 Guess who the latest Byker Grove girl's aunt is? Chelsea Halfpenny is following in the footsteps of her famous aunt Jill Halfpenny, who was one of the original cast members of the North East soap. Jill, now 27, played Nicola when she was 13 at the same time Ant and Dec were Grovers, and has now established herself as a soapland femme fatale. Currently she is causing a stir as hard man Phil Mitchell's new love interest in EastEnders. And as feisty nurse Rebecca, Gateshead-born Jill broke up Martin and Gail's marriage in Coronation Street. Eleven-year-old Chelsea will be making her soap debut in the new Byker Grove series to be shot between March and August. The talented youngster fitted the bill perfectly when she auditioned for the part of Lucy Summerbee, who causes a bit of a mystery when she turns up at the club looking for Stumpy. Byker Grove's production co-ordinator Jill Graham said Chelsea shone at the auditions for the sought-after role. She added: "She was fantastic, really, really good. She is exactly what we were looking for and will be marvellous. She has a real sparkle." Chelsea's mum Paul is thrilled for her. She said: "She is so excited, we are really pleased for her. She responded to an advert in the Evening Chronicle and went to a mass audition. She got through to the next round, then the next. "She's following in her aunt's footsteps, so to speak. Jill told her to be herself at the audition and it worked and she is going to give her some advice before she starts filming." Chelsea, from Leam Lane Estate, Gateshead, practises her singing, dancing and acting every Saturday at the Sandra Reavley Theatre School in Heworth, Gateshead, where her aunt Jill was a regular for 13 years. Liberty X's Michelle Heaton learned the ropes as a starstruck youngster at the school which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, and Claire Morland, who is currently in the limelight in Chitty Chitty Bank Bang with Michael Ball at the London Palladium, is also an ex-pupil. Owner Sandra Reavley believes Chelsea has the same spark to carve a successful career in show business like her aunt. She said: "She is very enthusiastic, very hard working and straight away you could see she had a major spark. She is good at acting, dancing and singing, an all-rounder. She is very like her aunt. She's got the same sort of personality as Jill and could go all the way." Chelsea isn't the only cast member to have a famous relation in the acting world. Daymon Britton, 23, who plays Grove youth leader Dom, is the nephew of Geordie hearthrob Robson Green. Chelsea is one of five new cast members who beat off hundreds of hopefuls to join the Grove after filming begins on March 3. The others are Alex Gardner, 13, from Benton, Newcastle, who netted the part of sharp, witty and streetwise Kate Best; Sandra Valentine, 16, from Forest Hall, Newcastle, who will play Sadie Fox, orange-faced queen of the tanning salon, who uses her charms to get what she wants; and Leon Scott, 17, from Gosforth, Newcastle, who clinched the role of boy racer Spencer Murray, who causes a stir among the Grove girls. However, Byker Grove have a bit of a crisis on their hands because as yet they have not found someone to play their fifth new crew member, Spencer's brother, Mickey. Eleven-year-old Mickey is a cheeky little scamp, nicknamed Mickey the Monkey because of his penchant for climbing trees. Co-ordinator Jill said: "We have had lots of auditions but have not found the right boy yet. "Last year actor Neil Armstrong appeared in the show and was so popular we have brought him back as club musician Fraser Murray and have given two sons, Spencer and Micky. "Casting Micky is proving difficult because he needs to have a physical likeness to Neil. "There are three times more girls than boys at drama groups so he is going to take a bit more finding."' If your son has dreams of being a soap star and bears a resemblance to six footer Neil, then give Byker Grove a call. If he's got the necessary talent, they would love to snap him up for the part of Mickey. | 
