They may be big names now, but once upon a time these superstars were just ordinary school kids.
Back when Cheryl had a surname and Sting was just ‘Gordon’, they attended schools across the North East.
Maybe they sat at the same desks you or your children have sat at, or perhaps you were even in some of the same classes as them yourself.
Does your school have any famous alumni? Here’s a list of where a few local stars spent their formative years.
Cheryl
Geordie pop princess Cheryl grew up in Heaton and then Walker, and attended Walker Technology College.
Sting
Born Gordon Sumner in Wallsend, the world-famous Police star went to St. Cuthbert’s Catholic High School in Newcastle.
Ant and Dec
Young Anthony McPartlin went to Rutherford Comprehensive in the West End of Newcastle, and his illustrious career began when the producers of Byker Grove came to the school to audition pupils.
Meanwhile Declan Donnelly is yet another famous alumnus of St Cuthbert’s Catholic High School.
After their Byker Grove days ended, the inseparable pair enrolled at Newcastle College together.
Charlie Hunnam
Newcastle-born actor Charlie Hunnam, who stars in newly-released Guy Ritchie film The Gentlemen, went to Heaton Manor School.
He's yet another Geordie celeb who got his first break on Byker Grove, making guest appearances in 1989, and later found fame in American through the TV series Sons of Anarchy.
Rowan Atkinson
Durham comedian and actor Rowan Atkinson, best-known for his roles in Mr Bean and Blackadder, went to Durham Choristers prep school, before studying in Cumbria, and then Newcastle University.
Ross Noble
Stand up comedian Ross Noble studied at Cramlington Learning Village — he’s pictured here on a visit in 2014, when he met his former English teacher, now the school’s head.
Bryan Ferry
Brought up in Washington, the Roxy Music lead and solo singer-songwriter was educated at Washington Grammar-Technical School, now called Washington Academy.
Neil Tennant
Star of the Pet Shop Boys, Neil Tennant was born in North Shields before moving to Bruton Park, Newcastle, where he attended St. Cuthbert’s Catholic High School.
Mark Knopfler
The lead singer of Dire Straits was born in Glasgow before moving to Blyth when he was seven. He attended Gosforth Grammar School (now Gosforth Academy).
Jill Halfpenny
Originally from Leam Lane, Gateshead, the Coronation Street actress and Strictly winner attended St Edmund Campion RC school (now Cardinal Hume RC School) in Wrekenton
Hank Marvin
The lead guitarist from The Shadows - perhaps best known for his association with the rhyming slang meaning 'starving' - was born Brian Robson Rankin in Newcastle, and went to Rutherford Grammar School in the fifties.
