Career: Dench made her professional debut with the Old Vic Company before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1961, and has frequently worked on stage ever since. She became a household name in the 1980s thanks to sitcom A Fine Romance, for which she won a Bafta. She's also won the award for Four in the Morning, Talking to a Stranger, Iris, The Last of the Blonde Bombshells, Shakespeare In Love (for which she picked up an Oscar too), A Handful of Dust, Mrs Brown and A Room With a View. Other notable productions include Chocolat, Notes on a Scandal, J Edgar, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and its sequel, and several Bond movies, including Skyfall, in which she bowed out as M.

Career: Pigott-Smith's big break came in 1984 when he landed one of the lead roles in ITV's Jewel in the Crown, the lavish miniseries which was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic. He's worked steadily ever since, most notably appearing in The Remains of the Day, The Chief and The Bullion Boys, as well as narrating documentaries, audio books, appearing on stage in such productions as The Iceman Cometh, alongside Kevin Spacey, and directing various plays. His credits also include appearances in a number of hit movies, including Gangs of New York, Johnny English, Alexander, V for Vendetta, Quantum of Solace and Alice in Wonderland.

Career: Izzard was a street performer before tackling stand-up at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and London's comedy clubs. He then began touring the country. Sell-out gigs led to acting roles. He's since become a star in the US and his movie credits include Velvet Goldmine, Mystery Men, Shadow of the Vampire, Ocean's Twelve and Thirteen, My Super Ex-Girlfriend and Valkyrie. He starred alongside Minnie Driver in two seasons of US drama The Riches. Izzard also played Grandpa in Mockinbird Lane, a revamp of classic series The Munsters, and has had a regular role in Hannibal. He continues to tour with his stand-up routines.

Career: Akhtar went on to star in the sketch show The Angelos Epithemiou Show and alongside Sacha Baron Cohen in The Dictator (2012). His other TV credits include The Job Lot, Trollied, Utopia and River. On the big screen, he has also appeared in War Book (2014) and Pan (2015).

Career: Gambon became a member of Laurence Olivier's first Royal National Theatre company, and made his movie debut in 1965's Othello, alongside the star. His role in long-running TV show The Borderers led to an audition for James Bond. Parts in such forgettable productions as The Beast Must Die and Nothing But the Night came next. It was The Singing Detective in 1986 that finally made him a star. He's worked steadily ever since in the likes of Maigret, The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover, Gosford Park, Doctor Who, Quartet, Sleepy Hollow and Fortitude. He took over playing Dumbledore in Harry Potter following the death of Richard Harris. He's won BAFTA TV awards for Perfect Strangers, Longitude, Wives and Daughters, and The Singing Detective.