Byker Grove star who shot to fame as 'Spuggy' now has 'normal' job away from stardom

Lyndyann Barrass, the former Byker Grove redhead who once sparkled on-screen as Spuggy, is living a whole new life three decades later - trading acting for cleaning - and she couldn't be more content. Now 47, the ex-child actress, famed for her role as Kirsty "Spuggy" Campbell in the cult 90s youth series, heads up a cleaning venture in Sunderland.

Her days are no longer filled with the lights and drama of working alongside Ant and Dec. Despite this, she's held onto her Geordie connections, even hinting at a possible appearance in the 2023 announced reboot 'Byker', whispering to The Sun: "I'd go back in a heartbeat,

"But it would have to be streamed, and appeal to a TikTok generation now." Since stepping into Byker Grove back in 1989 and shooting to popularity, Lyndyann reminisces about the set-life comradery and the unique bond with co-star Dec, affectionately nicknamed "Deccie-poos".

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With nostalgia, she said: "There was an instant chemistry between all of us, if we weren't filming or in school, we were all in a holding room playing pool," reports .

However, at age 16, her journey with the show came to an abrupt halt amidst speculation over producers balking at higher wages saying: "They couldn't suddenly have everyone turning 16 on that sort of money".

After her stint on Byker Grove, Lyndyann briefly experimented with a music career, joining girl group Angel. She also ventured into theatre and television work.

However, following a harrowing incident in her twenties, where she suffered an attack by strangers who recognised her as Spuggy, she decided to leave the spotlight behind.

"That was the final straw," she said. "Thankfully I wasn't badly injured, but I just thought, 'I'm done.'" Life took a turn after her portrayal of Spuggy. Marrying her childhood beau Allan Power and welcoming two kids - Joe, now 23, and Scarlette, 18 – Lyndyann chose a completely different path.

Post-divorce, she found herself working at a bank call centre before establishing her own cleaning company, Dusty Springclean. The business faced testing times when the pandemic hit a year after its inception, requiring Lyndyann to dip into savings meant for home renovations, yet she remained steadfast.

In a recent update on the firm's page, she informed customers about increasing their hourly rate to £17.5 owing to inflation. “I'm not just cleaning houses," she explained back in 2023, referring to a previous rate hike to £14.

"I'm supporting my kids. That's always been the most important thing." She beams with pride over her children's achievements: Joe has become a plumber, while Scarlette shows promise as a goalkeeper within Sunderland’s academy, a programme that once nurtured four Lionesses.

Decades on from her 'Byker Grove' days, Lyndyann still gets recognised - even mid-clean in a client's house. Recounting an amusing encounter, she shared how one startled client asked her, "Are you...?" and she responded: "Yes, that's me. Spuggy.

"I will always love the character and appreciate how much she meant to people", she expressed warmly. "It’s not something I ever want to forget."

Now, Lyndyann stays connected to her theatrical roots with occasional theatre gigs and TV appearances as a special guest on British shows.

With earlier buzz about Ant and Dec mulling over a 'Byker Grove' revival, Lyndyann revealed she sent Dec a message hinting at her interest: "I'd love a cameo. I think people would get a kick out of seeing some of us again."

The old castmates have kept in touch over the years. When her daughter Scarlette faced emergency brain surgery, Lyndyann confided in Dec about the ordeal.

To their surprise, they later received a signed 'I'm A Celeb' Bushtucker Trial star from Ant and Dec. Lyndyann said: "She's their biggest fan, and she just burst into tears. She keeps it on her bedroom mirror. To do that for her meant so much."