Spring. His first film was 1981 Bond movie For Your Eyes Only, but his big break came in 1984 when he was cast in The Jewel in the Crown. He went on to star in White Mischief, Alien3, The Last Action Hero, Gosford Park, Ali G InDaHouse and First Born. Dance also produced, directed, and wrote the screenplay for the acclaimed film Ladies in Lavender. He was awarded an OBE in 2006. More recent projects include Your Highness, Strike Back, Secret State, Game of Thrones, and Dracula Untold.