Charlie Charlton: Donna Air

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Charlie first came to the Grove in 1992 and left in 1995. Introduced as Charley's cousin she soon became a rival of Jemma as they auditioned for dance parts in the Movie Jive Crazy. It was eventually Charlie who won the star role after Jemma left the theatre suddenly to save boyfriend Lee from a bashing. Eventually Jemma, after seizing every chance available to her impressed the Movie Director so that she was to share the star role with Charlie.

After Jive Crazy, Charlie soon found herself again in Jemma's bad books after she wrote an unflattering article on her for The Byker Post, (the local newspaper, of which Charlie occasionally wrote articles for). Charlie settled quite easily into the Grove, finding a friend in Leah who confided in Charlie the pain she felt after being ditched by the Psychandrics Cult. However, Charlie betrayed Leah's confidence, recorded their conversation and used it for the basis of an article. Leah was furious, but Charlie insisted she did it only so that she could help. Charlie remained determined at finding out more about the circumstances surrounding Leah leaving the cult, conned Duncan into revealing all he knew.

Charlie then became involved in an antiwar video for a local film festival; the current friction between the Grovers and the Denton Burners provided her with suitable material for her video. Enlisting the help of Patsy she recorded the Paint ball battle in which PJ was blinded. Later, she shocked everyone with her callousness by including it her video, alienating herself from the Grovers.

Further trouble followed for Charlie after she invited Leah to go to a party with her, conveniently forgetting to tell her it was a formal affair. Leah, who was still fragile totally humiliated herself by dressing and behaving inappropriately. Charlie was uncharacteristically sympathetic to Dale when he suffered from a infestation of nits. Leah assisted by Patsy, wrote a bogus letter to Dale from Charlie in which "Charlie" revealed her undying love for Dale. Charlie found out about their plot after Dale made a pass at her and stayed away from the Grove for a spell.

Leah and Patsy went to Charlie's house to apologise and their apology was later accepted. Charlie then returned to the Grove and again annoyed Leah by initially trying to take over her Murder Mystery evening. Leah excluded her from it, but swiftly relented after it was ruined by Angel.

Always keen to let the other Grovers forget her influence with the Media, Charlie had her own solution to ridding the Grove from the travellers that camped out on the Hard court area outside the Grove. She rang the BBC who sent an interview crew to the Grove. Also, she wrote an article about the siege where Angel and Terraise were hostages.

True to form, in 1994 Charlie invades Jemma's Screen Teen's Project and takes over after Jemma damages her video camera. Monopolising the fact that she has access to a video camera, she forces Jemma into accepting her as producer for her video, assisted by Lee. After several recordings where Charlie has Jemma tell the rather dubious story of her "tragic background" Jemma has had enough and makes her own Video after Gary offers to supply her with a video camera, without Charlie's knowledge.

Both videos are subsequently sent in: Charlie's is rejected and used by Jemma's mam to record "Neighbours" and Jemma's is accepted, but not before Charlie has stolen Lee from Jemma.

Charlie and Lee's relationship is a rocky one and explodes in Lee's finishing tirade in episode 20 of 1994. But before this, Charlie is brought into a modelling career by Lee but is told she will need to wear a brace to correct her imperfect teeth. Charlie is eventually persuaded by Lee to do this and assumes a minor role, modelling fur coats for a small fashion company. Unfortunately for Charlie, her dazzling debut is interrupted when Patsy, and her animal rights associates break into the fashion show and drench the models in red paint. Leaving a shocked co-ordinater shrieking: "Don't they know - these are fake furs!"

Charlie later finds out that Lee has cheated on her with another of the other models and seeks revenge by cutting his hair and pinning it up on the notice board as a reminder to those who cross her. Lee attempts to make up with Charlie and she begins to relent until she finds out that Lee's apology gift is actually a broach stolen off Marie, sold to Lee by Terry.

Charlie left Byker Grove in the 1995 series.

In real-life Donna Air left Byker Grove to persue a musical career with fellow cast member Jayni Hoy. She then became a presenter on the Computer Channel and eventually became a VJ on MTV's Select.