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.

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.

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.

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.

Career: Gwynne is arguably best known for her role as Alex Pates in Channel 4 sitcom Drop the Dead Donkey, a part she played for two series. She later became a regular in Peak Practice and Mersey Beat. Her other TV credits include Rome, Lewis, Agatha Christie's Poirot, Sherlock, New Tricks, Midsomer Murders, Death in Paradise and Ripper Street. She has also performed in a number of Royal Shakespeare Company productions.

Career: MacCorkindale appeared in 1974 movie Juggernaut, followed by classic TV dramas I, Claudius and Jesus of Nazareth. He moved to the United States in 1982 and a string of little-seen movies followed, including Raiders of the Lost Ark-style movie Falcon's Gold. Jaws 3 also failed to make the grade. After appearing in Manimal and glossy soap Falcon Crest, he spent much of the 1980s and 1990s making TV movies such as No Greater Love and Counterstrike. He joined BBC One drama Casualty in 2002, but went on sabbatical in early 2007 to appear in theatre productions. He later returned to the show, but announced his decision to quit permanently in 2008. He also ran production company Amy International, named after wife Susan George's character in Straw Dogs. MacCorkindale was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2006 and underwent a number of cancer treatments before publicly revealing in 2009 that the disease was terminal. He died on October 14, 2010.