Career: Stevens first professional work came as a stage hand at the Chichester Festival Theatre, where he eventually won small roles. In 1992 he got his big break in TV series The Camomile Lawn and made his film debut in Orlando. He spent the next four years gaining rave reviews in theatre. Since then, he's appeared in Twelfth Night, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Photographing Fairies, Poirot, The Great Gatsby, and Cambridge Spies. He also played the young Clint Eastwood in Space Cowboys. His biggest role to date was as the villain in the James Bond movie Die Another Day. He also played the super spy himself in radio productions of Dr No and Goldfinger. He was an acclaimed Mr Rochester in an adaptation of Jane Eyre, played Prince John in the third series of Robin Hood, and has an acclaimed stage career.

Career: After leaving Brookside in 1993, Stephenson went on to star in a number of popular TV shows, including The Bill, Casualty, Holby City, Clocking Off, Christmas Lights, Northern Lights, City Lights, The Chase, All at Sea, and Waterloo Road. More recently, she starred in ITV drama Safe House.

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: Eve made his professional debut at the Liverpool Playhouse as Paul McCartney in Willy Russell's John, Paul, George, Ringo - and Bert. Singled out for praise, it demonstrated his early promise. He then appeared in West End production Filumena before playing the roguish private eye Shoestring on TV in 1979, the part that made him a household name and a heart-throb. Laurence Olivier was a fan, and hired Eve to star in his TV series Best Plays. Memorable work since includes The Politician's Wife, A Sense of Guilt, Troy, The Family Man and the brilliant BBC drama Waking the Dead, which ended in 2011 after nine series. His other notable work includes playing game show host Hughie Green in Hughie Green, Most Sincerely, the 2010 ITV remake of Bouquet of Barbed Wire, and three-part drama Kidnap and Ransom. He has also worked and lived in the US, but is now settled in London.

Career: During the 1990s, Johnson landed recurring roles on Anna Lee and Cracker and starred in the TV movie Babymother. His big break came in 2000 when he was cast in Waking the Dead as Detective Sergeant Spencer Jordan. He remained on the show until it ended in 2011. In 2000, he also landed a recurring role in Paul Abbott's drama Clocking Off. His other TV credits include guest appearances in The Bill and recurring roles on Babyfather, Waterloo Road and Holby City. In 2012, he began playing Dom Andrews in Emmerdale. He left the soap in 2014. His film credits include Adulthood (2008), In a Better World (2010) and Anuvahood (2011).

Career: Dharker got her breakthrough when she played the lead character Malli in The Terrorist (1998). She gained more international recognition when she played Queen Jamillia in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002). After that, she appeared in various TV series, including Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee, Waking the Dead and an episode of Doctor Who. From 2008 to 2009, she played Tara Mandal on Coronation Street. She also played doctor's wife Kamini Sharma in the comedy drama series The Indian Doctor from 2010 until 2013. Since then, she has appeared in such TV series as Waterloo Road, Indian Summers and Holby City. Away from the screen, she has had theatre roles, including in Royal Shakespeare Company productions of Arabian Nights, Othello and A Midsummer Night's Dream.