Career: Jones initially signed a three-month contract with Corrie, but the character proved such a big hit she stayed for four years. Shortly after quitting the soap, she won a part opposite Ray Winstone in Vincent. She went on to star in the TV dramas Strictly Confidential, Dead Clever, Harley Street, Unforgiven, Five Days, Single Father, Doctor Who, The Secret of Crickley Hall and Scott & Bailey. Away from the small screen, she has appeared on stage in A Few Good Men and was seen alongside Joss Stone in the film Snappers, in which she played a stunt woman-turned-B&B owner. She continues to appear on stage, but remains best known for her TV work.

Career: Brand's sense of humour kept her going while dealing with difficult cases at work. She began doing stand-up at London clubs in the mid-1980s and eventually gave up nursing to concentrate on comedy. She was shortlisted for the Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Festival before landing her own comedy show, Jo Brand Through the Cakehole. Since then she has regularly appeared on TV, including as a frequent guest on Have I Got News for You, Question Time and QI. She continues to do stand-up, performing at venues around the country. Brand also took part in Celebrity Fame Academy, and the reality shows Play It Again and Comic Relief Does The Apprentice. She enjoyed a bona fide hit as an actress and writer with dark medical comedy Getting On. She is a judge on ITV reality series Splash!

Career: Benton's big break came in the 1997 Mike Leigh film Career Girls. For the past decade he has barely been off our screens. He had a recurring role as Father McBride in the James Nesbitt series Murphy's Law. He has starred with Vic and Bob in their remake of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), Catterick, and Monkey Trousers. He was comedy gold in Craig Cash's Early Doors and The Booze Cruise trilogy. His biggest role was alongside Robson Green in Christmas Lights, Northern Lights, City Lights and Clash of the Santas. He was also a regular on Waterloo Road and is the host of game show The Edge. In 2013, he was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing.