Heartbeat cast now - from tragic deaths to soap comebacks and career U-turns

The cast of ITV's Heartbeat has experienced a variety of life events since the show ended - from heartbreaking losses to triumphant returns to the soap world and dramatic career changes.

It's been over ten years since the much-loved drama series, set in the vibrant 60s, first aired, portraying the lives of a group of police officers in a fictional North Riding of Yorkshire town.

The weekly programme quickly gained a loyal following, consistently attracting millions of viewers.

Regrettably, after an impressive 18-year stint, the show was cancelled in 2010.

Despite no new episodes being made for over a decade, Heartbeat remains one of ITV's most treasured dramas, with fans still watching reruns on ITV3.

Filmed in the scenic North York Moors National Park and the charming village of Goathland, Heartbeat served as a springboard for many acting careers, with numerous cast members going on to feature in other popular soaps, films, and theatre productions.

Let's take a nostalgic journey and see what the Heartbeat cast have been doing since the show concluded, as writes the Mirror.

Nick Berry

Nick Berry first shot to fame as Simon Wicks in EastEnders between 1985 and 1990. He then became the beloved PC Nick Rowan in Heartbeat, a role he held for the show's first six seasons.

Post-Heartbeat, Berry appeared in the BBC series Harbour Lights and the crime drama In Deep, before making a one-off return to EastEnders in 2012 following the death of his on-screen mother, Pat Evans.

Berry, who also charted with the 1986 hit single "Every Loser Wins", has retired from acting. Now 61, he enjoys life with his wife, former Levis model Rachel Robertson, and their two sons.

Niamh Cusack

Niamh Cusack captured hearts as Dr Kate Rowan in Heartbeat from 1992 until her character's poignant exit due to leukaemia in 1995. Since leaving the Yorkshire-based drama, Cusack has remained a fixture on both stage and screen, featuring in productions such as "Always and Everyone", "New Tricks", "Silent Witness", and "The Virtues".

Her latest work includes roles in "Brassic", "The Tower", and "Death in Paradise".

Part of the esteemed Cusack acting family, Niamh is the sister of Sinead Cusack, Jeremy Irons' spouse. Away from the limelight, she is married to actor Finbar Lynch, with whom she has a son.

Tricia Penrose

Tricia Penrose, who joined the show in its second series as Gina Ward, ended up being Heartbeat's longest-running character. Despite initially signing on for just a year, the Liverpool actress stayed with the show for an impressive 18 years, according to the Liverpool Echo.

She reprised her role as Gina in two episodes of the Heartbeat spin-off "The Royal" in 2003 and later appeared in popular shows such as "Brookside", "The Royal", " Coronation Street " and " Emmerdale ".

Penrose has also ventured into reality TV, appearing on shows like "Celebrity Masterchef" and the 2013 series of "Celebrity Big Brother ". Nowadays, she can be found behind the mic as a radio presenter.

Jason Durr

Jason - who played PC Mike Bradley from 1997 to 2003 - initially caused a stir when his character arrived from London but eventually became a part of village life. After Heartbeat, he took on various roles in TV shows like The Wrong Side of the Rainbow, Mysterious Island and Summer Solstice.

In 2016, he joined Casualty as David Hide, a role he reprised in Holby City. He shares three children with his wife, TV presenter and gardener Kate Charman.

Currently, he's treading the boards as Colonel Mustard in the new play Cluedo 2.

Bill Maynard

Bill Maynard was the loveable rogue Claude Jeremiah Greengrass from the show's inception until 2000. His departure was reportedly due to health concerns.

Bill, who later starred in The Royal as Greengrass and featured in The Moorside in 2017, sadly passed away in 2018 at the age of 89. He is fondly remembered for his roles in Carry On films.

Mark Jordan

Mark Jordan, known for his role as PC Phil Bellamy from 1992 to 1997, later portrayed Daz Spencer in Emmerdale from 2014 to 2019. Previously married to Happy Valley star Siobhan Finneran, with whom he has two children, he is now happily wedded to Emmerdale star Laura Norton, with two more children.

In his career, he has also starred in Casualty, Coronation Street, Doctors and Rocket's Island. After work on stage, in November last year, The Mirror reported how he was set to make a TV comeback as Ray Wood in ITV drama series The Long Shadow.

Derek Fowlds

Best known for his role as Sgt Oscar Blaketon for the duration of the show, 18 years.

For the first seven series of Heartbeat, he was a sergeant before a heart attack forced him to retire and take on other jobs, including becoming the owner of the Aidensfield Arms pub.

After the series came to an end, Derek had roles in other TV shows like Casualty and Doctors. Despite effectively retiring from acting after the show ended, he did write his autobiography, A Part Worth Playing in 2015.

Earlier in his career, he was known for his role as Bernard Woolley in Yes Minister, a part he played for four years. Derek died at the age of 82 in January 2020.

William Simons

Welsh-born William Simons, who played PC Alfred Ventress throughout the entire run of Heartbeat, was a fan favourite. After retiring his character from the force, he went on to secure roles in Casualty, The Bill, The Royal, Coronation Street, and Emmerdale before sadly passing away in 2019 at the age of 78.

David Lonsdale

David Lonsdale, originally from Southport, is best known for his role as David Stockwell in Heartbeat, which he played from 1996 until the show's end in 2010. While many fans remember Greengrass as the comic relief, others will recall David Stockwell as the village's amusing fool.

Post-Heartbeat, Lonsdale has appeared in Casualty, Emmerdale and Vera, and featured in films such as The Real Full Monty and Downton Abbey. More recently, the actor, a father of three and married for over three decades, has starred in The Bay, Anne and The Suspect.

Clare Wille

Clare Wille portrayed local DS Rachel Dawson, romantically involved with PC Joe Mason, for four years. She joined the cast of Heartbeat in 2006 and remained until its finale in 2010.

The Cheshire-born actress later landed a recurring role as Trish Davidson in Coronation Street in 2012. Since her stint on Corrie, she has starred in Victoria, W1A, Vera and Silent Witness.

More recently, she joined the cast of Doctors as Davinia Hargrove.

Peter Benson

Peter Benson also made guest appearances in TV shows such as Defending the Guilty and Shakespeare and Hathaway: Private Investigators.

Benson is best known for his role as Bernie Scripps in Heartbeat from 1995 to 2010. Bernie was the drama's funeral director and also ran a garage in Aidensfield.

After Heartbeat, he had brief stints in Casualty in 2011 and 2013. He also appeared in other popular shows like A Touch of Frost, The Bill, and Coronation Street, where he played the recurring role of Mr Murdoch.

Peter sadly passed away in September 2018 at the age of 75.

Nikki Sanderson

Nikki Sanderson, who portrayed the beloved character Dawn Bellamy between 2008 and 2009, is another notable name on the list. Her character, sent to stay with Gina at the village pub to escape bad company in Manchester, quickly became a fan favourite.

Nikki began her soap career early, appearing in Coronation Street as Candice when she was just 13 years old before later joining Hollyoaks as Maxine Minnver. She has been playing the character since 2012 and has won several awards for her outstanding performance.

In addition to these roles, she has made appearances in Holby City and Casualty.

Joe McFadden

Actor Joe McFadden graced the Heartbeat series as PC Joe Mason from 2007 to 2010. Following his stint in the beloved show, he went on to star in Casualty and won the hearts of many as Raffaello "Raf" di Lucca in Holby City.

Joe didn't stop there; he took the nation by storm with his dazzling moves alongside Katya Jones on Strictly Come Dancing in 2017, ultimately lifting the glitterball trophy. His dynamic presence has also lit up the stage, featuring in the UK tour of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert and The Rocky Horror Show more recently.

Geoffrey Hughes

The late Geoffrey Hughes, a cherished Liverpool actor, left an indelible mark with his portrayal of Vernon Scripps in Heartbeat. He was also adored for his roles as Twiggy in The Royle Family and Onslow in Keeping Up Appearances.

But it was as Eddie Yeats, the binman in Coronation Street, that he first found fame during the 1970s and 1980s.

In his earlier days, he even voiced Paul McCartney in the animated classic Yellow Submarine. Tragically, Geoffrey passed away in 2012 at the age of 68 after a valiant fight against prostate cancer.

Get the latest celebrity gossip and telly news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily Showbiz newsletter here.