Ant and Dec announce Byker Grove reboot with the pair as producers

Geordie presenting duo, Ant and Dec - who found fame on the Newcastle based children’s drama series Byker Grove, have announced that the show will be returning after 17 years.

Byker Grove, which aired on BBC and CBBC from 1989 until 2006, focused on young people who attended a youth club in Newcastle upon Tyne.

The TV series helped to launch the careers of not only Ant and Dec, who appeared on the show as PJ and Duncan, but also Jill Halfpenny, Charlie Hunnam, and many other North East actors.

Since the show, Ant and Dec have become two of the most popular and successful TV presenters in the UK, hosting various shows since the 1990s to the present day.

In a surprise announcement, today (Tuesday, July 4), Ant and Dec announced via their production company Mitre Studios, that a brand-new reboot of Byker Grove will be coming very soon.

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On a video post, the pair made the announcement, as Dec began with: “Ant and Dec here with some pretty exciting news that we wanted to share with you all”, while Ant made reference to their Byker Grove characters PJ and Duncan, giving a hint of what the news would be.

Ant and Dec went on to reveal the return of Byker Grove, 17 years after the original series came to an end. The reboot will focus on a new generation of young people, as they navigate life in the present day.

Dec said: “It’s obviously a show very close to our hearts, the show which gave us our breaks, so we couldn’t be more excited that we’ll be giving it a new lease of life.”

The new series, which will just be named BYKER, will be produced by Ant and Dec as part of Mitre Studios, in collaboration with North East based company Fulwell 73.

Fulwell 73’s Leo Pearlman and Heather Greenwood will serve as Executive Producers with Ant and Dec as Executive Producers and Creative Consultants for Mitre Studios.

Leo Pearlman, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Fulwell 73 said: “Working in collaboration is vital to the North East’s success. Partnering through our Sunderland office with Ant and Dec’s company Mitre Studios, an unlikely and yet dream team of Mackems and Geordies, to bring back a series starring and made by local people is something we’re incredibly proud of at Fulwell 73. We can’t wait to share BYKER with new and old fans alike, showcasing the very best of our region to the world as part of our long-term commitment to a sustainable industry in the North East.”

The pair also revealed that Mitre Studios and Fulwell 73 will use this opportunity to provide training and employment opportunities,  in front of and behind the camera for North East talent. Ant and Dec have recently launched a course named Making It In Media, as part of the Prince’s Trust, and will be integrating the course as part of BYKER production.

It is yet to be revealed when filming will begin or which channel or streaming service the show will air on.