The vampire detective who's king of brooding.

Born in 18th century Galway, Angel spent his youth drinking, womanising and stealing from his rich father before Darla offered him eternal life and a lumpy forehead in 1753.

After terrorising most of Europe for over 150 years, siring Drusilla and really annoying a man called Holtz, Angel killed a gypsy girl and was cursed with a soul by her clan.

Horrified by his atrocities, Angel restricted himself to drinking pig's blood and nibbling the odd rat for the next 100 years before joining Buffy's fight against evil.

The couple fell for each other and made love. Sadly, due to the small print in the gypsy curse, this turned him into an evil killer once more. Buffy banished him to Hell, from which he returned after centuries of torture (by his time scale) very confused and very naked. Things were never the same between Angel and Buffy after that.

The vampire eventually decided to get out of Buffy's life, head for Los Angeles and continue his redemption there. Guided by the visions of half-demon, Doyle, Angel set out to "help the hopeless," ably assisted by former Sunnydale High cheerleader and aspiring actress Cordelia Chase.

Plagued by the powerful demonic law firm Wolfram and Hart, Angel helps right wrongs in the City of Angels, ever mindful that it's prophesised that he probably has a major part to play in an upcoming Apocalypse.

A one night stand with the evil vampire Darla had very unexpected effects when Angel became the first vampire ever to father a child. Since then, Connor's been a joy and a trial to him, as well as a prize that many less well-intentioned would love to get their hands on.

David Boreanaz grew up in the world of television - his father was (and still is) a veteran TV weather forecaster in Philadelphia.

Seeing Yul Brynner in The King and I prompted a young David to consider a future in acting. Luckily he didn't adopt his hero's bald look, though. David's hair used to be blonde and curly, by the way.

Put forward for the part of Angel by his future agent after he was spotted walking his dog, David proved a huge hit with Buffy's female audience. It didn't take Buffy producer Joss Whedon long to realise that David had 'spin-off potential' written all over him.

David is married to actress/model Jaime Bergman, and they have a baby son together. He has a peculiar fear of chickens.