Footballers' Wives – where are they now?

Footballers' Wives was a ridiculously bombastic and saucy drama that perfectly captured the rising world of the "WAGs" (wives and girlfriends) in the early 2000s.

If anything, it was ahead of its time. Take a snapshot of most footballers and their partners these days, and you'll find real life versions of Jason Turner or Chardonnay Lane-Pascoe.

The series was incredibly raunchy for a primetime ITV drama (how they got away with this scene is anyone's guess – EXTREMELY NSFW), and got the nation hooked over the exploits behind the scenes of Earls Park FC. It ran for five series from 2002, and spawned an even racier spin-off Extra Time on ITV2 for two series.

While we campaign for ITV to bring it back, let's take a look at what most of the core cast have been up to since then:

1. Zoe Lucker (Tanya Turner)
   

Tanya Turner was the unofficial queen and all-round super-bitch of Footballers' Wives, and it was Zoe's breakout role. After making a crossover appearance as Tanya in ITV's Bad Girls, she quit the show in series 4, and it soon saw a dip in ratings because of it. She returned in series 5 to face off against Joan Collins, obviously.

Since then, Zoe has gone on to have leading roles in various dramas and soaps, including playing Max Branning's scorned lover Vanessa Gold in EastEnders from 2010 to 2011 (we'll never forget "bubbly's in the fridge"), crime family boss Carol Barry in Waterloo Road and Reenie McQueen in Hollyoaks from 2015.

She has also had various presenting gigs, and she took part in 2009's edition of Strictly Come Dancing, finishing 10th.

1. Gillian Taylforth (Jackie Pascoe-Webb)

Gillian was already a tabloid star and soap icon thanks to playing Kathy Beale in EastEnders, but she found her second big TV smash as matriarch Jackie in Footballers' Wives, with a penchant for romps on snooker tables.

Appearing in all five series, after it ended she soon joined The Bill as Sgt Nikki Wright. Later, she was second to leave the sixth series of Strictly, appeared regularly on Loose Women, became a Celebrity Big Brother housemate in 2013, and joined the cast of Hollyoaks as Sandy Roscoe.

Despite Kathy being 'dead' for 10 years, she rejoined the EastEnders family in 2015, and remains on the soap two years later.

1. Alison Newman (Hazel Bailey)

Alison played ruthless agent and later club chairman Hazel in Footballers' Wives, and later had various one-off roles on TV, including episodes of Holby City and Casualty.

Her next famous role was as DI Keeble, who famously investigated the "Who killed Lucy Beale?" case in EastEnders in 2014 (having previously appeared back in 2008). Since then, she's featured in New Tricks, Whitechapel and Call the Midwife. She has also had many roles on stage.

In an amazing moment in 2015, she had a Twitter spat with US rapper Azealia Banks of all people, in an argument about the treatment of gay people and women. We never saw that one coming.

1. Gary Lucy (Kyle Pascoe)
   

Gary had already made a name for himself in the world of TV by the time FW came along. He had already been in a football-based drama in the shape of 1997's Dream Team, and later became a pin-up thanks to playing Luke Morgan in Hollyoaks, a role he will reprise in late 2017.

From 2005 to 2010, he played Will Fletcher in The Bill, and he has since taken part in Dancing on Ice twice, finishing second in 2010. He played charmer Danny Pennant in EastEnders in 2012, and went on tour in the lead role in The Full Monty in 2014.

1. Susie Amy (Chardonnay Lane-Pascoe)
   

Susie became a household name and a lads' mags' favourite in the early 2000s thanks to FW. After leaving the show, she played the lead role of Valentine D'Artagnan in the Hallmark Channel's one-off movie La Femme Musketeer opposite Michael York and Gerard Depardieu. Remember that?

She has had movie roles in the likes of Dennis Hopper's House of 9 and Andy Garcia's Modigliani, and episode appearances in Hotel Babylon and Coronation Street. She also starred in 2008's Echo Beach, but it was axed after one series. More recently, she has popped up in episodes of Death in Paradise and Casualty.

1. Cristian Solimeno (Jason Turner)
   

Cristian played the bit o' ruff Jason in FW, the philandering husband of Tanya. Since then, he featured as The Guardian in Highlander: The Source and has had small roles in The IT Crowd (as Juan the Barista), Arturo Merzario in Rush, and Executioner #3 in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

In 2013, he had a recurring role as Ray McCormick in Hollyoaks, until he was killed off by the hands of Grace Black. He has also directed a number of projects, including 2011's The Glass Man starring Andy Nyman and James Cosmo.

1. Daniel Schutzmann (Salvatore Biagi)
   

lamboyant star Salvatore remains actor Daniel's biggest role, but he went on to have a recurring role as Pete Gartside in Neighbours back in 2007.

He appeared in a couple of episodes of Coronation Street in 2008, and featured in nearly 50 episodes of Doctors as Dr Franc Christophe until 2015.

1. Nathan Constance (Ian Walmsley)
   

Having already had roles in Dream Team and Bad Girls, Nathan's biggest role yet arrived in FW. Soon after leaving the show, he had a recurring part in The Bill, and later featured in Noel Clarke's movie Adulthood.

After various other TV roles, he has more recently concentrated on video game voice parts, including Titanfall and Battlefield 1.

1. Katherine Monaghan (Donna Walmsley)
   

FW was Katherine's first role, and she has only had a handful of TV parts since then. These have included two episodes of Judge John Deed in 2007 and Holby City in 2014.

She has also worked as a voiceover artist, and has appeared in various plays at London's Theatre 503 and Live Theatre Company in her native Newcastle.

1. Peter Ash (Darius Fry)
   

Peter made the jump to the late-night Extra Time series as Darius, but this has remained his most high-profile role to date.

He appeared in an episode of The Royal in 2008 and will feature in the upcoming Michelle Keegan movie Strangeways Here We Come. He has remained active in the theatre world, including a 2013 tour of War Horse.

1. Laila Rouass (Amber Gates)
   

Laila found fame as Bollywood star Amber in FW, having joined in series 3. In 2009, she had a recurring role in ITV's Primeval, and went on to feature in The Sarah Jane Adventures, Spooks, Holby City and The Lodge. She also appeared in the dodgy 2011 remake of Conan the Barbarian.

Away from acting, she had a child with businessman Nasir Khan in 2007, and later got engaged to snooker icon Ronnie O'Sullivan in 2013.

1. Jesse Birdsall (Roger Webb)
   

Jesse was already a familiar face thanks to 1990s thriller Bugs and guilty pleasure soap Eldorado, and he found a new lease of life as manager Roger in FW.

Since then, he has continued to act on stage and screen in various projects, most famously as serial killer Fraser Black in Hollyoaks (reuniting with Gillian Taylforth).

He married Only Fools and Horses star Gwyneth Strong (Cassandra!) in 2000, and they have two kids together.

1. Sarah Barrand (Shannon Donnelly-Lawson)
   

Sarah joined the cast in series 3 as Shannon, apparently a parody of Wayne Rooney's then-girlfriend Coleen. She has only had a small amount of low-profile roles since then, however.

In 2006, she co-hosted a two-part documentary for ITV with Zoe Lucker, in which they met the Dalai Lama. Because why not? She has since worked as a voiceover artist for TV and radio.

1. Ben Price (Conrad Gates)
   

Ben joined the cast in series 3 as new signing Conrad, and most famously had a ridiculously explicit scene with Tanya on a plane (see above). After leaving the show in series 4, he joined the cast of Casualty as Nathan Spencer from 2005 to 2007.

Two years later, he joined Coronation Street as Nick Tilsley, a role he has kept to this day.

Also, we've only just realised that he played the poor bloke who had to put up with shit from his horrible girlfriend in that Old El Paso advert in 2002:

1. Jamie Davis (Harley Lawson)
   

While playing Harley in FW and its ITV2 spin-off, Jamie appeared in the Sky One supernatural drama Hex for two series before it was axed.

He had regular roles in TV and film over the years, including Lacey Turner's ITV2 comedy Switch and Death in Paradise. In 2013, he joined Casualty as regular character Max Walker

1. Ben Richards (Bruno Milligan)
   

After a successful West End career, Ben joined FW in the fourth series as Bruno, and two years later signed up for Holby City for a four-month stint. In 2015, he joined Hollyoaks as regular Ben Bradley before leaving a year later.

He has continued to appear in various theatre and musical roles, including 9 to 5, The Bodyguard, and Peter Pan.

In 2012, he revealed that he had been diagnosed with bowel cancer, but went into remission the following year. He has been a patron for various charities in recent years.

1. Charles Venn (Tremaine Gidigbi)
   

Also known as Chucky Venice and Chucky Venn, Charles joined FW in the final series, having already been a regular on Dream Team.

After scoring small roles in Hollywood movies such as The Bourne Ultimatum and The Dark Knight, he starred as Ray Dixon in EastEnders from 2012 to 2013. Two years later, he joined Casualty as Jacob Masters.