Heartbeat was a staple of British television for nearly two decades. So what happened to the likes of Nick Berry, Tricia Penrose, and Mark Jordan after the North Yorkshire-based show ended?
The beloved ITV series spanned 18 seasons, and despite ending in 2010, the long-standing police period drama Heartbeat is still a cornerstone of British television to this day.
Airing for nearly two decades, the show spawned numerous spin-offs and one-off television specials, which is a true reflection of its popularity with viewers.
Fans followed the lives of those who lived in the fictional North Yorkshire village of Aidensfield during the 1960s and the well-respected local policemen and villagers as they grappled with crime, community tensions, and personal dramas.
In the very beginning, we were met with the charming PC Nick Rowan, played by Nick Berry, who was attempting to adapt to his new rural lifestyle after moving from London and joining the Yorkshire force.
With the show off air for more than 15 years now, we couldn’t help but wonder what the actors of the much-loved programme are doing today.
PC Nick Rowan
Nick Berry portrayed the renowned London police constable who relocated to the fictional town of Aidensfield, North Yorkshire, to live a more peaceful life after fleeing bustling London.
He moved to the village alongside his wife, Dr. Kate Rowan, and the pair very quickly became vital members of the town, helping to tackle crime and assisting with medical emergencies.
Notably, Nick also performed the show’s iconic theme tune, a cover of the Buddy Holly hit that shared its title with the show also helped to rocket his fame with the track reaching number two in the UK singles charts in 1992.
In 1998, viewers were left gutted when his character was written out of the beloved programme. The policeman decided to flee for Canada to join the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, which formed the basis for the one-off special Heartbeat: Changing Places.
He went on to further his acting career, taking on a vital role in the 1999 drama series Harbour Lights and starring in the 2001 crime drama In Deep.
After In Deep finished in 2003, Nick announced he’d be taking a break from acting to focus on his family and other ventures, including his own production company.
Prior to landing his role as Nick Berry on the popular ITV series, he’d actually played the part of Simon Wicks on BBC One’s hit soap EastEnders.
Despite taking a break from acting, he did go on to make a special appearance as his former character, Simon, in 2012, which was his last and final TV stint since being on screens from 1976.
It is well documented that Nick married Rachel Robertson in 1994. The pair like to keep their private lives out of the spotlight. They share two sons and live in Epping, Essex.
Gina Bellamy
The landlady of the Aidensfield Arms, Gina Bellamy, was played by Tricia Penrose from 1993 until the ITV drama came to its end in 2010.
Tricia played a vital role and was the show’s longest-serving female cast member. Not only was Gina a popular fixture on the programme for 60s fashion and her incredible acting skills, but she also gave fans some amazing vocal performances during her long-standing career
In 2002, Tricia followed the path of her co-star Nick Berry and tried her hand in the singing world. She placed second on the show A Song For Europe, the UK’s competition to select their Eurovision entry.
Despite her song DJ Romeo being a huge hit with fans and judges, she was pipped to first place by Jessica Garlick, who represented Great Britain that year in the Eurovision Song Contest.
Her last notable acting role was in the popular legal drama Justice in 2011, but she has also appeared in series 11 of Celebrity Big Brother and ITV’s Who’s Doing the Dishes in 2014.
Tricia also got engaged to her on-screen love interest, PC Phil Bellamy, and the twosome recently announced their engagement on social media.
The actress shared: “My lovely Chris has proposed on our 7 year anniversary! Off to Tenerife now with my lovely fiancé to celebrate Mark Jordon.”
PC Phil Bellamy
Mark Jordan played the charming, laid-back PC Phil Bellamy, who worked alongside Nick Berry and fell in love with Gina, not only on screen but also in real life.
He joined the show for its first series in 1992 and remained in the cast for fifteen years. A one-off documentary commemorating his departure, Heartbeat – Farewell Phil, was broadcast on Christmas Day in 2007.
After his departure, Mark took up roles in medical drama Casualty in 2009 and joined Hollyoaks in 2012.
He also became a series regular in Emmerdale in 2017, taking the role of Staff Sergeant Daz Spencer.
In his spare time, Mark is devoted to his charity work for Usher syndrome and often uses his social media pages to raise awareness, in the hope of finding a cure
Alf Ventress
William Simons landed the accolade for the longest-standing member of the Heartbeat tribe, delighting viewers with his portrayal of the retired policeman for a complete 18-season journey.
Before his role on the ITV drama, William appeared in the police drama Cribb in 1979 and the detective series The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries in 1990.
His acting contributions also included various cameo appearances on programmes such as Coronation Street, The Darling Buds of May, Casualty, and Enemy at the Door.
In 2019, it was announced that William had tragically died at the age of 79 of “natural causes” with his management agency paying tribute.
They said: “He was a wonderful, kind, warm, witty, lovely human being and anyone who ever worked with him or knew him will be devastated.”
Claude Jeremiah Greengrass
Every Heartbeat fan had a love-hate relationship with the charming scoundrel Claude Jeremiah Greengrass, played by the talented Bill Maynard.
He joined the programme from its very inception and remained a valued part of the cast until 2000, when his character returned for the Royal spin-off series in 2002.
Before his days on Heartbeat, Bill had already been somewhat of a TV legend as an actor and comedian and having starred in Great Scott – It’s Maynard! the 50s with Terry Scott, and featured in five pictures from the Carry On comedy series.
In 2018, we saw Bill in his last TV appearance, taking part in the Celebrity Pointless, before his tragic death in the same year.
Bill’s last TV appearance was on an episode of Celebrity Pointless in 2018, before he suffered a tragic fall, breaking his hip, and later sadly died that same year in hospital.
Dr. Kate Rowan
Niamh Cusack played the lovable Dr. Kate Rowan, the village doctor and first wife of heartthrob Nick Berry. But after three years on the show, she fell pregnant and decided to leave the ITV drama to focus on becoming a new mum.
In real life, Niamh was born into a family with deep roots within the performing arts industry and is affiliated to the Royal Shakespeare Company, she played Desdemona in Othello and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet during the 80s.
She also landed the role of Lady Macbeth in 2018 alongside Christopher Eccleston in Macbeth. She has recently appeared in We Live in Time, last year, 2024, alongside Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield, as well as the dark comedy series Big Mood, also in 2024.
Heartbeat is still available to stream on ITVX.