GET INTO THE GROVE
I was on Byker Grove… it changed my life overnight – but there was a side effect I was not prepared
A BYKER Grove star has said the show changed his life but there was one side effect he was not prepared for.
Daymon Britton, 45, played youth leader Dominic 'Dom' Meredith on the hit CBBC drama between 2002 and 2006.
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Earlier this month The Sun revealed that Ant and Dec are bringing back Byker Grove, 17 years after it was last seen on our screens.
The classic show, which centered on a youth club in Byker, Newcastle, reached 11 million viewers an episode at its peak.
Ant and Dec started out on the show as PJ and Duncan, later using their character names to launch a pop career.
Daymon said that he is glad the iconic drama is returning but revealed there was one particular side effect of the show's rise to fame.
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He said: "Before Byker Grove, the Geordie accent was not represented on TV.
"Everybody tried to mimic it once it went on air, it felt like proper representation."
Daymon added that his time on the CBBC drama was a "dream".
Reminiscing fondly about the peak of the series, he said: "When I was involved, I used to get noticed a lot by people when out and about.
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"Students all over the country would watch it back-to-back on Sundays when they were hungover. I would get noticed a lot in pubs too.
"You'd get recognised by kids and mums in supermarkets, and then students out drinking on weekend.
"Living in Newcastle around that time, it was amazing."
Daymon is currently editing the 11th series of The Dumping Ground, which was shot in the north-east.
The show is a spin-off of kids' favourite programme Tracey Beaker.
And the star said that ever since Byker Grove's reboot was announced he has been swamped with messages.
Daymon said: "It's amazing. I have been getting so many messages from people.
"It's something you never think you're going to hear, it's so exciting."
He jokingly added: "I'm going to be banging on doors, I need to work out who it is to speak to so I can harangue them about being in it."
The CBBC drama entertained British kids for 17 years until the last episode aired in 2006.
The hit drama took on controversial adult themes, giving it a reach far beyond the normal demographic.
And it made stars of many including Ant McPartlin, 47, and Declan Donnelly, 47.
Despite not working with the famous duo, Daymon said they had clearly left their mark on the place.
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He said: "Their persona was still a part of building when I walked in. People were still talking about them.
"They were still flying the flag for Byker Grove after they left, and were great ambassadors for the show."
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