Clark Gregg (as Richard)

pedigree on the show has to be Clark Gregg, who plays her handsome ex-husband Richard.

Clark trained alongside fellow actor William H Macy and legendary US playwright David Mamet (who wrote the scripts for The Untouchables and Hannibal, and plays like Glengarry Glen Ross). The three of them set up the highly influential Atlantic Theater Company in 1985, but Clark became a famous face after moving to LA to work on shows like Sex and the City and The West Wing. Oh, and he's married to Jennifer Grey. Yep, her off Dirty Dancing.

Hamish Linklater (as Matthew)

Christine's live-in brother is a slacker played by Hamish Linklater. So it would be nice and fitting if he was related to Richard Linklater, director of cult film Slacker. Sadly he isn't, though Hamish is the son of another prominent Linklater by the name of Kristin – a very well known acting teacher who has trained the likes of Sigourney Weaver, Donald Sutherland and Bill Murray.

Prior to this sitcom, Hamish's most prominent project was the Fantastic Four movie. But The New Adventures of Old Christine promises to be the breakthrough moment for Hamish, who looks a bit like a curly-haired Neil Morrissey. If the Americans ever tried to adapt Men Behaving Badly again, Hamish has to be in it.

Emily Rutherfurd (as New Christine)

Julia Louis-Dreyfus is "Old Christine", but Emily Rutherford is "New Christine" – the latest squeeze of the original Christine's ex-hubby Richard (got that?)

The fresh-faced, almost angelic-looking Emily got the acting bug from her father, who was part-lawyer, part song and dance man - in a rather unusual set up, he worked full-time as an attorney but every so often would tread the boards to perform in Gilbert and Sullivan operettas.

Emily got her big break starring in sitcom The Ellen Show alongside Ellen DeGeneres. Since then she's been in Will & Grace and the US version of Coupling. The reviews of which did not quite match those of Old Christine, shall we say...

Tricia O'Kelley (as Marly)

Old Christine's arch-rivals are the non-working mums who are always able to attend school functions and dote on their little darlings all hours of the day. One of them is Marly, played by Tricia O'Kelley – one of the most respected women in US showbiz.

And why the respect? Well, before becoming a star herself, Tricia set up an "actors' resource centre" in Chicago which provides classes, workshops and general support for actors in the region. Her hard work brought her huge acclaim, and since then she's appeared in just about every major show going – from Frasier to Malcolm in the Middle to Two and a Half Men to CSI. Oh, and she also designs and sells greetings cards. Talk about multitasking.

Alex Kapp Horner (as Lindsay)

Marly's fellow non-working mum (and nemesis of Old Christine) is Lindsay, played by the striking Alex Kapp Horner.

Horner, who studied history at university before throwing herself into the acting world, has something in common with co-star Julia Louis-Dreyfus – she too starred in Seinfeld (albeit for just one episode). Horner has also turned up in Friends, ER, Spin City and Will & Grace, but The New Adventures of Old Christine is her first real opportunity to show off her talents. It looks likely we'll be seeing a lot more of her in the future.

Trevor Gagnon (as Ritchie)

He was only born in 1995, but Trevor Gagnon's hasn't been wasting any time in Hollywood. In fact, Old Christine's son Ritchie isn't even his first major role.

He got his start when his parents took the precocious young boy to a talent agency, and first came to prominence in the Tim Burton and Ewan McGregor film Big Fish. After this, he auditioned for a number of different sitcoms during 2005's "pilot season" (when all the new shows recruit their actors), which was how he landed New Adventures of Old Christine. And as if that victory wasn't enough, the young scamp managed to bag an episode of Desperate Housewives as well. Not bad for someone who isn't yet 12.

TM & © 2007 Warner Bros. Ent. Inc. All Rights Reserved