I was on Byker Grove – here's what bosses need to do to make the reboot a huge success | The Sun
THE show defined a generation of kids and made household names out of some of its cast including the formidable Ant & Dec.
Now with news of an epic reboot of the classic show on the way, one of the show's original stars, Caspar Berry, has shared his true thoughts on what the teen drama needs to do in order for it to be a success.
The actor played the leading role of Martin 'Gill' Gillespie in 1989 and 1990 on the BBC programme.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Caspar admitted that one iconic feature of the programme may not work today as a result of the change in times.
He expressed his thought that the show needed to accurately reflect 'modern' life for North East kids meaning that the show's iconic youth club may have to go.
The actor said: "The world is a totally different place now to what it was 34 years ago.
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"Young people are totally different."
Adding on how the same feel of the show could be recreated, Caspar said: "Taking the old sort of brand and feel with them, I don't know?
"Will it be based in this odd sort of youth club which has no equivalent in the real world?"
He continued: "There is one of two ways it could go.
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"You can either go to recreate what it was or literally reboot it and take the themes, which I guess is broadly working class kids in the North East, and try and create something completely new."
"I think they are going to go that latter route."
"Newcastle is very different. It has moved from heavy industry to cafe culture but all of that will just be a part of the new show.
"Any show is written to be the product of its times so that is how the reboot will be naturally different.
"So I think they've got to go that route."
Ultimately, Caspar thought that now was the right time for the show to make an iconic comeback and fill the much-needed gap in the teenage drama market.
Earlier today, Geordie duo Ant and Dec confirmed they would be bringing back the show that put them firmly in the spotlight.
Ant, 47, and Dec, also 47, first found fame on the hit BBC teen series as PJ and Duncan.
And in a new video, they revealed they were rebooting the show, with Dec saying: "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 reboot will simply be called Byker and will be aimed at a "primetime audience".
Byker Grove originally aired from 1989 until 2006, with Ant and Dec starring in it from 1989 until 1993.
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Production company Fulwell 73 said the reboot will "engage with a new generation of teenagers navigating the different challenges faced by young adults today".
In their video, Dec added that he hoped the show would "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".
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