Career: Clarke made his TV debut in the late 1960s, and went on to appear in episodes of Coronation Street, The Avengers, Callan, and The Virgin Soldiers before getting his big break with a prominent role in the controversial A Clockwork Orange in 1971. A variety of TV and movie work followed, including Shelley, SOS Titanic, Ishtar (alongside his namesake, Beatty) and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. High-profile roles later came in The Manageress, ID, The Mystery of Men, The Deputy, and Down to Earth. He became a household name thanks to a starring role in Dalziel & Pascoe, which first aired in 1996. He also appeared in Bleak House, Christmas at the Riviera, The Invisibles, Red Riding, Just William, and In with the Flynns. He died peacefully in his sleep on November 12, 2014 at the age of 67.

Career: In 1973, she made her TV debut in Mike Leigh's Hard Labour. She has also worked with Leigh on TV movies Nuts in May and Abigail's Party, and the films Life Is Sweet (1990), Secrets & Lies (1996) and Topsy-Turvy (1999). She made her movie debut in Champions (1983) and her other film credits include A Private Function (1984), Clockwise (1986), The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1989), Shirley Valentine (1989), Wilt (1990), The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004) and Confetti (2006). She earned a new army of fans with her role as matriarch Pamela in hit BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey. Her other TV credits include The Singing Detective, Pride and Prejudice, Fat Friends, The Syndicate, Love & Marriage and Boomers.

Career: In 1999, O'Brien made his film debut in Virtual Sexuality. His other film credits include 24 Hour Party People (2002), 9 Songs (2004), Goal! The Dream Begins (2005) and Goal II: Living the Dream (2007). More recently, he has starred on the small screen in Bluestone 42, Silk, Grantchester, The Syndicate and Prey.