Wendy Richard

See, she's not scary in real life

Known for being publicity shy and devoting a large part of her website to her dog, Wendy is famous for her role as Queen curmudgeon Pauline Fowler in Eastenders. According to her many fansites, she hates being known as a frump, which is unsurprising considering that Middlesbrough born Wendy used to be famous for playing the minxy Miss Brahms in 'Are you being served' and not a sour-faced launderette worker.

Paul Daniels

No, he's not moved to America yet

Although he threatened to leave the UK if Labour got in, Paul Daniels did manage to leave his native South Bank, but is now living in the South of England with his wife 'the lovely' Debbie McGee. Although his recent ballet venture proved fruitless, his appearance on Louis Theroux provided an entertaining insight into his magical world.

Jamie Bell

Looking tough counters ballet boy jokes

Combining dancing whilst being a normal north east lad would be a challenge for most people, but Billingham born Jamie Bell managed to make a successful career out of a taboo subject.

Born into a family of dancers in 1986, he was encouraged to join his sisters dance class when he was 6 and this training and the predictable teasing from his classmates prepared him for the role of Billy Elliott, which he beat more than 2000 lads to. Last seen in Deathwatch and Nicholas Nickleby, he's a local talent who has far to go.

Ridley Scott

More attractive on the big screen

Although he was born in Northumberland in 1937, Ridley is an honorary Teessider, due to being educated at at the West Hartlepool College of Art and London's Royal College of Art, his first film features him and his brother riding round Hartlepool docks and parts of Bladerunner were filmed i the industrial area round here. Director of Thelma and Louise, Hannibal and Gladiator, he is perhaps on e of Teesside's most glamourous ex-pats.

Stephen Tompkinson

One of Stephen's many characters

Since landing the role as Damien Day in the satirical Drop The Dead Donkey, Stephen Tompkinson's rarely been off our TV screens.

He was Father Peter Clifford in the first three series of Ballykissangel, starred in the film Brassed Off, and recently played the lead role in the ITV adaptation of Kingsley Amis' Lucky Jim.

Born in Stockton in 1965, Stephen is keen supporter of the Boro and currently lives in West Sussex.

Richard Griffiths

Now known as Uncle Vernon

Most recently seen as the awful Uncle Vernon in the Harry Potter films, Richard Griffiths has carved out a successful career as a character actor, perhaps most memorably for those of a certain age as the lusty Uncle Monty in Withnail and I (1987).

Born in Thornaby, he has had a long TV and stage career and has also popped up in The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) and used his canny knack for dialect to take on two roles as Dr Mannheimer/Earl Hacker in Naked Gun 2 ½.

Thelma Barlow

Thelma swapped cobbles for canteens

After appearing in almost 2000 episodes of Coronation Street, Thelma Barlow is always going to be known as Mavis Riley.

Since leaving the Street she has worked on Dinnerladies and currently lives in North Yorkshire.

Want to know what other Teesiders have gone on to achieve? Check out the Hall of Fame indexes for sport, comedy, the arts, and music.