Shona McGarty – EastEnders – Age 29

Shona McCarthy started acting in musical theatre, appearing in a production of Wizard of Oz. She then became a popular soap opera actress when she joined the cast of EastEnders. McCarthy has been a series regular all these years, but she faced a brief suspension in 2012 due to her tardiness.

She’s part of the show’s current cast as of 2021, and she has appeared in more than 1,200 episodes so far. McCarthy had a longtime partner named Ryan Harris, and they made their engagement public in January 2018. Sadly, the two parted ways in 2020.

Alexander Vlahos – Doctors – Age 32

Alexander Vlahos’ first notable role was in the soap called Doctors, and many doors opened for him despite only having a supporting role. His most significant performance was in the series called Versailles, wherein he was a leading cast member for three years.

He always loved acting, and he got his formal acting training from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. Vlahos is now 32 years old, and it looks like he doesn’t plan to slow down in his career. His most recent TV appearance was on an episode of Outlander in 2021.

Angel Coulby – Merlin – Age 40

Forty-year-old actress Angel Coulby majored in acting when she went to Queen Margaret University. Her acting debut was on one episode of the show called Scariest Places on Earth, but her breakthrough came in the late 2000s when she joined the cast of Merlin.

She appeared on the show until 2012, and then she continued taking on more acting gigs. She also gave voice acting a try, landing the central role on Thunderbirds Are Go. Coulby remains in demand as an actress today, and her next lead role will be in a series called Suspicion.

Anita Dobson – EastEnders – Age 72

Anita Dobson became a household name in the ’80s when she joined the cast of EastEnders. She also gave a memorable performance in a production of Frozen, and it earned her an Olivier Award nomination. Aside from acting, she’s also a talented singer, and she released a popular song in 1986 titled Anyone Can Fall in Love.

Dobson also showcased her acting talent in the West End, starring in productions of Hamlet and Chicago. She’s currently 72 years old, and it seems like she has no plans of entering retirement yet. She will appear in the upcoming film, Tomorrow Morning.

Anthony Head – Merlin – Age 67

Many of you might recognize Anthony Head for starring in Nescafé’s Gold Blend couple TV advertisements. He then gained even more popularity once he joined shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Merlin. He said in an interview that he knew he wanted to pursue acting when he was still a young boy.

Many directors and producers still love casting him, so we doubt he will disappear from the limelight anytime soon. He has an upcoming film called Let the Wrong One In, and he’s also part of a new TV movie titled The Selection.

Barbara Knox – Coronation Street – Age 87

Actress Barbara Knox is well-known for starring in the soap opera titled Coronation Street. Becoming part of the show in 1964 marked the start of her professional acting career. She remained loyal to the series all these years and is still a cast member in its latest season in 2021.

She takes pride in being one of the soap opera stars with the longest runs on TV. Her on-screen partnership with Malcolm Hebden won them a British Soap Award in 2006. Knox hasn’t done any new role in the past decade, but it seems like Coronation Street brings her enough earnings.

Bradley James – Merlin – Age 37

Bradley James earned a degree in acting from the Drama Centre London during the 2000s. The show, Lewis, was where he made his acting debut, but his big break was his lead role in the series, Merlin. He played Arthur Pendragon for about four years.

He’s already 37 years old today, and he’s still the same charming man he has always been. In recent years, you might’ve seen him appear in the show called Medici. James’ last part was in The Liberator, and it looks like he doesn’t have any upcoming roles yet.

Brooke Kinsella – EastEnders – Age 37

From her childhood until her teenage years, actress Brooke Kinsella studied acting at the Anna Scher Theatre School. She was seven years old when she landed her first acting role, and then her fame skyrocketed when she starred in EastEnders during the early 2000s.

She wanted to help others with their acting education, so she put up the True Stars Academy drama school. Kinsella also became an anti-knife campaigner after her brother died due to getting stabbed. She hasn’t been an active actress in recent years, but she was a guest on an episode of Loose Women in 2021.

Bruce Jones – Coronation Street – Age 68

Bruce Jones became popular in the UK in the late ’90s after she started playing taxi driver Les Battersby in Coronation Street. He decided to leave the show in 2007, and then he later did more stand-up comedy.

When he doesn’t have any work, he does a lot of charity work, and the Variety Club of Great Britain even awarded him with a Silver Heart because of his charitable efforts. Jones isn’t retiring anytime soon, and his IMDb page says he will appear in a new movie called Dark Ditties Presents ‘Dad.’

Catherine Tyldesley – Coronation Street – Age 37

People first discovered who Catherine Tyldesley was when she appeared in the series called Lilies. She then gained an enormous fanbase once she became part of the Coronation Street cast in 2011. Tyldesley remained in the soap opera for about seven years.

She doesn’t limit herself to only acting gigs, for she even took part in Strictly Come Dancing in 2019. Sadly, she got eliminated during the sixth week of the reality show. Tyldesley’s most recent role was in Viewpoint, and it seems like she’s eager to continue growing her acting portfolio.

Charles Lawson – Coronation Street – Age 61

Charles Lawson went to London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama to develop his acting talent. He gave life to different characters over the years, but his most memorable performance was in the soap opera called Coronation Street.

Lawson appeared in more than 1,000 episodes of the series between 1989 and 2018. He had a minor stroke in recent years, but it looks like his health is back to normal today. Lawson isn’t part of any show today, but he will appear in a new short film titled Tell-Tale W*nk.

Charley Webb – Emmerdale – Age 33

Charley Webb was the adorable fourteen-year-old girl that started appearing in Emmerdale in 2002. She always wanted to act, and it looks like her inspiration was her brother Jamie who gained fame for starring in the soap opera titled Hollyoaks.

Webb is now 33 years old, and she bloomed into a gorgeous woman. She hasn’t stopped appearing on Emmerdale, and it looks like you’ll continue to see her in the series in the coming years. She has less free time these days because she welcomed a third baby with her husband, Matthew Wolfenden, in 2019.

Cindy Marshall-Day – Crossroads – Age 54

Cindy Marshall-Dy started making money as a professional actress during the ’80s. She didn’t make it big right away, but she eventually achieved mainstream stardom once she joined Crossroads during the 2000s. Marshall-Dy was part of the soap opera for around three years.

She didn’t share too many details about her life with the public, but we know she had a toxic relationship with an ex named Tony Lane-Roberts. Her ex passed away in a hotel fire in 2019. Marshall-Dy hasn’t done any acting work since appearing on The Afternoon Play in 2007.

Georgia Taylor – Coronation Street – Age 41

During her teenage years, Georgia Taylor was part of the Willpower Youth Theatre. She rose to fame in the late ’90s when she became part of Coronation Street. Her performance was outstanding, and she ended up taking home a British Soap Award.

She was a regular cast member until 2003, but she eventually made a comeback in 2016 and remained on the show until today. Taylor reportedly lives a peaceful life in Bristol with actor Mark Letheren, her longtime boyfriend. It’s unclear why he hasn’t made her his bride yet.

Eden Taylor-Draper – Emmerdale – Age 23

Emmerdale fans would remember that Emily Mather initially played the character named Belle Dingle, but actress Eden Taylor-Draper took over the part in 2005. She was only six years old then, and everybody fell in love with how cute she was.

Today, she’s all grown up at 23 years old, and it looks like she has no plans of stepping away from the acting scene. Taylor-Draper is still part of the latest season of Emmerdale, and it seems like the show is what brought her a regular flow of money over the years.

Jennifer Metcalfe – Hollyoaks – Age 37

Jennifer Metcalfe didn’t have instant success in her acting career, and sources say she was a fitness instructor before making it big in the acting scene. Her breakthrough performance was in Hollyoaks, and she also starred in the show’s spin-off titled Hollyoaks Later.

She also received opportunities to join reality shows, appearing in Dancing on Ice’s sixth season in 2011. Metcalfe still appears on Hollyoaks as of 2021. When she’s not acting, she takes care of her son with reality star Greg Lake. She and actress Claire Cooper own a rental boutique together named The Closet.

Gemma Atkinson – Hollyoaks – Age 36

Gemma Atkinson gained fame in the early 2000s for her role in Hollyoaks. The popularity of her character led to her starring in three of the show’s spin-offs. As her acting career was taking off, she worked on her figure and became a glamour model.

Atkinson’s last TV role was on Emmerdale, but she made guest appearances on programs like Steph’s Packed Lunch and Celebrity Catchphrase in 2021. She welcomed a child with Gorka Márquez, a dancer on Strictly Come Dancing, in 2019, and reports say the couple got engaged in 2021.

Gemma Merna – Hollyoaks -Age 37

Gemma Merna gave a superb performance in the soap opera called Hollyoaks, and she received the British Soap Award for Best Comedy Performance in 2007. She always looked confident, and she claims that getting her breasts done in 2009 was among the best decision she ever made.

Her most recent role was on Doctors in 2017, and it looks like she hasn’t gotten cast in a new part since then. Merna is most probably spending more time with her husband, Ian Minton, these days. The couple has been happily married since 2012.

Georgia King – The New Normal – Age 34

Georgia King originally wanted to work behind the camera as a director, but she eventually considered acting as well. It was inevitable for her to try her luck in the acting scene since her father is actor Jonathan Hyde. Her most significant breakthrough was her starring role in The New Normal.

She also made her way to the big screen, starring in movies like Wild Child and The Duchess. King has already fulfilled her directing dreams, but she has only directed two short films so far. In 2020, she was in First One In and Royalties.

Georgia May Foote – Coronation Street – Age 30

Georgia Foote is a gorgeous actress that started gracing people’s TV in 2004. Her first memorable performance was in Grange Hill, and then she became a regular face people saw on Coronation Street. If acting didn’t work out for her, she’d still get a decent job because she finished her studies at Bury College.

Foote was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing in 2015, and she finished as the runner-up of the season. The future looks bright for her, and we bet she will still achieve new heights in her acting career. In 2020, she started starring in the series called The Outpost.

Helen Flanagan – Coronation Street – Age 30

Helen Flanagan is an England-born actress that gained popularity in the 2000s for appearing in Coronation Street. Her performance in the series earned her two British Soap Award nominations, and she landed two spin-off shows titled Coronation Street: A Knights Tale and Just Rosie.

She stopped being a regular on Coronation Street in 2012. but she eventually came back in 2016. In 2018, Flanigan took maternity leave and hasn’t returned since then. She’s most probably busy raising her three kids with Scott Sinclair. The couple announced their engagement in 2018 but are yet to tie the knot officially.

Jack P. Shepherd – Coronation Street – Age 33

Coronation Street undeniably helped Jack P. Shepherd grow his bank account because he has been appearing on the show for more than two decades. He first joined the cast in 2000, and he took home two British Soap Awards and two Inside Soap Awards already.

Shepherd took a break from the soap opera at one point so he can experience theatre acting. He appeared in productions of Oliver! and West Side Story. Shepherd previously dated Lauren Shippey and share two kids with her. Since 2017, he has been in a relationship with Hanni Treweek.

Jack Ryder – EastEnders – Age 39

Jack Ryder charmed everyone in the late ’90s when she joined EastEnders. He was part of the show for six years, and many things about him have changed since then. He doesn’t have light blonde hair anymore, and he has a more rugged look today.

Ryder doesn’t only do acting work today because he also became a theatre and film director. He was an assistant director on a production of The Girls, and he co-directed The Band. In 2020, Ryder made his writing debut and released a novel titled Jack’s Secret Summer with Hachette Children’s Group.

Jacqueline Jossa – EastEnders – Age 28

Jacquline Jossa was part of the show called EastEnders from 2010 util 2018. Her cousin, Megan Jossa, appeared on the show as well. She has gone through a serious makeover over the years, and it looks like she’s living her best life today.

Jossa became famous in the reality TV world in recent years because she was the grand winner of the nineteenth season of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!. Her last acting gig was a short video in 2019 titled Celebrities Assemble, but she was a guest on Lorraine in 2020.

Thelma Barlow – Coronation Street – Age 91

Those who love TV shows surely know who Thelma Barlow is because she has been doing TV work for decades now. You might’ve loved watching her in Coronation Street, wherein she played Mavis Wilton. She was also part of the sitcom called dinnerladies.

Now that she’s 91 years old, it seems like she’s doing more retirement planning rather than working. Her last acting role was in the 2016 film Florence Foster Jenkins. Coronation Street fans were in for a treat in 2019 because she returned for Coronation Street at Christmas TV special.

Shobna Gulati – Coronation Street – Age 54

Shobna Gulati majored in politics when she studied at the University of Manchester. She didn’t become a politician, but she did become a public figure through her acting career. Her first memorable performance was in the program called Dinnerladies.

The most prominent role she had in her career was in Coronation Street. Her time on the show lasted for about twelve years. In 2021, she appeared on several episodes of the Murder, They Hope series. Her IMDb page says she will star in an upcoming movie called Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.

Bill Treacher – EastEnders – Age 91

Bill Treacher takes pride in being the first actor who got cast in the show called EastEnders. His life wasn’t always easy because he initially worked as a P&O steward before he got to afford drama school. After finishing his education at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, he did theatre work.

He became well-recognized in the West End scene, but his TV career helped him grow his net worth tremendously. Treacher is now 91 years old, and he doesn’t have a busy work schedule anymore. He stopped acting after appearing in the 2009 TV movie titled Coming Home.

Alison Bettles – Grange Hill – Age 52

Alison Bettles got discovered by theatre school owner Sylvia Young when she was only eight years old. She first generated earnings from appearing in advertisements, and then her big break happened in the ’80s when she landed a role in the show called Grange Hill.

Despite everything that was happening in her career back then, she decided to retire early in the ’90s to focus on being a mom. She has four kids with her husband, two of whom pursued acting as well. Bettles is the owner of Kenvale Recruitment, a specialist freight forwarding company.