Producer says ‘courage has gone out of broadcasting’ and audiences want to see grittier issues The creator of some of Britain’s best-loved soaps has said the “courage has gone out of broadcasting” and suggested that television bosses should not be afraid to flout Ofcom rules Phil Redmond – the brains behind Hollyoaks, Grange Hill and Brookside – said there was “too much risk aversion” in television with producers afraid to upset regulators even if it meant pleasing audiences Phil Redmond said: ‘I always found the harder you made the storyline, the more you upset the regulators, but the more the audience appreciated it.’ Photograph: Peter Byrne/PARedmond told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I think the problem is that the courage has gone out of broadcasting really, and there’s just too much risk aversion. There is a place for something like Grange Hill, and from my career, I always found that the harder you made the storyline, the more you upset the regulators, but the more the audience appreciated it, because the audience live these issues, and what they want to see is their own life put on screen as realistically as possible.” He also said future soaps set in schools ought to be more gritty, with social media being the “big issue” that children are facing. To make a programme like Grange Hill you need television producers with real “life experience”, he said, such as growing up in a working-class background. Redmond added: “I think at the moment, we’ve got too many programmes being made by people who just want to be in telly, people who want to come into the media because they think it’s cool. “And when I was looking at trying to find writers for all the shows, my first question is: ‘What do you want to write about?’ And they’d say: ‘I’ll write anything, you tell me what to write.’ [I’d say:] ‘I don’t want to tell you. I want you to tell me.’” Free weekly newsletterGet the best TV reviews, news and features in your inbox every Monday Read moreWhen asked by the Today programme’s guest editor he said: “I think the big issue you’d want to tackle is the impact of social media It didn’t matter what the issue was … Grange Hill would always offer some solution or some way to go and ask somebody about this issue Meanwhile, Ofcom’s chair, Michael Grade said there was “absolutely no harm” in upsetting Ofcom and praised Grange Hill for not being “preachy at all” It changed television in more ways than I think people realise life was [like the world of the children’s author] Enid Blyton it didn’t really deal with the angst of growing up “Coronation Street was fluffy and lovely and warm and cosy [about] the anxiety as you go through growing up By contrast, the long-running soap Coronation Street has recently come under fire from its fans and former cast members for an excess of dark Grange Hill's creator has slammed TV bosses saying they should take more chances with their storylines amid rumours that the BBC show could return Sir Phil Redmond made the iconic show plus Brookside and Hollyoaks which all featured controversial storylines But Grange Hill was about life in a typical London comprehensive school It tackled drugs, teenage pregnancy, racism, HIV and Aids The most famous one was Zammo McGuire's (played by heroin addiction which supported the Just Say No anti-drugs campaign He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that "the courage has gone out of broadcasting and there’s just too much risk aversion." He said that soaps should be "more gritty" arguing that school-aged children face huge problems with social media which ran for 20 years from 1978 to 1998 - could return saying: “There is a place for something like Grange Hill." I always found that the harder you made the storyline "But the audience appreciated it more because the audience lives these issues and what they want to see is their own life put on screen as realistically as possible.” He added that the problem was TV producers lacked real “life experience” and more should come from working-class backgrounds “I think the big issue you’d want to tackle is the impact of social media "It didn’t matter what the issue was… Grange Hill would always offer some solution or some way to go and ask somebody about this issue He was supported by Ofcom Chairman Sir Michael Grade "It changed television in more ways than I think people realise "Prior to Grange Hill, life was (like the world of children’s author) Enid Blyton, gentle comedy it didn’t really deal with the angst of growing up." Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ TV writer Sir Phil Redmond said social media is the ‘big issue’ children are facing nowadays Soap supremo Sir Phil Redmond says that “courage has gone out of broadcasting” in recent years and suggested that TV watchdog rules should be broken more often pushed for future schools-set soaps to be more gritty and said social media is the “big issue” children are facing nowadays Sir Phil told BBC Radio’s 4 Today programme: “I think the problem is is that the courage has gone out of broadcasting really “There is a place for something like Grange Hill Sir Phil also said that to make a programme such as Grange Hill you have to have TV producers with real “life experience” such as growing up in a working-class background we’ve got too many programmes being made by people who just want to be in telly they want to come into the media because they think it’s cool “And when I was looking at trying to find writers for all the shows Sir Phil said: “I think the big issue I think you’d want to tackle is the impact of social media It didn’t matter what the issue was… Grange Hill would always offer some solution or some way to go and ask somebody about this issue Chairman of Ofcom Lord Michael Grade appeared to agree with the viewpoint of Sir Phil that TV should challenge regulators more Lord Grade said there was “absolutely no harm” in upsetting Ofcom and praised Grange Hill for not being “preachy at all” life was (like the world of children’s author) Enid Blyton (about) the anxiety as you go through growing up about life in a London comprehensive school It made headlines for its gritty social realism and made stars of cast members including Lee MacDonald creator Sir Phil spoke about the show returning as a film FORMER EastEnders and Grange Hill star Sean Maguire is completely unrecognisable from the telly roles which rocketed him to fame The actor, who is now based in LA and aged 48, joined BBC kids TV as angel-faced Tegs Ratcliffe in 1988 Yet his character was forced to quit Grange Hill school in 1991 when his step-dad secured a job in Germany The English-American performer later spent a year in Albert Square as troubled teen Aidan Brosnan Joining the soap as a 17-year-old in 1993 Sean took on tough storylines focused on homelessness and drug abuse which culminated in a near suicide attempt While he was stopped from taking his own life by girlfriend Mandy he blamed her for ruining his life and fled to Ireland Sean became a pop star after leaving EastEnders scoring eight top 30 hits including Good Day which peaked at number 12 in the UK And he joined the cast of Scott & Bailey in 2012 brunette Sean has completely transformed his look His page is filled with snaps alongside former-cop wife Tanya Flynn and their brood and a daughter who they welcomed in September 2021 Sean wrote: "Feeling very grateful to my incredible wife Tanya for bringing our beautiful daughter Amélie Rose into the world "The boys & I couldn’t be more in love with her Announcing the tot's arrival on September 8 he wrote: "Welcome to the world my little angel." Sean swapped grey Britain for sunny California in 2000 and last year finally became a US citizen just in time to vote in the presidential election His career has gone from strength to strength in the States He played the lead role in 300 parody Meet The Spartans, starred alongside Kevin Hart in fantasy comedy Krod Mandoon and took over the part of Robin Hood in ABC's Once Upon A Time he also teaches aspiring thespians through his business The Players Conservatory ONE star of the iconic BBC 70s series has sparked rumours that the show could return 16 years after the finale Before the likes of Waterloo Road made it onto the airwaves, millions of fans tuned into Grange Hill. The BBC One drama started in 1978 and it portrayed life in in a typical comprehensive school After 30 years on-screens the long-running drama was axed and the finale was watched by only 500,000 viewers Now Michelle Gayle, 53, has hinted that the drama could come back to the airwaves The actress played Fiona Wilson between 1988 and 1989 and was famous as one half of the rap duo, Fresh 'n' Fly In her selfie, the former EastEnders actress gave a smouldering look towards the camera as she stunned in a floral print bodycon dress before her Radio 4 interview Her post on X - formerly known as Twitter - read: "On the way to @BBCr4today to discuss Grange Hill many fans were firmly in the camp to not bring the show back as a reboot the concerned nostalgia enthusiasts would rather old instalments be shown as re-runs instead One user stated: "No leave it where it is show old episodes." Leave it alone so that fans of the programme can remember it as it was without its memory being damaged." just rerun the originals," wrote a third fan While a fourth commented: "As much as i loved it when you were all in it just wouldn't be the same now." Someone else remarked: "No.Was off it’s time and like most remakes would be a disappointment." Who are the actors who played the head of the infamous school As a sixth posted: "To bring it back you would have to be responsible about it and the themes in it you would be writing a grange hill in a very dystopian world Adding: "It would be extremely polarising making a modern Grange Hill." GRANGE Hill star Stuart Organ left nearly a quarter-of-a-million pounds when he died The actor was the longest-serving cast member on the cult children's TV school drama playing Mr Robson He died in February after a short illness aged 72 Documents reveal Organ, of Glastonbury, Somerset But he left the majority of his estate to wife Jean whom he married in 2002 He will be best remembered for his 15-years on the BBC's Grange Hill where his character Peter Robson arrived as the head of PE in 1988 He went on to take the headmaster role 10 years later The show was about life in a London comprehensive school and ran from 1978 to 2008 Organ, who started his acting career in Leeds in 1975, also appeared in the soap Brookside as well as Doctor Who He plied his trade in cartoons and video games such as Star Wars: The Old Republic Organ will have been a familiar voice to London Underground passengers announcing stations late arrivals and telling users to mind the gap GRANGE Hill is one of Britain's top TV shows - that kids used to race home from school to watch Many of today's adults will remember the catchy theme tune and THAT sausage in the title credits - here's a look back over the last 40 years Grange Hill was a BBC children's drama TV show and was one of the longest-running programmes on British television when it ended its run in September 2008 who is also responsible for the Channel 4 soaps Brookside and Hollyoaks the show was cancelled in 2008 as it was felt by the BBC that the series had run its course Grange Hill was originally filmed at real schools in London The first of these was Kingsbury High School in North London which was used as the Grange Hill setting for the first two series exterior filming moved to Willesden High School (now Capital City Academy) in Willesden Green which was similar in looks to Kingsbury and was also situated in a residential area of the capital Grange Hill moved to Holborn College (now Fulham Preparatory School) in Greyhound Road Hammersmith - this was the longest serving of the "real schools" Interior shots were filmed at the BBC Television Centre Production moved to BBC Elstree Centre in 1985 with an office block In 2003 filming moved to Liverpool and continued until 2008 is charged under his real name John Shannon News | Crime Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice Former London's Burning actor John Alford is facing a trial charged with sex offences involving a girl aged under 16 The 52-year-old, who rose to fame in Grange Hill Alford, of Holloway, north London, is due to stand trial at St Albans Crown Court from December 2 this year Alford is accused of four counts of sexual activity with a child, and two counts relating to a second female - of sexual assault and assault by penetration, the CPS said. The CPS said he denied all charges at a plea hearing in September last year. The case is due back in court for a pre-trial review hearing on November 18 at St Albans Crown Court. Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day, Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte, Lady Victoria Starmer VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer New visa crackdown as Home Office plans to restrict applications from nationalities most likely to overstay New visa crackdown as Home Office plans to restrict applications London student nurse's roommate charged with her murder in Texas after fatal stabbing 'in row over cat' Roommate charged after London student nurse stabbed to death in Texas whose real name is John Shannon Credit: PAFormer Grange Hill and London's Burning actor John Alford has been charged with sex offences involving a girl aged under 16 who is charged under his real name John Shannon is accused of four counts of sexual activity with a child and two counts relating to a second female – of sexual assault and assault by penetration Alford, of Holloway is due to stand trial at St Albans Crown Court from December 2 this year He denied all charges at a plea hearing in September last year The case is due back in court for a pre-trial review hearing on November 18 at St Albans Crown Court Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know… James O'Brien is Leading Britain's Conversation "Trailblazing" actress Cleo Sylvestre has died aged 79 She was the first black actress to play a leading role at the National Theatre and to have a regular leading role in a UK soap opera playing Melanie Harper in ITV’s Crossroads Crossroads had about 15 million viewers at the time and brought Sylvestre to a national audience Her film roles have ranged from the 2014 film Paddington and 1993's The Punk A statement from Fulcrum Talent on Friday said: "It is with deep regret that I have to announce the sad news that Cleo Sylvestre MBE died this morning Read more: Body found in search for missing TV personality Katherine Watson Read more: Sir Alan Bates slams government 'flimflam artists' for dragging out compensation for victims of Post Office scandal she will be remembered as a trailblazer and a true friend "We ask that you respect the privacy of her family at this difficult time." Sylvestre also sang as Cleo with the Rolling Stones backing her on a cover of To Know Him Is To Love Him in 1964 and continued to be a musician with her blues band Honey B Mama And Friends she was at Buckingham Palace as she was made an MBE for services to drama and charity Her most recent screen roles included ITV thriller Platform 7 and Channel 5's revamp of All Creatures Great And Small Playwright and author Bonnie Greer paid tribute to Sylvestre on Twitter "The actor #CleoSylvestreMBE has crossed over," Greer wrote "She was one of the reasons that - from my vantage point in NYC - I thought that this country has the best anglophone theatre and the best place to be a black woman in it See more More Latest News See more Latest News See more The News Explained See more Royals See more Highlights & Opinion See more More Topics Nick Abbot is Leading Britain's Conversation Grange Hill and London's Burning actor John Alford has been charged with sex offences involving a child was arrested earlier this year and is accused of four allegations of sexual activity with a child and another of sexual assault by penetration will face trial at St Albans crown court scheduled for December Alford was just 13 years old when he shot to fame on Grange Hill in 1985 as Robbie Wright The actor previously disclosed how he struggled with fame and later developed alcoholism He is reported to have drunk "up to 18 bottles of beer and nine shots of spirits a night Alford later gained recognition as fireman Billy Ray in ITV drama London's Burning At the time the show was ITV's third longest-running drama only behind Coronation Street and Emmerdale Read More: French lifeguard and local council found guilty of manslaughter after Brit girl, 12, drowned in lake on school trip Read More: Strictly scandal deepens as footage showing ex-pro telling partner he will 'kill her' emerges releasing three singles all of which broke into the UK Top 30 Alford's debut song Smoke In Your Eyes reached number 13 and Blue Moon/Only You reached number 9 he worked as a scaffolder and minicab driver He then made sporadic cameos in films including Mike Bassett: England Manager in 2001 and The Hatton Garden Job in 2017 Alfrod also appeared in BBC drama Casualty in 2008 and 2009 and turned his hand to reality television in Trust Me: I’m A Beauty Therapist Grange Hill marks its 46th anniversary today Believe it or not, today is the 46th anniversary of that chilly day in 1978 when the likes of Tucker, Trisha, Alan, and Benny first arrived at their new secondary school, Grange Hill. Tucker flicked an elastic band at Trisha in assembly, starting a rivalry that was to endure throughout their time there. Football-mad Benny was wearing jeans and trainers because his single mum couldn’t afford the uniform. Nostalgic photos on the BBC’s social media today betray its nervousness then, when it commissioned just nine episodes of Grange Hill from a 28-year-old unknown Liverpudlian writer called Phil Redmond. The child star featured only in the first season of Grange Hill In those days of just three channels on TV, the grittiest offerings for young viewers were Crackerjack, Magpie, and Blue Peter. Some critics argued there was no way children would come home from school only to tune into a series about … another school. Grange Hill was a risk, and controversial from Day 1. Parents and morals campaigners were appalled, complaining that the programme undermined teachers’ authority and encouraged bad behaviour in pupils. But children adored it for its honest take on the real issues they faced, from bullying and truancy to racism and drugs. Grange Hill went on to become one of the biggest hits in British television. The series lasted an incredible 30 years, kickstarting the careers of generations of actors in EastEnders, Hollyoaks, The Bill, and beyond. The original cast has been marred by tragedy. Actor George Armstrong, who played Tucker’s sidekick Alan, died aged 60 last year from leukaemia, and actor Terry Sue Patt, who played Benny, died in 2015. Michelle Herbert, who was Trisha Yates, quit showbusiness and runs a glazing business in Dundee with her husband. But her close friend in that first series, Ann Wilson, played by Lucinda Duckett, has ended up closer to home – she’s the Corporate Affairs Director here at GB News. Lucinda appeared throughout the first series as a ‘good’ character who tended to save the day. “When Benny couldn’t afford football boots, I lent him my hockey boots, and when Trisha played truant, I visited her home to check on her, but didn’t tell her mum I was worried,” Lucinda explained today. “I stood for election to the school council and won by campaigning for a tuck shop, and when an acting prop from the school play was stolen, I suggested the thief could return it anonymously. “I suppose I was a bit of a goody-goody, though a reasonably popular one.” Lucinda left Grange Hill after the first series when her parents moved to Malaysia for her father’s job. “The BBC wanted to film during the summer holidays because it meant they didn’t have to provide tutors for us, but I needed to see my mum and dad,” she said. After school, Lucinda became a journalist, later moving into corporate communications. She joined GB News in early 2021, before its launch. “GB News has attracted controversy at times just like Grange Hill did, so perhaps my early years in television prepared me a little for life here!” she said. “Grange Hill was popular because it appealed to the real experiences of its viewers, and GB News is similar in that respect. “Ultimately, it’s the audience who decides what should be on television, not the critics.” She added: “Yesterday GB News beat BBC News for an incredible eight hours, so history sometimes repeats itself.” Former Grange Hill star Lee MacDonald has revealed he has been diagnosed with cancer. The 56-year-old, who played Zammo in the 1980s drama, explained that he has luckily caught his skin cancer early. The school drama favourite opened up about his recent health issue after he booked a medical appointment over an "unusual" spot on his face. Weeks later, he was informed it was cancerous and began treatment. MacDonald, who has also starred in EastEnders, took to social media to share his diagnosis online with fans. Revealing the news on Thursday, he penned: "Went to the doctors today to check an unusual spot on my face! Doctor says it’s cancer! MacDonald has revealed he has been diagnosed with cancer "As we [get] older, please keep an eye on anything unusual and hopefully get it looked at early!!!" he pleaded with fans before adding: "Booked in to get it sorted over the next couple of days!" alongside a fingers-crossed emoji as well as three hearts. The Star reports how fans quickly rushed to the comments section to share their sympathy and well wishes. One penned: "Glad you got it checked out – here's to a speedy resolution". Another reportedly commented: "Thank you for highlighting this, Lee. Good luck to you over the next couple of days!" MacDonald was in the programme for six years "Hope all goes well, Lee. It’s good you got it checked early!" someone else remarked. During his time on Grange Hill, MacDonald featured in some of the drama's hard-hitting storylines. Viewers of the show, which ran from 1978 to 2008, will recall his character falling into a heroin addiction which concluded with a heartbreaking overdose scene. The plot saw the stars of the programme backing the anti-drug campaign, Just Say No. View this post on InstagramA post shared by Lee MacDonald (@macdonald_lee) Earlier this year Grange Hill fans were devastated by the news of Stuart Organ's death. The 72-year-old was famed for playing the PE and geography teacher Peter Robson, who was later promoted to headteacher in the children’s drama. He left the series back in 2003 after the production decided to move to Liverpool. James O'Brien is Leading Britain's Conversation. 27 June 2024, 10:49 | Updated: 27 June 2024, 10:58 Lee MacDonald, former Grange Hill actor, has revealed he has been diagnosed with skin cancer. The 56-year-old actor, best known for his role as Zammo on the 1980s drama, updated fans on Twitter with the news. Mr MacDonald said he went to the doctors over an "unusual spot" as he urged others to "keep an eye on anything unusual". He added that he should be getting it "sorted over the next couple of days". The post - which has now been deleted - read: "Went to the doctors today to check an unusual spot on my face! Doctor says it's cancer! As we older please keep an eye on anything unusual and hopefully get it looked at early!!! Booked in to get it sorted over the next couple of days!" View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lee MacDonald (@macdonald_lee) The actor starred in the show's most renowned—though controversial—storyline where Zammo's heroin addiction culminated in an overdose scene Lee and his fellow cast members led the anti-drug campaign "Just Say No" by releasing a charity single that became a Top 10 hit The actor is also known for subsequent small roles as Terry in Eastenders Read more: Jay Slater's mum breaks silence as she withdraws fundraiser money, with mystery deepening in search for missing teen Read more: Major update after fire rips through block of flats, sending huge plume of smoke into sky visible for miles this was the first time we’d seen our schools – ugly and was generally never to be seen in school and the teachers often helped by being on strike (to their days of action should I be asked any awkward questions at home) I was able to get away with it for a while really quite badly behaved – bad enough eventually to have to start my A-levels all over again in a different school – there were still some things I would not do the miniature smackhead played by Lee MacDonald in Grange Hill had taught me – he had taught all of us – to say no The tiny teeth that seemed to belong to a boy half his age The TV series Grange Hill, which ran on BBC1 from 1978 until 2008, was the creation of Phil Redmond, the man who would later invent Brookside for the newly launched (in 1982) Channel 4, and who is, somewhat bizarrely, apparently planning to revive it (Grange Hill, I mean) in the form of a feature film it is hard to explain now the role it played in the lives of children right across the UK in its glory years (I think they ended in about 1988 but by then I’d gone to university; I’m not really in a position to judge) No kid in their right mind who was allowed to watch it – we’ll come back to those who weren’t – would ever miss it you’d hear the weirdly springy opening notes of its theme tune (“Chicken Man” by Alan Hawkshaw) blasting out – a sign that one of your siblings was already sitting cross-legged on the carpet in front of the telly – and within seconds My brother liked it almost as much as I did we had no choice back then but to all watch the same thing There were only three (later four) TV channels and ITV’s programming for children was generally rubbish compared with that of the BBC (not to mention frowned on by some parents) a revelation – and we drank of its excitements deeply if not always about the kind of Edwardian children who had governesses then inevitably about children who sounded like they might be Edwardian (the voices of child actors were then the children sounded like themselves: they had London accents where the series was set (though their voices were just as exotic to me as those of the E Nesbit types: I was a teenager before I ever set foot in London) and nor did its staff have anything to do with It looked very much like my comprehensive school – which is to say who were neither smartly dressed nor particularly strict I could almost smell the Nescafé and Silk Cut on her breath People talk of the way Grange Hill tackled “issues” teenage pregnancy and pupil-teacher relationships (long before Zammo fell for heroin Fay Lucas had an exciting little fling – don’t judge me: this was pre-#MeToo – with Mr King But because the school and all who sailed in it was wholly recognisable we did not receive these storylines as lectures; even if they occasionally had an effect on our behaviour (see Zammo) the series was closer to a soap opera than anything else such scenarios were more akin to gossip for us but one boy in my class used to sniff glue to the point where he fell asleep at his desk in lessons (and went absolutely nuts when the teacher had the temerity to wake him up); several girls in my year left before they’d taken their O-levels having fallen pregnant (they were quite happy about it); and in the sixth form still involved with a teacher from her old school were already fodder for our keen interest; we must have looked like the tricoteuse at the guillotine as we watched from the window on the morning Miss S arrived at school (The scripts were good: Zammo’s descent into hell was written by Anthony Minghella I was always slightly amazed that for some of my friends it was forbidden fruit (though this gave it extra cachet where the pelmets were ultra-luxurious and the all-pine country-style kitchen was entirely crumb-free Grange Hill was strictly verboten – as I was gutted to discover when I happened to be there on a night it was on (this was pre-video: the episode was lost forever) How peculiar that she was allowed to wear stretch jeans with heels to school (I was still making the case for these items) and yet she was not permitted ever to clap eyes on Tucker Jenkins She must have felt so left out when we used to shout “RO-LAAAND!” in sing-song voices at some poor boy we’d identified as being particularly Roland-like (Roland Browning who was rarely to be seen without a bag of crisps in his hands was a character we found all kinds of hilarious) and certainly not one for your ears (or not today) [See also: The best TV of 2021] co-writer of the upcoming Grange Hill movie gives us an update on the state of the planned movie It’s been about a year now since we’ve had some solid information on the planned Grange Hill movie that’s been in development for the last couple of years Based on the iconic BBC children’s drama series the film is being co-written by Sir Phil Redmond – who created the show – and Celyn Jones We learned a year or so ago that former cast member Sara Sugarman will be directing the movie and Jones too also appeared on screen as Mr Green in the programme Jones has recently released his directorial debut, The Almond & The Seahorse, an absorbing drama that’s currently in cinemas. You can find out more about that, and book tickets, here He chatted to us for the latest issue of Film Stories magazine about that film we got a few words on where things are with the Grange Hill movie “Phil Redmond has written a really good script We are just going on to finalising the draft” He also added that things are starting to move on the physical production side as well although what the location is remains to be seen (a school of sorts is my personal guess) “We’re going to sort of open up casting hopefully after the summer the production company that Jones co-founded is to co-produce the movie along with Redmond’s Mersey Films It sounds as though thing are moving to a position where filming could begin at the end of the year We’ll keep you posted as we hear more. Grange Hill fans, incidentally, are well advised to check out the lovely podcast Sausage On A Fork too do consider checking out The Almond & The Seahorse And you can read all about it in the new issue of Film Stories magazine as well Get the latest issue here →Subscribe here → Get the latest issue here →Subscribe here → Apr 08, 2025 | magazine, film stories Feb 19, 2025 | magazine, film stories by Maria Lattila | May 05, 2025 | News, Reviews, TV by Simon Brew | May 03, 2025 | Reviews, TV by Ryan Lambie | May 02, 2025 | News, TV by Maria Lattila | Apr 30, 2025 | News, TV by Simon Brew | May 02, 2025 | Gaming, News by Dan Cooper | May 02, 2025 | Gaming, News by Maria Lattila | Apr 25, 2025 | Gaming, News by Ryan Lambie | Apr 17, 2025 | Gaming, News by Dan Cooper | Feb 19, 2025 | News Fargo and Alien: Earth showrunner Noah Hawley is set to partner with Chris Pine for the Texan thriller by Dan Cooper | Dec 11, 2024 | News Embattled cinema operator Cineworld continues its cost-cutting drive with six more sites across the UK to close in the coming months... by Ryan Lambie | Mar 24, 2025 | News John Carpenter has made a handshake deal to write the music for Bong Joon-ho's future horror film... by Maria Lattila | Oct 14, 2024 | News, Reviews, TV Sofia Falcone is the focus of this week’s episode of Lauren LeFranc’s Batman spin-off we and our partners use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information Consenting to these technologies will allow us and our partners to process personal data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site and show (non-) personalized ads may adversely affect certain features and functions Click below to consent to the above or make granular choices. Your choices will be applied to this site only. You can change your settings at any time or by clicking on the manage consent button at the bottom of the screen The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response Former London’s Burning actor John Alford is facing a trial charged with sex offences involving a girl aged under 16 He is due to stand trial at St Albans Crown Court from December 2 this year Alford is accused of four counts of sexual activity with a child The CPS said he denied all charges at a plea hearing in September last year Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right Get the best celeb gossip with the Daily Star Showbiz newsletter Thank you for subscribing!We have more newsletters The pioneering star appeared in Grange Hill and was the first black actress to play a leading role at the National Theatre. Her agent released a statement to the BBC on 20 September regarding her death she will be remembered as a a trail blazer and a true friend We ask that you respect the privacy of her family at this difficult time." READ MORE:Strictly winners 'exposed' before first live show as pair have 'instant fire' Click for more brilliant Daily Star showbiz stories Her daughter took to X/Twitter to pay tribute to her mother and wrote: "Our beloved, inspirational mum @CleoSylvestre crossed over this morning With thanks to the teams @NHSHomerton and #therlh who cared for her so brilliantly over the past three weeks Cleo, real name Cleopatra, was a regular on the BBC show Grange Hill and was also known for her appearances in Doctor Who, Till Death Us Do Part, Doctors, The Bill and a brief role as a factory worker in Coronation Street Sylvestre became the first ever regular Black British female character on British TV playing Meg Richardson's adopted daughter Melanie in the original series of Crossroads She was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to drama and charity Just a month before her death, Cleo appeared on BBC's Antiques Roadshow to showcase mementos from her early career. She also proudly showed off a hand made Christmas card from Led Zeppelin founding member Jimmy Page Fans of Sylvestre flocked to X/Twitter to pay their respects to the pioneering actress One comment read: "What a woman," while others said that they were "heartbroken" to hear the news "Farewell to trailblazing actress Cleo Sylvestre Her legacy lives on," wrote someone else as another person typed: "Sad news The Daily Star is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join us we'll send you the sassiest showbiz stories some naught headline and a seismic smattering of aliens...along with the latest breaking news of course To join our community, all you have to do to join is click on this link select 'Join Chat' and you're in No one will be able to see who has sign up and no one can send messages except for the Daily Star team We also treat our community members to competitions If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose Exit group. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice CLICK HERE TO JOIN Have you joined Threads? Follow Daily Star to keep up to date on all things showbiz here Want all the biggest Showbiz and TV news straight to your inbox? Sign up for our free Daily Star Showbiz newsletter Show’s creators say they aim to portray ‘authentic stories’ and celebrate teenagers’ resilience When Grange Hill first aired in 1978, it was groundbreaking in the way it covered the reality of teenagers’ lives, from heroin addiction to HIV/Aids and knife crime. Now, 15 years after it was axed, the BBC is returning to school dramas to attract teenage audiences with a new series described as “Grange Hill meets The Breakfast Club” Phoenix Rise charts six pupils previously excluded from school who start back in mainstream education through a pupil referral unit Its writers hope to portray young lives with the same accuracy that Grange Hill did over the course of its 31 series Set in Coventry, whose city emblem is a phoenix, the 10-part BBC Studios series tackles issues ranging from bullying and mental ill health to period poverty – depicting a girl who cannot afford sanitary products starting her period while wearing white PE shorts said they were “quite surprised” that the bloodstains could be shown “because of the parameters of this kind of programming” But the BBC supported them in breaking boundaries The writers were inspired by Grange Hill as children and Evans wrote seven episodes that aired between 2003 and 2005 said she loved Grange Hill as “it reflected the people I knew and grew up with” on her council estate in the Midlands “[It] was the only place probably that I saw kids like me my cousins and my friends on TV … since then I haven’t seen that across children’s TV.” She said when working-class characters were depicted on British TV or it turns into some kind of poverty porn where everybody’s very heroic” said they wanted to portray “authentic working-class stories” Which is why he and Balthazar – who between them have worked on hits including A Discovery of Witches EastEnders and Coronation Street – were adamant that the working-class estate that is home to the abandoned brother and sister Billy and Rhiannon be filled with “joy and colour” The main characters (from left): Summer (Lauren Corah) Khaled (Krish Bassi) and Leila (Imogen Baker) Photograph: Khuram Qadeer Mirza/BBC StudiosShowing the resilience and strength of the six main characters was important as “these kids are facing huge challenges” “I think they always have done but it’s much much worse than it has been,” she said get obsessed with a new jacket they want and can’t have – those universal teen experiences … hormonal things and finding your way in the world.” She said it was important to show “the authenticity of those kinds of kids on screen” and that was reflected in the casting of non-stage-school children from Coventry found through casting calls and via youth clubs and TikTok Free weekly newsletterGet our weekly pop culture email Evans said the pair wanted to show how school could be a sanctuary “For some kids [it’s] the place where someone asks how they are or they get a decent meal and they see their friends and can maybe escape what’s happening at home.” “having talked to people who run referral units it often takes one teacher who’s got the time to dedicate to a troubled kid to turn around the fortunes of that kid The trouble is that teachers are overstretched and under-resourced.” Evans said they both loved 1980s high school films such as The Breakfast Club The six main characters at Phoenix Rise school meet in the school’s disused boiler room to discuss their challenges and show that “if you’ve got the right friends … you can pretty much get through anything” With original music from unsigned Coventry bands and storylines about the pupils not the teachers Balthazar said she hopes Phoenix Rise would resonate with teens “We’re trying to show them in a positive light and show their resilience strength and empathy; they care a lot about the world and each other – that’s something to be celebrated.” Phoenix Rise will air on BBC iPlayer from 21 March and on BBC Three Series creator Phil Redmond has teamed up with Sara Sugarman to make a big screen version of the hit BBC drama and they promise that TV favourites will return Nearly half a century after it first aired on BBC One, a film adaptation of the classic children’s drama series Grange Hill has been confirmed – with the original cast making a surprise return portrayed life in a typical British comprehensive school in the fictional London borough of Northam and broke new ground over the years with storylines that covered racism original cast member Sara Sugarman has signed on to direct a plot which is partly based on her character Samuels was the rebellious head of the Grange Hill student action group “Sara reached out, and that lit a lightbulb in my head,” Redmond told Deadline. “I thought: ‘Why don’t I look beyond the main characters, which is obvious, and we’ll have them all there for nostalgia, but where did Jessica go?’” He said Sugarman was a “great fit” and her character’s growth would be one of the film’s main themes. While Sugarman did not confirm whether she would reprise her role, she did tease that the film will “definitely” feature appearances from multiple original cast members. The TV show launched the careers of actors including Todd Carty, who played Peter “Tucker” Jenkins, Susan Tully, who starred as Suzanne Ross, and Lee MacDonald, who played Zammo. “It wouldn’t be Grange Hill without the Grange Hillers, and there will be some surprises,” Sugarman said. Read moreThe film will be written by Redmond who originally planned the film for launch this year and said scripts are “pretty close” He said it would not shy away from the social issues faced by schoolchildren today The film would also speak to adults about universal themes such as identity and community “We don’t want it to be like a lot of these things where they just take the characters use the brand and throw something together,” he said “I wanted to think about how best we could revisit the show the only place I feel comfortable doing it now is the cinema.” said he believed he was still able to accurately depict the lives of modern teenagers and it’s one of the reasons I don’t do social media myself because I saw the future and thought The real conversations happen in real life Forty-five years since the first episode aired has revealed that the gritty children’s drama series is making a comeback News | UK The creator of unflinching children’s school drama Grange Hill has confirmed the show will be making a comeback in the form of a film adaptation The groundbreaking series, which ran from 1978 until 2008 on BBC One depicted life in a typical British comprehensive school has revealed that the reboot will involve original cast member Sara Sugarman who has signed on to direct a plot based around her character Jessica was the rabble-rousing leader of the Grange Hill student action group in the TV series “Sara reached out and that lit a lightbulb in my head,” Redmond told Deadline “I thought: ‘Why don’t I look beyond the main characters and we’ll have them all there for nostalgia While the plot is largely being kept secret Redmond described Sugarman as a “great fit” and said her character’s development will be one of the film’s main themes Sugarman said she may not be reprising her role but did reveal that the film will definitely feature appearances from the likes of Todd Carty “It wouldn’t be Grange Hill without the Grange Hillers and there will be some surprises,” Sugarman said to Deadline Set in the fictional London borough of Northam the show was one of the longest-running programmes on British television by the time it ended in 2008 who said that it won’t shy away from similar social issues that shape the lives of schoolchildren today including “culture war” topics like social-media dogpiling I wanted to think about how best we could revisit the show,” he said the only place I could feel comfortable doing it now is the cinema.” ahead of a special episode of the Reunion on BBC Radio four of the original Grange Hill stars met up for a  reunion 44 years after the show’s first episode Mrs McClusky actress Gwyneth Powell died aged 76 following complications from an operation But what has happened to the rest of the cast was the main character of one of Grange Hill’s most groundbreaking storylines when his character MacDonald had always had an interest in boxing and a car accident in the early 1990s left his sporting dreams crushed “I was absolutely devastated,” he told The Guardian in 2009 “After the celebrity of being in Grange Hill I’m not acting and I’m here putting keys in a bag,’ and my early 20s were really dark because of that It took me a bit of time to sort myself out.” Although MacDonald has made several TV cameos since leaving Grange Hill the actor has claimed that he struggled to find any work afterwards as potential employers didn’t want to be associated with drug use He took up work as a locksmith in Surrey but it was announced that he would appear in BBC soap opera EastEnders as Terry Terry Sue-Patt was the first black character on Grange Hill — as well as first-ever pupil to be shown on screen in the debut episode and becoming one of the most popular characters Sue-Patt went on to appear in Channel 4 comedy Desmond’s and 1989 film The Firm Sue-Patt was sadly found dead at his London home A statement by the actor’s family revealed that he’d been fighting demons before his death “Like every artist and creative soul in history he drew from his demons and they sometimes got the better of him,” it read “Terry had his own crosses to bear and he became gripped by a depression he never fully recovered from.” who played the role of Tucker for four years remains one of Grange Hill’s most memorable faces His character became so beloved that he was given his own spin-off show Carty then went on to play Mark Fowler in EastEnders from 1990 to 2003 where his character was famously diagnosed with HIV Carty actually returned to Grange Hill as Tucker for one episode and also reprised the role for the final series in 2008 The actor also made a memorable Dancing On Ice in 2009 because of his lack of skill famously accidentally skating out of the studio Although Susan Tully starred as rebellious schoolgirl Suzanne Ross in Grange Hill for four years she eventually became more recognised for her role in EastEnders She was cast as Michelle Fowler in the BBC One soap aged 17 playing the role of a 16-year-old single mother Tully decided to leave EastEnders in 1995 and actually gave up acting altogether to pursue a career in directing and producing Her directing credits include episodes of EastEnders Mischa Barton to join Neighbours cast amid soap’s Amazon reboot Gladiators reboot unveils new logo and free tickets ahead of show’s return Anneka Rice breaks silence as Challenge Anneka reboot pulled from Channel 5 weekend schedule after two episodes Success of Big Brother ITV reboot depends on keeping it like its ‘golden period’ Earlier this year, John Cleese confirmed that, after years of speculation, he will be reviving classic BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers The original show, written by Cleese and Connie Booth, ran on BBC2 for two series in 1975 and 1979 The new series will explore how the dramatic Torquay hotelier Basil Fawlty navigates the 21st century which was named the greatest British sitcom of all time in a 2019 Radio Times poll In February this year, it was confirmed that Kelsey Grammer would be reprising his role as Dr Frasier Crane in the beloved eponymous sitcom in a reboot The show ran for 11 years and won an impressive 37 Primetime Emmys in its time Paramount+ confirmed the new version of Frasier on Thursday, February 2. It has also be confirmed that Only Fools And Horses star Nicholas Lyndhurst will be joining the reboot VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day From The Sopranos to The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air archive content has never been more popular What do our choices say about the nation’s psyche millions of us turned to more familiar comforts Netflix might still be churning out a couple of new series every week but the popularity of archive content has never been higher A recent Radio Times survey of readers’ viewing habits found that 64% have rewatched a series in lockdown while 43% have turned to nostalgic shows for comfort and what do our choices say about the nation’s psyche Subscriptions to BritBox – the streaming platform set up by the BBC and ITV to house the broadcasters’ vast archive – have boomed with new sign-ups surpassing those of Now TV and Apple TV+ in December “People are really enjoying this treasure trove of archive content,” managing director Will Harrison tells me (although he is keen to stress that BritBox also screens new programming) “Half the reason people are watching so much is that there’s more available now than there ever has been.” and go the whole way through… a kind of completist thing for the real fans The fourth reason is what I call the bucket list: the classic TV you know you should have watched but haven’t got round to.” In familiar stories, everything is made sense of, unlike the world now, where you don’t know how bad it’s going to beThat might go some way to explaining the huge interest in The Sopranos over the past 12 months top of the list of most popular archive shows for Sky/Now TV It is also a show that fits neatly into most of Harrison’s categories: nostalgia for a simpler time (it first aired in 1999 five years before Donald Trump became host of The Apprentice); an excellent binge watch with six seasons and 86 50-minute episodes to soak up our locked-down hours; and there’s a prequel on the horizon to revive interest the former lead actor – due to play Tony Soprano in the delayed film The absence of James Gandolfini from that project (the actor died in 2013) brings us neatly to Harrison’s final explanation for why people watch the shows they do. “It sounds a bit morbid, but there’s a kind of ‘in memoriam’ viewing,” he says. “Recently, when Barbara Windsor passed away people loved to come and enjoy her work: Carry On movies and classic episodes from EastEnders [But mostly] I think people were going for comfort viewing.” No surprise, then, to see familiar favourites such as Only Fools And Horses and Midsomer Murders proving popular Both have a vast catalogue of episodes for the completists while maintaining consistent tone and structure over decades there’s nothing to cause undue stress at a time when the outside world is worrying enough John Nettles and Daniel Casey in Midsomer Murders Photograph: ITV“Midsomer Murders is dealing with horror in this very normalised cosy way,” says psychoanalyst Anouchka Grose “‘Comforting’ is definitely a word people have been using a lot in therapy sessions it can be a complete experience and everything is made sense of where you just don’t know how bad it’s going to be but with a focus on people escaping their current life to start afresh at the same time as opening a business in a nearby town While its parent show is still going strong meaning it never gets close to the horrors of the present day Its host Kirstie Allsopp is unsurprised that people are discovering the show at a time when an unprecedented number are daydreaming about a new life “If you weren’t happy with your house before Covid it’s unlikely you became more happy with it in Covid,” Allsop says “There’s a release in watching these shows lots of people are looking to change everything.” Plus it has that nostalgia element: “I’m desperate to see things from the past,” Allsopp says “I know some people have this thing now where they see a crowd scene or they see someone hugging and it makes them feel uncomfortable because of the ‘New World’ But I just long to see a reminder of how things used to be Relocations and Locations are just someone out and about All our shows begin and end in a pub or a cafe.” It’s not hard to see how that resonates with the surreal nature of the past 12 months or Will Smith hiding from the family’s butler while crawling through the kitchen Broadcasters say that, of the sitcoms we’ve been watching over the past year, those filmed in front of a live studio audience feature prominently: Fresh Prince, Only Fools, Friends “It makes you feel part of something communal; who doesn’t want to feel part of Fresh Prince’s audience?” And who doesn’t yearn for that sense of communal enjoyment when theatres music venues and clubs have been shuttered for almost a year Indigenous and people of colour in society Buffy brings people together; our podcast has been an unbelievable example of that.” and even Netflix is bound to struggle for fresh content soon enough Martin Sheen in The West Wing. Photograph: Ric Francis/APThe West Wing Seven seasons of endlessly rewatchable Yes, Minister From ill-informed ministers to tricky spads the laughs hold up in this classic sitcom (BritBox) Prime Suspect Helen Mirren is superb and the storylines great Deadwood It ended too soon but David Milch’s exploration of frontier America is joyous (Sky/NowTV) Battlestar Galactica Unrelenting tension and subterfuge in this reworking of the shonky 70s sci-fi (iPlayer)Toby Moses Star who was best known as Mrs McClusky in BBC series died of complications after surgery The actor Gwyneth Powell, who appeared in the BBC series Grange Hill Powell was best known for playing headteacher Bridget McClusky between 1981 and 1991 and also appeared in Channel 4 comedy show Man Down said in a statement on behalf of the family that the actor died last Thursday in Brighton “after complications following a major operation for a perforated colon” The statement added: “She passed away peacefully with her husband [Alan Leith] and niece at her bedside “Gwyneth will be greatly missed by her adoring family and friends along with her many fans from multiple TV appearances.” Patricia Hidalgo, director of BBC Children’s and Education: “We are very sorry to hear of the passing of Gwyneth Powell Her famous portrayal of Mrs McClusky is one that will be fondly remembered by all those that grew up watching Grange Hill “Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this sad time.” Powell was born in Manchester on 5 July 1946 and landed her first major television role in the 1971 dystopian drama series The Guardians on London Weekend Television Although she secured regular work and appeared in a series of TV dramas her career accelerated after being cast in the children’s series Grange Hill She played the tough but fair Mrs McClusky for a decade until requesting she was written out so she could pursue other roles and in 2013 she was cast as the mother of Welsh comic Greg Davies’ character in Channel 4 comedy Man Down Powell was married to the actor Alan Leith In the first of a new series about what TV stars watched as children Jill Halfpenny remembers being cast in Byker Grove I loved to watch telly and dreamed of being on it myself one day The premise was that an otherwise normal family had a little secret … a girl called Vicki They kept her downstairs in a cupboard at night It was a concept that strangely entranced me My mam had an airing cupboard opposite the toilet upstairs It was narrow and was used for drying towels If I removed one of the badly glued rods from its place there was just enough room for me to go in there and pretend I was Vicki It was a pretty short game because no one else played I just got in and out of the cupboard a few times and pretended to boot up like a robot I loved the format and was so taken with the way the guests would chat to each other “Famous people just really get on,” I thought ‘They kept her downstairs in a cupboard at night’: Small Wonder. Photograph: ZUMA Press, Inc./AlamyJossy’s Giants and Press Gang were a big deal for me, but of course the indomitable Grange Hill was up there if only there were a geordie Grange Hill,” I would wail to my mam as she made the tea It was announced that a new show would be made in Newcastle to rival Grange Hill – Byker Grove I’d had quite a bit of theatre experience by then Jill Halfpenny in The Drowning Photograph: Photographer - Bernard Walsh/Unstoppable Film & Television / Channel 5 / Photographer - Bernard WalshUnusually for me as my life has been dogged by expectations grossly overshooting reality From the moment of learning I had the part to arriving on set and shooting my first scene Whatever lives I had imagined the Grange Hill lot living I revelled in all the chat and gossip off set We tackled storylines that kids’ telly hadn’t touched We felt like we were part of a show that was “pushing the limits” being in Newcastle was very different from filming in London and you see famous people on the tube or the streets a fair bit If you were thinking people would recognise me in the street and be really impressed and ask for an autograph (pre-selfie days) And off I’d trot into MK One to spend my hard-earned cash Byker Grove tackled storylines that kids’ telly hadn’t touchedIt was a pretty crazy experience to be a fan of kids’ telly and then be on it The Grange Hill lot and the Byker Grove gang were to meet up and play a charity football game together We’re all gonna love each other ’cos that’s what famous people do; they just get on We were teenagers and were trying to be a bit aloof Next came the Broom Cupboard with Andi Peters with Schof (Brother Beyond were the big guests but I was most excited about Trev and Simon) but I’d got the bug and after my exams I went off to “that there London” Watching telly as a kid was a great source of joy for me but being on it was one of the happiest times of my life The Drowning starts on 1 February at 9pm on Channel 5 The Famalam and Queen’s Gambit star on the shows that shaped him as a child from the school-set drama to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and the Office I watched a lot of TV – I was being reared on a staple diet of African American programmes A homegrown series that stood out to me was a live-action sci-fi show called Watt on Earth written by [Doctor Who writers] Pip and Jane Baker The premise was that an alien called Watt comes down from his home planet to a family called the Ruddocks He’s on the run from his evil uncle and his uncle’s chief henchman but something always goes wrong – if he becomes a bicycle bell for example – whereas Jemadah can transform in to other people as did shows such as The Biz – set in a stage school – and Grange Hill Phil Redmond and his team dealt with so many social issues so cleverly and I was seeing young black actors such as Arnold Oceng and Michael Obiora – people who looked like me – on TV Photograph: Akemnji NdifornyenWe were also watching The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air upper-middle-class black family on TV – it was very aspirational and a contrast to the films I probably shouldn’t have been watching at that age I loved Will Smith’s chemistry with Alfonso Ribeiro as Carlton When we got Sky we started watching series such as Kenan & Kel and Moesha so we were getting this vernacular and fashion by osmosis There weren’t that many British shows at that point that showed you that kind of “aspirational blackness” Representation generally is getting better in the UK – the next generation has people such as Michaela Coel Mo Gilligan and Samson Kayo – but when I was young you didn’t see a lot of black families on TV – it was like we’ll do one season of this and cancel it if it doesn’t work Ricky Gervais Mackenzie Crook and Lucy Davis among the cast of The Office Photograph: Allstar/BBC/Sportsphoto Ltd/AllstarWe watched all of the obvious shows and EastEnders – working out who shot Phil – and series such as The Real McCoy The Lenny Henry Show and Desmond’s as a family but I saw Ricky Gervais promoting it on The Big Breakfast The Office changed my mind about what funny could be It’s the most perfect British sitcom ever created because there was no laugh track – it was like a choose your own adventure story so that was the first time I had seen a mockumentary Even the peripheral characters like Malcolm It ended at just the right time – I always think it’s best to leave before the lights come on in the club The Queen’s Gambit is available on Netflix; Shrill and Famalam are on BBC iPlayer He is an old schoolmate not just to me but to a generation I’m a bit older: my gang was Tucker Jenkins But my brother is MacDonald’s – Zammo McGuire’s – age MacDonald played Zammo in Phil Redmond’s children’s drama Grange Hill for six years in the 80s Zammo was a bruiser and charmer; a bit rough around the edges and often in trouble for fighting or letting off stink bombs That was some storyline for a kids’ TV show He became the face of an anti-drug campaign We are meeting at BBC’s Elstree studios in Hertfordshire because – whoop, whoop – he has got a part in EastEnders He got here before me; the security guard on the gate As Zammo sneaking in a crafty ciggy at break time (between photos and interview) Ironic that the anti-drug face of my youth turns out to be an addict and I only started smoking when I was 40,” he says “My ex-wife wanted to pack up and I’m quite strong-willed I’ll smoke with you,’ – what a silly thing to do – ‘and then we’ll pack it in together.’” although the kids – his nearly 11-year-old son with her and 11-year-old step daughter with his new missus – are begging him to stop “The number of people who say: ‘Just say no,’ when they see me having a fag …” he says MacDonald came to acting through tragedy. When he was five, his elder sister died. “I went really quiet: I wouldn’t talk to anyone,” he says after we settle inside a studio. A teacher at his primary school suggested going to an after-school drama club at the end of the road, which turned out to be the renowned Anna Scher theatre “I remember Anna got everyone to shadowbox; she knew I was into boxing and she got everyone to copy me It was brilliant for me to have all those other kids doing something that I was doing.” It turned his life around. There was no pressure to get TV parts, but Scher was a go-to person for casting directors; Susan Tully and Mark Burdis had already gone from there to Grange Hill including playing Mike Reid’s son in a drama called Noah’s Castle when his mum was satisfied his schoolwork wouldn’t suffer I used to run home from school to watch it.” They were looking for two characters: Jonah – good-looking all the chat – and a tough kid called Zammo I was boxing … I just fitted into the character.” Together ‘Grange Hill was the best thing I ever did and if I could do it all again I would.’ Photograph: Richard Saker/The ObserverIt was no less wild away from the set MacDonald remembers a (real) school trip to the British Museum “There was a girls’ school there at the same time Security said: ‘You can’t have that happening here,’ so I was taken outside it was lovely because I wasn’t Brad Pitt growing up.” He only has nice things to say about Grange Hill getting paid for it and I was getting loads of girlfriends My schoolwork never suffered; I was never bullied at school He knows that it can be hard for child actors and he wouldn’t encourage his son and stepdaughter to go into it – not now I want them to be at school every day they can Harry wasn’t so fussed: he watches YouTube and plays Fortnite and MacDonald stopped when it came to his big story He wasn’t quite ready to let them see Daddy go from cheeky chappie to druggie and they’re going to be told all about that so I’ll be more than happy for them to see it But at the time I felt it was a little bit too much for them to take on board I didn’t want to have to explain all that yet as parent.” who was the script editor (and went on to direct The English Patient) and explained that he’d be taking on a big storyline “I’d never even heard of heroin,” MacDonald says “I think my parents weren’t aware either of the problems of drugs It was only when I was doing the research and went to rehabilitation centres realised a lot of them guys are Zammo-type characters They were living at home and had been kicked out – another life ruined by heroin A Just Say No single followed And then an invitation for some to fly to the US and meet Nancy Reagan who had started the Just Say No campaign over there “I was right next to her; we gave her a copy of the record which she sort of threw under the chair.” Best thing to do with it They didn’t nick anything or – as legend has it – sneak in a crafty White House spliff “Those rumours are annoying,” says MacDonald “We were 16; my mum came with me and was with me all the time You were followed the whole time: literally And then, for MacDonald, Grange Hill came to an end. As it does for everyone when they reach school-leaving age. But he wasn’t bothered, or concerned about getting other parts. He was going to box. He had already represented London was planning on turning professional and had been offered a contract and was hit by a car being chased by the police at 90mph was thrown 47ft through the air and suffered severe head injuries He shows me the scar through his cropped hair He was told he couldn’t box again; his plan “I didn’t know which way to turn.” A friend of his dad’s got him a job for example: everyone did The Bill – but it wasn’t boxing “The 90s weren’t brilliant because I didn’t know where I was or what I wanted to do.” He remembers one particular low, when it did get to him. “I was working in this warehouse and it was on the radio that John Alford had just got London’s Burning and I just thought: ‘I had that and now John’s got that again.’” Alford had played Zammo’s girlfriend’s brother Robbie in Grange Hill I just thought: ‘I know this – this is where I should be,’” he says “I remember ringing my mum and saying: ‘It’s like me talking to you it’s because they’re looking for someone else.’” He can’t say much about the part except he’s a bus driver called Terry who will cause trouble (still!) for Danny Dyer’s character “It’s the most exciting time since I was 13.” We go for a little wander about the place on the way back to the front gate A lot has changed since he was here as a kid and this is the corridor where he and the other pupils used to tear up and down at dinnertime and Mr Bronson or Mrs McClusky telling them sternly not to run in MacDonald’s favourite episode; the one at the zoo Jonah is dripping wet from being in with the sea lions “It just makes me smile.” And that’s just what he does Lee MacDonald will be in EastEnders on Thursday 30 May at 7.30pm on BBC One Everyone stood still when he bellowed: “You Michael Sheard struck terror into the hearts of pupils in TV’s Grange Hill in the 1980s as the tyrant teacher Maurice Bronson And it remained one of his favourite creations He later wrote a book about his experiences in the part Grange Hill creator Sir Phil Redmond will turn the defunct children’s TV series into a film in 2023 but sadly Mr Bronson won’t be there to scare the life out of pupils He was born at Aberdeen Maternity Hospital to Church of Scotland minister Donald Perkins and his wife in 1938 He was raised in Carlton Place in the city’s west end and attended Aberdeen Grammar School he wasn’t pushed towards a life in the clergy like his father and first discovered film at Aberdeen’s Capitol Cinema in Union Street He moved to England when he was 15 but regularly returned to Aberdeen to visit his aunt Lesley until her death in the early 1990s A young Michael trained at Rada where he took his mother’s maiden name as his stage moniker and learned to ditch his Aberdeen accent He undertook his National Service with the Royal Air Force before starting his career in 1964 at Perth Rep alongside a young Canadian by the name of Donald Sutherland Sheard also met his future wife Ros during his stint at Perth They moved back to London and he landed 28 TV roles in his first year Sheard was the most recurring character actor on Doctor Who from 1966 in a William Hartnell episode called The Ark through to a headmaster in Remembrance Of The Daleks with Sylvester McCoy in 1988 Doctor Who wasn’t his only science fiction role and Star Wars fans remember him fondly for his appearance in The Empire Strikes Back in 1980 he was choked to death by Darth Vader in a memorable scene which earned him cult status around the world Director George Lucas said it was “the best death scene I’ve ever seen” He appeared in two of Steven Spielberg’s biggest blockbusters, Raiders Of The Lost Ark, playing a German U-boat captain, and Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade – where he played none other than Adolf Hitler That was actually one of five occasions the Aberdeen actor played Hitler in his career ranging from The Tomorrow People to Dirty Dozen: The Next Mission Sheard’s face was instantly recognisable from scores of roles the super-strict deputy head at Grange Hill Mr Bronson was a lovely part to play,” he said “I get a lot of mail from people in their early 20s who say that they learned more from that teacher than all the other teachers put together “I wouldn’t have missed dear old Bronson for anything.” he could not recall a Bronson at his old school – Aberdeen Grammar Would Mr Bronson have liked to be Grange Hill’s headmaster Sheard wrote in his memoir: “Mr B would have loved it when he was appointed to the deputy headship he allowed himself to believe that it was only a matter of time “I built a lot of the character around the fact that Bronson was continually hoping Bronson would have been a great headmaster Sheard played Bronson from 1985 to 1989 but admitted in his 1997 autobiography that he overstayed his time by two years but had no regrets “Never again will I do a job which ties me up for such a long time,” he said “I would not have missed Grange Hill for all the tea bags in China but it has to be said that it did take five years out of my life and career “And although I was lucky enough to do some other good work during our breaks there was a hell of a lot that I was offered which I could not do “I don’t regret anything because I loved ‘GH’ Grange Hill return: Dundee actress on Trisha Yates, Tucker Jenkins and time on beloved TV show Burning ambition: How Dundee actress sang her way into the spotlight in The Wicker Man Escape To Victory: Aberdeen FC’s ’80s heroes could have shared the stage with Stallone, Caine and Pelé Doctor Fa? Iconic Aberdeen actor Michael Sheard could have been a Doric Time Lord in the Tardis The actor played Alan Humphries from 1978 to 1982 Showbiz Sign up to our free weekly newsletter for exclusive competitions Former Grange Hill and The Bill star George Armstrong has died at the age of 60 following a “long battle with leukaemia”. The actor played Alan Humphries in the children’s TV drama between 1978 and 1982. The British star passed away on July 11, according to a Grange Hill fan account on Twitter, writing: “I’ve just heard the very sad news that George Armstrong aka Alan Humphries passed away yesterday. RIP George. A true Grange Hill legend xxxx”. Following the announcement tributes poured in for the star on Thursday, with his former Grange Hill co-star Robert Craig-Morgan tweeting: “Goodbye my friend. I loved you George xx”. “So very sad. Rip. G.H and tuckers luck. Always watched. Way too young. Our childhood stars are passing before our eyes,” a fan wrote. A third shared: “A character from my childhood. Such sad news, thoughts with his family and Grange Hill friends”. “Sad news. Met him a few years ago. Top chap,” a fourth penned. Another wrote: “Very sad to learn of the passing of this lovely man. R.I.P. George Armstrong, who many will remember as #GrangeHill’s Alan Humphries xx #70s #80s.” Armstrong previously spoke about his cancer battle in 2018 in a bid to raise money for charity and thanked the NHS for all they had done for him. He wrote on Facebook at the time: “Any of you who know me know I’m not a great one for sharing my personal life on social media, but today I make an exception for a truly wonderful cause. “2 years ago I was diagnosed with leukaemia and spent 4 months fighting it. “I was able to get to remission but unfortunately in February this year, I relapsed and have spent most of the last 3 months in hospital,” he continued. “It’s hard, it’s tiring but despite a big scare I’m still here and fighting on. Every day I sit here in hospital I’m reminded of the amazing work the NHS does. Gareth Southgate, Princess Beatrice and Damian Lewis among stars at charity day Richard O'Brien weighs in on possible Rocky Horror remake What’s causing your headache? The answer may surprise you “But they can’t do it alone and that is where some remarkable charities help.” Born in London, Armstrong started acting at an early age and got his first notable role as Hubert Lane in 1977’s Just William alongside Bonnie Langford. After his time on Grange Hill, the TV star appeared as PC Driscoll in The Bill in 1989. Following his turn in the ITV crime drama, he became a Technical Theatre Manager at a public school. His passing comes just five months after fellow Grange Hill Star Lee Whitlock passed away at age 54. BBC school drama had a different name ahead of its debut in 1978 I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Phil Redmond, the creator of British drama series such as Hollyoaks and Brookside, has revealed why the long-running BBC show Grange Hill had to change its name followed the lives of the children attending Grange Hill a comprehensive school in the North London borough of Northam it was one of the channel’s longest-running programmes having aired every year for 30 years and spanned 31 series Redmond has explained that the programme originally had a different name but was switched before the first episode aired to avoid complaints from any real-life schools with the same name “It was called Grange Park because that’s an area I worked in St Helens,” he recently told The Sunday Telegraph, as reported by Metro.co.uk. “I can’t remember if there were too many schools called Grange Park, or whether there were too few, but the legal department said, ‘we’ll have everybody complaining, so we need to change it’.” Grange Hill was often commended for its commitment to bringing difficult subject matter to the screen, while presenting it in a way that was age-appropriate for its viewers. Topics covered on the show included racism, drug addiction, teenage pregnancy, mental health and sexual assault. On Sunday (14 August), BBC Radio 4 aired a special show, reuniting former cast members Todd Carty, Susan Tully and Lee MacDonald to discuss their memories from filming. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies