Beloved British comedy duo Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have confirmed that they are helping reboot the show that pub them on the map, Byker Grove.
As you we’re sure most of you are aware, before we had Ant and Dec there was PJ and Duncan and it’s fair to day that their career may never have been were it not for those breakthrough roles on the hit children’s show, Byker Grove.
Set in their hometown of Newcastle and airing from 1989 all the way up until 2006, the hit show which rose to popularity throughout the 1990s focused on the everyday lives of kids who attended a youth club of the same name.
Now though, more than 17 years after its final episode, the pair are helping reboot the show for a new generation and Byker Grove’s doors are opening once again.
PJ and Dunc—sorry, Ant and Dec confirm Byker Grove reboot
Working alongside TV companies Mitre Studios and Fulwell 73, the show’s two former stars will be helping the production team to capture the essence of the original programme as well as update it for a new audience.
Set be renamed simply as Byker, Ant and Dec said they are looking forward to not only adapting the show for modern kids’ telly but “those who remember it as fondly as we do.”
The pair went on to admit that it’s obviously very close to their hearts and “couldn’t be more excited to be giving it a new lease of life” but more importantly that, on a community level, “it will help provide sustainable training and employment in front and behind the camera for talent in the North East.”
That’s the sort of stuff we like to hear; the spirit of PJ and Duncan is still very much alive and well even today. Here they are 27 years ago talking about the first time they ever met, which in itself is a bit of a weird thought, as us watching at home pretty much see them as almost inseparable.
#OnThisDay 1996: PJ And Duncan were on Pebble Mill talking Byker Grove, pop and their new alias. By all accounts, these lads are working at a "takeaway" of some sort now. pic.twitter.com/IcVqgzAvun
The impact and influenceit had over multiple generations of those growing up in and around Newcastle, the Tyne and the Wear is hard to overlook, with it being as significant to local culture as the likes of Corrie probably was or maybe even still is for us Mancs.
With countless other now-familiar TV faces having first got their shot on the show, the legacy of Byker Grove in the North East can still be felt today. Even current Newcastle icon Sam Fender recreated the famous paintball scene featuring PJ and Ducan a couple of years back.
It is yet to be confirmed whether or not the show will return to the BBC after nearly two decades, but Ant and Dec did tease potential returning cameos, as well as joking that they’ll spare us a musical comeback. Regardless, we look forward to seeing what Byker Grove looks like all these years later.
The best part is, it’s not the only ’90s TV favourite returning to our screens either…
Featured Image — BBC/Mitre Studios (via Twitter)/IMBb/Ant and Dec
TV & Showbiz
Single Mancs wanted to take part in next series of Married At First Sight UK
Emily Sergeant
Okay, bold question time – would you marry a complete stranger?
If you (somehow) answered yes to that, then you’ll probably be keen to hear that hit Channel 4 reality show, Married at First Sight UK, is currently on the lookout for brave contestants to take part in the next series.
And you’ll probably be even keener to hear that casting directors are urging single Mancs to stick an application in… if they fancy it.
If you haven’t seen Married at First Sight yet, well then firstly, where have you been? And secondly, it’s a dating show like no other that sees singletons marry complete strangers in a social experiment – and it’s undoubtedly binge-worthy and extremely entertaining.
Married at First Sight UK has opened its casting for the next series / Credit: Channel 4
Contestants – who will not have met or had contact with each other until the wedding day – are matched up with their supposed ‘perfect match’, determined by a group of experts who use “scientific matchmaking methods”.
Once the contestants are married off, the camera follows them for five weeks to see whether the new relationship is a success or not.
Calling on singletons to put their faith in the matchmaking service, Channel 4 wrote in the casting announcement on the ‘Take Part’ section of its website: “If you are ready to swipe left to the dating apps and say ‘I do’ at the altar, then our experts are here to help you find the one.”
Channel 4 wants singletons to put their faith in the matchmaking service / Credit: Channel 4
Casting directors say singles of all ages, backgrounds, gender identities, and sexualities are ‘welcome to apply’ for the new series.
Fancy it then?
Applications are currently open for the next series, and to apply to the show, you just need to be over 18 years of age, live in the UK, and feel ready for marriage.
BBC is looking for messy Mancs who need to ‘sort their life out’ to take part in new series
Emily Sergeant
Do you need to sort your life out?
We get that this may sound like a pretty brutal and upfront question to ask, but don’t shoot the messenger, it’s technically the BBC asking it, as producers are currently on the hunt for messy people who could do with ‘sorting their life out’ to take part in the new series of one of its hit TV shows – and they’re encouraging Greater Manchester residents to apply.
While the title of the show may, quite literally, be Sort Your Life Out, we promise it’s not as harsh as it seems, as in reality, it’s just offering you a helping hand to tidy up.
That’s right, if you would you like your home to be totally transformed by none other than Stacey Solomon and her expert team, then through a life-changing declutter, supersize spring clean, and some ingenious carpentry solutions to top things off, you could bring some job back to where you live.
The BBC is looking for messy Mancs who need to ‘sort their life out’ to take part in new series / Credit: BBC | FreerangeStock
Stacey and her expert team of organising fanatics can help you let go of the things you don’t need, and streamline what you do.
Plus they’ll also help to create space-saving storage and put systems in place to save you time and money in the future.
“Whether you have a new baby on the way, want to run a business from home, find it hard to let go of sentimental items or just want to create calm in the chaos, we’d love to hear from you,” producers said in a casting call on the BBC website.
Does this process sounds like something you could benefit from then? Producers of the hit show are looking for families or shared households to take part in a potential future series.
Danny Jones -
4th July 2023 
