| Likely Lads Factfile | The Likely Lads spawned a follow-up series called Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads
Neither of the actors who played the Likely Lads were Geordies
Bob's house in Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads was on the real Highfields estate in Killingworth
Many of the original shows were ‘lost’ when the master recordings were wiped at he end of the 1960s
There were three series and 20 episodes of The Likely Lads
Rodney Bewes appears in a cameo role in the Ant and Dec tribute to the Likely Lads
Terry lived at 127 Inkerman Terrace in the original series
James Bolam trained as a chartered accountant
Ant and Dec are real life neighbours
There were also 16 radio episodes of The Likely Lads in the late '60s
Writers Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais also wrote Auf Wiedersehen Pet and Porridge |
From the 1960s through to the '70s it was essential viewing across the nation.
 | | Terry and Bob |
The Likely Lads was the first major TV show to be set on Tyneside and feature North East actors. Terry Collier (James Bolam) and Bob Ferris (Rodney Bewes) had the whole country in stitches with their down-to-earth Geordie humour. At its height the show boasted 27m listeners. Meet the boys The Likely Lads and its sequel Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads ran between 1964 and 1973. Lifelong friends Bob Ferris and Terry Collier work together, and spend their nights boozing down the local pub.
 | | The 1960s lads |
Bob is the sensible one who tries to better himself. Terry is the irresponsible one who is always getting the lads into trouble. Bob is always open to new things from his new semi and his Vauxhall Viva to the latest fashions and fads. Terry hates anything new or trendy. He knows his class and his place, and his only ambition is to get what he can out of any situation. The new likely lads Ant McPartlin plays Terry in the new series whilst Declan Donnelly takes on the role of Bob. | "When Dec and I first moved to London and shared a flat, we had Likely Lads nights. We’ve been fans all our lives" | | Ant on The Likely Lads |
When Dec and I first moved to London and shared a flat, we had Likely Lads nights. We’ve been fans all our lives. Ant and Dec are huge fans of the original series, and starred in their own Tribute to the Likely Lads earlier this year. For their tribute, the pair remade a 1973 episode of The Likely Lads called "No Hiding Place". It’s the most repeated original Likely Lads show on TV. The tribute sees Terry and Bob try to avoid hearing the result of an England v Bulgaria World Cup game. Rodney Bewes appears in a cameo role in the Ant and DEC tribute to the Likely Lads. "I couldn’t miss this - it’s a very clever idea" said Bewes.
 | | New boys Ant and Dec |
Ant and Dec loved The Likely Lads as kid. "They were an inspiration for us" says Dec. The Geordie pair claim that the success of the show gave them hope that
they could become successful. On location Look out for Newcastle’s Stereo bar in a starring role in Ant and Dec’s Tribute to the Likely Lads. Newcastle pub Stereo doubles as a trendy coffee shop in the new show. Also watch out for Pandon Court flats in Newcastle’s Shieldfield in the tribute programme. | 
