Specsavers had the funniest last word on Ant and Dec’s Byker Grove reboot
For those above a certain age, Ant and Dec are more than just the kings of light entertainment, they’re also a couple of likely lads called PJ & Duncan – and that’s down to the Newcastle-based children’s TV series Byker Grove.
The show – aimed at teens – featured bold storylines for its time, including a gay kiss, and the traumatising episode that saw PJ, played by Ant McPartlin, blinded in a paintball attack.
On Tuesday, Mitre Studios revealed that a reboot named Byker is on the way – backed by Ant and Dec.
Let’s get ready to r̶h̶u̶m̶b̶l̶e̶ make a tv show… #Byker @Fulwell73 pic.twitter.com/hCXA6D11PU
— Mitre Studios (@mitrestudios) July 4, 2023
The lads kept up the reference to their 1994 PJ & Duncan hit, Let’s Get Ready to Rhumble.
We hope you’re as psyche(d) as us for this comeback 🥳 #Byker https://t.co/TyX75BAJ2V
— antanddec (@antanddec) July 4, 2023
Huge news – especially in the NE.
Ant and Dec to produce Byker Grove reboot https://t.co/deHuGo7IGv
— BBC North East and Cumbria (@BBCNEandCumbria) July 4, 2023
Twitter erupted in excitement, nostalgia and a lot of paintball chat.
1.
BYKER GROVE IS BEING REBOOTED. https://t.co/Mf8HCNtiTS
— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) July 4, 2023
2.
You can tell that this photo is from the PJ & Duncan – rather than Ant & Dec – era because they're standing the wrong way round! #byker #BykerGrove #antanddec https://t.co/Ygnq7Gcrm7
— Philip Ardagh (@PhilipArdagh) July 4, 2023
3.
This is one HECK of a #bykergrove cast list and plot synopsis pic.twitter.com/hVVYKvEeFn
— (@timolsky) July 4, 2023
4.
Incredible to find out how Byker Grove comes back when the ending was this masterpiece pic.twitter.com/4kE67yeS7i
— Ben Churchus (@BenChurchus) July 4, 2023
5.
Nice to see Byker Grove coming back to emotionally scar a whole new generation. pic.twitter.com/TbXxBVgXid
— Matthew Highton (@MattHighton) July 4, 2023
6.
Having been in Byker Grove as a child*, I can't help but feel my writing career has all been leading to me being in the Writers Room for the reboot.
— Alison Carr (@AlisonCarr_) July 4, 2023
7.
Yes! A whole new generation of Geordies will experience the joy of people from the south shouting “SPUGGY!”, “GEOFF MAN!”, and “I’M BLIND!” at them.
It’s a dying interaction and I miss it tbh. https://t.co/4OSwhF3e3B
— Mark Nichol (@MarksDoingGreat) July 4, 2023
8.
This is brilliant. https://t.co/TuHjjkGb2f
— Jamie East (@jamieeast) July 4, 2023
9.
Announcement of a new series of Byker Grove gets a lukewarm reception as young people today have no idea what a youth centre is after 13 years of Tory cuts
— Bernard Castle (@bernardTcastle) July 4, 2023
10.
How funny I was actually talking about Byker Groove the other day still can’t go paintballing!! https://t.co/0zAhRN90TX
— Mel (@MissMels_Bells) July 4, 2023
11.
I'll keep an eye out https://t.co/Hj0TAkLdq1
— Ben Turner Comedian (@benturnercomedy) July 4, 2023
12.
I was paintballing on a stag party in Poland. During a break, one of the instructors mentioned how British men my age rarely needed to be shouted at to keep our goggles on, though he didn't know why.
So I explained Byker Grove to him. https://t.co/NnK7mulwyx
— John Bull (@garius) July 4, 2023
Not for the first time, Specsavers’ social media manager took home the Top Tweet award with this response.
Please don’t redo the paint-balling scene
— Specsavers (@Specsavers) July 4, 2023
We couldn’t leave it there.
THE DRAMA!
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Source Mitre Studios Image Screengrab