Byker Grove seems to go from strength to strength as the teen Geordie soap returns next week for its 15th series - and one reason for its success may be that it is like one big, happy family.

While long-running adult dramas grab all the headlines, teen soap Byker Grove carries on doing the good work without the glory. The twice-weekly teen Geordie soap returns to CBBC One for its 15th series next week - and is as popular as ever, despite increased competition from the mushrooming number of children's channels.

Producer Edward Pugh attributes that success to "the delicate balance between the hard and soft storylines, as well as the fantastic comedy angles throughout".

"Byker Grove offers a drama which is relevant to young people and aims to touch their lives. They can come in from school, put their feet up and escape to a meeting place that's familiar to them all."

The new series promises plenty of excitement, including the dramatic exit of a popular character, and the arrival of fresh faces. Topics touched on include teenage pregnancy, binge drinking, skateboarding, sumo wrestling and the Grovers' own version of Grease.

Perhaps part of the reason for Byker Grove's success is that cast and crew seem like one big, happy family. Certainly, everyone seems to get on together if the atmosphere at this year's launch at Newcastle's Tyneside Cinema is anything to go by.

Two characters bid farewell this season. The manner of heart-throb Ben Carter's exit makes it impossible for him to return. More, I cannot say. But Andrew Hayden-Smith won't be disappearing from screens - he'll still be seen as a presenter on Children's BBC.

He spent several months travelling up and down between London and Newcastle doing both jobs while filming his Byker Grove finale. Now he's moved South to a flat ten minutes from Television Centre. "It's a completely different lifestyle. I'm having a ball," he says.

"Presenting came out of the blue," he explains. "I went down as a CBBC guest when I was in Byker Grove and one of the bosses said, 'have you ever thought of presenting? Do you want to have a go?'. He said I could start the next week."

Much of CBBC presenting is live and Andrew admits the first day was a nightmare. "I was petrified. After a week I got to know the other presenters quite well and didn't get nervous any more," he says.

He's had to turn down acting offers for other dramas, including The Bill, but his new contract enables him to take other work as well as presenting.

He first joined the Grove seven years ago, when he was 12, and has grown up on the series. Filming the most recent episodes, he found it weird because, as one of the oldest cast members, he was going out with the crew rather than the other cast.

Moving on too is Adam Henderson-Scott, from Walker, who plays bad-boy-made-good Matt Tyler, the Grove's resident DJ. He's leaving after five years to study at Central School of Speech and Drama in London.

"I was just a bit mouthy when I was at school and got interested in acting," he says. "I was cast when I was just a young kid. I put my head down, worked hard and I'm still here. I wanted to be a lawyer until Byker Grove came along."

Work on the series has been kept fresh by the influx of new producers, cast and ideas. "Every year has been different," he says. "I applied to Central and was accepted. I wouldn't be in this position if it wasn't for Byker Grove. I'll always have fond memories, but am looking forward to the new challenge."

New to the Grove is 12-year-old Daniel Waterston as Mickey Murray, whose penchant for climbing trees earns him the nickname Mickey the Monkey. "He's a little scamp who always gets into trouble. Like me really, I'm a walking disaster area," he says.

For one scene, Daniel was filmed 25ft up a tree. Safety wires were attached to a harness under his clothes. "It was strange because I had to act and not let the wire be seen," he says. "I don't mind heights but I was up there most of the day. They kept bringing me tea."

His sister Helen was an extra on Byker Grove in the days of Ant and Dec, and Daniel has always fancied acting. "I've wanted to go to drama class, but my parents divorced when I was young and I used to see my dad on a Saturday when the classes were," he says.

Another new face is 15-year-old Bridie Hales, from Sunderland, as Sadie Fox - "Bradley's girlfriend and queen of the tanning salon". Dancing since she was two, she's had parts in BBC1's Auf Wiedersehen Pet (as the daughter of Kevin Whateley's character) and in the feature film Gabriel And Me.

"The first time I did a film I was only 12. It was a bit daunting until you get used to it," she says.

Although she plays Bradley's girlfriend and helps him run his Love Buffet at the Grove, she also gets to kiss bad boy Spencer, played by 17-year-old Leon Scott. In fact, she got to snog him quite a lot as the scene was shot many times.

"The director said we'll do it with tongues, and I didn't know Leon very well at first. Then it was decided we couldn't use tongues. I'd already done the scene six times and had to film another ten times," she recalls.

Rachael Lee, from Consett, has one of the most dramatic storylines, dealing with teenage pregnancy, in the new series. She's been linked with one or other of the Brett twins, Luke and Adam, in the three years she's been at the Grove.

She's learnt to recognise the different between the real life twin brothers, Dominic and Alex Beebe, who play the Brett boys. "Once you get to know them, it's easy to tell," she says.

* Byker Grove is on BBC1 on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5pm.