Likely Lads Ant and Dec came back home today to film a tribute to their comedy heroes.

The Geordie duo are to recreate the classic 60s comedy The Likely Lads, playing lead roles of Terry and Bob, in a one-off show, which will be screened next month.

The funnymen arrived in Newcastle for the first day of filming at a tower block in the middle of a rundown council estate.

After flicking through the morning papers the pair got to work with a crew of around 50 for the first shots in Shieldfield, Newcastle.

Spokeswoman Fiona Williams said the show is a tribute to the original Likely Lads James Bolam and Rodney Bewes.

She said: "Ant and Dec are filming in Newcastle for a tribute to the Likely Lads, which will be screened next month on ITV1.

"It will be a half hour special re-make of an original episode of the show, which they are great fans of.

"They have always been fans of the show and are really excited about it."

The Geordie duo - real names Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly - are expected to be filming at Pandon Court flats for the next two days, finishing with a day in the studio at the end of the week.

Rodney Bewes will make a brief cameo appearance in the re-make.

As filming progressed schoolgirls on their way to a local comprehensive spotted the stars and rushed over for autographs.

Ant and Dec are also rumoured to be lined up to star in a TV remake of the sixties movie the Odd Couple, which starred Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau.

The former stars of Byker Grove have had the best possible preparation for the roles.

They shared a flat in Fulham when they first moved to London from Newcastle in 1995.

Dec recalls: "We had a great laugh living and working together.

"But there were times when Ant would do a Tracy Barlow from Coronation Street and say: "I'm going to me bedroom to play me tapes."

Ant said: "We're best pals. There is no point living on the other side of the country from each other."