A statement by the actor's family revealed that he'd been fighting demons before his death. He was so popular as the lovable rogue Tucker that he got his own series, Tuckers Luck, for three years. You can change your choices at any time by clicking on the 'Privacy dashboard' links on our sites and apps. He spoke to the Liverpool ECHO back in 2019 about his struggles as he said: "I tried to commit suicide in the early 1990s, because I thought I was going to feel the way I did forever. Copyright 2009-2023 Simplyeighties.com Accompanied by a good mint yoghurt sauce, bhajis don't get much better than this', I asked Tenby locals if the town was just way too popular now - they all had the same reply. Want to know where the cast of Grange Hill are now? One of her most notable stoyrlines was having an affair with one of her teachers, Mr King, and she sang on Just Say No. The actor admitted himself to a residential rehab clinic in a bit to get sober, but left the facility to go on a deadly drinking binge. BBC bosses appeared to make a nod to his past in The Bill when creating his character, making Jack a former copper with a murky past. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Their youngest, Elly, grew up to become an international pop star as part of electro duo La Roux, producing massive hits such as In for the Kill and Bulletproof. Powell's agent shared the sad news on behalf of her family, saying that she had passed away last Thursday. Denny Roberts, played by Lisa Hammond, was the first person on the show with dwarfism, while Rachel Burns (Francesca Martinez) had cerebral palsy. Donald played Joseph 'Hughsey' Hughes on Grange Hill from 1978 to 1980. gtag('js', new Date()); Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Gwyneth will be greatly missed by her adoring family and friends along with her many fans from multiple TV appearances.. Tourists complain Snowdon is 'too steep' and would be 'better in Cornwall', 'What are they thinking? But, the now-50-year-old was caught in a drugs sting in 2019. Mark's untimely death is the. One of the original castmembers when the show started in 1984, Eric Richard appeared in almost 800 episodes before stepping down in 2001. As well as acting, Wingett had directed several stage productions such as Good to Firm and Lone Star. Since then, Bill has appeared in British gangster films Rise of the Footsoldier and Rollin' With The Nines. The Golden Wonder crisps-loving schoolboy offered Erkan opportunities, and he later starred in Lenny Henry's 90s sitcom Chef! Now 80, the actor's credits also include Fawlty Towers and Vera. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Shocking scenes showed Zammo letting his dealer Doug riffle through his mum's belongings and pick out stuff to sell in exchange for drugs. Movies. Gone far too soon. His family said he was a "kind and lovely" man who had been "a privilege to know". * On joining the actors' union Equity at the age of 16, it was necessary for some Grange Hill actors to change their professional names to avoid confusion with existing artists with the same name.. She also starred as Mum in Channel 4 sitcom Man Down from 2013-2018, and was recently on an episode of Pointless Celebrities with George Wilson who played Ziggy. Michelle told The Mirror: "I was really ill and they had to drain blood from my breast. We've only just started like working through the script. Bettles was one of the cast members to take part in the famous Just Say No single, to promote an anti-drugs . Millions have watched her work as a director on episodes of Line Of Duty. Talking about his time on the show, he said: "I basically played myself in Grange Hill. Graham has also appeared in gangster horror film Evil Never Dies, Doctors and Holby City. It is indeed! The popular actor, . He went on to act in London's Burning and even enjoyed a stint as a pop star. ", Theatre director Liam Rudden added: "Sorry to read that the actor Lee Whitlock has left us at the age of just 54. He studied for a time at Swansea University had has appeared on shows like Soccer AM and Celebrity Juice and, after a spell as a caterer, he is now a director and writer. Today fans are mourning the passing of Lee Whitlock, who played Bevis Loveday in series 16 in 1993. The British star began his career a child actor in the early 1980s before . "I decided I would do everything I needed to do to fight the cancer and I wouldn't let it take over my life. Music - "I Don't Want To Do This Without You" by 'Late Night. Grange Hill star Mark Farmer has sadly passed away at the age of 53. Kevin died aged 49 just a week after filming his final scenes for The Bill, and Tosh continued to appear on screen for a month after his death. I want the theme tune, I want the badge, I want a sausage on the fork. Something went wrong, please try again later. He went on to be part of other soaps such as Brookside appearing as Little Jimmy Corkhill. The series, created by Phil Redmond, ended in 2008 after 30 years in which it made headlines with storylines about heroin addiction, suicide and homosexuality. Devoted fans started a 'Save the Bill' campaign on social media in a bid to convince ITV to reconsider their decision, but it fell on deaf ears. He has also developed film scripts and published three successful children's novels. If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. Fans of the classic children's show Grange Hill are mourning the death of actor Nicholas Donnelly; . The actor, who lived in Hampstead, died in May 2021 at the age of 83. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Nowadays, Jeff looks completely different to his iconic character in The Bill. Alison Bettles, now 48, played Fay Lucas from 1982 to 1987 in six series of the show. Sharing the sad news, his niece Louisa Rossi said: "Unfortunately George Rossi who played DC Duncan Lennox passed away the morning of Wednesday 5th January 2022.". Erkan portrayed the intelligent but badly bullied boy between 1982 and 1987. Actor Andrew Lancel wrote on Twitter: "I was always a fan of Lee Whitlock since Shine on Harvey Moon. He later appeared as apprentice footballer Aidan Brosnan on. Grange Hill ran for 30 years until 2008 and covered major issues from drug use to teen pregnancy, HIV and knife crime. This list includes all of the Grange Hill main actors and actresses, so if they are an integral part of the show you'll find them below.You can various bits of trivia about these Grange Hill stars, such as where the actor was born and what their year of birth is. Both of them were accepted as part of the gang and refused to accept special treatment because of their conditions. Menu. Welsh actor Celyn Jones is co-writing the movie and says: "In a previous life, I played Mr Green the English teacher in Grange Hill. (modern). The 45-year-old joined the drama when he was around 11 - with the actor playing the role from 1988 until his departure in 1991. His character was written out after resigning under the grounds of being traumatised by the death of colleagues in a bomb blast. _yts.push(["_trackPageview"]); The actress, now 54, also lost part of her breast during her procedure. Whitlock played the role of Moons young son Stanley across five seasons between 1982 and 1985. He choked to death on his own vomit after returning to his room at the facility. Doctor Who star Ann Davies has died aged 87. Mark's untimely death is the latest in a list of tragedies that have plagued the former stars of Grange Hill. Thanks for your support! He remained in the role for a number of years until he left in 1991. Find out more about how we use your personal data in our privacy policy and cookie policy. Lee is fondly remembered for his performance as Phil in Two Of Us, a powerful LGBTQ+ BBC drama about a relationship between two schoolboys, which aired in 1987. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. "It had taken my health and my time but that was it. In 2020, he got engaged to his long-term partner, Jess. After leaving the show he struggled with alcoholism and watched his life spiral out of control. Grange Hill. In just a short space of time we've sadly seen cast members die young, fight cancer and deal with issues such as homelessless. Sadly, the popular actor was found dead in his flat in Walthamstow back in 2015. Lee joined the show when he was 12, playing Zammo Maguire from 1982 to 1987. Privacy Policy, EastEnders spoilers: Sonia throws Reiss out after gobsmacking discovery, Emmerdale spoilers: Sarah catches Mackenzie and Chloe together after big return in new video clip, Tragic EastEnders death confirmed as funeral scenes filmed. Join the community by leaving a comment below andstay updated on all things soaps on our homepage. More than 23 million are said to have watched the Christmas Day episode that year - in which Aidan tried to take his own life. Lee was a great character & a great actor who has left a legacy of brave & groundbreaking work achieved at a particularly young age. I can reveal Sir Phil Redmond suggested that it was time to bring back Grange Hill. Candidly the actor expressed he felt his whole life would "fall away" after the "shock was enormous". Sadly, George is not the only member of The Bill cast who has passed away since the series came to an end in 2010. The actor was best known for his appearances in Grange Hill and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber. He was 67. . 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, with the original cast featured.. Simone appeared in the first episode of Grange Hill and played the role of Calley in Grange Hill. All rights reserved. Read more:Trisha Yates discovers breast cancer while drying her hair. Simon toured the UK in the stage production of The Full Monty in 1997, then reprised his role of Gerald in the West End in 2014. Chris has since made appearances in shows such as EastEnders, Judge John Deed, New Tricks and Come Dine With Me. The violent bully, played by Iain Robertson, would carry a knife and slashed Judi Jeffries' face, leaving her scarred for the rest of her short life. Bully boy Gripper was a terrible thug, played by Mark Savage from 1981 to 1983, who was expelled. GRANGE Hill was one of the nation's most beloved children's TV series and launched the careers of several famous faces we know today. var yts = document.createElement("script"); Call Us Today! At the age of 34, Amanda discovered she had breast cancer just days after welcoming her second son. The actor now helps others less fortunate. Until they are in that school dinner queue we cannot say who will be coming back. Police said they believed his body had been there more more than a month. 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Powell's agent shared the sad news on behalf of her family, saying that. "I was absolutely devastated," he told The Guardian in 2009. While the actress' stint was fairly short, she would go on to have longer roles on Holby City and Casualty. But the procedure still leaves you without an important part of your identity as a woman.. Lee Whitlock, who starred in Grange Hill and Sweeney Todd, has died aged 54 London-born Lee, 54, went on to appear alongside Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter in the 2007 film Sweeney. This week it was announced that Grange Hill: The Movie is due out later this year, with creator Phil Redmond saying the script is ready with plans to bring back former alumni for the film. However, you will be sad to hear that four of them, who played iconic or lead characters during the 1970s and 80s, have sadly passed away since the series ended in 2008. TV Shows. _yts.push(["_userId", tracking_tag.getAttribute('data-user')]); When they told me that they weren't going to take up my contract any more, the shock was enormous and I just thought my whole life is going to fall away here "I thought, 'What will I do? He left Walford in the following episode. Kevin became well-known for playing Detective Constable Tosh Lines in the show, but his life was marred by tragedy as he battle alcholism for many years. I think bringing back Grange Hill was the bat signal he couldn't ignore any longer. Susan, 54, is extremely private about her personal life and is now one of the most respected directors in television. You might remember him as Kev from the "Bev? Sadly the actor was found dead in his flat in Walthamstow, London, in 2015, aged 50. })(); He was 67. During lockdown last year, the cast reunited for a special video chat to discuss their time on the iconic show. After bowing out of the role, Lee turned his attention to becoming a professional boxer. He also made an, erm, memorable appearance on Dancing on Ice in 2009. One of the most shocking storylines on the show portrayed the downward spiral of Zammo McGuire, played by Lee MacDonald, as he succumbed to his heroin addiction. Lee Whitlock has died at the age of 54. He was 50. The actor - best known for playing Gary Hargreaves - had reportedly been battling cancer . The actress was forced to endure a lumpectomy and a mastectomy to remove the breast in August. Grange Hill was a groundbreaking show for many reasons, It followed the dramatic lives of the students and teachers at the local school, Zammo McGuire became addicted to heroin in the show, The Grange Hill cast - (L-R) Lee Macdonald, Gwyneth Powell, Erkan Mustapha, Karen Ford and Terry Sue Patt, He started a fire that inadvertently killed her when she slipped and fell from the fire escape, The shocking death marked the show's 20th anniversary, Rachel Burns (Francesca Martinez) was one of the first characters with a disability. Many of the original cast members from the first 2 series are credited as characters in 1982 yet appeared in many cases in only one scene with the majority appearing only in one episode and were not . 1. Fans loved how, despite horrific bullying, Roly always stood up for himself. Powell was best known for playing headteacher Bridget McClusky between 1981 and 1991 and also appeared in Channel 4 comedy show Man Down. Playing the popular rebel won her the part of Michelle Fowler in EastEnders which she played for a decade. It was a joy to work with him twice and to know him as a funny, gentle, lovely man. He told The Scotsman in 2010: "I started in March 1984 and left in January 2008 and, of the original cast, was in the show the longest. He was our cherished son, brother, uncle and friend and will be sadly missed.". Since leaving The Bill, he continued acting, with roles in shows such as Law & Order: UK and indulged his long love of singing with annual panto appearances. Michelle, who played bad girl Trisha Yates, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. She also moved to Los Angeles for a time before returning to London to set up a publicity firm. Car finance with Flow Car -Configure multiple finance quotations in seconds - Manage your application entirely online - Finance a car without receiving unwanted sales calls - Get the best available rate Feed with access to over 380,000+ available vehicles nationwide for you to choose from. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. authenticate users, apply security measures, and prevent spam and abuse, and, display personalised ads and content based on interest profiles, measure the effectiveness of personalised ads and content, and, develop and improve our products and services. Since , six actors who appeared in Home Alone have sadly passed away. authenticate users, apply security measures, and prevent spam and abuse, and, display personalised ads and content based on interest profiles, measure the effectiveness of personalised ads and content, and, develop and improve our products and services. A cause of death has not been disclosed. He is now a boxing ring announcer as well as an actor. This is their stories. Tributes have been flooding in for Whitlock on social media following the tragic news of his death. _yts.push(["_siteId", tracking_tag.getAttribute('data-id')]); After leaving Grange Hill, he worked as a locksmith and more recently he appeared in EastEnders, playing Terry until his run ended last year. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Grange Hill remains one of the most hallowed children's programmes of the 80s and 90s - looked back on with fondness by fans and a jealous nostalgia by those who were banned from watching it by their parents. 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During her time away from acting she qualified as a beauty therapist, and in 2005 she set up a specialist freight forwarding company called Kenvale Recruitment. Terry played Tucker Jenkins footie-loving pal Benny and was the first child through the school gates back in February, 1978. The cast even recorded a single called Just Say No imploring young fans of the show not to give in to peer pressure and to stay away from drugs. Read more:Terry Sue-Patt's body 'so decomposed police identified him from pictures'. She has four children and two of her sons have followed her into acting with roles in Dr Who and EastEnders. Her obsession with maintaining high standards riled many of the pupils, particularly when she banned certain articles from appearing in the school magazine. After The Bill, the actor joined the cast of EastEnders as gangster Johnny Allen, who went to war with the Mitchells and the Moons. 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"After the celebrity of being in Grange Hill and the excitement of the boxing, here I was, aged 21, working in a wholesaler. Scott's character got romantically involved with Ronnie Mitchell, who was played by best mate Samantha Womack so some of the romantic scenes got a bit awkward. Eventually he was jailed after confessing to arranging Dennis Rickman's murder and he died from a heart attack in prison in 2006. He was handed a community order after resisting arrest in an incident involving a bin lorry. In 2007, Whitlock appeared in Tim Burtons musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, where he starred opposite big names including Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. He took part in Strictly Come Dancing in 2010 and left EastEnders in 2013, going on to reach the final of Celebrity MasterChef. Many of us have a favourite character or actor from, After an incredible 31 series (600 episodes), the very last episode aired on, Some of the cast were successful actors long before and after. There have been countless appearances from very famous faces over the years, including Keira Knightley, Russell Brand, Sean Bean, Hugh Laurie, Emma Bunton and Martin Freeman. Blackheads are one of the most common forms of blemishes associated with acne that can occur on the face, nose, neck, back, and chest. Todd, 58, is married to his childhood sweetheart Dina Clarkin. By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. A fan favourite, the actor first appeared on our screens in 1986 when he took on the role of Ziggy Greaves in Grange Hill. Read more:All the latest television and arts news here. So it had an enormous effect on me, of which I think most of the public are fairly well aware.".