Where are the cast of Shameless now? From divorced co-stars to rehab stints

Edinburgh Live

25-04-2025

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It's been over ten years since audiences bid farewell to Shameless, Channel 4's unforgettable dramedy set in the fictitious Chatsworth estate in Manchester. Debuting in 2004, Shameless quickly established itself as a standout series of the noughties, launching several acting careers in the process.
The brainchild of Burnley-born Paul Abbott, the show offered a raw, humorous, and often shocking depiction of working-class life in Britain. Its influence extended beyond the UK, with the American version also achieving success.
Since The Jockey served its last pint, the world has undergone significant changes as have the lives of the cast who brought Chatsworth to life.
Let's catch up with the former inhabitants of Chatsworth, to find out where they are now - from gracing Hollywood red carpets to participating in reality TV face-offs....
Frank Gallagher - David Threlfall
(Image: Daily Mirror)
David played the alcoholic, chain-smoking, irresponsible father who deserted his five children to live with his neurotic, sex-obsessed girlfriend, Sheila Jackson. Often seen quoting Shakespeare amidst bouts of incontinence, Frank's signature pose was leaning against the bar at The Jockey in his iconic parka.
Off-screen, David Threlfall, who is now 71 years old, presents a stark contrast to his disorderly on-screen persona. A consummate professional, David boasts classical training and a distinguished career.
His array of roles include appearances in blockbuster films such as Patriot Games with Harrison Ford and performances in esteemed TV series like Cutting It and Spooks. He also regularly treads the boards with the Royal Shakespeare Company, where his acting talent truly comes alive.
In one of his latest ventures, David took on the role of George Parker in Funny Woman, sharing the spotlight with Gemma Arterton in this dramatisation of Nick Hornby's novel. The show tracks the tale of a beauty queen venturing from Blackpool to carve out her fame in London's television scene during the vibrant era of the sixties.
Beyond his theatrical pursuits, David is a family man, sharing two children with his wife Brana Bajic, who is also an accomplished actor. David says he has no similarities with his character from Shameless; telling the Mirror that he doesn't smoke, underscoring the disparity between himself and his fictional counterpart.
In a 2010 interview, he shed light on another distinction: "I can't imagine getting up in the morning and taking a drink. My body doesn't take more than four pints. I was doing a scene yesterday where he was drinking cough medicine. He's lost."
Fiona Gallagher - Anne-Marie Duff
(Image: CHANNEL FOUR)
Fiona, played by Anne-Marie Duff, was the tough eldest daughter of Frank in the hit series, left to care for her younger siblings after their mother Monica deserted them for a new life with her female lover. Fiona's dull existence as a part-time teaching assistant took a turn for the romantic when the dashing Steve McBride, played by James McAvoy, swept her off her feet in a nightclub.
However, the dream-like romance was short-lived; in the second season, Steve's activities as a car thief and heroin dealer were exposed, leading to his hasty departure from the neighbourhood. He later reappeared to whisk Fiona away to Amsterdam, where the couple tied the knot.
In a twist mirroring their on-screen romance, Anne-Marie, now 54, and James, 46, found love off-screen, secretly marrying in 2006 and welcoming their son Brandon four years later. Their union, however, came to an end in 2016, with Anne-Marie describing the divorce as a 'profound, difficult experience'.
James has since remarried, finding love with Lisa Liberati whom he met on the set of the psychological horror film 'Split'. Despite the end of their romantic chapter, Anne-Marie explained to The Telegraph: "There's a lot of goodwill between us. And we do still laugh all the time. I cannot imagine a time in my life when he doesn't make me belly laugh. We love being parents and he's someone I'll respect, always."
After leaving Shameless in its second season, Anne-Marie's career took off. She bagged roles in noteworthy films like Nowhere Boy, Suffragette, and Before I Go to Sleep sharing the screen with Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth.
More recently, Anne-Marie has shone on the small screen, with her performances in acclaimed series such as Sex Education, The Salisbury Poisonings, and Bad Sisters. Her work in Bad Sisters landed her a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress in 2023.
Steve McBride - James McAvoy
(Image: PA)
Steve McBride, portrayed by James McAvoy, sprang from a family deeply rooted in the medical field, only to abandon his medical studies two years into the course. Leaving Shameless with Fiona in the second series, James witnessed his career take off, securing leading parts in major films, including Atonement, X-Men, and The Last King of Scotland.
After separating from Anne-Marie, the Scottish star began a new chapter with production assistant Lisa, leading to an intimate wedding, which he confirmed during a 2022 interview with The Guardian. Recently, James was honoured for his extraordinary contribution to film in his hometown.
In March 2025, he was bestowed with the Cinema City Honorary Award at the Glasgow Film Festival (GFF). Expressing his feelings outside the Glasgow Film Theatre, James stated: "It's humbling, it's a massive honour. I never thought for a second when I started acting at the age of 16 that I would even get another job, let alone be here, 29 years later, getting a lovely award from my home city. So yeah, massively humbling, and it's quite sentimental as well."
Debbie Gallagher - Rebecca Ryan
(Image: Publicity photo)
Debbie Gallagher, played by Rebecca Ryan, was described by Frank as a gift from God, but one who you needed to watch your change around. Much like her older sister Fiona, Debbie found herself burdened with maternal responsibilities before she left the estate to join the army in the sixth series.
Rebecca, now 33, went on to feature in the BBC drama Doctors and later took on the role of Gem Dean in Casualty, although she left the show in 2018.
In 2021, the Manchester-born actress joined the cast of Coronation Street, playing the role of Underworld PA Lydia Chambers. After stirring up a fair amount of trouble between Sarah Platt (Tina O'Brien) and Adam Barlow (Sam Robertson), including pushing Adam off a balcony, Lydia exited the soap in 2022.
In January 2025, Rebecca announced that she is expecting her second child with husband Dan Acraman via a heartfelt Instagram post. This joyous news comes almost two years after the birth of their first child.
Phillip 'Lip' Gallagher - Jody Latham
(Image: Channel 4)
Phillip 'Lip' Gallagher was played by Jody Latham. Rarely referred to by his real name due to being 'a bit of a gobsh*te', Lip fathered a child with Mandy McGuire before heading off to university to explore his academic side.
After bidding farewell to Shameless, Jody, now 42, joined his co-star Rebecca Ryan in Waterloo Road before moving on to The Tudors, Hollyoaks, Holby City, and Doctors. In 2009, he became the first contestant to be booted off the reality show Hell's Kitchen following a string of disputes with other participants.
Jody has had a career change from his acting days to the construction industry, joining the family business. It appears this career move has paid off handsomely, as Jody proudly displayed his eye-catching lime green £200K Lamborghini on his Instagram.
The former actor spoke candidly about his mental health journey in 2020 during an episode of James English's Anything Goes podcast. He revealed: "I did a stint in rehab - I've never spoken about this publicly. It wasn't for me - but I learned a lot from it."
Delving deeper into his personal battles, he admitted: "My substance abuse is minimal, I do drink sometimes, not every day and not a lot, but because I was going through anxiety and business worries, there was an opportunity to go and refresh."
The experience also involved dealing with burnout: "It was exhaustion as well. I took a week out, it was going to be a month, but I took a week."
Ian Gallagher - Gerard Kearns
(Image: Channel 4)
Ian's storyline in the show painted him as a troubled character harbouring secrets, notably his affair with Kash Karib (Chris Bisson), both his employer and a married corner shop owner.
Plot twists revealed that Ian was not in fact Frank's son but a product of Monica's infidelity. His time on the show came to an abrupt end after he unwittingly caused Joe Pritchard's death in series seven.
Offscreen, Gerard Kearns, now aged 39, has continued to shine in his acting career with roles in critically acclaimed productions like The Mark of Cain and Trespass Against Us, which also stars Michael Fassbender.
Gerard's personal life is just as fulfilling, having tied the knot with his other half, Sarah, in December 2017. The couple have two sons, Aiden and James.
Veronica Fisher - Maxine Peake
(Image: Unknown)
Veronica, played by Maxine Peake, was a staple in the Gallaghers' household on the popular show—frequently seen engaging in passionate antics with her partner Kev. However, their storyline took a serious turn when the couple faced fertility challenges.
This plot sadly mirrored the real-life struggles of actress Maxine Peake, now 50, and her partner Pawlo Wintoniuk, as they endured the heartache of failed IVF attempts and miscarriages.
"I had three rounds but that was enough for me, I was done. It was so difficult physically and emotionally," she shared with Radio 4 listeners. "You are absolutely pumped full of hormones, you're tired, and I was working at the same time."
She highlighted the relentless nature of the treatment, revealing: "You don't have that luxury of taking time off. You have to find places where you can inject when you're on a night shoot. In a grubby portable toilet, panicking that you're going to infect yourself."
Maxine Peake has since taken on roles depicting Myra Hindley in See No Evil: The Moors Murders, appearing in hits like The Theory of Everything, Dinnerladies, and Black Mirror.
Kev Ball - Dean Lennox Kelly
(Image: Unknown)
Barman Kev and his randy wife Veronica were famed for their steamy scenes, but for actor Dean, lying naked and spread-eagled on leopardskin sheets was a low point.
He spoke to The Argus about the moment: "That was definitely the most embarrassing moment. It was a very cold day and there were five people in the room, all of them men."
Dean, now 49, has opened up about an awkward moment on set during the early days of his career. Reflecting on a particularly challenging scene, he said: "There was another bad episode at the start of the second series when Kev had a crush on his reading teacher and I had to pretend to masturbate a few times on camera."
The actor described the discomfort he felt while filming, especially under the guidance of a female director. He recalled: "That was really embarrassing because it was a female director and she was kind of giving me notes about what my position should be like. Trust me, lady, I'm doing it right."
Since those days, Dean has enjoyed a successful acting career, featuring in shows such as Frankie, Jamestown, and Married, Single, Other. Some may also recall his portrayal of William Shakespeare in a 2007 episode of Doctor Who.
Dean's more recent projects include roles in Brassic and Shadow and Bone. and he shares two children with his wife Eugenie, a folk singer and writer.
Sheila Jackson - Maggie O'Neill
(Image: Campbell Mark)
Maggie O'Neill, who played Sheila Jackson, brought to life Frank's girlfriend, a character with a complex past involving domestic abuse and peculiar habits. Despite her agoraphobia and anxiety, Sheila remained inexplicably loyal to her beer-loving partner.
Before her role on the show, Maggie O'Neill, now 62, had already made a name for herself with appearances in the Hollywood film Gorillas in the Mist and the music video for Simply Red's Holding Back the Years.
Her post-show career included a stint as Suzy Branning, the sister of Max and Jack, on EastEnders in 2008. She left after six months amid unconfirmed rumours of a dispute with co-star Samantha Womack.
In recent years, Maggie has appeared in Call The Midwife, Casualty, and Two Doors Down.
Karen Jackson - Rebecca Atkinson
(Image: Channel 4)
Karen, Sheila's wayward daughter on the hit show Shameless, caused a stir when she notoriously carried out a risqué act with Lip and Ian Gallagher beneath the kitchen table before diving into a taboo romance with Frank Gallagher.
After a tumultuous period, Karen found stability and took charge of The Jockey pub along with her new husband Jamie Maguire. Her personal life mirrored her character's calmer period as she fell for Ben Batt, her co-star who played Joe Pritchard, and together they celebrated the arrival of their child in 2016.
The actress, Rebecca Atkinson, now 41 years old, has appeared on the small screen in an array of television series including Life on Mars, Holby City, Coronation Street, and Doctors. Despite her diverse roles, it's the character of Karen that remains dearest to Rebecca.
Discussing her journey with the Sunday Post, she shared: "It was such a huge part of my life, I grew up on that show. I was there for part of my teens and all through my 20s," adding, "It's definitely part of what's made me what I am. There's a part of Karen in me. It was an amazing time in my life and I met Ben on the show too so I wouldn't have my little boy either if it wasn't for Shameless."