ITS iconic theme tune rang out from millions of homes across the country on Sunday nights for nearly two decades.
Set in the 1960s, ITV police drama Heartbeat helped launch the careers of some of Britain’s most recognisable TV stars.
Heartbeat featured an impressive ensemble featuring Nick Berry and Tricia Penrose
The Yorkshire-based series ran from 1992 to 2010 and in its prime would regularly draw in audiences of up to 10 million.
Goathland, the tiny village where the Heartbeat was filmed, has even become a tourist hotspot.
Here we take a look at what became of some of its stars.
Nick Berry – Sergeant Nick Rowan
Nick now looks unregonisable with grey hair after stepping back from the limelight
Nick Berry was already a big name, having appeared in the original line-up of EastEnders in 1985, alongside Leslie Graham and Gillian Taylforth – who he dated for three years.
As Simon Wicks, his dashing good looks endeared him to millions of fans.
After a five-year stint on the BBC soap the now 60-year-old left to take up the role of Sergeant Nick Rowan on Heartbeat in 1992.
His character was dealt powerful storylines including his wife Kate’s – played by Niamh Cusack – tragic death from leukaemia.
Shortly after leaving the show in 1998, he decided to become a stay-at-home dad to his sons Louis and Finley, whom he shares with wife Rachel Robertson.
He reportedly made an impressive £5million from his acting career and bought a stunning mansion in Essex and a beach house in Hove.
He now looks unrecognisable with white-grey hair and a bushy beard.
Mark Jordan – PC Phil Bellamy
Mark was cleared of assaulting a pensioner in a 2018 incident
Mark, 58, holds the distinct honour of being one of few actors to appear in all four major soaps in the UK – EastEnders, Coronation Street, Hollyoaks and Emmerdale, where he played Daz Spencer.
But he is arguably best known for his role as PC Phil Bellamy on Heartbeat, a part he played for 15 years until his character was shot dead.
In July 2018, he was accused of attacking a 68-year-old pensioner, allegedly biting his face during a row in a pub beer garden while celebrating his engagement to Emmerdale co-star Laura Norton.
A little over a year later, a court in Manchester cleared him of attacking the man.
Mark described it as a “year of hell”, admitting he was forced to fork out cash he’d saved for his wedding on expensive legal bills.
He said: “I was portrayed as a violent drunk. I’d never been to court, never had to arrange a lawyer or barrister. It’s been an education, but not one I would have chosen.”
He has four children – two from his marriage to ex-wife Siobhan Finneran, and two with Laura.
Nikki Sanderson – Dawn Bellamy
Nikki Sanderson played Dawn Bellamy and is now a regular cast member on Hollyoaks
Former glamour model Nikki kick-started her TV career as Candice Stowe in Coronation Street before landing the role of Dawn Bellamy in Heartbeat in 2007.
Nikki, 39, hasn’t been shot of work since her departure – she joined Hollyoaks as Maxine Minniver in 2012 and has been on the Cheshire-based soap ever since.
The star is currently dating ex-Emmerdale and Hollyoaks actor Anthony Quinlan, and often shares loved-up snaps of them on social media.
Anthony quit Emmerdale in 2019 to launch BoxedOff– a company that provides plant-based supplements and nutrition to help customers achieve their fitness goals.
Bill Maynard – Greengrass
Bill died in 2018 after a tragic accident that involved his mobility scooter
Bill Maynard‘s Greengrass was a loveable rogue whose questionable entrepreneurial efforts often landed him in trouble.
Bill was already a TV legend when he joined Heartbeat, thanks to his work in the Carry On films, while Great Scott – It’s Maynard earned him critical praise and made him a household name.
In 1949 he married Muriel Linnet and had two children. The couple were together until her death from cancer in 1983.
Six years later Bill tied the knot with actress Tonia Bern, but when she filed to divorce him after eight years, he claimed he had never loved her.
Although he had a number of health issues, Bill died in 2018 aged 89 after a tragic accident involving his mobility scooter.
Tricia Penrose
Fans were thrilled to see how show legend Tricia Penrose looks now
Tricia Penrose, now 52, played bubbly barmaid Gina Ward from 1993 until the series wrapped.
Tricia married TV presenter Mark Simpkin in 2003, and the couple had two children. They split in 2021 after 18 years of marriage and now live separately in Cheshire.
An insider said: “They decided to go their separate ways after realising they had grown apart and it would be better for everyone.”
Away from her work on Heartbeat, she appeared on Brookside, Coronation Street and Emmerdale and also took part in Celebrity Big Brother in 2013.
These days Tricia looks very different, having swapped her brunette hair for a blonde do. She’s also got a new man in her life.
These days the star tends to stay out of the limelight, but still does occasional work on Radio Wirral.
David Lonsdale – David Stockwell
David Lonsdale appeared in 259 episode and was a fan favourite
Bill Maynard wasn’t the only one bringing the comedy factor – David Lonsdale joined the show a year after its debut and immediately became a fan favourite.
The 60-year-old appeared in 259 episodes and stayed with the show until 2009.
Before then he was on Coronation Street for eight episodes and has since appeared on other soaps such as Emmerdale, Hollyoaks, and a seven-episode stint back on Corrie as a completely different character.
In 1993 he married wife Diane, and the couple share three children. He also presents a radio show on Mighty FM.
Last year he thrilled his fans by appearing in true crime drama The Thief, His Wife, and the Canoe.
Peter Benson – Bernie Scrips
Peter Benson’s character Bernie often found himself in trouble for helping the wrong crowd
His character famously ran the Aidensfield garage and also worked at a local funeral home.
Bernie would often find himself caught up in Greengrass’ schemes, having been roped in to help.
After the show ended, Peter Benson had minor parts in The Royal, Coronation Street, The Bill and Peak Practice.
Peter was already an established actor before Heartbeat and was in hit movies like 1970’s Cry of the Banshee and The First Great Train Robbery in 1978.
After a short illness, Peter died in September 2018 aged 75, surrounded by his family and close friends.
Jason Durr – PC Mike Bradley
Jason Durr later played a nurse in Casualty after until earlier this year
Jason Durr, 55, was ushered into the drama in 1997 shortly after the departure of resident heartthrob Nick Berry.
He played PC Mike Bradley, who had to work hard to earn the respect of the residents of Aidensfield.
He left the show in 2003 and took on roles in Numb3rs, Agatha Christie’s Marple, Midsomer Murders and Casualty, where he remained as nurse David Hide until earlier this year.
In 2020 he shared the heartbreaking news that he had lost his mother to Covid and his sister in law to cancer in the space of four days.
