Ant and Dec announce return of iconic series Byker Grove after 17 years off air
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It's been almost 20 years since fans bid farewell to the beloved stars of Byker Grove Youth Centre.
But the beloved 90s TV show is set to return with a bang after Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly confirmed its revival online.
On Tuesday (July 4), the Geordie duo confirmed the exciting news in a move to bring back the joy and nostalgia of the Newcastle series to fans up and down the country.
Launching in 1989 and airing its final episode in 2006, viewers were glued to their screens as they followed the turbulent lives of the youth members in the coming-of-age series.
At the time, the groundbreaking series took on several controversial storylines, with the show most notably hitting the headlines for airing the first gay kiss on children's television.
Now the series – which will simply be titled Byker – is set to attract a whole new fanbase which will be aimed "at a primetime audience".
The series aims to "engage with a new generation of teenagers navigating the different challenges faced by young adults today," production company Fulwell 73 explained.
While there is no word yet if the dynamic duo will revive their roles as PJ and Duncan, the pair have confirmed they are bringing the show back in a bid to capture a whole new wave of fans.
Taking to Twitter, the pair confessed they are "beyond excited" about the new reboot which they hope will "help shine a spotlight on the North East and the talent the region has to offer both in front of the camera and behind it."
He added: "Byker Grove will always be very special to us as the show which gave us our break, so we are beyond excited.
"We are looking forward to bringing this fresh incarnation to a whole new generation as well as those who remember it as fondly as we do."
The revival comes two years after the comedy duo launched a free scheme backed by the Prince's Trust to help younger unemployed people kickstart their TV careers.
Byker will be produced by the pair's Mitre Studios alongside Fulwell 73, which was co-founded by James Corden.
Ant and Dec – who are currently taking a break from their hit TV show Saturday Night Takeaway – captioned the video on Twitter: "We hope you're as psyche(d) as us for this comeback #Byker."
The I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! presenters first shot to fame when they met on the fifth series of the children's TV show.
After building a friendship on set, the pair went on to form a band and later signed a successful record deal.
The duo went on to launch a No. 1 hit single Let's Get Ready to Rumble in 2013 after they performed it on Saturday Night Takeaway – 19 years after its original release.
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- Ant Mcpartlin
- Declan Donnelly
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