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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Nicola Methven

Ant & Dec get ready to rhumble as PJ and Duncan as they reprise iconic Byker roles

Ant and Dec have gone Byke time to their teens, reprising their PJ & Duncan roles.

The Geordie favourites put on their baggy clothes and back-to-front caps again, 28 years after they first got ready to rhumble in Byker Grove.

The telly presenters, now 46, met on the BBC kids’ programme in 1989 and went on to have a number of pop hits.

As the middle-aged PJ & Duncan dance for a classroom of kids in a Santander ad, Dec says: “There’s no better place to start learning about how to handle your finances than at school.” He should know.

Ant & Dec in their Byker Grove gear (Alan Harford / SWNS)

The Geordie duo have been a key part of the bank's television advertisements for three years.

The pair played PJ and Duncan until series five, which was recorded in 1993. It was in that series that the two characters formed a band and signed a record deal. On leaving the show they signed one for real and released the successful debut album, 'Psyche' still under their Byker Grove pseudonyms.

Hits from the recording, which sold over 300,000 copies in the UK, included 'Let's Get Ready to Rhumble', 'If I Give You My Number' and 'Eternal Love'.

Ant & Dec in Byker Grove on the 10th anniversary of the show (REX/Shutterstock)

'Let's Get Ready To Rhumble' was given a second lease of life in 2013, meanwhile, reaching the number one spot in the UK singles chart after the pair performed it on their hit show, Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway.

Earlier this month, the pair reflected on their “inspirational” drag performance after winning the BAFTA TV award for best entertainment programme.

Ant made the stunning transformation into Lady Antoinette to give a “mind-blowing” performance on their ITV show Saturday Night Takeaway in February.

Joined by co-host Dec who became Miss Donna Lee, the pair were unrecognisable in huge wigs, fake tan and masses of make-up.

The pair's stunning drag transformation (ITV)

Speaking after receiving their BAFTA TV award, Dec said the pair were “moved by how inspirational people found it”.

He said: “When we had the idea of doing the drag act, we wanted to do it properly, and we wanted to do it right, and we want to be respectful of the artform.

“We didn’t want it to look silly, and that we slap on a bit of lipstick and eyeshadow and then walk out in wonky heels.

“We were like, if we’re going to do this, we’re going to do it properly because it is a real art form and it’s a respected art form.”

He added: “But then we got a lot of messages from people saying how inspirational they found it and how it had given people the courage to be themselves and that was something we hadn’t really catered for.

“We hadn’t really thought that would be the case. So it was mind-blowing and surprising, but it was quite moving as well and I’m proud and happy that people got so much out of it.”

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