Legendary actor looks unrecognisable in rare TV appearance after almost 25 years

28 July 2023 , 10:48

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Billy Fane was a much-loved Byker Grove star (Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

A legendary TV star looked unrecognisable in a rare appearance after almost 25 years out of the limelight.

Billy Fane, who played youth club leader Geoff in the hit CBBC show Byker Grove, appeared alongside two of his former co-stars - Lyndyann Barrass and Denise Welch - on Loose Women on Thursday.

The 77-year-old still sported his iconic handlebar moustache and beard, although nowadays it’s grey rather than a deep shade of brown, and Billy fondly recalled his days on the kids’ TV show, which is being revived by former stars of the series, Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly.

Billy played Geoff on Byker Grove for 10 years, until his character was killed off in a gas explosion, and has kept out of the spotlight for the last 23 years to focus on teaching in prisons.

Billy appeared alongside his former Byker Grove co-stars Lyndyann Barrass and Denise Welch (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

The actor, whose real name is Malcolm Collins, told the Loose Women panel that he trained as a teacher for dyslexic adults in his 50s, and went to university at the age of 58.

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He now runs a teaching programme across six prisons in the north of England, and spoke about his decision to retrain later in life.

“I went to teach in a young offenders institution. I then did a masters degree in Special Educational Needs and Intuitive Learning and the college I was working for had the contract for delivering education in prisons and young offenders insinuations and prisons across the country,” he explained.

He played youth club leader Geoff for 10 years (BBC)

Since leaving Byker Grove, he had small roles in movies such as Young Hearts Run Free and Billy Elliot, and reunited with Ant and Dec on their Saturday Night Takeaway show back in 2014.

Byker Grove was a huge success in the 1990s, and attracted audiences of up to 11 million viewers during its peak.

After running for 18 series and launching the careers of Jill Halfpenny, Donna Air, Charlie Hunnam and Ant and Dec, the final episode aired in December 2006.

The TV presenting powerhouse duo announced last month that they would be rebooting the Newcastle-based childrens’ drama alongside production company Fulwell 73, and wanted to “engage with a new generation of teenagers”.

Emma Wilson