Were the 80s a vintage era for TV hunks?
WE GIVE STARS THE OLD GREY GRIZZLY TEST
NICK BERRY EastEnders
Long before Heartbeat, Nick Berry was Simon Wicks, Albert Square’s first hunk. By 1986 he was at the top of the charts with his single Every Loser Wins while fan mail arrived by the sackload. Nick, 54, has quit acting to run TV company Valentine Productions. He has sons aged 23 and 20 but has kept the boyish charm – and possibly looks even better as a silver fox.
PETER HOWITT Bread
Son of journalist Frank, who broke the Profumo story, he was one of two actors to play Joey Boswell in Carla Lane’s hit, Bread. He went on to direct Holywood hits Sliding Doors and Johnny English. The 60-year-old dad-of-two now lives in Canada, but still has the looks to go back in front of the lens.
PAUL NICHOLAS Just Good Friends
Paul was a pop star when he melted hearts in the romantic sitcom from 1983 to 1986. Paul, 73, who has played Gavin Sullivan in EastEnders, says: “Being older takes the pressure off. I can move into more character roles rather than trying to be a sex symbol.”
MICHAEL NADER Dynasty
Alexis’s scheming toyboy Dex Dexter, the suave stud with the impeccable bouffant, led People magazine to declare famously in 1985: “He’s Dynasty’s Dex, He’s Pure Sex”. But life wasn’t all champagne and caviar. After a long battle with alcoholism and a drug arrest in the 1990s Michael, now 73, is almost unrecognisible on US soap All My Children.
YOU maybe thought it was all a dream, but Bobby Ewing really has made another sensational comeback – with a grey ponytail where his jet-black mane once was.
We showed you yesterday how Dallas actor Patrick Duffy looks at the age of 69. In 1986, he was a such heartthrob soap bosses brought Bobby back from the dead in a famous shower scene which wrote off an entire year of storylines as a dream.
Of course, Patrick is 32 years older now and looks a lot different, though he does still have a sparkle in his eyes.
But how has he aged compared to other 1980s hunks...
IAN MCSHANE Lovejoy
From 1986, the rogue dealer kept 16 million viewers hooked. Ian was in last year’s American Gods. His tip on keeping his hair black at 75: “Get out the f***ing shower, put some grease on it.”
MICHAEL PRAED Robin of Sherwood
With his flowing locks, Michael, then 23, had mums swooning. But, like an arrow through their hearts, he was killed off in 1985 – only to resurface as Dynasty’s Prince of Moldavia. The twice-married, now grey dad-of-two, aged 57, is back heating up teatimeTV as Emmerdale’s Frank Clayton.
JASON CONNERY Robin of Sherwood
Jason, son of 007 Sir Sean Connery, took over the role of Robin for the final series in 1986. Now 55, the blond locks have gone and, after small roles both sides of the Atlantic and a spot on Celebrity MasterChef, he has now turned to directing.
HARRY HAMLIN
LA Law Former toyboy of Ursula Andress, Harry, now 66, went from LA Law’s Michael Kuzak to Emmy-winning Mad Men, via teen drama Veronica Mars. He is married to US star Lisa Rinna, 54, and looking as suave as ever.
TOM SELLECK, Magnum PI
In Britain Miss Marple solved crimes in her tweed twin-set. In America detectives looked like this. Tom Selleck became an international pin up during Magnum PI’s run from 1980 to 1988. Then he turned up as Monica’s love interest in 1990s Friends. Now 73, and starring in Sky’s Blue Bloods, Tom’s possibly even getting better with age. Asked how he keeps his moustache so thick, he said: “That’s genetic. You either got it or you don’t.”
DON JOHNSON AND PHILIP MICHAEL THOMAS Miami Vice
Johnson once boasted cool Crockett and Tubbs “contemporised” TV. It is 34 years on from this picture but the pair, both 68, seem to take ageing in their stride. Don was in 2017 TV comedy Sick Note while Philip is an
executive producer.