Latest news with #MitreStudios
The Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Legendary 90s kids show coming to streaming for first time ever – after launching the careers of TV's biggest stars
AN ICONIC 90s kids show is coming to streaming for the first time ever. The popular show made multiple cast members into enduring household names. 4 4 4 Classic episodes of Byker Grove will be available to stream for free on STV Player and ITVX. Ant & Dec featured prominently in the series, playing best friends P.J. and Duncan. The streaming services have partnered with Ant & Dec's production company Mitre Studios - which owns the rights to Byker Grove - in order to relaunch the series. Viewers across the UK can stream it now on STV Player and on ITVX from later this year. Ant & Dec's characters, PJ & Duncan were among the most popular and enjoyed chart success with eight Top 20 singles - including Let's Get Ready to Rhumble. Having launched on BBC One in 1989, Byker Grove fast became an after-school viewing staple for teenagers. The series takes place in Byker, Newcastle - while following the lives of young people at local youth club, the Grove. During its run, Byker Grove tackled social issues such as abortion, drug addiction and homophobia. In 1994, it also featured the first gay kiss on UK children's TV - when character Noddy Fishwick kissed his friend Gary Hendrix. Past cast members also include Jill Halfpenny, who featured from 1989 to 1992. In addition, Donna Air starred in four series from 1992 until 1995. Byker Grove follows another legendary British drama, Brookside onto STV Player. The streaming service relaunched classic episodes of the iconic Merseyside soap. Richard Williams, STV's Managing Director, Audience: Video & Technology, said: 'Just when you thought the 90s revival might have been slowing down, we've only gone and brought back one of the seminal TV shows of the decade. 'Byker Grove was an integral part of so many British childhoods and we're delighted that those original viewers – now of a slightly more mature vintage – can relive all the nostalgic action on STV Player. Ant and Dec's incredible career ANT McPartlin and Declan Donnelly met on the set of Byker Grove in 1990. The two went on to have chart success under their characters' names - including their 1994 No1 smash hit Let's Get Ready To Rhumble. They haven't looked back since then, going on to present some of the most popular shows on TV. Here's a rundown of some of their most popular shows - plus one "dud". The Ant & Dec Show - this late afternoon kids' entertainment series ran from 1995-1996 for 17 episodes Ant & Dec Unzipped - the twosome jumped from ITV to Channel 4 for this children's sketch show in 1997 SM:TV Live - the duo teamed up with Cat Deeley in 1998 for Saturday morning mayhem including the classic Wonkey Donkey game Friends Like These - the Geordie pair hopped channels again, landing on BBC One to present this game show from 1999 until 2001 Pop Idol - before The X Factor there was Pop Idol, which ran for two seasons in 2001 and 2002 and saw Michelle McManus and Will Young crowned the winners I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here - the reality TV show began in 2002, with Dec presenting all 23 seasons, even one without sidekick Ant as Holly Willoughby stepped up Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway - this show also began in 2002, but the lads said the 2024 offering would be their last PokerFace - Ant and Dec created this game show which aired from 2006-2007. with a top prize of £1million. Britain's Got Talent - the TV series began in 2007 with the pair's backstage antics loved by fans. They also took part in silly competitions on Stephen Mulhern 's ITV spin-off Britain's Got More Talent Red Or Black - the show only aired for two seasons in 2011 and 2012. It was one of the pair's rare "flops" with Dec admitting "we got it wrong" Ant & Dec's Limitless Win - the pair had another success on their hands when this show hit screens in 2022 "And if any Gen Z viewers want to find out who really started the baggy trousers trend, look no further than Byker Grove!' Craig Morris, Managing Editor, ITV Channels & ITVX, said: 'We are so excited to bring this iconic coming-of-age series to ITVX, marking the first TV appearances of two ITV stalwarts. "Relive all the great moments with us later this year.' Ed Sleeman, MD at Mitre Studios added: 'We're delighted to be teaming up with ITVX and STV Player to give a new generation of viewers the opportunity to watch this iconic series from the start and to see where it all began for Ant & Dec.' 4
ITV News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- ITV News
90s hit teen drama Byker Grove returns to screens after 20 years
90s teen drama Byker Grove is making a surprise return to screens, nearly 20 years after the final episode aired. Fans can now stream the full series for the first time in the UK on STV Player and on ITVX later this year – as part of a co-exclusivity deal with Mitre Studios. Originally launched on BBC One in 1989, Byker Grove became a much-loved after school programme for millions of teenagers growing up in the 90s and noughties. Set in the Byker area of Newcastle, the series followed the lives and relationships of a group of young people who spent their down time at local youth club, the Grove. The show tackled challenging social issues of the time, including drug addiction, child abuse, homophobia and abortion. In 1994, the series broadcast the first gay kiss on UK children's TV, when character Noddy Fishwick kissed close friend Gary Hendrix at the cinema. Byker Grove also helped launch the acting careers of many young people, including Ant and Dec, Jill Halfpenny and Donna Air. The show was also credited with training many behind-the-scenes talent. Former writer, Catherine Johnson, went on to pen hit musical Mamma Mia! and Tom Hooper, who directed episodes in 1997, later won the Academy Award for Best Director for his work on The King's Speech. Richard Williams, who is STV's Managing Director for Audience: Video and Technology, said it was exciting to be bringing back 'one of the seminal TV shows of the decade'. 'Byker Grove was an integral part of so many British childhoods and we're delighted that those original viewers – now of a slightly more mature vintage – can relive all the nostalgic action," he said. "And if any Gen Z viewers want to find out who really started the baggy trousers trend, look no further than Byker Grove!' Byker Grove is available to stream for free on STV Player and will become available on ITVX later this year.
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Ant and Dec's iconic show available to stream on demand for first time ever
The Newcastle based children's TV show will be available to stream in full across the UK later this year, decades after its BBC debut. Almost four decades after its initial television appearance, Byker Grove is set to make a comeback later this year. However, instead of returning to its original broadcaster, the BBC, it will be aired on an alternative channel. The series, filmed in Newcastle, first graced CBBC screens back in 1989 and quickly became a hit with viewers. Both youngsters and their parents were captivated by the adventures of the Grove's members, who were actually based in Benwell, not Byker. The show boasted a star-studded cast including Ant and Dec, whose characters PJ and Duncan were beloved by fans. They shared screen time with other familiar faces such as Donna Air and Jill Halfpenny, and were part of the unforgettable 'he can't see man!' paintballing scene. Ant and Dec left the show in the mid-90s to embark on a music career. The turn of the millennium brought heartbreak for viewers when Geoff, the group's leader, tragically died in a fire, and Andrew Hayden-Smith's character Ben was killed off in a hit-and-run incident a few years later, reports Chronicle Live. Byker Grove ended in 2006, but in a surprising twist in 2023, Ant and Dec revealed that their company Mitre Studios were collaborating with Fulwell73 to reboot the series under the new title, Byker. The buzz surrounding the return of Byker Grove has been palpable since its initial reveal, yet there's been little in the way of updates until now. Fans craving a dose of nostalgia can rejoice as the show is currently available for streaming across the UK on STV Player and is set to make its debut on ITVX later this year, thanks to a co-exclusivity agreement with Mitre Studios. Richard Williams, STV's Managing Director of Audience: Video and Technology, couldn't hide his excitement about the show's comeback. He said: "Just when you thought the 90s revival might have been slowing down, we've only gone and brought back one of the seminal TV shows of the decade. "Byker Grove was an integral part of so many British childhoods and we're delighted that those original viewers – now of a slightly more mature vintage – can relive all the nostalgic action on STV Player. And if any Gen Z viewers want to find out who really started the baggy trousers trend, look no further than Byker Grove!" Ed Sleeman, MD at Mitre Studios, also expressed his delight: "We're delighted to be teaming up with ITVX and STV Player to give a new generation of viewers the opportunity to watch this iconic series from the start and to see where it all began for Ant and Dec." Stream Byker Grove for free on STV Player now (UK-wide) and on ITVX later this year.
STV News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- STV News
Ant and Dec drama Byker Grove returns to screens for first time on STV Player
Byker Grove is available to stream for the first time ever on STV Player. The hard hitting teen drama series is known for launching the careers of Ant and Dec as well as featuring the first-ever gay kiss on UK children's TV. Described at the time as a trailblazer, Byker Grove became a much-loved staple of after-school viewing for millions of teenagers after its launch on BBC One in 1989. Set in the Byker area of Newcastle, the series follows the lives and relationships of a group of young people who spend their downtime at local youth club, the Grove. Byker Grove was renowned for tackling challenging social issues, such as drug addiction, child abuse, homophobia and abortion. The series has been off air for 20 years but is now available to stream across the UK on STV Player—and later this year on ITVX—as part of a co-exclusivity deal with the Ant and Dec's production company Mitre Studios. The show catapulted the duo's careers whose Byker characters, PJ & Duncan, were two of the show's most popular and even went on to enjoy chart success with eight top 20 singles, including the number one, Let's Get Ready to Rhumble. Richard Williams, STV's Managing Director, Audience: Video & Technology, said: 'Just when you thought the 90s revival might have been slowing down, we've only gone and brought back one of the seminal TV shows of the decade. 'Byker Grove was an integral part of so many British childhoods and we're delighted that those original viewers – now of a slightly more mature vintage – can relive all the nostalgic action on STV Player. And if any Gen Z viewers want to find out who really started the baggy trousers trend, look no further than Byker Grove!' Ed Sleeman, Managing Director at Mitre Studios added: 'We're delighted to be teaming up with ITVX and STV Player to give a new generation of viewers the opportunity to watch this iconic series from the start and to see where it all began for Ant & Dec.' The show also served as a major training ground for both on-screen and off-screen talent, including Jill Halfpenny, Donna Air and writer Catherine Johnson, who later wrote the hit musical Mamma Mia!. Stream all episodes of Byker Grove now on STV Player. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The Sun
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Sam Thompson lands huge new job with link to Ant and Dec – a year after winning I'm A Celeb
SAM Thompson has landed a brand new series with Disney and it's all thanks to Ant and Dec. The I'm A Celeb winner has done a mini series with Ant and Dec's production company, Mitre Studios for Disney. 3 He can be seen challenging members of the public with fun tasks to win Disney prizes in the brand new online series. In the first episode, Sam has fans blindfolded and attempt to use a handheld grasping hook to pick the correct toy out of a sea of minions. The first episode is available to watch on YouTube now. Former Made in Chelsea star Sam recently took on a mammoth charity run for Soccer Aid, running 260miles across the country. He's also set to play in this week's Soccer Aid celebrity match despite his ordeal. Sam, 34, raised more than £1.5m for Unicef by running and biking 260 miles from Stamford Bridge, Chelsea, to Old Trafford, Manchester, where the game will be played at the weekend. However his appearance at the match was hanging in the balance as he continues to recovered from his gruelling charity run. Sam said: 'Trying to get those legs right for soccer aid!! I WILL play a part [laughing face emoji].' He could be seen standing in an ice bath in his post shared to fans, and held onto the sides while grimacing. Sam Thompson breaks down in tears as he's comforted by sister Louise and family after completing 260-mile endurance challenge on This Morning The star will be doing all he can from now until Soccer Aid, to make sure he can be a part of the day. And today Sam was pictured training for the match with the other celebrities taking part and looked to be well recovered. 3
