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. Lee was disgusted with the plans and didn't sign up for the new series. Its one of the things you just deal with. Ive done things that other people have never done in their life, but most of all, Ive come out with some good friends. Erkan, who starred in the show from 1982 until 1987, said: "I was just a normal child attending school. All fun! grange hill roland girlfriend - filt-web.design He played the role for six years and became an iconic character in the series, suffering horrific bullying at the hands of Gripper Stebson. Looking back, you live and learn. So the fact that he cant remember much about the visit wasnt to do with being high, but a more prosaic reason. Do you keep in touch with anyone from your time on Grange Hill? The building is awesome as you walk up. Hed found someone he was attracted to, and who was attracted to him basically. He told me that theyd already been approached to hold an evening with the cast of Grange Hill. What was that experience like . However after just one series, Ann left Grange Hill when her father's job meant her family had to move abroad. We ask about each others lives. The hit teen show, which ran between 1978 and 2008, focused on life in a. . Grange Hill (series 10) - atozwiki.com as the character 'Otto' in 1993. Looking back, later on in life, it had no effect on me. Unable to cope, he goes and locks himself in the toilets. Headmistress Bridget McClusky, played by Gwyneth Powell, was one of the longest standing characters in the show appearing on screen between 1981 and 1991. At my age now, 2 years older doesnt make any difference, but when youre 15,16, 17; it does. Show more. Meanwhile two of her sons have followed in her acting footsteps, clinching roles in Doctor Who and EastEnders. Was it difficult to play these scenes? When I first heard about it, I was 15 or 16 and I thought this is a bit too much for a childrens show. Roland Browning was a student at Grange Hill from 1982 to 1987, played by Erkan Mustafa. In May last year, I approached the BBC with an idea and they said no. Its because they think they are better than Grange Hill. We have to ask you about Rolands friendship with Janet. Theyd shout out strange obscenities, but thats part and parcel of being an actor and playing a character. List of Grange Hill characters - Wikipedia Certain characters develop over time and by the time I left Roland was doing a lot of fund-raising, he was trying to help Zammo ; he came out of his shell. Lee MacDonald played. The four actors starred in the hit BBC school-based show back in the late 70s and early 80s. Lee MacDonald, 52, was the star of one of Grange Hill's most hard-hitting storylines when his character Zammo became addicted to heroin. Theres a girl called Tracey who used to be in Grange Hill, who I tracked down and we met up in a pub in Islington, only to bump into Mark Burdiss (Stewpot)! The pair left the show in the early 1980s just four years after joining but remained friends throughout their careers. 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Lee MacDonald / Zammo McGuire / Melissa Wilks / Jackie Wright / Grange That got certain individuals backs up. He was discovered aged 14 by a talent scout while playing football in the park and enjoyed success in 1989 film The Firm, starring alongside Gary Oldman and Phil Davis. I didnt do that to many other members of the cast, but me and Simone always did. He had issues. There were a couple of people who were a few years older than me. The Grange Hill cast then and now: Erkan Mustafa who played Roland 'Roly' Browning (Image: HullLive) Erkan, now 50, played one of the most popular stars of the show.. His character Roly. Something went wrong, please try again later. Julie Marchant 73 episodes, 1983-1987 Sonya Kearns . Susan, 54, is extremely. I get asked Were you Roland in Grange Hill? and I say No, Im Erkan from Stratford. That always gets a giggle. She left the series in 1985 and continued to act, appearing in TV series such as Spender and Only Fools and Horses. He also gave Roland a Welsh dictionary. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. 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. Half the time people would come up to me in the street and say You should fight Gripper. 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. Its a shame that Michael Sheard has passed away because I know, damn well, that he would have loved to come to the reunion. . GB News, the West End and a billion-dollar fashion label: what the We dont even really talk about Grange Hill ; its just where we grew up really. In 1988, she caused a stir by posing topless for men's magazine Mayfair. Playing the popular rebel won her the part of Michelle Fowler in EastEnders which she played for a decade. July 23, 1956 - October 26, 2018. 5. She also enjoyed a romance with Stewpot, before discovering he was seeing Annette Firman behind her back. She said no, and I pointed to myself as if I was sex-god and said this is what you could have had! He remains in the public eye appearing as himself on shows such as Celebrity Scissorhands and Celebrity Pointless. Grange Hill's Erkan Mustafa looks unrecognisable 29 years after Roland role Was there any storyline you didnt enjoy doing? Thats why me and Lee do our own Roland and Zammo thing; we do music shows (mainly because my friend is the booker) but also a couple of charity nights. He was one of the 'enormous orphans' in the Christmas Carol episode. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Grange Hill was only cancelled in 2008 as the production company felt like the series ran its course. The former teenage pin-up was caught by the News Of The World's Fake Sheikh and then served a six week sentence after being charged. How do you think the character developed? Roly, Zammo, Gripper and more - what happened to the original - MSN . What happened to Grange Hill kids next as Lee Whitlock dies He was found lying face down in bed andreports suggested his body may have lain undiscovered for a month. BBC Grange Hill: Roland 'Roly' Browning star's life after show from It was funny ; it was realistic. But Roland showed himself up when he was unable to carry out any of the tasks, and left humiliated and with his confidence even more chipped away. She's a mother-of-two and is also an ambassador for the Good Grief Trust. Grange Hill - Series 7 - Episode 1 - ITVX 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. He didnt have any friends. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. For other inquiries, Contact Us. He went to see his mother before then running off and into the path of a car, resulting in Roland being injured and spending some time in hospital. with Lenny Henry as well as several episodes of Blackadder. They had to be politically correct and they took Amma (Cheryl) and Alison (Louise) and Ricky (Ant) because he was a major part of the record, and Joann Kenny (Jane) because she played a major part in the video. 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. Luke 'Gonch' Gardener stepped into the shoes of Pogo Patterson as Grange Hill's ginger entrepreneur, joining the cast in 1985. He did at one point, but he never won. Grange Hill creator Sir Philip Redmond explained the sudden name change for the show (Picture: PA) . Theres so much. The actor shot to fame playing Roland 'Roly' Browning on BBC's Grange Hill, All the latest TV news and gossip straight to your inbox every weekday. Roland was a very unique character; but some of the bullying he suffered on screen was quite graphic and personal? Simon Vaughan who played Freddie in the show is a TV producer, so we already had a producer on the team. Now 50, he continues to act, write and direct according to his Twitter profile. 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. Erkan Mustafa rose to fame when he was cast as Roly all those years ago. The show focused on dealing with issues like bullying and learning difficulties in a fictional school in the fictional borough of Northam. Did you expect the character of Roland to stick with you for so long? BBC Grange Hill: Where original stars are now from tragic death to After leaving the show, he went on to be a regular on ITV series London's Burning playing Billy Ray. No. personal? The storylines focused on hard-hitting issues for its time - including teenage pregnancy to alcoholism and drug addictions. Watch out for a Grange Hill feature in this on BBC 1, Weds at 2100. He said Sit down and watch this. I say that to everybody in life! We had a little natter, he says. The star, like Roly, wears glasses and rocks a shaved head and stubbly facial hair. Ive written an episode about it. The actor - who played underdog Roly for six years - became one of the BBC show's most beloved characters. 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. The first 4 series of Grange Hill were released on DVD in November, but subsequent releases have been cancelled due to poor sales. 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. 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. The TV star also worked as a presenter for E4 Music and previously did some interviews and presenting for a film website. Look at Alex Kingston, who has gone on to do loads of stuff. Email digishowbiz@the-sun.co.uk or call us direct on 02077824220 . You would think that they could have done a huge night of TV about it; they do Dads Army nights, Doctor Who nights, Blue Peter nights . Roland- Erkan Mustafa. Ricky and I lost touch for about a year, but then something sparked it off again and there was no change in our friendship. He also appeared on Soccer AM and Celebrity Juice. Following his success in Grange Hill, the actor went on to star in Lenny Henry's 90s sitcom Chef! Nobody really remembers the cross over between Tuckers year and my year; the Mark Burdiss (Stewpot) era. When Roland began at Grange Hill he was singled out by bully Gripper Stebson who would threaten him for his lunch money and with further threats of violence if he didn't comply. I said to Simone that I thank her for that and she told me to shut up! There was an episode where there was a school disco and they were playing Spandau Ballets True (another song I cant stand!). You were a key character in the Zammo/Drugs storyline. The Grange Hill gang meet Nancy Reagan in 1986. BBC Radio 4 - The Reunion, Grange Hill At the time there was some animosity on the set because only certain people on the set got invited to America. GRANGE HILL: Series 7 & 8 BOXED SET [DVD] - Amazon Grange Hill's most dramatic storylines and what happened to the actors There were some great scenes that were cut, that were really really good. 10. Grange Hill Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! Its a real shame that the BBC has let down the public when it comes to the 30th anniversary of Grange Hill. When I met her many, many years later, I asked her if she remembered me. Autor de l'entrada Per ; Data de l'entrada columbia university civil engineering curriculum; hootan show biography . Required fields are marked *. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. I cant stand listening to Careless Whisper. But after his departure from the square, he played away from type portraying the villainous PC Gabriel Kent in The Bill. Just say no! Episode 1 - It's the first day of a new term at Grange Hill. 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. I remember a scene I had in which Roland was supposed to be playing basketball. In January were doing something for Mercedes. In reality, myself and Roland are two completely different people. The original show provided early TV exposure for some future stars,. 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. As I tell everybody else . He then starred as Mark Fowler in EastEnders from 1990 to 2003, with a groundbreaking storyline when his character was diagnosed with HIV. Erkan Mustafa - Wikipedia The actor was found guilty by a jury at London's Snaresbrook Crown Court in 1999 of one count of supplying 2.036 grammes of cocaine to Fake Sheikh Mazher Mahmood, as well as a similar charge involving 11.9 grammes of cannabis resin. 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. 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. Roland Browning / . John K. Ahrens, Sr. - Baker Swan Funeral Home They remember Pogo, but if you ask people they will say they only remember Roland and Zammo. The long-running series was created by Phil Redmon, who also created Channel 4's Brookside as well as Hollyoaks. Thats another person Im meeting up with next week. TV series Grange Hill is set to be turned into a film, which will take a "realistic view of what education is like now". Im alright with it as long as people arent rude. 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. Bullied by others, only child Roland struggled to fit in at Grange Hill. Annette Firman had been taunting Roland about his weight, but he had also been unkind to Diane Cooney about her spots. Menu. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. It would get a good response, but its just a case of getting the Grange Hill fans to know about it. It was exciting; going into a recording studio, never done that before. 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. Click here to sign up to our daily newsletter for the latest news and top stories from MyLondon sent straight to your inbox. Its really surreal that these people I havent met in ages have just appeared! Janet St. Clair | Grange Hill Wiki | Fandom . Gripper discovered Roland attending the psychologist and when Roland was unable to come up with a full payment to Gripper, Gripper plotted to expose Roland to his class. Her most recent TV role was in an episode of Casualty in 2014. Roland (played by Erkan Mustafa from 1982 to 1987) is finding it hard to adjust on his first day at Grange Hill (episode 1 of series 5), and has a nasty encounter with bully Gripper Stebson. It really bugs me. Sign up for the Daily Star TV newsletter for the biggest TV news. Since then he has made. But the actor has also found success on other shows. They made my character dance with his girlfriend, Fabienne. We started with the clothes and she was quite fashion conscious and chic. What Zammo did next: Lee MacDonald on life after Grange Hill Grange Hill (TV Series 1978-2008) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb They could have done a whole evening. Lee MacDonald played Zammo the character whose heroin addiction provided the hard-hitting storyline and sat on the sofa next to Mrs Reagan. I wrote a 6 part comedy, aiming for Channel 4. Can you tell me your middle names? and she said Will you remember all twenty of them?. You could have ex cast members being interviewed. Contents Episode 2 1.5.3 Episode 3 1.5.4 Episode 4 1.5.5 Episode 5 1.5.6 Episode 6 1.5.7 Episode 7 1.5.8 Episode 8 1.5.9 Episode 9 'Grange Hill' film on the way that will "take a look at the - NME A teacher put me up for the role and said Go on. Watch the video for Just Say No, the Grange Hill single, and there are many things a child would do well to denounce: a mullet, a saxophone solo and wearing a cardigan to a disco. Roland has set up . Grange Hill was a children's television show that began in 1978 on BBC1 and ran all the way up until 2008. BBC changed Grange Hill name after concerns it could offend - Metro 'I was told by lots of people she was a great fillip to young women teachers who started applying for headships.'. Erkan spoke about his time on the show from 1982 to 1987, saying: "I was just a normal child attending school. My character had to see a child psychologist; there were scenes with just me and Mr Baxter. A poolside prank during a swimming lesson has fatal consequences. Roland is the son of Mr Browning and Mrs Browning. Zammo and Jonah took pity and tried to support Roland, but he brushed them off. . After Grange Hill, actor Erkan starred in Lenny Henry's 90s sitcom Chef! Grange Hill's Zammo, Tucker, Roland and Janet look unrecognisable in This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Fans loved that kind hearted Roland always stood up for himself and discovered he had a talent for foreign languages. He became a lot more confident. He also enjoyed several top 40 hit singles, produced by Stock/Waterman, following his TV success. If you do not want us and our partners to use cookies and personal data for these additional purposes, click 'Reject all'. Todd Carty, Susan Tully and Lee MacDonald take Kirsty Wark back to school. Fast forward nearly three decades later, the 52-year-old actor looks unrecognisable from his appearance on the show. I know when Lee got approached, he thought Well, Ive got to do my research. who played Tucker, Janet actress Simone Nylander, and Erkan Mustafa, who starred as Roland. It was amazing., One of the other cast members who went was Erkan Mustafa, who played Roland Ro-laaand Browning. Roland's disappearance does much to transform his classmates' attitude to him and he returns to a hero's welcome.[1]. She reached out to shake our hands. Original Grange Hill cast now - tragic death, arrest and very - mirror The optical illusion will leave you stumped as it's asking people to spot the ghost hiding inside the room. Immense, immense reaction from people. That got certain individuals backs up. In the last ten years, fans may have spotted the child actor on Celebrity Juice, Pointless Celebrities and Soccer A.M. Erkan spoke about his time on the show: "I was just a normal child attending school. The love that he had for the show was amazing. Grange Hill Roland 'Roly' Browning actor Erkan Mustafa looks totally The national press were advertising the fact that they couldnt find a fat child at stage school to appear in Grange Hill. Bullied by others, only child Roland struggled to fit in at Grange Hill. It was interesting to listen to her and what she was doing., The visit has given rise to a lurid fable about Mustafa being stoned the entire time he was there a story that was repeated (with caution) by the Washington Post as recently as 2014. 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. It was a bit of a dream come true, really.'. The Grange Hill cast then and now from drugs lows to new career highs There was always animosity between stage schools at one point and I think at the time there was arguments about You only get invited because your mums a chaperone or You only get invited because . I left Grange Hill in about 1986, so thats some time to still be recognised from the show! You can do it." She went on to appear in The Bill, Baywatch and had a role in 1993 film Dirty Weekend. He said The old Roland wouldnt, but hes now going to give it a try. John said it was about time we all met up again, so I said Id see what I could do. So I already had people on board to be interviewed, back at their own schools. Roland wouldnt dance and they made him dance to that song. Now married with four children, she is a qualified beauty therapist and has reportedly set up a freight business. He was always seeking acceptance from his parents. Mustafa told Grange Hill Gold: "I was just a normal child attending school. I was like a normal school kid; I never went to stage school or belonged to an agency. Grange Hill Series 7 synopsis - First broadcast on 3rd January 1984 It s a new term & Zammo has a girlfriend (Jackie Wright) who goes to rival school Brookdale. Oh yes. 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 star, 54, took to Twitter on Saturday to share the happy news with his fans as he shared a beaming snap emerging from a church with his Actress Gwyneth Powell, known to viewers as headmistress Mrs. McClusky in BBC series, has died aged 76. At the time I already knew it was happening, so there was no surprise element. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Grange Hill wasn't afraid to tackle controversial subjects and that's why people loved it so much. During the '90s she turned her back on acting and opened shoe shops called Paola in Knightsbridge and Chelsea before starting her own PR company. Ricky Simmonds (Ant) and I have remained friends since we both left. Did the character develop along the lines of your own personality? There was no storyline I didnt enjoy doing, but theres one thing I hate, and I cringe about it now.