Byker Grove, the groundbreaking BBC drama about teenagers at a Newcastle youth club, aired from 1989 to 2006 and tackled hard-hitting issues such as substance abuse and underage pregnancy. In 1994, it made history by broadcasting children's television's first same-sex kiss. The show is perhaps best known for launching the careers of Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly.
On screen, the pair played best friends PJ and Duncan. In a now-iconic storyline, PJ was accidentally blinded by a paintball fired by two girls as retribution for his two-timing behaviour, prompting Duncan's unforgettable cry of "He cannae see man!". Off screen, the duo formed a band called Groove Matrix, releasing debut single "Tonight I'm Free", which peaked at number 62. They later found chart success as PJ and Duncan with hits including "If I Give You My Number" and "Eternal Love" before moving into television presenting, where they became household names through SM:TV Live, Saturday Night Takeaway, Britain's Got Talent and I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!.
Despite their success, the pair initially did not get along. Dec once recalled thinking Ant was miserable, while Ant admitted they had rowed a few times due to their competitive nature. Another former cast member, Billy Fane, remained close to the duo and even appeared on Saturday Night Takeaway.
Meanwhile, Lyndyann Barrass joined the show at the age of 12 as Kirsty "Spuggie" Campbell. After being written out, she struggled to find acting roles and felt typecast as "the redhead from that Geordie show". She later suffered a vicious assault when three strangers recognised her as Spuggie and beat her unconscious, prompting her to quit show business for good.
In 1999, Lyndyann married Allan and had two children, but the couple separated in 2012. As a single parent, she took a job in a bank call centre, telling The Mirror in 2015 that she earned just over half of Ant and Dec's daily salary in a year. She praised the pair for remaining grounded and not forgetting their roots. In 2023, it emerged that she now runs a domestic cleaning business called Dusty Springclean, having raised her hourly rate to £14 to offset the cost of living crisis.
