Life on Mars was one of the biggest British TV series in the last two decades, and its cast members have since achieved stardom in television and film. The BBC series centred around Greater Manchester Police detective DCI Sam Tyler (John Simm), who wakes up after a car crash in 1977, still serving as a policeman but under entirely different rules. This peculiar sci-fi drama combined elements of Lost, Doctor Who , and police dramas, leaving viewers to ponder whether Sam Tyler had time-travelled, died, or was merely in a coma.
The innovative series, conceived by Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharaoh, led to a spin-off titled Ashes to Ashes in 2008. The spin-off ended after three seasons in 2010, leaving fans yearning for more adventures with Gene Hunt as he assisted people in limbo. A third show, Lazarus, named after another David Bowie song, was in development for several years and was set to conclude the story of Gene Hunt and Sam Tyler.
Unfortunately, series creator Matthew Graham announced in June 2023 that the project had effectively been cancelled, but fans were treated to a sneak peek of the opening episode at a live script reading. The Manchester Evening News reports most of the cast members have gone on to have successful TV careers, while one actor left the industry to run his own construction company. Here's what the cast of Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes are doing now.
John Simm - DCI Sam Tyler DCI Sam Tyler found himself inexplicably in 1970s Manchester in Life on Mar.
