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: Alexander appeared in 1990 children's sci-fi series Kappatoo and went on to appear in Natural Lies, Covington Cross, Lovejoy, The Bill and Drop the Dead Donkey. In 1997, she added a touch of glamour to Armstrong and Miller and featured in Alas Smith and Jones, Red Dwarf, Tilly Trotter, People Like Us, Midsomer Murders and Smack the Pony. In 2000, she rose to prominance in the sitcom Coupling. She has also appeared in The Worst Week of My Life, Green Wing, Mutual Friends and All the Small Things.