New Tricks - The Last Laugh - 03:05 am Sunday, February 8 on U&Drama +1

Alun Armstrong (Actor) .. Brian Lane

Born: July 17, 1946 in Annfield Plain, near Stanley, Co Durham

Best Known For: New Tricks.

Early-life: Alun Armstrong was born in Annfield Plain, near Stanley, Co Durham, on July 17, 1946. His father was from Cumberland and his mother was from Co Durham. He attended Consett Grammar School before going to Newcastle University. Unhappy in academia, he took a job as a gravedigger, where a colleague managed to get him an interview for a behind-the-scenes job with a theatre company. That in turn led to acting work.

Career: Armstrong's screen debut came in the classic Michael Caine gangster movie Get Carter in 1971. Other early roles included parts in Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, Softly, Softly and The Sweeney. His many other TV roles include Austin Donaghue in Our Friends in the North, Detective Chief Inspector Frank Jefferson in In the Red, and George Mole in Adrian Mole: The Cappucino Years, alongside Alison Steadman. Film credits include The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981), Krull (1983), American Friends (1991), Patriot Games (1992) and Braveheart (1995). He has won countless accolades for his classic stage roles. He is currently best known for playing the role of Brian Lane in popular BBC series New Tricks, a part he played for 10 series.

Quote: "I'm more concerned about losing my marbles than losing parts - especially when it comes to learning lines!"

Trivia: Armstrong originated the role of Thénardier in the London production of Les Misérables and won an Olivier Award for playing the title role in Sweeney Todd.

James Bolam (Actor) .. Jack Halford

Born: June 16, 1935 in Sunderland

Best Known For: Being a Likely Lad.

Early-life: Born James Christopher Bolam on June 16, 1935, in Sunderland. His father died when he was young. The family left the North East when James was 12, and he attended school in Derby. There was no showbiz influence in his family, but Bolam went to the cinema every Saturday and that inspired him to try acting. He briefly worked as a trainee chartered accountant, before winning a place at the Central Drama School in London. He made his professional stage debut at the Royal Court in 1959.

Career: Bolam appeared on stage alongside Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud, then followed it up with films The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner and A Kind of Loving, before being cast as cynical Terry Collier in The Likely Lads in 1964. He agreed to reprise the role in Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads? nine years later. James went on to star in When the Boat Comes In, Only When I Laugh and Alan Plater's Beiderbecke trilogy. He has also appeared in Clockwork Mice, The End of the Affair, Born and Bred, Grandpa in My Pocket, To Kill a King and controversial feature-length drama Shipman, about serial killer doctor Harold Shipman. He starred in New Tricks between 2003 and 2012 and continues to appear on stage.

Quote: "I'm suddenly popular again. I don't know why."

Trivia: He was awarded an MBE in 2009.

Amanda Redman (Actor) .. Det Supt Sandra Pullman

Born: August 12, 1957 in Brighton

Best Known For: At Home with the Braithwaites and New Tricks.

Early-life: Amanda Jacqueline Redman was born in Brighton on August 12, 1957, the eldest of two children. She poured a saucepan of boiling soup over her torso and left arm when she was 18 months old and needed regular skin grafts until she was five. She studied at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. She was shattered after her father died suddenly when she was 20.

Career: Redman first attracted attention in 1981 with her steamy film debut in Richard's Things. Roles proved sporadic in that decade, but her career took off in 1991 when she played Roberta in Spender, and Sally in The Men's Room. Bigger roles followed, such as Dr Joanna Stevens in Dangerfield in 1995. She hit the headlines in 1998, first with Close Relations which featured a ménage à trois, then as Diana Dors for glossy drama The Blonde Bombshell. Her small-screen success was consolidated with roles as a teacher in Hope and Glory and as lottery winner Alison in At Home with the Braithwaites - but she has also appeared in the films Sexy Beast (2000) and Mike Bassett: England Manager (2005). She starred in popular BBC drama New Tricks between 2003 and 2013. More recently, she starred in TV movie Tommy Cooper: Not Like That, Like This.

Quote: "If you're seen as a strong woman, men think you don't need protecting. Yet, underneath it all, I'm quite vulnerable."

Trivia: Redman received an MBE in 2012.

Dennis Waterman (Actor) .. Gerry Standing

Born: February 24, 1948 in Clapham

Best Known For: The Sweeney, Minder, and New Tricks.

Early-life: Born February 24, 1948, in Clapham, south London, the youngest of nine children, the son of a British Rail ticket collector. As a child he attended the Corona Theatre School and began his professional career with a role in Snowball, a 1960 Children's Film Foundation production. The same year he made Night Train to Inverness, and was asked to join the Royal Shakespeare Company. Playing William in a TV series based on the Just William books made him a star. He then tried to break into Hollywood.

Career: At 16, Waterman returned to Britain and concentrated on stage work until an acclaimed performance in 1968's Up the Junction led to more film roles. Low-budget movies (such as Scars of Dracula) and TV shows (including Colditz) followed until, in 1974, he co-starred with John Thaw in Regan, the pilot episode of iconic series The Sweeney, which became a major TV hit. A 10-year stint in comedy drama Minder followed. Other projects include TV shows On the Up, Stay Lucky, and Circles of Deceit. He's also worked on the stage, most notably in Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell, and My Fair Lady. As Gerry Standing, in BBC drama New Tricks, he has introduced himself to a new generation of fans.

Quote: "If I am not such a hell-raiser any more, it isn't because I've given up. It's just that my energy levels have fallen. I haven't stopped looking at women. I'm not blind."

Trivia: He has made several records, including, famously, the theme tunes of several of his TV shows.

Anthony Calf (Actor) .. DAC Robert Strickland

Susan Jameson (Actor) .. Esther Lane

Hannah Waterman (Actor) .. Emily Driscoll

John Henshaw (Actor) .. Ray Harris

Madeleine Herrington (Actor) .. Jo

Grant Masters (Actor) .. Pete Monroe

Steve Toussaint (Actor) .. Grant Lindon

Linal Haft (Actor) .. Polish George

Phil Daniels (Actor) .. DCS Frank Paterson

Born: October 25, 1958 in London

Best Known For: Starring in cult film Quadrophenia, and EastEnders.

Early-life: Philip William Daniels was born in Islington on October 25, 1958. He and his parents survived the 1972 Eltham Well Hall rail crash. He was introduced to acting by drama teacher Anna Scher, who ran a workshop at his school. Although he only took part for a laugh, he found he really enjoyed it, and later signed up for her acting school. He began winning TV roles when he was still in his early teens, and at the age of 16 made an uncredited appearance as a waiter in Bugsy Malone.

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.

Quote: "The worst thing you can ever be is skint and a bit famous. It's embarrassing when you're standing in line at the local dole office and someone asks for your autograph."

Trivia: He supports Chelsea FC.

Beatie Edney (Actor) .. Janet Spencer

Born: October 23, 1962 in London

Best Known For: A number of TV appearances.

Early-life: Beatrice Edney was born in London on October 23, 1962, the daughter of actress Sylvia Syms. She has a brother, Benjamin. Beatie first made an impression as an actress playing Heather MacLeod in Highlander (1986). She reprised the role in Highlander: Endgame (2000).

Career: Largely known for her TV appearances, Edney has starred in Inspector Morse, Uncle Silas, Prime Suspect: The Lost Child, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, A Touch of Frost, Messiah: The Harrowing, New Tricks, Lost Empires and Lewis. She had a lead role alongside Holly Aird in three series of Channel 4 sitcom Dressing for Breakfast. Her other film credits include A Handful of Dust (1988), Mister Johnson (1990), In the Name of the Father (1993), Mesmer (1994) and In Your Dreams (2008). More recently, she played Prudie in BBC drama Poldark.

Quote: "I have to thank my dentist for revitalising my career."

Trivia: In 2012, Edney played Queen Charlotte in The Madness of King George III at the Apollo Theatre.

David Troughton (Actor) .. Ricky Hanson

Joe Absolom (Actor) .. Luke Hanson

Born: December 16, 1978 in London

Best Known For: Playing Matthew Rose in EastEnders, and Al in Doc Martin.

Early-life: Born December 16, 1978, in London. He has an older brother, Dan, and younger sister, Cassie. After appearing in a school play as a runner bean at the age of 10, he took up acting professionally. His father sent photos of his three children to an agency just for fun, but Joe became hooked on treading the boards. His first TV appearance came in an advert for peanut butter. More commercials followed.

Career: Absolom made his drama debut in 1991's Antonia and Jane, and hasn't looked back since. He worked consistently throughout his teens - by the time he was 18, he had appeared on TV in the likes of The Bill, Silent Witness and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. Touching Evil and Dangerfield followed, but he didn't become a famous face until he starred in EastEnders. He left in 2000 after three years in the soap. Since then he's starred in Extreme Ops, Stan the Man, Unconditional Love, Servants and PoW. He also has a regular role in ITV's comedy drama Doc Martin and featured alongside Kevin Costner and fellow ex-Walford resident Michael Greco in the Western series Hatfields and McCoys.

Quote: "Acting's not a career I contemplated. I thought I'd go to university and spend three years drunk, then try to start to live properly."

Trivia: In 2010, Absolom won a celebrity version of Total Wipeout, winning £10,000 for charity.

Tristan Beint (Actor) .. Pub barman

Keith Thompson (Producer)

Robin Sheppard (Director)

Nicholas Hopkins (Writer)

New Tricks: The Last Laugh

03:05 am - 04:05 am, Sunday, February 8 on U&Drama +1 (60)

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The Last Laugh
Season 6, Episode 6

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