AUGUST 2002
[OCT] [NOV] [JAN] [FEB] [MAR] [APR] [MAY] [JUN] [JUL] [AUG] [SEP] [CYH MAIN PAGE]
159. Lucy Moving the show to Liverpool was an essential element which ensured the programmes survival. I am sure that as loyal fans to the hard-hitting teenage drama that is Grange Hill you would prefer a slight presentational adjustment rather than the complete axing of the programme. The notion that the programe will now be aimed at 8-11 year olds is completely fabricated. The programe will maintain the teenage issues that have won it its admiration and huge following, however there will also be a lot of humour involved and I hope some of the old magic is rekindled!!!!!!!!!!!
Would Lucy, who placed the following comments on the petition, please contact GH Online? The webmaster would love to hear from you; click HERE for Contact.
Adam joins the band 21/8/02
Hello to Marianne: "Hi. I recently found out that the lead singer from a local band of mine is Sam Bardens who used to play Adam Hawkins!!!! Can I pleeeeease see a picture of him from when he was in the show? He's very good looking now and I'm sure he'd love me to embarrass him by putting up an old picture on his band's website. If anyone wants to go on his band's website (they're very good!) the address is http://www.dumbexcuse.co.uk. Don't say I told you though!!" Hi Marianne! Thanks for telling us - obviously Sam has returned from America where he'd been living. Here's that picture - hope you like it!
Alec's soft drink sales pitch 18/8/02
Evelyn Mackinnon needs our help: "I need to settle an arguement with a friend, is the guy in the new Coca-Cola advert with the lawmower, Alec Jones from Grange Hill series 23??" He certainly is Evelyn! Thomas Carey, who played Alec, is the lawnmover-bound hero in the commercial. About time he was back on screen!
Ray's back - with a new pub! 16/8/02
Some great news now for Ray fans: "Kelly George WILL be in the new series of Grange Hill, and Dani Behr will be playing his love interest. I know this because I'm working with the guy on a new bar in the Midlands (he's invested heavily in it). He's a down-to-earth bloke, very much like the character he plays (well, I haven't watched GH for about 8 years personally, but he is as I remember...) He's also in a new 12-part Channel Four series called Oi Oi, about a celebrity football team - he told that to our local paper when they turned up to interview him."I work for Kelly's business partner - Omar Williams (himself an actor, now quite a big name in the entertainment business). Kelly and Omar have bought a bar in Wellingborough (the old Moody's Wine Bar) and they are to open it this Saturday as a sophisticated bar/restaurant called Eden. The opening is a ticket-only night for charity, and there will be celeb friends of Kelly and Omar, such as Mike McLean (ex-Big Breakfast); John Barnes (ex-Liverpool/Watford FC and England); Michael Greco (ex-Eastenders).
"Anything involving Dani Behr is probably a stunt - didn't quite work out for the Saturday Show! don't mind Tucker returning. I watched the re-runs of early GH back in the early 1990s on BBC2, and found that to be GH at its best. Back to Kelly, he's not too chatty about his GH 'day-job', not the kind of "don't you know who I am?" celeb. He's been getting down to work with the builders at revamping this wine bar and only acknowledges being a GH actor if you mention it. The other day a guy belted out "HERE! YOU'RE IN GRANGE HILL, AREN'T YOU!?" in the middle of the street, with Kelly sheepishly nodding! When the bar is up-and-running, you will be able to go in there and probably get served by him (or Omar). We're about 70 miles north of London, in the county of Northamptonshire. In a 'life-imitates-art' style coincidence, "Ray" is to run a bar in the new series of GH. (He told me the Arches got burnt down!)
Hi - many thanks for sharing that with us! Ray is one of GH's most popular characters so a lot of people will be delighted to hear he's back. Interesting to hear about Kelly's new bar - wish him good luck from us, if I'm ever in Northamptonshire I might pop in! The last time we saw The Arches it was boarded up - obviously Grange Hill's fire was quite devastating...
Footage of Roland please! 16/8/02
Vikas Morjaria has a suggestion: "Many thanks for a brilliant and informative website, I particularly like the archive video, and Star File sections. I would like to place a request. can you possibly put a clip on your site of Roland Browning, my favourite character. I remember a great scene in an early 80's episode when Grange Hill went to Chessington, Roland had his jumper taken and was found in the cafe. also his interaction with a character called Janette (I think that that was her name) with her always saying "I'm only trying to help you Ro-land", always managed to raise a smile. BTW, have you heard anything about the BBC either screening the early series again or releasing them on DVD? anyway great site, All the best for the future.Hi Vikas - welcome to GH Online! As you say there's no footage of Roland in the Video Vault right now, but we'll see what we can do! Still no news about any videos/DVDs - why not contact BBC Worldwide and ask them? Their address is www.bbcworldwide.com. Thanks for your kind comments!
Making contact with Gripper 16/8/02
Darren Stokes wants to contact his hero: "Mark Savage said recently that he's still working . I wonder what he's up to? There is hardly anything about him on the net apart from on GH Online! Who is his agent? How can we support this great actor?" Hi Darren - Mark is indeed a great actor but sadly we have no contact address for him. Try Artists' Records at www.spotlightcd.com. These days Mark is working on indie films and recently appeared in C4's "Top Ten" series.
Jackie swaps Zammo for PR work 12/8/02
Let's welcome John Cope to the site: "Just thought I'd say you have an excellent web site and with a bit of gossip I cant find listed on your website. I have just been on Holiday to Malia in Crete and my friend noticed the actress who use to play Zammo's girlfriend and she appeared in the Just Say No song. She is presently PRing for a club called Cloud 9. Please could you mail me back with her GH name and proper name as its on the tip of my tongue and its annoying me."
Hi John - thanks for the kind comments. Melissa Wilks played Zammo's girlfriend Jackie Wright from 1984-1987. Prior to Grange Hill she co-presented "Our Show" and appeared most recently on Sky's "Boiled Egg And Soldiers". Thanks for telling us abut her new PR job - many readers will be interested!
Mr Kennedy joins EastEnders 12/8/02
More Square-spotting from Malcolm Neale: "Jeffery Kissoon who played Mr Kennedy in the mid-80s was in EastEnders on Friday night playing a character called Milton. Judging by the papers it would seem that Jeffery is going to play quite a large part during the next few episodes. Have a look at him. He too has changed; fatter and far less athletic than when he was in GH. I only recognised him by his voice. Incidentally, when I was teaching one of my colleagues was at college with him; he was training to be a drama teacher." Hi Malcolm! Looks like a good few GH stars have joined EastEnders lately. We'll definitely be looking out for Jeffery. What a coincidence he was training to be a drama teacher, and played one in Grange Hill!
Writing to Fiona Wade 12/8/02
Mo asks: "I recently visited your page about Fiona Wade who was in Grange Hill and 24:Seven. You said she was a nice girl if we wrote to her, so do you have her address because Iwould like to write to her. Thanks." No problem Mo. Fiona can be contacted c/o Boden Agency, 6 Windmill Hill, Enfield, Essex EN2. Good luck!
Vikki goes for the hard sell 08/8/02
More observations from Les B: "Just to let you know that Vikki (Emma Willis) is in an advert for Tampax Compact shown on TV tonight. If Miss Carver is not in next Series and Mr Robson is, then it seems as if the new Mrs Robson, could have met a sticky end. Pleased to see that Charlie McDonagh (Lisa) will be appearing in The Bill." Thanks Les; Emma's ad has been on for while but let's hope it's not too long before Charlie is back on screen!
Writing to Judi 08/8/02
Paul Blakeley: "Hi. first let me say how much I appreciate the work you've done on the website, all the details of the actors and actresses are really well put together, well done and keep up the good work! Secondly I was wondering if it would be possible to have some contact information regarding Laura Sadler, I've always been a great fan of her work and would love to have an autograph. Please could you send me any contact information you have." Hi Paul. Laura is currently appearing in Holby City so you can write to her at the studios: BBC Elstree Centre, Clarendon Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire WD6 1JF. I'm sure Laura will oblige!
A clip of Mr Hopwood please! 05/8/02
Gillian Dunlop asks: "Is there any chance of showing an old episode of Grange Hill where Brian Capron played Mr Stuart Hopwood? I'm a fan of Brian who is now in Coronation Street as Richard Hillman. Please let me know if you could show an old episode of him." Hi Gillian. We can't put full episodes of GH on the site because of copyright among other things. But if the opportunity arises we'll certainly include a clip of Brian, so keep watching!
Mick moves to the Square 05/8/02
Malcolm Neale has been Square-spotting: "In case you haven't spotted it I thought you might like to know that Joseph Kpobie, who played bad boy Mick (Daniels?) in GH (1992-3) has been in EastEnders this week playing a character called Julie. In GH he was the leader of the cigarette gang with Frank, Grimbo and Barry Timpson." Thanks Malcolm! Joseph has been busy since leaving GH - with two appearances in "Casualty" (playing different characters) and "A Touch Of Frost". So it was only a matter of time before he turned up in Albert Square!
Writing to Arnie 05/8/02
Issy Sampson asks: "Do you have the address for Aidan J. David's agent? Do you know what happened to 'Arnie'? Thank you." Sure do Issy! Write to Aidan c/o The Abacus Agency, Milton Brook Cottage, Westcott Road, Dorking RH3 3PU. In the show Arnie left Grange Hill after completing his A-levels. Will he return? Who knows!
Link GH Online to EBay! 01/8/02
Andrew Humphrey has a suggestion: "I was hoping your GH site might have a bulletin board area or something because I have one of the novels up for auction on ebay.co.uk, and wanted to let fans know. Maybe you could add a link in your books section to an Ebay serach for "grange hill"? That way, visitors could check whether there are any GH items for sale at any time. Anyway, the book is at http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1553175767. Cheers"
Great idea Andrew - we'll look into the possibility of an EBay search. Thanks for telling us about the book you have for sale - if anyone's interested, click on the link now! GH Online doesn't have a bulletin board but we can use the School Noticeboard to publicise anything of interest ie. news, for sales etc.
UPDATE: Lisa in anti-drink campaign? 01/8/02
Last month Nicola Mackie asked if Charlie McDonagh (Lisa) had appeared in an anti-drinking commercial for the Scottish health educationboard HEBS. Sean Seymour replies: "Since I live in Aberdeen I see the HEBS ads and the girl ISN'T Lisa, however in 1999 Iain Robertson (Sean Pearce) appeared in an anti drink campaign for HEBS." Thanks for confirming that Sean. Hope this answers your question Nicola!
The fans do it best! 01/8/02
Now for some anonymous compliments: "I spent a good hour yesterday looking at the different GH websites on the link page and I have got to say that compared to Phil Redmond's site, the sites made by fans are miles better. Phil tends to review the old days, whereas the fansites have a mixture, Well done! I would also like to say how glad I am that finally, Grange Hill are releasing more information on series 26, keep up the research!" Thanks for your comments - flattery will get you everywhere! Don't wish to sound boastful, but journalists prefer fan sites for research because people who are genuinely interested in a programme know more about it. With official sites the enthusiasm may not be there. Keep it here for more info on Series 26!
Sally Morton in pop video? Never! 01/8/02
The Lilac Pilgrim thinks we've got it wrong: "I think Kerr Avon might have been mistaken. When he said he saw a message about Sally Morton (Tracy) being in a pop video, I wondered also, but when I re-read Mr. Avon's message, I realised it was probably my own message about Sally GEOGHEGAN (Miss Carver) being in S Club Jnrs video of One Step Closer, seeing as how you never put which Sally it was. Also to Mr Kerr Avon, sorry to disappoint you that it's not an indie band if I'm right. Although, if my theory is correct, Sally Morton and probably even the rest of the cast shouldn't go off and do pop vids!"
Hi Pilgrim - now you've confused me! We are aware that Sally Geoghegan appeared in the S Club Juniors video alongside Lee Cornes (Mr Hankin); according to Kerr, Sally Morton has appeared in an indie pop video but we don't know whose it was. Hope that irons things out. If YOU know what video Sally Morton has appeared in, please let us know!
