Today came the sad news that Grange Hill star George Armstrong had passed away, aged 60. George played Alan Humphries in the show.
Where are the rest of the cast these days? And will the show return?
#grangehill40 @leemacdonald @paulaannbland @Alison_bettles @michellegayle1 @ErkanMustafa @RealToddCarty
Great times
Great moments
Great actorsEnjoyed every episode love you lot 😘
— Grange Hill Cast (@GrangeHillCast) October 11, 2018
What year did Grange Hill start?
The popular children’s drama first appeared on BBC1 on February 8, 1978.
Created by Phil Redmond, the show was set in a mixed comprehensive school in the fictional London borough of Northam
It aimed to offer a more realistic look at school life than previous TV shows and explored all manner of school-related issues such as bullying, learning difficulties, teacher-pupil relationships, and conflicts.
When and why did Grange Hill finish?
The popular show ran for 30 years and featured many headline-grabbing storylines about drugs, bullying, and death.
When the controversial and ground-breaking story of Zammo’s drug addiction aired, the cast were invited to Washington to meet Nancy Reagan, the wife of the President Of The United States, who was concerned about young people and drugs.
The cast also released a Band Aid-style single that used her slogan Just Say No! The hit reached number five in the charts.
Whilst the fifteen years of the series Grange Hill were popular with viewers, a series of behind-the-scenes changes saw the show lose its grip on the ratings.
In 2002, Phil Redmond signed a deal for his production company Mersey TV to produce the show. This meant that the whole production moved from London to Liverpool.
This meant not only did the school look radically different on screen, but the pupils were also suddenly all from the northwest of England.
Major changes to Grange Hill
In 2007, the BBC Children’s Department ordered major changes to Grange Hill so that the series could comply with a new policy. The policy in question was that all programmes in the CBBC weekday afternoon slot had to be suitable for the younger children of 12 and under. With this in mind, the content of the show was softened. It soon became a far cry from the hard-hitting tone of earlier series.
Over the next couple of series, producers were pushed to focus more on the younger characters who hung out at The Grange, the school’s multimedia learning centre in the show.
However, Phil Redmond wasn’t happy with the decision and called for the show to be cancelled. He claimed it had been “robbed of its original purpose”.
Grange Hill writer calls for axe
He blamed executives at the BBC for abandoning the 12-16 age group that had formed the series’ core audience.
“I don’t like keeping things going when the point has been lost,” Redmond told the Observor in 2008. “I do now think the point of Grange Hill has been lost, and 30 years is a nice time for it to hang up its mortarboard.”
He said at the time he’d been intent on making Grange Hill as boundary-pushing as it had been in its heyday.
“We were all prepared to bring it right back to its original hard-hitting social edge for its 30th anniversary because we knew it should have got a lot of publicity and a lot of interest,” he explained. “It was at the very first storyline conference that we were told there’d been an editorial shift, so that went down like a lead balloon.”
Just shy of its 30th birthday, the BBC announced Grange Hill would be axed. The final episode aired on Monday 15 September 2008.
Is Grange Hill coming back?
At the start of 2022, Phil Redmond revealed plans to make a film version of the series that would appear sometime in 2023. Casting and production would take place later in 2022.
Phil said that his intention for the film is to do as he did back in 1978 and reflect on what was happening in schools now. He also promised that as well as lots of new characters, he is tempted to bring back some old characters who fans of the original series will know and love.
“You just go out as honestly as you can and try to reflect society as it is, try to be as truthful as you can within the bounds of fiction and do the research properly,” he told BBC Breakfast.
“One of the things I’ve always done is work with great young teams to actually deliver the vision,” he then said.
“So we’ll just take a look at the way Britain is now, and not the way policymakers would like us to think it is. We will take a realistic view of what education is like now and what that means to kids going through it.”
The film will be co-written by Celyn Jones, who played English teacher Mr Green in the TV series.
Is Grange Hill on BBC iPlayer, Netflix or Britbox? How to watch Grange Hill?
If you fancy taking a trip down memory lane, you can watch the first nine series of Grange Hill on Brit Box as part of its package and on Amazon Plus where you’ll have to pay for individual episodes.
Otherwise, the first ten series are available on DVD. However, if you want to view the whole thirty years of Grange Hill, some scamp has posted all the episodes on YouTube.
Who wrote Grange Hill?
Phil Redmond created the series. He was joined by a series of writers some of whom went on to to write shows such as EastEnders.
Anthony Minghella was the script editor of the show. She won an Oscar for directing The English Patient.
Who wrote the Grange Hill theme tune?
For the first nine years, Grange Hill was famous for its kooky theme tune.
It was actually a track called Chicken Man by Alan Hawkshaw that had been written in 1975.
The iconic theme famously played over an equally memorable comic strip opening sequence featuring a flying sausage on a fork!
The track was also used at the same time as a theme tune for ITV‘s Give Us A Clue. This show starred Lionel Blair and Una Stubbs playing charades with celebrity guests.
In 1988, the track was re-recorded to sound more current, but in 1990, a more contemporary-sounding theme was written by Peter Moss. This remained the theme, in various styles, until the final series, when the original Chicken Man track was reinstated.
Who was in Grange Hill and EastEnders?
From 1985, Grange Hill and EastEnders were both filmed at Elstree Studios, so it was inevitable that a lot of stars appeared in both shows.
In 1988, eleven-year-old Sean Maguire played ‘Tegs’ Ratcliffe for three years before moving to Walford in 1993. He played Aidan Brosnan in Eastenders, a young Irish footballer playing for the fictional team Walford F.C. We know her best as downtrodden Michelle Fowler, but Susan Tully’s big break was as rebellious teenager Suzanna Ross in Grange Hill.
When EastEnders actor David Scarboro sadly died in 1989, producers decided to recast the role of Mark Fowler with Todd Carty. Carty, of course, played the legendary character Tucker.
He went on to play the role of Mark for 13 years, before dying off-screen in 2004.
In Grange Hill, Michelle Gayle played Fiona Wilson. She is best remembered for the storyline in which she and Ronnie Birtles formed hip hop duo ‘Fresh N Fly’.
Who else was in both shows?
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After leaving the show she reemerged in Walford as Hattie Tavernier, where she stayed for three years, before launching a music career with smash hit singles like Sweetness. She also became an author. She recently played Hermione Granger in the smash hit stage show Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
Before she appeared in EastEnders as Luisa Bradshaw-White as Tina Carter, she starred as Maria Watts from 1991 – 1994.
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Lee MacDonald became a Grange Hill legend following his critically acclaimed portrayal of a drug-addict Zammo.
After he left the show, he appeared in various shows like The Bill and Birds Of A Feather. He also spent several years as a locksmith.
In 2019, he was persuaded to join EastEnders. He appeared in a couple of episodes as bus driver Terry, who clashed with Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter over a radio competition to win gig tickets.
Who played Zammo in Grange Hill?
Zammo Maguire was played by actor Lee MacDonald from series five to series ten.
During that time, Zammo went from nice guy to a heroin addict. He became a poster boy for anti-drug campaigners.
Lee has said that his time on the show was a dream come true. “I used to rush home to watch Grange Hill! I had a brilliant time doing it,” he told Grange Hill Gold.He then continued, saying: “I know most people look upon those years fondly so if people come in and ask if I’ll chat about it, I have no problem at all. I loved it, what I did. It’s not hindered my later life.”
Who played Gripper Stebson in Grange Hill?
Gripper Stebson was the school thug who bullied Roland about his weight, attacked Claire Scott, and racially abused Randir Singh. He was played by Mark Savage.
Mark played the role of the bully so convincingly that the public found it hard to separate the actor from the character.
“There was a massive reaction from the public towards “Gripper”, Mark said on a Grange Hill blog. “There were times when there were problems from people confusing me with the character. That goes with the territory. There were some positive reactions too.”
However, in 1998 Mark told the Mirror that people mistaking him for Gripper made his life after Grange Hill hell. “It was a nightmare. I was attacked so many times – on the bus, in the street – I lost count. It was open season on Gripper,” he said.
Which Grange Hill actors have died?
As forty years have passed since Grange Hill first hit our screens, a lot of the older cast are sadly no longer with us.
Among the teaching staff, Michael Sheard who played Mr Bronson died from cancer in 2005. Nicholas Donnelly, who played Mr MacKenzie, died in January 2022, aged 83.
Michael Percival, who played lovable geography teacher Mr Mitchell and Miss Mooney, played by Lucinda Gane both passed away in 2005.
However, some of the younger cast have sadly died too. Terry Sue Pratt, who played Tucker Jenkins’ footie-loving pal, Benny, was found dead in his London flat in 2015, aged 50.
Laura Sadler, who played Judi Jeffrey’s, died in 2003 after falling from her balcony.
George Armstrong, who played Alan Humphries, died on July 11, 2023, after a “long battle” with Leukemia.
What are Grange Hill cast doing now?
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Lee MacDonald – Zammo
Lee left Grange Hill and went on to appear on shows like The Bill. However, he also pursued an interest in boxing until he was involved in a car accident in the early 1990s.
For a while, he ran his own locksmiths in Soho. However, he then returned to acting in 2019 and made a brief appearance on EastEnders as Terry, the bus driver.
In March 2020, Lee got engaged to his long-time love Jess and they plan to wed later this year.
Toddy Carty – Tucker Jenkins
After Grange Hill, Todd played Mark Fowler in EastEnders for 13 years. He then appeared in The Bill as PC Gabriel Kent before putting on a show on Dancing On Ice in 2009. During his time on the ice, he provided one of the most hysterical moments ever when he skated off the rink out of control.
In 2015, the actor and his eldest son James filmed a documentary, Dangerous Adventures For Boys, for Channel 5. It was based on the book by Conn and Hal Iggulden.
He appeared in the film Birches in 2017, about an author struggling to rebuild his life after the untimely death of his wife.
Susan Tully – Suzanne Ross
After she played rebellious Suzanne Ross in Grange Hill from 1980 to 1984, she became a household name in EastEnders as Michelle Fowler.
But after she quit the soap, she chose to work behind the scenes. She has been responsible for directing episodes of EastEnders, The A Word, Britannia, Musketeers, Lark Rise to Candleford, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Silent Witness, and more recently Line of Duty.
Other Grange Hill stars
John Alford – Robbie Wright
John Alford played Robbie Wright between 1985 and 1991 and had onscreen romances with Calley Donnington. After leaving the show, he joined the cast of ITV’s much-missed show London’s Burning as Billy Ray.
At the height of his fame, he enjoyed a short-lived pop career, hitting number 13 with his Mike Stock-produced Smoke Gets In Your Eyes.
In 1999, John served a six-week sentence after being found guilty of one count of supplying cocaine to Fake Sheikh Mazher Mahmood, as well as a similar charge involving cannabis resin.
Since then he has appeared in Casualty and CBBC show Mile High. He was in a long-term relationship with Tina Mahon who played Ronnie Birtles.
Erkan Mustafa – Roland Browning
Erkan played Roland ‘Roly’ Browning who was bullied for being fat. After leaving Grange Hill, the actor appeared in two series of Chef with Lenny Henry. He also appeared in some episodes of Blackadder.
While he’s not been seen in much since he maintains that he continues to act, write and even direct.
Speaking in an interview with the blog Grange Hill Gold, he explained he looks back on his memories of the series and remembers ‘great fun’.
“It made me the person I am today. It gave me some good memories and some bad memories,” he said. “I never really wanted to be an actor and doing Grange Hill, that made for 10 or 15 years of my life, think I was going to be an actor. Now I know I get more pleasure from writing than acting. But it was all good really. I’ve come out with great experiences.”
Where are they now?
Simone Nylander – Janet St Clair
In Grange Hill, Simone played Janet, the girl who followed Roland around and pronounced his name Ro-Land.
The actress left the show after four years and developed an interest in production work. She was also creative and fashion director at Simon Fuller’s XIX and was Head of Voiceover at the YMU agency.
In 2020, she launched SN VOICES, a voiceover specialist and management agency for diverse voices.
Alison Bettles – Fay Lucas
Alison was in the show from 1982-1987. She later appeared in small roles in The Bill, London’s Burning, and No Strings. She last appeared on TV screens in 2001.
In 1988, she appeared in an EastEnders spin-off called Civvy Street, which was set during the second world war, playing Ethel Skinner.
Now she’s married with four children and is a qualified beauty therapist. Two of her sons are actors too, having appeared in Doctor Who and EastEnders.
More former stars
Paula-Ann Bland – Claire Scott
Paula-Ann played Claire Scott who caused controversy when she snogged Stewpot in the cupboard – an intimate moment not normally seen on kids’ TV back in the day! Her character also caused a sensation when she developed a crush over teacher Mr Hopwood.
After Grange Hill she released a cover of The Locomotion, but the pop career never really took off. She continued to act, appearing in TV series such as Spender and Only Fools and Horses.
However, in 1988, the actress caused a stir by posing topless for men’s magazine Mayfair.
During the ’90s she turned her back on acting and opened a shoe shop called Paola, before launching her own PR company.
She appeared on Lorraine in 2019 to discuss her breast cancer diagnosis and was still undergoing treatment in 2021.
Brian Capron – Mr Hopwood
Capron played the handsome teacher Mr. Hopwood, who Claire Scott had a crush on.
Brian has appeared on so many popular TV shows, including Birds Of A Feather, EastEnders, and The Bill. However, he really made an impact as crazed serial killer Richard Hillman on Coronation Street.
Who else?
Danny Miller – Kyle Brown
Long before he was in Emmerdale and winning I’m A Celebrity, Danny played Kyle in Grange Hill.
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Amma Asante – Cheryl Webb
Amma played Cheryl Webb who first appeared in 1986, Alongside her sister, Louise, they had to secretly bring up their brothers after their dad died.
After Grange Hill, Amma Asante went on to pursue a successful career as a writer and director. Her 2004 feature film A Way Of Life won the Carl Foreman award at the BAFTAs. Her series Brothers And Sisters ran for two series on BBC2.
In 2014 she directed the critically-acclaimed film Belle. She also directed a couple of episodes of The Handmaids Tale.
Read more: Tributes pour in as Grange Hill and The Bill star George Armstrong dies
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