Career: After becoming a cult favourite with Radio 4's On the Hour, Coogan made his TV breakthrough in 1993 with roles on Saturday Zoo and The Day Today. The former introduced his foul-mouthed Mancunian layabout Paul Calf, and the latter brought his most famous radio creation, Alan Partridge, to the small screen. He appeared in horror spoof Dr Terrible's House of Horrible and also made a handful of hit-and-miss films, including Terry Jones's version of Wind in the Willows, The Parole Officer and 24 Hour Party People. He's enjoyed success in America with such films as Around the World in 80 Days, A Night at the Museum and Tropic Thunder. In 2010 he appeared with Rob Brydon in contemplative BBC sitcom The Trip, and more recently in its sequel, The Trip to Italy. He also co-wrote and starred in Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa and Philomena.

Career: While still presenting, Brydon ventured into comedy, and made ends meet by providing voices for adverts and animations. A small role in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels inspired him to make a short film of his comic characters; series of Marion & Geoff, A Small Summer Party and The Keith Barret Show followed. Other credits include Director's Commentary, Human Remains, Supernova, A Cock and Bull Story, Little Britain, Annually Retentive and Gavin & Stacey. He's also hosted his own BBC chat show and has chaired the comedy panel show Would I Lie to You? since 2009. In 2010, he starred alongside Steve Coogan in the partially improvised BBC Two sitcom The Trip and has since appeared in its follow-up.

Career: Anderson's first big break came when she won an award for her performance in the off-Broadway play Absent Friends. After settling in Los Angeles, she had a guest appearance in TV series Class of 96, then landed the role of Dana Scully in The X Files. She won an Emmy and Golden Globe for her portrayal of the FBI agent; she's also appeared in two X Files movies. Anderson's other projects include The Mighty, The House of Mirth, The Last King of Scotland, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, Bleak House, Great Expectations, The Crimson Petal and the White, and Hannibal. She's also the female lead in the hugely acclaimed BBC Two series The Fall, and contains to appear on stage.

Career: Macdonald thought about going to drama school, but changed her mind when an open audition led to her landing the role of schoolgirl temptress Diane in Trainspotting. Her nude scene with Ewan McGregor brought her lots of attention and led to roles in Stella Does Tricks, Cousin Bette, and Elizabeth. Her most impressive performance to date came in Oscar-winning drama Gosford Park in 2001, alongside the likes of Maggie Smith and Michael Gambon. She will be seen on the big screen later this year with Colin Farrell in Intermission, and Johnny Depp in Neverland.

Career: In 1990, Northam's profile was boosted when he was awarded the Olivier Award for Best Newcomer, thanks to his performance in stage play The Voysey Inheritance. Five years later, he got a part in the Sandra Bullock vehicle The Net, before donning period costume to play opposite Gwyneth Paltrow in the 1996 adaptation of Emma. Since then, Northam has gone on to impress critics and audiences alike with roles in Amistad (1997), Happy, Texas (1999), Enigma (2001), Gosford Park (2001), Possession (2002) and Cypher (2002). More recently, he played Sir Thomas More in historical TV drama The Tudors and starred in the BBC drama White Heat. He also had a part in short-lived American drama Miami Medical.

Career: Harris' first break came in Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later (2002). In the same year, she starred in the TV adaptation of Zadie Smith's White Teeth. Since then, Harris has appeared on the big screen in A Cock and Bull Story (2005), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006), Miami Vice (2006), Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007) and Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (2010). In 2012, she starred alongside Daniel Craig in the hugely popular James Bond movie Skyfall. A year later, she starred opposite Idris Elba in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013). She returned to the James Bond franchise in 2015 in Spectre.

Career: In 1993, Moran won the So You Think You're Funny award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He went on to become the youngest person to win the Perrier Comedy Award in 1996 at the Edinburgh Festival when he was 24. In 2000, he starred in Black Books, a Channel 4 sitcom about a miserable, unsociable, drunken, chain-smoking, and disorganized book shop owner called Bernard Black. Based on Moran's original idea, the series was brought to life by co-writer and fellow Irishman Graham Linehan. Two more series followed, and his stand-up tours and DVDs remain best-sellers, while his movie career continues to blossom. On the big screen, he has appeared in Shaun of the Dead, A Cock and Bull Story, and Run, Fatboy, Run.

Career: After graduating, Fry and Laurie enjoyed a successful comedy partnership. Fry was a millionaire by 30, thanks to a successful rewrite of the Noel Gay musical Me and My Girl. He has appeared in numerous films and TV projects, including Blackadder, Jeeves and Wooster, Wilde, Thunderpants, Kingdom and The Hobbit. He's also written several books, and is well-known as a charming raconteur. He made his movie debut as writer and director with Bright Young Things, based on Evelyn Waugh's book, Vile Bodies. Fry is the presenter of comedy quiz QI, he has also made several acclaimed documentaries, including ones about manic depression and Aids, and he is the reader for the British versions of JK Rowling's Harry Potter series of audio books.

Career: Eight years after his first foray into TV and film, Ian played music icon John Lennon in Christopher Münch's The Hours and Times. His performance as the ill-fated Beatle was critically acclaimed and brought him to the attention of director Iain Softley who asked him to reprise the role in Backbeat. The 1994 movie proved a turning point in his career as he has worked consistently ever since on an eclectic body of work, from the dramatic Clockwork Mice and Wonderland to family favourite Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and big budget Hollywood offering Enemy of the State. Other major works include Boardwalk Empire, Agents of SHIELD, Bates of Motel and Klondike.

Career: Fleet is best known for playing the bumbling Tom in the 1984 romantic comedy Four Weddings and a Funeral, and the dim-witted Hugo Horton in the sitcom The Vicar of Dibley. He had a stint in Coronation Street in 2010 and his other TV credits include roles in Midsomer Murders, Being Human, Death Comes to Pemberley and Bad Education. On the big screen, he has appeared in Sense and Sensibility (1995), The Phantom of the Opera (2004) and Charlotte Gray (2001).