Career: Tomlinson's big break came when he landed the role of Bobby Grant in Channel 4 soap opera Brookside. He stayed with the show for six years until 1988, after which he featured in Ken Loach's gritty drama Riff-Raff. TV projects since then have included Roughnecks, Cracker, Playing the Field and Clocking Off, while his film CV boasts offerings such as The 51st State and Mike Bassett: England Manager. He became a comedy icon 1998 thanks to his role in the comedy series The Royle Family. He opened his own cabaret club, The Green Room, in Liverpool in May 2010. He has reportedly donated £1million to the Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool.

Career: On leaving drama school, Johnston began landing roles in fringe theatre, school workshops and occasional TV appearances in shows such as Coronation Street. She didn't become a famous face until her eight-year stint in Brookside as long-suffering Sheila Grant. She went on to star in Medics, hit comedy The Royle Family (alongside Brookie co-star Ricky Tomlinson), and The Things You Do for Love, in which the actress played former Corrie actress Pat Phoenix. Among her film credits are the award-winning Brassed Off, and crime drama Face, starring Robert Carlyle. Other projects include Sex, Chips and Rock 'n' Roll, Score, My Uncle Silas, Jam & Jerusalem, Waking the Dead and Being Eileen.

Career: Aherne was a telephonist at the BBC's Manchester offices for a while, but it was while she was working as a receptionist at Piccadilly Radio that she developed her Mrs Merton character, who first featured on Frank Sidebottom's radio show. She took the character to TV in 1994 for the comedy series The Mrs Merton Show. In the same year, she was a writer-performer on sketch comedy The Fast Show. The Mrs Merton character went on to appear in short-lived sitcom Mrs Merton and Malcolm, which also starred Craig Cash as her son. With Cash, she created the popular sitcom The Royle Family. Her other work included writing credits on The Fattest Man in Britain and The Security Men. She also narrated various series and documentaries. She died at the age of 52 on July 2, 2016 after a battle with cancer.

Career: Cash is known for his many collaborations with Aherne, having worked with her on programmes including The Mrs Merton Show and The Fast Show, before their break-out hit The Royle Family. The two play husband and wife Dave and Denise Best on the show. Cash also wrote the critically acclaimed sitcom Early Doors, and the drama Sunshine.

Career: Froggatt reached a wider audience in 1997 when she was cast in Coronation Street as troubled teenager Zoe Tattersall. She went on to play the role in 126 episodes. After leaving the Street, Froggatt went on to appear in a number of TV shows, including Bad Girls, dinnerladies, See No Evil: The Moors Murders, Murder in the Outback, Island at War, Life on Mars, Robin Hood and The Royle Family. In 2010, she began playing housemaid Anna in Downton Abbey. It has brought her worldwide recognition as the show is broadcast in more than 100 countries and is hugely popular in America.

Career: Hynes worked with Pegg and director Edgar Wright on Asylum before they collaborated on cult Channel 4 sitcom Spaced. Hynes was nominated for an Olivier Award for her work in stage play The Night Heron, and garnered a Bafta nomination for 2001 TV film, Tomorrow La Scala! She had a small role in Pegg and Wright's hit 2004 film Shaun of the Dead. Hynes also appeared in The Royle Family, Bob and Rose, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, According To Bex, Pinochet in Suburbia, Confetti, Four Last Songs and Magicians. She made a memorable appearance in two episodes of Doctor Who alongside David Tennant, playing a teacher who won the Time Lord's love. She's since returned to sitcoms with Up the Women (which she also wrote), Twenty Twelve and its spin-off W1A.