Where are they now? 11 stars of the 00s we grew up watching

David BenjaminNovember 14, 2025

The Noughties was a classic age for TV. From big-budget American blockbuster shows through to classic British kids’ viewing, anyone who grew up in that decade will have very fond memories of it all. And let’s not forget that that was the decade which introduced us to the idea that your average member of the public could become an unlikely star via the medium of reality TV, or even a Saturday night talent show. But all good things come to an end and while we may still watch our favourite 00s shows and look back on them fondly, we might also be left to wonder what became of some of the biggest names from those programmes. So, just where are your favourite Noughties TV stars now? (Picture: REX/Shutterstock / Channel 4)

1. Mischa Barton

Where are they now? TV stars of the 00s — If you were a teenager in the 00s, chances are The OC would have been appointment viewing for you. Which of course means you’d be very familiar with Mischa Barton, the British-born actress who played Marissa Cooper in the show. Mischa began her career as a child star, making her mark in such movies as Lawn Dogs and The Sixth Sense – but what’s she up to these days? Well Mischa, now 39, is still notching up TV and film appearances by the ton. Recent movies include Spree and Invitation to a Murder, while Neighbours fans were also treated to her making an extended guest appearance in 2023 as Reece Sinclair. The actress has also been outspoken about the extreme scrutiny she was subject to from the paparazzi, the press and online bloggers during her initial rise to fame. She told Grazia: ‘Everybody will act like they have your best interests at heart. But a lot of people don’t.’ (Picture: Shutterstock/Getty)

2. Hayden Panettiere

Where are they now? TV stars of the 00s — Another show which kept us all glued to the screen in the 00s was Heroes, the tale of a group of folk who team up to prevent disasters befalling the world after discovering they have superhuman powers. Among the stars of that one was Hayden Panettiere, who played high school cheerleader Claire Bennet – but where is Hayden now? Well, the actress actually went on to star in the hit series Nashville, which ran from 2012-2018, as well as playing Kirby Reed in the Scream franchise. More recently though, she took a four-year hiatus from acting before returning to the screen in Scream VI – dealing with personal struggles which included the tragic death of her brother Jansen from an undiagnosed heart condition in 2023. Speaking to US Weekly earlier this year she admitted she ‘desperately needed’ the break. She’ll be seen next in the horror comedy A Breed Apart. (Picture: Shutterstock/Getty)

3. Chad Michael Murray

Where are they now? TV stars of the 00s — Next up, who remembers One Tree Hill? Given it ran from 2003-2012 this was almost certainly on your radar back in the 00s. Which means Chad Michael Murray, who starred as Lucas Scott, would almost certainly have been too. But two decades on from the Carolina-set drama, where is Chad? Well the actor, now 44, is no stranger to the screen, having appeared in a whole bunch of prominent TV shows since Hill came to an end. His CV includes the likes of Agent Carter, Scream Queens and Riverdale, in which he played Edgar Evernever. Currently, he’s starring in the Canadian romantic drama Sullivan’s Crossing. On the big screen he starred alongside Lindsay Lohan in the 2003 reboot of Freaky Friday, reprising his role in the sequel Freakier Friday, released earlier this year. (Picture:
Shutterstock/Getty)

4. Josh Holloway

Where are they now? TV stars of the 00s — From One Tree Hill we come on to Lost, the stranded on a desert island drama which remains popular to this day, even though it ended in 2010. Josh Holloway found fame as the show’s anti-hero – James ‘Sawyer’ Ford. 15 years on from the show’s memorable finale, where is Josh now? Well the 56-year-old actor is still a familiar face on TV, having also starred as Will Bowman in the sci-fi drama Colony, while his other credits have included Amazing Stories, Yellowstone, Duster and the HBO comedy The Paper, appearing in an episode as himself. Away from the screen he’s been married to Yessica Kumala since 2004 (having popped the question after he finished filming the Lost pilot) and they have two children. (Picture: Shutterstock/Getty)

5. Michelle McManus

Where are they now? TV stars of the 00s — So this one crosses over into the worlds of both pop and TV, but given Michelle McManus rose to fame on a TV series – namely the short-lived Pop Idol – we’ve decided it counts. The Scottish singer was the winner of the second and last series of the show in 2003, going on to top the charts with her debut single All This Time. But two decades on from that telly talent search, where is Michelle? Well she’s 45, he has bright red hair, and alongside the singing she’s carved out a nice little niche in presenting, fronting the afternoon show and The Entertainment Mix on BBC Radio Scotland. She’s also fronted programmes for STV and has kept her hand in with the music, releasing festive song Christmas Glow in 2023 to mark 20 years since her Pop Idol win. Eagle-eyed BBC Three viewers might also have recently spotted her getting a makeover on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. (Picture:
Shutterstock/Getty)

6. Brian Dowling

Where are they now? TV stars of the 00s — There was a time in the 00s when it seemed as if Brian Dowling was everywhere. As winner of the second series of Big Brother on Channel 4, the former flight attendant went on to become a household name, fronting the likes of SMTV on ITV as well as starring in the ITV show Brian’s Boyfriends, and narrating Channel 4 series The Salon. He even went on to win Ultimate Big Brother – featuring some of the show’s most memorable housemates – and present two series when the reality favourite moved to Channel 5. But where is Brian these days? Well, he’s a pretty big deal back in his native Ireland, where he’s presented on radio station 98fm as well as being one of the hosts of The Six O’Clock show on Virgin Media Television. He lives in Dublin with his husband, Armenian-born dancer Arthur Gourounlian, and their daughters Blake and Blu. (Picture: Shutterstock/Getty)

7. Jesse Metcalfe

Let’s be honest, Desperate Housewives was one of the iconic shows of the 00s, and it was a sad day when the dark comedy came to an end in 2012. We all remember Teri Hatcher, Eva Longoria and the like, but what of the show’s male cast members, specifically Jesse Metcalfe, who played John Rowland – the gardener who had a fling with Longoria’s character Gabrielle? Well the actor, now aged 46, has gone on to have a pretty strong career on TV, with roles including the Dallas reboot, Chesapeake Shores and Law and Order. And of course you might remember him from the short-lived Masked Singer spin-off The Masked Dancer, in which he strutted his stuff as the mysterious Astronaut. He also has his own skincare range, the vegan gender-neutral band NUTRL Skincare. (Picture:
Shutterstock/Getty)

8. Gareth Gates

Speaking of Pop Idol, let’s cast our minds back to the first series, when those two titans of talent show stardom Will Young and Gareth Gates went head to head in the final. Gareth might have lost out to Will but he still went on to have a successful career, scoring a string of number one hits including Unchained Melody and Anyone Of Us. But what is he up to these days? Well, he’s been a pretty regular fixture in musical theatre, appearing in national tours of Legally Blonde and Footloose among others. You’ll also have seen him on TV quite a bit too, appearing in the likes of The Big Reunion (as part of supergroup 5th Story), Dancing On Ice and, more recently, winning the 2023 series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins. Gareth has also spoken openly about having a stutter – something which first came to light on Pop Idol – and fronted a 2012 documentary for BBC Three, aiming to help a group of people with the same speech impediment. (Picture: REX/SHUTTERSTOCK / GETTY)

9. Susie Amy

If the US had Desperate Housewives, British viewers had another kind of spouse – Footballers Wives. The iconic show – full of glamour, catfights and explicit content – ran for five series from 2002 until 2006, and there’s even talk of a reboot. But while we’re at it, where is actress Susie Amy, who played the memorably-named Chadonnay, now? Well, Hollyoaks fans might well have seen her in the soap as Scarlett Morgan, ex-wife of Luke Morgan (played by her Footballers Wives co-star Gary Lucy). The mum-of-two has also appeared in the likes of Holby City, Death in Paradise and Casualty, as well as starring in a stage version of the classic 80s thriller Fatal Attraction, alongside Kym Marsh. (Picture: Shutterstock)

10. David Sneddon

Back in the early 00s, ITV had Pop Idol but the BBC had Fame Academy. The Beeb’s own take on the singing talent show threw a Big Brother element into the mix, as the contestants singing for our vote every week also lived in a house together. Who remembers the winner of the first series? David Sneddon made a late entry into the contest after another contestant withdrew and went on to be crowned champion, later topping the charts with his song Stop Living The Lie and scoring other hits including Baby Get Higher. But where is David these days? The Scottish born singer has swapped pop stardom for songwriting stardom. He and songwriting partner James Bauer-Mein have – under the name of The Nexus – worked on tracks for the likes of Newton Faulkner, Morten Harket, Lana del Rey, Hurts and Craig David. Sneddon also married his long-term girlfriend in 2013, and has two children. (Picture: Getty/davidsneddonmusic/Instagram)

11. Peter Krause

While we’re on the subject of must-see shows of the 00s, let’s not forget about Six Feet Under, the dark comedy series set in a funeral home which ran for five series before coming to an emotionally charged end in 2005. One of the pivotal characters was the troubled Nate Fisher, played by Peter Krause. Krause picked up a load of Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for his performance – but where is the actor these days? The 60-year-old has a string of other post-Six Feet Under credits to his name including Dirty Sexy Money, Parenthood and The Catch. More recently he played the role of Bobby Nash in the long-running procedural drama 9-1-1 alongside Angela Bassett – although the character was killed off earlier this year after sacrificing himself to save others during a contagion event. (Picture: Getty/Shutterstock)

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