The BBC has announced that its retiring ‘Crimewatch’, 33 years after the show began calling for the public’s help to solve crimes.
At the heart of the programme are its reconstructions, with actors playing victims, perpetrators and bystanders in fictional versions of everything from thefts to murder.
Over the years, hundreds of extras have starred in the segments, so it perhaps won’t come as too much of a surprise to hear that some famous faces count ‘Crimewatch’ as one of their previous credits.
While it may not be a career highlight, everyone has to start somewhere, including these celebs…
Hilda Braid
Hilda won legions of fans as EastEnders’ Nana Moon, but the part was just one of many that the actress landed during her career.
Long before she first stepped foot in the Queen Vic, Hilda had the task of playing a murder victim in a 1991 episode of ‘Crimewatch’.
Wendi Peters
Wendi may be famous for playing Cilla Brown in ‘Coronation Street’, but back in 1993 she popped up in an episode of the BBC show, playing a woman who was attacked.
Marcus Bentley
Marcus’s face may not be familiar, but his voice will be to many, as he provides voiceovers for ‘Big Brother’.
Following the news that ‘Crimewatch’ is being taken off air, Marcus revealed his own link to the show on Twitter, writing: “My first tv ‘acting’ job was on #crimewatch 23 years ago - I was murdered.”
Dominic Brunt
The ‘Emmerdale’ actor appeared on the oft-forgotten spin-off ‘Crime Watch File’, which gave viewers an insight into how the main show’s criminals were caught.
“My first job on screen was ’Crime Watch File,” Dominic previously explained. “They did a small run of one-off dramas built around solved cases which had featured on the program. I really enjoyed doing it.
“I didn’t really care what I did as long as I was working in TV.”
Steve Watson
Steve may not have gone on to land huge TV roles after his appearance in the show, but his story is extraordinary nonetheless.
In 1994, the jobbing actor took a part in a recreation of Julie Pacey’s death, playing the criminal who sexually assaulted and strangled her.
Fast forward to 2015 when the BBC replayed the clip without his permission… which proved to be a bit of a problem as two people called the police and named Steve himself as the potential perpetrator.
While they did not believe he was a suspect, the police took his DNA.