Career: Pearson worked with Hat Trick's Jimmy Mulville in comedy series Chelmsford 123 and That's Love, before landing the role of Dave Charnley in the hit comedy Drop the Dead Donkey. Pearson capitalised on his success with the 1992 crime drama Between the Lines. Since then, he has cemented his reputation as a respected actor, with roles in a variety of projects including 1998 drama Rhodes, 2003 sitcom Trevor's World of Sport and A Lump in My Throat, which aired the same year. More recently, Pearson has appeared in All the Small Things.

Career: Tompkinson has rarely been out of work since thanks to radio, stage, TV and film roles. Early parts came in The Manageress, Casualty and Treacle, before he got his first big role playing ruthless reporter Damien Day in acclaimed sitcom Drop The Dead Donkey in 1990. All Quiet on the Preston Front, Chancer and Minder followed, before Brassed Off and Ballykissangel made him a star in 1996. Hollywood agents came knocking, but Tompkinson preferred to stay in the UK to star in Grafters, Mr Charity, Ted and Alice, In Deep, Staying Up and Lucky Jim. He's also had roles in New Tricks, Marian, Again, Prime Suspect: The Final Act, Wild at Heart and Truckers. The drama DCI Banks has become a regular fixture in the schedules.

Career: As a music-mad, chubby teenager growing up in Edgware, north London, Winton dreamed of being a DJ, and went on to work for United Biscuits factory radio and Radio Trent. His showbusiness career stalled until he was picked to present telly quiz Supermarket Sweep when he was 37. Since then, he's hosted his own prime-time chat show, Dale's All Stars, Celebrity Fit Club and the National Lottery. He also appeared in one of the most offbeat shows of 2003, Dale's Wedding, a spoof documentary in which he 'tied the knot' with Nell McAndrew. His BBC Lottery series, In It to Win It, has also been a huge success. Away from TV, Dale presented Pick of the Pops on Radio 2 between 2000 and 2010.