Renault Clio ad's Nicole and Papa unrecognisable three decades later

Back in the day, they were household names. It seems unbelievable now, but the stars of the 1990s Renault Clio adverts were once more familiar to Brits than then-Prime Minister John Major and the legendary BBC Radio 1 DJ Chris Evans. And even if the actors Estelle Skornik and Max Douchin aren't instantly recognisable by name, their iconic catchphrase certainly is.

Their on-screen father-daughter relationship struck a chord across the nation. "Nicole?" the debonair Frenchman would enquire, full of anticipation. "Papa!" she'd respond, with a simplicity that captured hearts.

In the debut advert, Nicole would slip away while her father seemed to nap in the garden of their chateau, dashing off to secretly meet with her dashing beau in her trusty Clio. But, unbeknown to Nicole, her dad was also on a clandestine mission, whizzing off in his car to surprise a mysterious lady with flowers.

Upon Nicole's return, she'd discover her father seemingly-still snoozing in the garden, culminating in their trademark two-word dialogue.

The charming ads aired for seven years starting in 1991, playing a part in the whopping sales of 300,000 Renault Clios. But what became of the duo?

Estelle, who brought Nicole to life, has since graced other TV projects, including From Hell, The Days That Made History and Les Lyonnais.

Now 53, she starred opposite Ioan Gruffudd, portraying a romantic interest for his character Horatio Hornblower in the epic naval drama set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars.

But Estelle has reportedly taken a step back from the limelight, favouring family life over fame. Tying the knot with Laurent Bismuth in 1996, the couple have since had three children. Her final acting gig on record was back in 2011.

Reflecting on her character in a 1998 interview with the Independent, she reminisced: "Nicole is very spontanee and I'm very spontanee. She's open to life, she's French. Nicole is part of me."

Max Douchin, fondly remembered as 'Papa' and now aged 87, found his acting niche later in life. He featured in an episode of the French-Italian TV show Les Héritiers De Patmos in 2017 and graced the Paris premiere.

Currently enjoying retirement in Burgundy, France, surrounded by his partner and family, he hasn't given up performing entirely – he participates in a local choir. Chatting with Mail Online, he recalled the iconic Clio adverts with a sense of nostalgia.

"When I meet English people, who happen to be in Burgundy, and I speak with them, every English person I meet remembers Papa," he shared.

"I have a lot of good souvenirs from that programme for the Renault Clios."