Who's who: Echo Beach

Jason Donovan plays Daniel Marrack
The action opens with Daniel's return to Polnarren after a 20-year absence. But why so sad, Mr Jason? Well, Daniel has recently lost his wife and is seeking a fresh start. And in tow, he has his two teenage children: surfer Brae and gorgeous Abi.

Jason says: "I read Echo Beach and I thought, 'yeah, ok', but when I read Moving Wallpaper I just thought, 'yes!'. There's a bit of me in the Daniel character  – beach, surfing, all of that – but really it was the sense of humour of the project that attracted me."

Hugo Speer plays Mark Penwarden
Mark used to be Daniel's best friend and business partner but they fell out when Daniel had an affair with Mark's wife Susan. Local big cheese Mark, naturally, is not happy to see Daniel back in town. And the antipathy is handed on to the next generation too, when young Brae gets in a punch-up with Mark's son Jimmy at a beach party.

Hugo says: "Mark is ruthless, but he is also vulnerable – he feels his family are threatened and he comes out fighting. It was fun to play, but also the way they wrote 'real me' in Moving Wallpaper, as this pugnacious, belligerent Yorkshireman – which is not how I am at all – made me laugh."

Martine McCutcheon plays Susan Penwarden
Susan used to be in love with dreamy Daniel but settled instead for dependable Mark. As the years have passed, he's become bullying, controlling Mark – and she's become a bored housewife. So when her handsome ex turns up, long-buried feelings awaken…

Martine says: "Susan is a bit frumpy and repressed and controlled. She's yearning for gold and she's settled with silver. It was different sort of part for me, and the show was so much fun to make."

Also:
Corrie legend Johnny Briggs pops up as the town's oldest resident, and there's a bevy of good-looking youngsters getting up to the sort of antics that'll play well to the Skins crowd.