Career: McShane's first film was 1962's The Wild and the Willing. After that, he built a reputation as a fine stage actor thanks to various West End productions. His first starring role came in 1966's Skywest and Crooked, which co-starred Hayley Mills and was directed by her actor father John. He played Heathcliff in an acclaimed TV adaptation of Wuthering Heights and gained plaudits for such productions as Roots, Jesus of Nazareth and Disraeli. McShane became a household name thanks to Lovejoy in 1986, and even appeared in Dallas. Other projects include Deadwood (for which he won a Golden Globe award), Sexy Beast, Kings, 44 Inch Chest, The Pillars of the Earth, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Jack the Giant Slayer.

Career: Parish began her career in theatre, going on to make TV appearances in the likes of Lovejoy, Casualty, Holding On, The Vice and Clocking Off. She also made her soap debut in 1998, when she turned up as singer Lola in EastEnders. She followed up an acclaimed role in the drama series Babyfather with a two-year stint in The Bill as DC Eva Sharpe, a role she reprised in the spin-off MIT: Murder Investigation Team. In 2006, she returned to Albert Square, this time as Denise Fox and has stayed in Walford ever since.

Career: Daniels appeared in Scum and Zulu Dawn, but his biggest break came in 1979 when he landed the lead role in cult film Quadrophenia. He continued to work steadily in TV, film and theatre before a slightly lean patch hit in the early 1990s. However, in 1994 he reached a new audience by narrating Blur's hit song Parklife; he was also in demand as an actor with roles in Holding On, Still Crazy, The Long Firm and Outlaws. In 2006, he joined the cast of EastEnders as Kevin Wicks and stayed for two years. Since leaving Walford, he has competed in Strictly Come Dancing, played Granddad in the Only Fools and Horses prequel Rock and Chips, and written his autobiography.

Career: Roles followed for Waldhorn in the 1980s in the likes of Brideshead Revisited, Minder, Harry's Game, Robin Hood and The Chief. He is best known for the roles he played in two sitcoms, Lionel Bainbridge in Brush Strokes and David Horton in The Vicar of Dibley. His theatre credits include work with the Royal Shakespeare Company.