Whether it is to film a television show, turn on the town’s Christmas lights or politicians on the election trail, we have delved into the Hartlepool Mail archives to remind ourselves of some of the notable names to have paid us a visit.
21. Brenda Blethyn
A regular visitor in her TV role as Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope, Brenda Blethyn is pictured at Hartlepool Marina in 2020. Photo: Kevin Brady
22. Philip Middlemiss
Hartlepool actor Philip Middlemiss, whose TV credits include Coronation Street and Where The Heart Is, returns home to sign autographs in 1995. Photo: Hartlepool Mail
23. Joey Essex
The Only Way Is Essex television star Joey Essex, right, with Hartlepool Borough Council leader Christopher Akers-Belcher at the 2015 Hartlepool Christmas lights switch on. Photo: Kevin Brady
24. Sir Keir Starmer
Sir Keir Starmer, wearing a tie, tours Hartlepool just months before he became Prime Minister in 2024. Photo: Frank Reid