Its going to be quite strange for us, the class of 86; we had our reunion a couple of years ago. I think they should have release series 1-5, but I think the BBCs timing was wrong. The Grange Hill gang meet Nancy Reagan in 1986. Grange Hill was a children's television show that began in 1978 on BBC1 and ran all the way up until 2008. Following the show, Erkan made appearances at three Grange Hill reunions: ITV This Morning's reunion in 1998, the Bring Back Grange Hill programme in 2005, and he hosted a cast reunion at Sound nightclub in Leicester Square in 2009. Obviously at the time we had a great, great writer, Anthony Minghella, who went on to bigger and better things, God rest his soul. Other parts include "Enormous Orphan" in Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1988) and "Otto" in Chef! "The national press were advertising the fact that they couldnt find a fat child at stage school to appear in Grange Hill. Grange Hill was a long-running children's drama series that first hit British screens in 1978, before finally coming to an end in 2008. I cant stand listening to Careless Whisper. I live with it every day. Todd Carty said he was 'deeply saddened' by the sudden death of his Grange Hill co-star. Roland was a very unique character; but some of the bullying he suffered on screen was quite graphic and personal? Check out our exclusive Jonathan Lambeth aka Danny Kendall interview - now online! Janet St. Clair | Grange Hill Wiki | Fandom I did some scenes with Michael Sheard (Mr Bronson) and he gave us some really good advice. Always full of money making schemes, Gonch was a wheeler dealer who ran a toast bar, a dating agency, a homework service and a PE kit lending scheme all from the classroom. Grange Hill's headteacher was in charge between 1981 and 1991. Was it difficult to play these scenes? So I already had people on board to be interviewed, back at their own schools. They even had the same name for the restaurant that Id wrote! You can do it.. But the BBC turned it down and I feel theyve let the public down. His uncoordinated moves became a ratings draw and in one routine he accidentally skidded through the exit. Especially being asked for an autograph when Im eating. Roland is the son of Mr Browning and Mrs Browning. Ive come out with great experiences. It had an affect on people out there. For more of the latest showbiz news from Daily Star, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here. Thats a hell of a lot of viewers. Roly, Zammo, Gripper and more - what happened to the original - MSN However after just one series, Ann left Grange Hill when her father's job meant her family had to move abroad. personal? Who died in the swimming pool in Grange Hill? Grange Hill was a children's television show that began in 1978 on BBC1 and ran all the way up until 2008. The Grange Hill cast now - from drugs shame to casino manager As always you can unsubscribe at any time. I bought this special suit, but looking at the pictures now, it was awful the trousers didnt match and I remember wearing white socks. CC shared room with RD in Roland Gardens when RD at St Martin's [School of Art] and CC at Royal College of Art [RCA] in stained glass department. It was exciting; going into a recording studio, never done that before. Roland didn't hit it off well with the rest of his classmates of other peers at the school, who viewed him as clumsy due to his excess weight. I said to Simone that I thank her for that and she told me to shut up! Dont be ashamed to talk about your past, because its your past that makes you what you are today. Thats quite a nice thing. To me it made no difference whether I worked with an adult or a child. The optical illusion will leave you stumped as it's asking people to spot the ghost hiding inside the room. The now 52-year-old starred in the series for five years from 1982 until 1987. In May last year, I approached the BBC with an idea and they said no. Erkan Mustafa - Roland . Roland made friends with a couple of bullies, and was caught red handed stealing Annette Firman's bike. She also enjoyed a romance with Stewpot, before discovering he was seeing Annette Firman behind her back. People dont realise that. Get in touch with us at webcelebs@trinitymirror.com or call us direct at 0207 29 33033. Roland Browning | Grange Hill Wiki | Fandom Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! Lee has made several TV appearances since leaving Grange Hill, including an episode of The Bill in which his love interest was played by Melissa Wilkes - who also played his girlfriend Jackie. Its really surreal that these people I havent met in ages have just appeared! GRANGE Hill's Zammo, Tucker, Roland and Janet look unrecognisable in a 'mini reunion' picture. Episode 1 - It's the first day of a new term at Grange Hill. It was 50 minutes long and it had to be edited to 29 minutes. . Unfortunately, a car accident in the early 1990s left Lee unable to pursue with the sport. In January were doing something for Mercedes. . Followed about by the ever helpful Janet, Roland's time at Grange Hill saw him develop from an unhappy eleven year old to a more confident teenager. . He recalls that it was quite nerve-racking. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. What happened to Grange Hill kids next - The US Sun You can do it.'". At the time there was some animosity on the set because only certain people on the set got invited to America. The actor - who played underdog Roly for six years - became one of the BBC show's most beloved characters.. Roland's most memorable storylines included being the victim of sustained bullying by school thug Gripper Stebson and forming friendships with Zammo McGuire . For other inquiries, Contact Us. The most popular faces from the early days of pioneering children's drama Grange Hill are reunited. The building is awesome as you walk up. In the show, his character found the courage to defend himself against bullies and became an inspiration to young viewers. Its because they think they are better than Grange Hill. What are your memories of that? What really happened when Grange Hill met Nancy Reagan at the White House The young. Email nicole.karageorgi@reachplc.com. 'Grange Hill' cast: Where are they now? - Yahoo . Now 50, he continues to act, write and direct according to his Twitter profile. The Grange Hill cast then and now from drugs lows to new career highs Do you have a story for The Sun Showbiz team? Its about forgetting the past, and its the past who made us who we are today. Grange Hill (TV Series 1978-2008) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. BBC Radio 4 - The Reunion, Grange Hill The fact that I want to help you Ro-Land was a catch phrase. Erkan is also a writer and director. Looking back, later on in life, it had no effect on me. Terry Sue-Patt, who played Benny Green, was one of Grange Hill's first-generation cast - Tucker's sidekick - but he and MacDonald overlapped for one series, and MacDonald had known Sue-Patt at. Roland's best friends are Zammo McGuire, Jonah Jones and Kevin Baylon and his friends are Fay Lucas, Janet St. Clair, Annette Firman, Jimmy Flynn, Belinda Zowkowski, Julie Marchant, Diane Cooney, Jackie Wright, Banksy Banks, Julian Fairbrother and Cheryl Webb. Lee Sparke Grange Hill - mindsteam Theres a girl called Tracey who used to be in Grange Hill, who I tracked down and we met up in a pub in Islington, only to bump into Mark Burdiss (Stewpot)! Fans loved how despite horrific bullying, the youngster always stood up for himself and discovered he had a talent for foreign languages. Thats snowballed into quite a lot of people going to be attending. Pupils [ edit] * On joining the actors' union Equity at the age of 16, it was necessary for some Grange Hill actors to change their professional names to avoid confusion with existing artists with the same name. Mrs McClusky was Grange Hill's headteacher and she was in charge between 1981 and 1991. Certain episodes. . Looking at it now, we were the chosen ones; we were lucky to get it. Because I had a character mother and father on set, I did scenes with those and when you have those parent scenes youre acting with adults quite a lot. The long-running series was created by Phil Redmon, who also created Channel 4's Brookside as well as Hollyoaks. THE 10 CLOSEST Hotels to Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara Erkan also appeared in a few episodes of Rowan Atkinson's hit show Blackadder. She made a brief return as Trisha in the final episode of Tucker's Luck, a Grange Hill spin-off based on Todd Carty's character Tucker. Luke 'Gonch' Gardener stepped into the shoes of Pogo Patterson as Grange Hill's ginger entrepreneur, joining the cast in 1985. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Meanwhile two of her sons have followed in her acting footsteps, clinching roles in Doctor Who and EastEnders. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. A friend of mine runs SchoolDisco.com and I already knew what was happening. "A teacher put me up for the role and said 'Go on. I cant tolerate rudeness in people. Sign up for the Daily Star TV newsletter for the biggest TV news. That was a changing point in his development, where he became a lot more confident. danny kendall grange hill Emily Atack won't stop accepting sexy TV roles despite cruel online trolls, The Inbetweeners actress and comedian Emily Atack has vowed to keep accepting racy on-screen roles despite the horrific abuse she's received from online abusers, Police hunt for East London gang setting foxes on fire with 'lighter fluid', The sickening criminals have reportedly been torturing foxes, setting them on fire, and smoking out their dens with police are appealing for more information from the public. . How did you get on with the adults on set? Its a real shame that the BBC has let down the public when it comes to the 30th anniversary of Grange Hill. After leaving the show, he went on to be a regular on ITV series London's Burning playing Billy Ray. Alison Bettles, now 51, played Fay Lucas from 1982 to 1987 in six series of the show. Lee MacDonald - Zammo Maguire MacDonald, who joined the show age 13, went on to have one of the biggest storylines in the school's history when he became addicted to heroin. Grange Hill (series 6) - atozwiki.com So there could be a whole corporate line. Paula-Ann's edgy character Claire caused a stir by fantasising about teacher MrHopwood in her diary, who was then attached by her overprotective father. Ive written a couple of pieces and taken things around, not just about Grange Hill. "The national press were advertising the fact that they couldn't find a fat child at stage school to appear in Grange Hill. But it was all good really. Roland Browning was Grange Hill's 'fat kid'. The inspiring actor turned the once bullied youth into someone people looked up too. Id already performed Just Say No at School Disco, three or four months prior to that. Popular Scouser Ziggy Greaves arrived at Grange Hill in 1986 and spent four years on the show, with his character compared to original scamp Tucker in the first series. During this race war Gripper made Roland swear allegiance to his own race, and also taunted Roland claiming that he wasn't white. Grange Hill's Roland Browning actor looks totally different 30 years Her most recent TV role was in an episode of Casualty in 2014. January 21, 2022 danny kendall grange hillpss learning pool login. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Grange Hill wasn't afraid to tackle controversial subjects and that's why people loved it so much. Something went wrong, please try again later. I think the storyline was handled really, really well. You could have ex cast members being interviewed. Gripper began picking on a new kid at Grange Hill named Roland Browning, mostly because Roland was overweight and shy with no friends. I think that summed it all up. as the character 'Otto' in 1993. Word of mouth is not enough! Because of her success on the small screen record company bosses eyed Paula-Ann as a potential British Kylie and she even released a cover version of The Locomotion. The star, like Roly, wears glasses and rocks a shaved head and stubbly facial hair. A poolside prank during a swimming lesson has fatal consequences. It was exciting; going into a recording studio, never done that before. The show followed the lives of a school based in North London, and dealt with hard-hitting storylines following themes of drugs, racism, crime, mental health, and death. Grange Hill: Erkan Mustafa stars as Roland in 1983, Hollyoaks star John Pickard looks completely different over a decade after leaving show, Sacked CBeebies star Sarah-Jane Honeywell felt 'lost' after axing over naked photoshoot. His Grange Hill character was so popular, he was given his own spin-off show Tucker's Luck from 1983 to 1985. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. . We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. The episode was just really, really funny. Half the time people would come up to me in the street and say You should fight Gripper. Actor and writer Erkan Mustafa starred in the BBC1 series, Grange Hill, for six years from 1982 to 1987. The proper message, though, was an anti-drugs one, taking on first lady Nancy Reagans campaign catchphrase, Just Say No. He also appeared on Soccer AM and Celebrity Juice. They smothered him and basically spoilt him. Now she campaigns to raise awareness of the lesser-known symptoms of breast cancer. Find out more about how we use your personal data in our privacy policy and cookie policy. I dont get over to see him much, but Ive met his wife and I was invited to their wedding. . with Lenny Henry as well as several episodes of Blackadder. His relationships include Fabienne. Would you like to see your episodes released? The pair left the show in the early 1980s just four years after joining but remained friends throughout their careers. As well as continuing to act on stage and screen, he's also delved into producing and directing and made a memorable appearance on Dancing On Ice in 2009 because of his lack of flair. The star had actually trained as a teacher but never taught in the classroom, as she decided to pursue acting instead. Regardless of getting into trouble Roland would continue to bunk off school and also faced numerous threats from Gripper. The actor, 54, who playedZammo McGuire, reunited with his co-stars Todd Carty (Tucker), Simone Nylander (Janet) and Erkan Mustafa (Roland). This was because his parents had separated. He reunited with some of his Grange Hill class mates for Channel 4's Bring Back Grange Hill and also works for a taxi firm. Lee MacDonald / Zammo McGuire / Melissa Wilks / Jackie Wright / Grange His character became inspirational to young viewers as the character always defended himself when getting bullied. Can you tell me your middle names? and she said Will you remember all twenty of them?. Janet St. Clair noticed that Roland had started having school dinners. Roland wouldnt dance and they made him dance to that song. Menu. "The national press were advertising the fact that they couldnt find a fat child at stage school to appear in Grange Hill. Lee Macdonald and I get on really well now. "The national press were advertising the fact that they couldnt find a fat child at stage school to appear in Grange Hill. Erkan Mustafa speaks exclusively to Grange Hill Gold about playing one of Grange Hills most iconic characters, and the legacy of Roland Browning . The actor - who played Roly for six years - became one of the most inspiring characters during his time on the programme. Lee MacDonald played. She noticed a small dimple on her breast while on holiday in Rome in May 2015. Basically the whole thing is Roland showing people how he developed and how he came on. . There was always animosity between stage schools at one point and I think at the time there was arguments about You only get invited because your mums a chaperone or You only get invited because . @. He went on to appear in Brookside as Little Jimmy Corkhill. Todd Carty, Susan Tully and Lee MacDonald take Kirsty Wark back to school. . It was 30 years ago! he says. Playing the popular rebel won her the part of Michelle Fowler in EastEnders which she played for a decade. "A teacher put me up for the role and said 'Go on. At the end of the day, it had 15 million people watching at its peak. She left the series in 1985 and continued to act, appearing in TV series such as Spender and Only Fools and Horses. I said to Simone, without Janet, Roland wouldnt have been anybody. I remember a scene I had in which Roland was supposed to be playing basketball. Gripper discovered Roland attending the psychologist and when Roland was unable to come up with a full payment to Gripper, Gripper plotted to expose Roland to his class. Susan Tully landed her Grange Hill role in 1981, aged 13. Roland Browning was a student at Grange Hill from 1982 to 1987, played by Erkan Mustafa. What happened to Danny Kendall in Grange Hill? Your email address will not be published. So never say never! Roland reported Annette to Mrs McClusky but Annette said that this was because he wasn't kind to Diane. Can you guess who all of these characters are supposed to be? You can do it.". The actor was found guilty by a jury at London's Snaresbrook Crown Court in 1999 of one count of supplying 2.036 grammes of cocaine to Fake Sheikh Mazher Mahmood, as well as a similar charge involving 11.9 grammes of cannabis resin. Erkan - who is of Turkish-Cypriot descent - is now 50 years old and looks like a whole new person compared to his younger self. In the last ten years, fans may have spotted the child actor on Celebrity Juice, Pointless Celebrities and Soccer A.M. Erkan spoke about his time on the show: "I was just a normal child attending school. . The Grange Hill gang meet Nancy Reagan in 1986. I find it bizarre that some people dont look back on their time at Grange Hill fondly. To sum up Diane's life, she had the heart of a caregiver, both at work and at home. Im going to be seeing Simone for the first time in about 20 years, this month, and its just going to be amazing. He then starred as Mark Fowler in EastEnders from 1990 to 2003, with a groundbreaking storyline when his character was diagnosed with HIV. They find themselves at the foot of a cliff and Mr Baxter decides to climb up it to see if he can spot any landmarks, but he slips and injures his ankle. Chris Eubank's life from marrying his manager, involvement in fatal car crash, to son's death at a tragically young age, Letitia Dean's life away from Sharon Watts including marriage to Holby City star and net worth, BBC University Challenge viewers joke it's 'too easy' with question '5-year-old could get right', Roland 'Roly' Browning in BBC's Grange Hill. George has also appeared in numerous theatre productions, including some he's written himself and is currently working on a stage version of Papillion. 9.2K views 5 years ago #GrangeHill Lee MacDonald (born 21 June 1968) is a British actor who played Zammo McGuire in the children's TV series Grange Hill from 1982-1987. Grange Hill star Gwyneth Powell passed away at the age of 76 Credit: BBC 10 The actress played headmistress Bridget McClusky for 10 years until 1991 Credit: Rex The late actress died aged 76. John said it was about time we all met up again, so I said Id see what I could do. Schools Out Exhibition Reunion Oct 2013, grangehillgold.wordpress.com/2022/10/26/ken, grangehillgold.wordpress.com/2022/10/25/bbc. We keep saying we are going to meet up; we will do some time this month. Whether it's Tucker, Mrs McCluskey, Zammo, Bronson, Fay Lucas, Ziggy Greaves or Roland Browning, you'll find them here! Mustafa laughs wearily. Roland's best friends are Zammo McGuire, Jonah Jones and Kevin Baylon and his friends are Fay Lucas, Janet St. Clair, Annette Firman, Jimmy Flynn, Belinda Zowkowski, Julie Marchant, Diane Cooney, Jackie Wright, Banksy Banks, Julian Fairbrother and Cheryl Webb. There were a couple of people who were a few years older than me. They should have done a whole Grange Hill 30th Anniversary celebration. Bettles was one of the cast members to take part in the famous Just Say No single, to promote an anti-drugs message after the programme's controversial storyline with Zammo McGuire who became hooked on heroin as a child. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. We all were. . The four actors starred in the hit BBC school-based show back in the late 70s and early 80s. GRANGE HILL - Most Memorable Storylines from the Just like any group that you grow up with, there will always be people who have personality clashes and people you dont get on with. Thats why it is never going to be rerun, because there is huge costs involved for any broadcaster. It was funny ; it was realistic. What happened to the Grange Hill actors? | Daily - Daily Mail Online Was it difficult to play these scenes? THE 10 CLOSEST Hotels to Mayow Park, London Set at a comprehensive school in a fictional north London suburb, Grange Hill was one of the longest running shows in British television history. It even covered racism, drugs, teen pregnancy, homosexuality, mental illness and so much more. When I first heard about it, I was 15 or 16 and I thought this is a bit too much for a childrens show. Fans loved that kind hearted Roland always stood up for himself and discovered he had a talent for foreign languages. . You couldnt even go for a pee without security. Erkan, who starred in the show from 1982 until 1987, said: "I was just a normal child attending school. GB News, the West End and a billion-dollar fashion label: what the authenticate users, apply security measures, and prevent spam and abuse, and, display personalised ads and content based on interest profiles, measure the effectiveness of personalised ads and content, and, develop and improve our products and services. Headmistress Bridget McClusky, played by Gwyneth Powell, was one of the longest standing characters in the show appearing on screen between 1981 and 1991. I say that to everybody in life! He said: 'I basically played myself in Grange Hill. Originally, viewers felt sorry for Roland, as he was a victim of bullying at the hands of Gripper Stebson. You can change your choices at any time by clicking on the 'Privacy dashboard' links on our sites and apps. At the time it was Anthonys baby, to cover that whole story and he just supervised it so well. A teacher put me up for the role and said Go on. And the rest is history basically. It should have been a huge thing. Got a story? It first aired on BBC1 on February 8 1978. I was there with someone I grew up with ; one of my brothers best mates. Then announced it on the BBC, then axed the show, then there would be a call for it. Janet was such a helpful character; even though she got on Rolands nerves, I think he loved it really. I never thought all those years ago that we would even be friends. Erkan Mustafa found fame in the Eighties as Roland 'Roly' Browning who was bullied for being obese. He came up trumps; it was so well written. Followed about by the ever helpful Janet, Rolands time at Grange Hill saw him develop from an unhappy eleven year old to a more confident teenager. My friend had got me down there Djing. WHERE ARE THEY NOW. No. Lee has made several TV appearances since leaving Grange Hill, including an episode of The Bill in which his love interest was played by Melissa Wilkes - who also played his girlfriend Jackie. Roland, Its a real shame that the BBC has let down the public when it comes to the 30, They should have done a whole Grange Hill 30. I was talking to Ricky Simmonds (Ant) and said we could have a programme here. Ive written an episode about it. BBC Grange Hill: Where original stars are now from tragic death to Roland 'Roly' Browning became one of the most inspiring characters on hit show Grange Hill 2 Actor Erkan Mustafa looks very different 29 years after show debut Fans loved how despite horrific. . shows hes done. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Ukraine soldiers shoot down enemy drones with drones of their own, Fleet-footed cop chases an offender riding a scooter, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Isabel Oakeshott clashes with Nick Robinson over Hancock texts, Dozens stuck in car park as staff refuses to open gate for woman, Insane moment river of rocks falls onto Malibu Canyon in CA. Former Grange Hill actor Erkan Mustafa still gets recognised, 29 years after making his debut on the groundbreaking school drama. Lee MacDonald played. The single reached number five in the charts in 1986. As well as starring in panto, he appeared on Celebrity Masterchef in 2014 and, In 2015, the actor and his eldest son James filmed a documentary, Dangerous Adventures For Boys, for Channel 5 based on the book byConn and Hal Iggulden, Carty and his eldest son, James, filmed together in a factual television series for Channel 5, Dangerous Adventures For Boys, based on the book written by Conn and Hal Iggulden. Lee MacDonald, 52, was the star of one of Grange Hill's most hard-hitting storylines when his character Zammo became addicted to heroin. To me, it made no difference working with a fellow child or an adult. After leaving the school drama in 1987, he went on to act in two series of Chef! It first aired on BBC1 on February 8 1978. Man, 20, named for first time as the person accused of putting victim in 'critical condition' on a London bus, Oscar Castano-Colque has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly assaulting a passenger on a London bus, The London cafs and restaurants named among best places in UK to get brunch, OpenTable revealed their top 100 places in the UK for Brunch - with 11 in London, Crowd cheers as outraged young man pleads for Sadiq Khan to 'listen to the people' over ULEZ, The crowd were left unimpressed by Sadiq's response, South London caf spends 'thousands' taking on New York coffee chain over similar name, The Brixton coffee shop claimed the US chain's name was causing confusion and 'damage' to its reputation, First picture of wife found dead in South London home as husband charged with murder, Sandra Liliana Giraldo was found dead in her home as police were forced to break down the doors to enter, AEW's Saraya opens up about her fairytale wrestling comeback and the long-awaited All Elite UK show, The artist-formerly-known-as-Paige will be taking on Jamie Hayter and Ruby Soho at the AEW Revolution pay per view this weekend, The 'secret' South London market that's one of the city's best where Black traders thrive, A weekend market showcasing Black businesses has been growing strong since 2018, Map shows London bombarded with 18 hours of snow as Met Office issues warning.