It was great fun; it made me the person I am today. The national press were advertising the fact that they couldnt find a fat child at stage school to appear in Grange Hill. Thats what the whole episode was about. Erkan is also a writer and director. For Grange Hill's reunion, Erkan hosted an event at a nightclub in Leicester in 2009. 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. Roland's disappearance does much to transform his classmates' attitude to him and he returns to a hero's welcome.[1]. Roland- Erkan Mustafa. As the bullied 'fat kid,' Roland 'Roly' Browning was one of Grange Hill's most popular characters from 1982 to 1987. Hed found someone he was attracted to, and who was attracted to him basically. I think that summed it all up. As a result, in what must be the strangest TV/political encounter of all, a number of the Grange Hill cast found themselves invited to the White House in 1986. The hit teen show, which ran between 1978 and 2008, focused on life in a. Get all the biggest showbiz news straight to your inbox. . He also had minor roles in other TV shows including Desmonds, General Hospital and Jackanory. It took them ten years to decide to put it on DVD, but they can put something like the Red Hand Gang on DVD easily! In 1989, during Gonch's last series, he fell in love with Mandy Freemont. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. After leaving the school drama in 1987, he went on to act in two series of Chef! A teacher put me up for the role and said Go on. It was basically another comedy, exactly the same as what I had written! 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. What was that experience like . [23.25] Early money-making enterprises, especially hair cutting. Roland, Its a real shame that the BBC has let down the public when it comes to the 30, They should have done a whole Grange Hill 30. The young actors were there as part of the first ladys anti-drugs campaign but one later claimed to have smoked a joint in the garden. Susan Tully landed her Grange Hill role in 1981, aged 13. Roland has set up . This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Fly to A. merica ; never done that before. At the time there was some animosity on the set because only certain people on the set got invited to America. Some people say lines from the show, which I find a bit strange. There was an episode where we sing Captain Sensible and dance to it ; God how cringing! I find it bizarre that some people dont look back on their time at Grange Hill fondly. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site is dedicated to the BBC TV series Grange Hill which ran from 1978-2008, concentrating particularly on the early years (1978-1990). "The national press were advertising the fact that they couldn't find a fat child at stage school to appear in Grange Hill. Something went wrong, please try again later. All fun! Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Luke 'Gonch' Gardener stepped into the shoes of Pogo Patterson as Grange Hill's ginger entrepreneur, joining the cast in 1985. 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Caroline 'Calley' Donnington - Simone Hyams Simone Hymas is best known for her role as Calley in Grange Hill, which she starred in from 1985 until 1991. and also made appearances onSoccer AMandCelebrity Juice. . And the rest is history basically. That was a changing point in his development, where he became a lot more confident. Lee MacDonald played. Without her character, Roland would not have been so popular. Get the biggest TV headlines, recaps and insider knowledge straight to your inbox. Just say no! In an interview, somebody asked me if there was an episode of a Grange Hill school reunion, what would happen? Because I had a character mother and father on set, I did scenes with those and when you have those parent scenes youre acting with adults quite a lot. I dont remember much about arriving there, apart from the amount of security. I know when Lee got approached, he thought Well, Ive got to do my research. 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 MacDonald - Zammo Maguire MacDonald, who joined the show age 13, went on to have one of the biggest storylines in the school's history when he became addicted to heroin. Gripper began picking on a new kid at Grange Hill named Roland Browning, mostly because Roland was overweight and shy with no friends. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. 9.2K views 5 years ago #GrangeHill Lee MacDonald (born 21 June 1968) is a British actor who played Zammo McGuire in the children's TV series Grange Hill from 1982-1987. By the time he left Grange Hill six years later, Roland was able to stand up for himself and had developed a talent for foreign languages. Im going to be seeing Simone for the first time in about 20 years, this month, and its just going to be amazing. I said no but I could remember the first 3, so I said those and she said Youre probably the only person who would remember those. Its going to be quite strange for us, the class of 86; we had our reunion a couple of years ago. with Lenny Henry as well as several episodes of Blackadder. RD's first wife, Anna [Teasdale]; sharing Notting Hill Gate flat . As I tell everybody else . Grange Hill: Erkan Mustafa stars as Roland in 1983, Hollyoaks star John Pickard looks completely different over a decade after leaving show, Sacked CBeebies star Sarah-Jane Honeywell felt 'lost' after axing over naked photoshoot. Jonah is the cousin of Jeremy Irvine. Its a shame that Michael Sheard has passed away because I know, damn well, that he would have loved to come to the reunion. They even had the same name for the restaurant that Id wrote! 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. I was just a normal child attending school. Roland Branning, played by Ercan Mustafa, starred on Grange Hill for six years. Its a real shame that the BBC has let down the public when it comes to the 30th anniversary of Grange Hill. He didnt have any friends. But it was all good really. After Grange Hill he starred in Lenny Henry's 90s sitcomChef! 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. Since then he has made. Youre going to have people you like, and people you dont like. The actor - who played Roly for six years - became one of the most inspiring characters during his time on the programme. Lee MacDonald played. The love that he had for the show was amazing. I cant stand listening to Careless Whisper. 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. January 21, 2022 danny kendall grange hillpss learning pool login. Roland was a very unique character; but some of the bullying he suffered on screen was quite graphic and personal? WHERE ARE THEY NOW. They could have done a whole evening. In 2016, Mahmood was foundguilty of plotting to pervert the course of justice and following the case, it was suggested thatup to 72 defendants in criminal cases in which he played a role could apply for convictions to be quashed. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Roland 'Roly' Browning became one of the most inspiring characters on hit show Grange Hill, Actor Erkan Mustafa looks very different 29 years after show debut, Grange Hill star Lee 'Zammo' MacDonald joins EastEnders as Terry and has showdown with Danny Dyer's Mick Carter over Spice Girls tickets, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). At the time it was Anthonys baby, to cover that whole story and he just supervised it so well. . He went on to appear in Brookside as Little Jimmy Corkhill. But this just snowballed. 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. 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. 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. What did I have, the Freedom of the White House?. The first scene would be a hand writing out letters (though it would probably be email or Facebook now) saying did you want to meet up again. Actor John Holmes left the show to complete his education and studied at the University of East Anglia, where he eventually became president of the Student Union for several years. Did you get much reaction to your character from the public? Its still on my laptop. Did the character develop along the lines of your own personality? Zammo and Jonah took pity and tried to support Roland, but he brushed them off. 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. Apprentice pair facing the sack after romping at show's 17m mansion, Brand new Disney show fails to premiere leaving fans furious, Love Island's Olivia Hawkins breaks silence as she returns to the UK, EastEnders Natalie Cassidy shares rare picture of her lookalike daughter Joanie, 6, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. He remains in the public eye appearing as himself on shows such as Celebrity Scissorhands and Celebrity Pointless. Roland Browning / . Once Ive got Todd Carty on board, its all there. No, the way I looked at it, at the time, I was just doing a job. She was very welcoming, she was warm. 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. Your email address will not be published. Hes living in France and he owns a restaurant. In 1988, she caused a stir by posing topless for men's magazine Mayfair. However after just one series, Ann left Grange Hill when her father's job meant her family had to move abroad. Immense, immense reaction from people. 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. He did at one point, but he never won. Its about forgetting the past, and its the past who made us who we are today. I live with it every day. His relationships include Fabienne. Grange Hill (TV Series 1978-2008) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. He still teams up with Lee 'Zammo' MacDonald for public appearances and charity events. The star who played Roland 'Roly' Browning in Grange Hill looks unrecognisable 29 years after his television debut. So never say never! Roland 'Roly' Browning - Erkan . It was about him and his sense of humour, which is fair enough. 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. 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. Get in touch with us at webcelebs@trinitymirror.com or call us direct at 0207 29 33033. Show more. I did some scenes with Michael Sheard (Mr Bronson) and he gave us some really good advice. The star had actually trained as a teacher but never taught in the classroom, as she decided to pursue acting instead. 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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. At its peak in the 80s, it was possibly the most talked-about television show in the school playground. Im alright with it as long as people arent rude. Grange Hill's headteacher was in charge between 1981 and 1991. The sixth series of the British television drama series Grange Hill began broadcasting on 4 January 1983 before ending on 4 March 1983 on BBC One. GRANGE Hill's Zammo, Tucker, Roland and Janet look unrecognisable in a 'mini reunion' picture. Lee MacDonald played Zammo the character whose heroin addiction provided the hard-hitting storyline and sat on the sofa next to Mrs Reagan. Theres so much. The Grange Hill gang meet Nancy Reagan in 1986. So there could be a whole corporate line. Ricky and I lost touch for about a year, but then something sparked it off again and there was no change in our friendship. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Now I know I get more pleasure from writing than acting. The older actors had to realise that we were just kids; we werent professionals even though some people had been trained. A recovered Roland returned for the new school year, although Gripper showed no mercy for him and made clear to Roland that he still wants paying from him. Who? This is a list of characters from the long-running BBC children's series Grange Hill . leaving it . A few notable people who starred in the show include Todd Carty (Mark Fowler in EastEnders ), Gary Love (Casualty), Lee MacDonald (The Bill) and John Alford (London's Burning). Gripper had picked on Roland during the series, making him give him money and humiliating him. In terms of the character, I think Roland really really did like the fact that someone cared for him and basically hed push Janet away, knowing that shed come back. He was a single child. On a Welsh trip, Roland got lost and met the farmer, who taught him some Welsh. Alford's case was among those taken up by the Criminal Cases Review Commission. July 23, 1956 - October 26, 2018. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. No way. The first 4 series of Grange Hill were released on DVD in November, but subsequent releases have been cancelled due to poor sales. The long-running series was created by Phil Redmon, who also created Channel 4's Brookside as well as Hollyoaks. He also appeared on Soccer AM and Celebrity Juice. Thoughts with his family RIP xxx.'. Grange Hill creator Sir Philip Redmond explained the sudden name change for the show (Picture: PA) . What are your memories of that? Chris Eubank's life from marrying his manager, involvement in fatal car crash, to son's death at a tragically young age, Letitia Dean's life away from Sharon Watts including marriage to Holby City star and net worth, BBC University Challenge viewers joke it's 'too easy' with question '5-year-old could get right', Roland 'Roly' Browning in BBC's Grange Hill. You were a key character in the Zammo/Drugs storyline. Zammo, Tucker, Janet and Roland meet for catch-up 43 YEARS after the beloved children's show first aired. Me and Ricky have met so many times, and we speak at least once a month. Can you tell me your middle names? and she said Will you remember all twenty of them?. You can do it.". When I met her many, many years later, I asked her if she remembered me. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! She made a brief return as Trisha in the final episode of Tucker's Luck, a Grange Hill spin-off based on Todd Carty's character Tucker. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. But the actor has also found success on other shows. I left Grange Hill in about 1986, so thats some time to still be recognised from the show! 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 . A lot of characters get invited to the reunion, and people dont actually know who sent the original letter. Roland 'Roly' Browning became one of the most inspiring characters on hit show Grange Hill 2 Actor Erkan Mustafa looks very different 29 years after show debut Fans loved how despite horrific. To me it made no difference whether I worked with an adult or a child. The star, like Roly, wears glasses and rocks a shaved head and stubbly facial hair. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. View our online Press Pack. The way I look at it; the demographics of the group that went there was right. Half the time people would come up to me in the street and say You should fight Gripper. Set at a comprehensive school in a fictional north London suburb, Grange Hill was one of the longest running shows in British television history. It was created by Phil Redmond, who also went on to create Brookside and Hollyoaks. Roland was one of Grange Hill's most recognisable faces, Roland, Jonah and Zammo were hugely popular. The show was about Justin Lee-Collins not about any of the kids from Grange Hill; like any of the Bring Back . Find out more about how we use your personal data in our privacy policy and cookie policy. We did one for the Rainbow Trust and then in October something in Luton for a special baby care unit. He also hosted a Grange Hill cast reunion in a nightclub in Leicester Square back in 2009. 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