I do a hell of a lot of writing, and so I did this 45 minute reunion story. Looking at it now, we were the chosen ones; we were lucky to get it. 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. He also had minor roles in other TV shows including Desmonds, General Hospital and Jackanory. There weren't many black actors about on TV at that time. The long-running series was created by Phil Redmon, who also created Channel 4's Brookside as well as Hollyoaks. Annette Firman had been taunting Roland about his weight, but he had also been unkind to Diane Cooney about her spots. As a result, he became involved in a number of anti-drugs campaigns encouraging youngsters to 'Just Say No'. Gripper began picking on a new kid at Grange Hill named Roland Browning, mostly because Roland was overweight and shy with no friends. The older actors had to realise that we were just kids; we werent professionals even though some people had been trained. Even now if I hear it I just cringe!! Caroline 'Calley' Donnington - Simone Hyams Simone Hymas is best known for her role as Calley in Grange Hill, which she starred in from 1985 until 1991. The storylines focused on hard-hitting issues for its time - including teenage pregnancy to alcoholism and drug addictions. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! We were really excited. Yann Wehrling, vice-prsident de la rgion le-de-France, charg de la Transition cologique, et Patrice Leclerc, maire de Gennevilliers et Prsident du groupe Front De Gauche la . As I tell everybody else . Erkan was also instrumental in bringing the cast back together for a 2009 reunion at Sound nightclub in London's Leicester Square. WHERE ARE THEY NOW. Bullied by others, only child Roland struggled to fit in at Grange Hill. Set at a comprehensive school in a fictional north London suburb, Grange Hill was one of the longest running and most influential shows in British TV history. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Lee, now 54, tried his hand at professional boxing after leaving the show, but a car accident in the early 90s left him unable to return to the ring. To sum up Diane's life, she had the heart of a caregiver, both at work and at home. The two sit at the foot of the cliff as night falls, with Roland admitting he feels everything that goes wrong in his life is his fault. I didnt do that to many other members of the cast, but me and Simone always did. They could have had a whole night of the public voting for their favourite characters in the show. But this just snowballed. Now I know I get more pleasure from writing than acting. He said The old Roland wouldnt, but hes now going to give it a try. Thats quite a nice thing. I said no but I could remember the first 3, so I said those and she said Youre probably the only person who would remember those. Erkan spoke about his time on the show from 1982 to 1987, saying: "I was just a normal child attending school. Its one of the things you just deal with. I bought this special suit, but looking at the pictures now, it was awful the trousers didnt match and I remember wearing white socks. Grange Hill's headteacher was in charge between 1981 and 1991. Its about forgetting the past, and its the past who made us who we are today. 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 . 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. It first aired on BBC1 on February 8 1978. Word of mouth is not enough! lots of reasons. 10. The class clown was at the centre of one of the most talked about storylines on Grange Hill when his character developed a dangerous heroin addiction in the mid-80s. Now 75, the actress went on to act in shows including A Touch of Frost, Casualty, Doctors and Holby City. Can you guess who all of these characters are supposed to be? Grange Hill cast reunite 43 years on to discuss the importance of teaching kids about drugs in a pre-internet world and meeting First Lady Grange Hill reunion! It really bugs me. Grange Hill 1978 - 2008 - Precious stands up to Gripper 44,025 views Aug 31, 2013 Grange Hill - Series 6 Episode 7 .more .more 238 Dislike Share Save Jon Lamacraft 1.58K subscribers 100. Erkan, who is now also a writer and director, also appeared in several episodes of Blackadder, where he played one of the "enormous orphans" in the Christmas Carol episode. Hotels near Woodcote Park Golf Club, Coulsdon on Tripadvisor: Find traveler reviews, 1,110 candid photos, and prices for 2,487 hotels near Woodcote Park Golf Club in Coulsdon, England. On his first day Roland locked himself in the school bathroom, although was forced out thanks to Zammo McGuire and Jonah Jones throwing a stink bomb through the window. We ask about each others lives. Set at a comprehensive school in a fictional north London suburb, Grange Hill was one of the longest running shows in British television history. 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. There was no storyline I didnt enjoy doing, but theres one thing I hate, and I cringe about it now. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Who was the black girl in Grange Hill? Me and Ricky have met so many times, and we speak at least once a month. Erkan Mustafa found fame in the Eighties as Roland 'Roly' Browning who was bullied for being obese. Show more. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Do you have a story to sell? How bizarre is that? I said to Lee we could be doing alright out of this! That was because he had his girlfriend at one point. To me, it made no difference working with a fellow child or an adult. It was funny ; it was realistic. In fact, I asked her out when I was 13, and I got turned down! They smothered him and basically spoilt him. Fans loved how despite horrific bullying, the youngster always stood up for himself and discovered he had a talent for foreign languages. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Holiday in Ibiza aged 16 and first real girlfriend, Wendy. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. danny kendall grange hill. So I already had people on board to be interviewed, back at their own schools. Plotting a deranged revenge plot on the mother who gave him away involving incest and raping a colleague, psychopathic Gabriel became a serial killer and eventually committed suicide. My character had to see a child psychologist; there were scenes with just me and Mr Baxter. The star had actually trained as a teacher but never taught in the classroom, as she decided to pursue acting instead. Meanwhile two of her sons have followed in her acting footsteps, clinching roles in Doctor Who and EastEnders. Even today, I was shopping in my local supermarket and someone was saying Do you know who that is? and I was saying Who? Lee Macdonald and I get on really well now. Other parts include "Enormous Orphan" in Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1988) and "Otto" in Chef! People dont realise that. The whole concept was a 40 minute show of celebrities, who grew up watching Grange Hill, talking about their favourite characters and being interviewed by their favourite characters. Theyd shout out strange obscenities, but thats part and parcel of being an actor and playing a character. It would get a good response, but its just a case of getting the Grange Hill fans to know about it. The original show provided early TV exposure for some future stars,. It was basically another comedy, exactly the same as what I had written! . We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Something went wrong, please try again later. Its really surreal that these people I havent met in ages have just appeared! Roland attempted to fit in with the school and took part in a sports event where he was given support by older pupil Benny Green, who had also warned Gripper off from picking on Roland. Erkan Mustafa speaks exclusively to Grange Hill Gold about playing one of Grange Hills most iconic characters, and the legacy of Roland Browning . The gritty Grange Hill with its often hard-hitting storylines was always one of the more true-to-life shows for kids of the 70s, 80s, 90s and the noughties. Get all the biggest showbiz news straight to your inbox. RD's first wife, Anna [Teasdale]; sharing Notting Hill Gate flat . There were 2000 people actually went for the role and I think the reason I got it, was because I was quite a shy child at one point, and the fact that I wore glasses. For Grange Hill's reunion, Erkan hosted an event at a nightclub in Leicester in 2009. It was great fun; it made me the person I am today. Lee MacDonald played. Erkan, who is now also a writer and director, also landed appeared in several episodes of Blackadder - where he played one of the "enormous orphans" in the Christmas Carol episode. He was one of the 'enormous orphans' in the Christmas Carol episode. . Erkan Mustafa - Roland 'Roly' Browning. Erkan is also a writer and director. I felt that was quite good really. Photograph: BBC Shortcuts Grange Hill Just say no! There were times when I did do quite a lot of scenes with just me and the teacher, a parent or an adult on the show. The star has had quite a change in career, and is now a corporate events manager. He still teams up with Lee 'Zammo' MacDonald for public appearances and charity events. Lee MacDonald played. Fans loved that kind hearted Roland always stood up for himself and discovered he had a talent for foreign languages. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Lee had always had an interest in boxing and continued to develop his skill to a high level but unfortunately a car accident in the early 1990s left him unable to pursue the sport. This was because his parents had separated. who played Tucker, Janet actress Simone Nylander, and Erkan Mustafa, who starred as Roland. The actor, 54, who playedZammo McGuire, reunited with his co-stars Todd Carty (Tucker), Simone Nylander (Janet) and Erkan Mustafa (Roland). His character became inspirational to young viewers as the character always defended himself when getting bullied. He had issues. "A teacher put me up for the role and said 'Go on. This lead to the Just Say No campaign. Required fields are marked *. A recovered Roland returned for the new school year, although Gripper showed no mercy for him and made clear to Roland that he still wants paying from him. Oh yes. Some people say lines from the show, which I find a bit strange. Actor and TV presenter Erkan Mustafa shot to fame playing Roland 'Roly' Browning in popular BBC show Grange Hill. Who? Ann Wilson was one of Grange Hill's original female pupils and wasted no time in getting herself voted onto the school council. During this race war Gripper made Roland swear allegiance to his own race, and also taunted Roland claiming that he wasn't white. Theres so much. Thats another person Im meeting up with next week. Sign up for the Daily Star TV newsletter for the biggest TV news. Strictly's Danny Miller, Emily In Paris' Lucien Laviscount and Corrie's Georgia May Foote also appeared on the later seasons of the show. They should have done a whole Grange Hill 30th Anniversary celebration. Grange Hill wasn't afraid to tackle controversial subjects and that's why people loved it so much. It was exciting; going into a recording studio, never done that before. She went on to appear in The Bill, Baywatch and had a role in 1993 film Dirty Weekend. The now 52-year-old starred in the series for five years from 1982 until 1987. He also hosted a Grange Hill cast reunion in a nightclub in Leicester Square back in 2009. However after just one series, Ann left Grange Hill when her father's job meant her family had to move abroad. Were they actually even friends and how did you get on with Simone who played Janet? Thanks very much to Erkan Mustafa for taking part in this interview. As a result, in what must be the strangest TV/political encounter of all, a number of the Grange Hill cast found themselves invited to the White House in 1986. In certain ways it had an affect on certain individuals. He was found lying face down in bed andreports suggested his body may have lain undiscovered for a month. "The national press were advertising the fact that they couldnt find a fat child at stage school to appear in Grange Hill. I wrote it about 4 years ago; its quite funny reading it. To me, we were just acting. 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. In reality, myself and Roland are two completely different people. If you do not want us and our partners to use cookies and personal data for these additional purposes, click 'Reject all'. That got certain individuals backs up. Look at Alex Kingston, who has gone on to do loads of stuff. But his fortunes turned when he was written out after being caught in a drugs sting. Gripper wrote on the board that Roland is a headcase and that he goes to the shrink, which prompted Roland to bunk off school yet again. The single reached number five in the charts in 1986. Thats a hell of a lot of viewers. I said to Simone that I thank her for that and she told me to shut up! She noticed a small dimple on her breast while on holiday in Rome in May 2015. 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. You should beat him up, the other half people would just come up and abuse me, thinking it was fun. In January were doing something for Mercedes. At the time there was some animosity on the set because only certain people on the set got invited to America. Thirty years on, Roland and Zammo reveal all. At the end of the day, it had 15 million people watching at its peak. He struggled to return to his previous success after being released but has had small parts since. The way I look at it; the demographics of the group that went there was right. Unfortunately, a car accident in the early 1990s left Lee unable to pursue with the sport. 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. His uncoordinated moves became a ratings draw and in one routine he accidentally skidded through the exit. Grange Hill was a children's television show that began in 1978 on BBC1 and ran all the way up until 2008. . He was always seeking acceptance from his parents. He made his first appearance in episode 1 of series 5 and made his final appearance in episode 24 of series 10. Roland attempted to stand up to Gripper by fighting him in the bathroom, but was not capable enough to overpower him and Gripper floored Roland. Susan Tully landed her Grange Hill role in 1981, aged 13. She said no, and I pointed to myself as if I was sex-god and said this is what you could have had! The series was created by Phil Redmon, who was also behind Channel 4's Brookside and Hollyoaks. Roland Browning, played by Erkan Mustafa, was a legendary character on the show, tackling sensitive issues like bullying between 1982 until 1987. Id already performed Just Say No at School Disco, three or four months prior to that. 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. They remember Pogo, but if you ask people they will say they only remember Roland and Zammo. Fly to A. merica ; never done that before. Were talking about kids of 14 and 15; theyre going to have fun; theyre going to get bored. Grange Hill was only cancelled in 2008 as the production company felt like the series ran its course. 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. Actor and writer Erkan Mustafa starred in the BBC1 series, Grange Hill, for six years from 1982 to 1987. She reached out to shake our hands. Sign up for the free Mirror Showbiz newsletter. The TV star also worked as a presenter for E4 Music and previously did some interviews and presenting for a film website. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Hotels near Bonar House Clinic, Hadleigh on Tripadvisor: Find traveler reviews, 650 candid photos, and prices for 2,209 hotels near Bonar House Clinic in Hadleigh, England. Episode 1 - It's the first day of a new term at Grange Hill. But after his departure from the square, he played away from type portraying the villainous PC Gabriel Kent in The Bill. Roland's most memorable storylines included being the victim of sustained bullying by school thug Gripper Stebson and forming friendships with Zammo McGuire, Fay Lucas and Janet St. Clair. Actor John Alford played happy go lucky Robbie Wright between 1985 and 1991. Looking back, later on in life, it had no effect on me. Click here to upload yours. as the character 'Otto' in 1993. Just say no! In terms of the character, I think Roland really really did like the fact that someone cared for him and basically hed push Janet away, knowing that shed come back. 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 Wright in Grange Hill. Grange Hill's Zammo actor Lee MacDonald marries his girlfriend Jess as he shares beaming wedding day snaps - two Grange Hill actress Gwyneth Powell, known to millions as headmistress Mrs. McClusky, has died aged 76 after undergoing major surgery for a Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, TN residents say Jack Daniel's distillery spews black mold, Incredible footage of Ukrainian soldiers fighting Russians in Bakhmut, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' That got certain individuals backs up. The fact that I want to help you Ro-Land was a catch phrase. He also runs a locksmith business in Wallington, Surrey. Can you tell me your middle names? and she said Will you remember all twenty of them?. I was speaking to Mark Savage (Gripper), six months ago, and said even though my character was getting bullied, it was too funny the way we were doing it. 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. She left the series in 1985 and continued to act, appearing in TV series such as Spender and Only Fools and Horses. He was a single child. Hotels near Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara, Gravesend on Tripadvisor: Find traveller reviews, 1,123 candid photos, and prices for 1,649 hotels near Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara in Gravesend, England. No, the way I looked at it, at the time, I was just doing a job. Roland made friends with a couple of bullies, and was caught red handed stealing Annette Firman's bike. The We always got on well. He made his first appearance in episode 1 of series 5 and made his final appearance in episode 18 of series 6. I find it bizarre that some people dont look back on their time at Grange Hill fondly. and also made appearances on Soccer AM and Celebrity Juice. They talked about the campaign, and he explained the programme to her: I dont think she had a clue what Grange Hill was. It is only looking back, he says, that he realises what a big deal it was, although he did make an effort at the time. Menu. Mustafa laughs wearily. Grange Hill was a children's television show that began in 1978 on BBC1 and ran all the way up until 2008. You can do it.". Nobody really remembers the cross over between Tuckers year and my year; the Mark Burdiss (Stewpot) era. My friend had got me down there Djing. Roland's disappearance does much to transform his classmates' attitude to him and he returns to a hero's welcome.[1]. She doesnt know what shes missing!! How do you think the character developed? At the time it was Anthonys baby, to cover that whole story and he just supervised it so well. Ive done things that other people have never done in their life, but most of all, Ive come out with some good friends. Grange Hill creator Sir Philip Redmond explained the sudden name change for the show (Picture: PA) . 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. While dropping his girlfriend, Jackie, off at Brookdale, Zammo is chased by Gluxo Remington the Brookdale Bully. The actual show came across a bit strangely. She continued acting with small roles in The Bill and No Strings in the Eighties and Nineties and last appeared on British TV screens in London's Burning in 2001. Playing the popular rebel won her the part of Michelle Fowler in EastEnders which she played for a decade. She was very welcoming, she was warm. Erkan, who starred in the show from 1982 until 1987, said: "I was just a normal child attending school. Wherever we went, they played the video of Just Say No, so they had to bring those characters there as well. Did you expect the character of Roland to stick with you for so long? Michelle played bad girl Trisha Yates in the school drama from 1978 to 1982 but after leaving Grange Hill, Michelle gave up acting and worked for a major sweet manufacturer. In an interview, somebody asked me if there was an episode of a Grange Hill school reunion, what would happen? (1991). 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. The star also hosted a Grange Hill cast reunion in a nightclub in Leicester Square back in 2009. Get in touch with us at webcelebs@trinitymirror.com or call us direct at 0207 29 33033. Its quite strange that that was the first episode we ever filmed and it was also, as actors, one of the most fun. He said: 'I basically played myself in Grange Hill. After leaving the school drama in 1987, he went on to act in two series of Chef! The optical illusion will leave you stumped as it's asking people to spot the ghost hiding inside the room. . . I was talking to Ricky Simmonds (Ant) and said we could have a programme here. For more of the latest showbiz news from Daily Star, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here. In the show, his character found the courage to defend himself against bullies and became an inspiration to young viewers. As Benny Green, Terry Sue-Patt was the first character to ever be seen on the show and became one of the most popular characters. No, really, I just hope that they enjoyed watching Grange Hill as much as we enjoyed making it! Whos that? Because of my sense of humour I can play on that. Now she campaigns to raise awareness of the lesser-known symptoms of breast cancer. They played best friends Tucker Jenkins and Benny Green. Roland is the son of Mr Browning and Mrs Browning. Do you have a story for The Sun Showbiz team? 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George has also appeared in numerous theatre productions, including some he's written himself and is currently working on a stage version of Papillion. And really well acted by Lee. If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. Erkan starred alongside other famous faces including former EastEnders star Todd Carty who played Peter 'Tucker' Jenkins, Casualty's Amanda Mealing, who portrayed Tracy Edwards and Lee MacDonald as Samuel 'Zammo' McGuire. Email nicole.karageorgi@reachplc.com. Lee had always had an interest in boxing and continued to develop his skill to a high level. After Grange Hill, actor Erkan starred in Lenny Henry's 90s sitcom Chef! . Im going to be seeing Simone for the first time in about 20 years, this month, and its just going to be amazing. It was a bit of a dream come true, really.'. We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. . It was about him and his sense of humour, which is fair enough. Lee MacDonald, 52, was the star of one of Grange Hill's most hard-hitting storylines when his character Zammo became addicted to heroin. She also starred as Mum in . Roland Branning, played by Ercan Mustafa, starred on Grange Hill for six years. Ive written a couple of pieces and taken things around, not just about Grange Hill. Naomi Campbell was an extra on the show. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you.
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