Career: Thaw's first professional job came at the Liverpool Playhouse. His film debut came in 1962's The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, which starred Courteney. Thaw worked extensively on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre, and early TV roles came in Z Cars and Redcap. But it was The Sweeney, alongside Dennis Waterman, that made him a household name thanks to its uncompromising style. He switched to comedy with Home to Roost, but it was playing Inspector Morse that made him a national treasure. Almost everything he touched then turned to gold; he starred in top-rated dramas such as Kavanagh QC, Goodnight Mister Tom and Buried Treasure. He died in 2002 following a battle with cancer of the oesophagus.

Career: At 16, Waterman returned to Britain and concentrated on stage work until an acclaimed performance in 1968's Up the Junction led to more film roles. Low-budget movies (such as Scars of Dracula) and TV shows (including Colditz) followed until, in 1974, he co-starred with John Thaw in Regan, the pilot episode of iconic series The Sweeney, which became a major TV hit. A 10-year stint in comedy drama Minder followed. Other projects include TV shows On the Up, Stay Lucky, and Circles of Deceit. He's also worked on the stage, most notably in Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell, and My Fair Lady. As Gerry Standing, in BBC drama New Tricks, he has introduced himself to a new generation of fans.

Career: Lipman's first professional stage work came at the Palace Theatre in Watford. She made her film debut in Up the Junction in 1967 before appearing in Regan, a TV movie that acted as the pilot for The Sweeney. She became a household name with the cult sitcom Agony in 1979. However, attempts to revive the show in 1995 failed. Lipman starred in a series of successful adverts for British Telecom and received rave reviews for her stage performances in Re-Joyce, and Oklahoma! (with the then unknown Hugh Jackman). Since then, she has appeared in Roman Polanski's The Pianist, Coronation Street, Jonathan Creek, Doctor Who, Skins, Casualty, Holby City and Ladies of Letters. She has written several autobiographical books, including How Was It for You? and Something to Fall Back On.