Grange Hill cast now - casino boss, homelessness and tragic deaths
Grange Hill is one of the most beloved children's TV series to have ever graced our screens - and people are still obsessed with the show almost 15 years after the last episode.
The popular school-based series tackled a range of hard-hitting topics from knife crime to heroin addiction - and was even slapped with a racist and offensive language warning on streaming service Britbox.
There have been rumours of a revival for the series, which first aired more than 40 years ago, with creator Phil Redmond suggesting the original cast could come back as parents. A number of cast members have reunited over the years, but sadly not all of them are with us now.
Most recently, Grange Hill star Stuart Organ died at the age of 72 and last year Alan Humphries actor George Armstrong died aged 60 following a battle with leukaemia.
There is an upsetting list of tragedies that have plagued the former stars of Grange Hill. A few cast members tragically passed away, with some having battled cancer while some had to deal with issues such as homelessness and being imprisoned.
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One star of the show now runs a casino, while others have become major movie and TV stars. So what happened to the child stars once that school bell rang for the final time?
Grange Hill actor Stuart Organ died aged 72 in February 2034 (BBC)Peter Robson - Stuart Organ
Grange Hill star Stuart Organ died at the age of 72 in February, 2024. He is best known for for playing PE and geography teacher Peter Robson, who later became headteacher, in the much-loved BBC children's drama.
The actor quit the show in 2003 after the production moved to Liverpool but remained one of the longest-serving members of the Grange Hill staff. Before starring in Grange Hill, Stuart appeared in the hit soap Brookside as Kevin Cross and also starred in the BBC sci-fi series Doctor Who, where he acted alongside Sylvester McCoy as Bazin.
He also featured in medical dramas Casualty and Holby City and several films such as Those Glory Glory Days in 1990, Present Spirits in 1994 and Fork In The Road in 1997. Organ began his professional acting career at Leeds Playhouse in 1975 in a performance of Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead, a spin-off of William Shakespeare's Hamlet. He also performed as Judge Turpin in Queens Theatre Hornchurch's Sweeney Todd.
But in recent years, Stuart turned his back on television and instead returned to his theatre roots. Across his career, he's performed as Egeus in The Comedy of Errors at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre in 2004. However, his last stage credit came in 2007 as he took on the role of Major Powell in Corpse.
Alan Humphries - George Armstrong
George Armstrong died aged 60Former Grange Hill star George Armstrong died at the age of 60 in July 2023. The actor, who played Alan Humphries in the TV show, died on July 11 after a 'long battle with Leukaemia,' it was reported.
A Grange Hill fan account took to Twitter to share the devastating news, with many fans following suit as they reminisced about the show. George's character, Alan, was a key original character between 1978 and 1982.
The actor was part of the show for its first five series, with his character joining Todd Carty's Tucker Jenkins for three series of the spin-off series, Tucker's Luck. George was also known for his role as PC Driscoll in The Bill in 1989. He soon left acting and became a Technical Theatre Manager at a public school.
Samuel 'Zammo' McGuire - Lee MacDonald
Lee was just 12 years old when he started playing the role of ZammoLee was just 12 years old when he started playing the role of Zammo - taking part in the show from 1982 until 1987. To this day, Zammo's heroin addiction remains one of the show's heaviest storylines. After bowing out of the role, Lee turned his attention to becoming a professional boxer but his career was ended before it could take off.
His hopes and dreams were dashed when he was involved in a horrific car accident that saw him thrown through the window screen. The actor required 40 stitches in his head and was told it could take one year to recover his memory, but worst of all he told that he would never box again.
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"I was absolutely devastated," he told The Guardian in 2009. "After the celebrity of being in Grange Hill and the excitement of the boxing, here I was, aged 21, working in a wholesaler. I remember thinking, 'I can't box any more, 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."
Lee continued acting, making cameo appearances in The Bill and Birds of a Feather before landing a role on EastEnders in 2019 - playing a hilarious bus driver who clashed with Danny Dyer's Mick Carter.
"I am absolutely chuffed to bits and so excited to be briefly joining the cast of EastEnders. I can’t say too much yet but watch this space. Top banana," he said. He has also spent many years working as a locksmith in Wallington, Surrey.
In September this year, Lee 'finally' got married to his girlfriend Jess. He shared the sweet news on Twitter with a snap of the newlyweds walking out of the church. The actor captioned his wedding pic: "Just got hitched" - which went down a storm with fans.
Benny Green - Terry Sue-Patt
Terry Sue-Patt starred as Benny GreenTerry Sue-Patt starred as Benny Green - the first ever pupil to be shown on screen in the debut episode of the show. "I basically played myself in Grange Hill", he later recalled.
"There weren't many black actors about on TV at that time. I had a great time, getting time off school to play football. It was a bit of a dream come true, really." After playing the role from 1978 to 1982, Terry went on to appear in Channel 4 comedy Desmond's and 1989 film The Firm.
Sadly, Terry was found dead at his home in London in May 2015. 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.
"Terry’s successful and eventful life was tragically cut short. He was our cherished son, brother, uncle and friend and will be sadly missed."
Peter 'Tucker' Jenkins - Todd Carty
Todd Carty went onto become on of the most recognisable faces in Grange HillHaving first appeared in a Woolworths advert aged four, Todd Carty went on to become one of the most recognisable faces in Grange Hill. Todd played the role of Tucker for four years, then became the star of the spin-off series Tucker's Luck from 1983 to 1985.
His most famous role was Mark Fowler on EastEnders, having taken over from original actor David Scarboro in 1990 after his death. Todd became one of the longest-serving cast members over 13 years until Mark rode off on his motorbike in 2013 and died off-screen a year later.
It was then revealed that Todd had broken his EastEnders contract a year early so he could play PC Gabriel Kent in The Bill. Todd actually returned to Grange Hill in 2003, reprising the role of Tucker in one episode, then came back for the final ever series in 2008.
The actor did become a bit of a viral sensation during his stint on Dancing on Ice in 2009 when he lost control on the ice and unintentionally skated out of the studio. Ironically, Todd was skating to The Beatles' hit Help when he apologetically returned to the ice.
Suzanne Ross - Susan Tully
Susan Tully started out as Suzanne Ross in Grange HillSusan Tully started out as Suzanne Ross in Grange Hill but is definitely most famous for playing the original Michelle Fowler in EastEnders. Her character was involved in many huge storylines, including teenage pregnancy and that controversial affair with her best friend's dad, Dirty Den Watts.
Susan decided to leave EastEnders in 1995 and gave up acting altogether to start working behind the camera as a director and producer. She has directed episodes of EastEnders, The Bill, Silent Witness, Lark Rise to Candleford and Line of Duty.
Michelle returned to EastEnders with a new face, being played by actress Jenna Russell, but Susan had turned down offers to return and given her blessing for the role to be recast.
Roland 'Roly' Browning - Erkan Mustafa
Roly was the bullied kid who found the courage to stand up for himselfRoly was the bullied kid who found the courage to stand up for himself after years of abuse from his peers. Erkan Mustafa, who starred in the show from 1982 until 1987, said: "I was just a normal child attending school.
"The national press were advertising the fact that they couldn’t find a fat child at stage school to appear in Grange Hill. A teacher put me up for the role and said “Go on. You can do it."
After leaving the show, Erkan appeared in Blackadder's Christmas Carol and has worked as a presenter for E4 Music. Erkan hosted a Grange Hill cast reunion in a nightclub in Leicester Square back in 2009.
Most recently he has appeared as himself on Celebrity Juice, Pointless Celebrities and Soccer AM.
Eric 'Ziggy' Greaves - George Christopher
George played Scouse joker Ziggy from 1986 to 1989George played Scouse joker Ziggy from 1986 to 1989 but struggled to deal with the fame having joined the show aged 15. He went on to play drug addict Little Jimmy Corkhill in Channel 4 soap Brookside before taking on stage roles.
In 1989, George sadly lost his grandmother and then he witnessed the Hillsborough disaster, which he never thought he could talk about because he wasn’t directly involved as he sat in a different stand. In January last year, George opened up on how he spent years secretly battling an undiagnosed mental health disorder, which left him hospitalised multiple times.
George was only diagnosed with bipolar at the age of 43 and didn't speak to any of his co-stars about his struggles.
At the exact moment George thought something serious might be wrong, he described: “On the Isle of Wight I just started crying for no reason. I’m not a person that cries a lot, but I just found myself breaking down doing scenes and I would just walk away and hide behind a rock. It sounds mad, but just to get composed.”
Having successfully been cast in Grange Hill, George moved to London with his family, but after about four years the pressure started to get to him. George explained: “Things build up. I’m not saying fame is a bad thing, because it can be a good thing, but sometimes it can be a bad thing - you can meet the wrong people. Being recognised everywhere you go, was starting to get to me a bit at that age."
Robert 'Robbie' Wright - John Alford
John Alford played Robbie for five yearsJohn Alford played Robbie for five years before starring in the popular 90s show London's Burning. The actor had a short-lived singing career in the mid-90s and managed to get three singles in the top 30 of the UK charts.
He also had a part in a football comedy called What’s The Score? and also appeared in Mike Bassett: England Manager. However, his acting career was left in tatters when he was convicted of supplying drugs to 'Fake Sherik' journalist Mazher Mahmood in 1999 and imprisoned for nine months.
Speaking about the conviction, the actor told Panorama: "No one can give me the 18 years I’ve lost, no one can give me that back." In January 2019, Alford pleaded guilty to two counts of resisting an officer and was given a 12-month community order.
Tracy Edwards - Amanda Mealing
Amanda joined the show in series two playing Tracy EdwardsAmanda joined the show in series two playing Tracy Edwards. While the actress' stint was fairly short, she would go on to have longer roles on Holby City and Casualty.
At the age of 34, Amanda discovered she had breast cancer just days after welcoming her second son. Desperate to look after her newborn baby, Amanda quickly underwent a biopsy before having an urgent mastectomy.
She told The Express: "I didn't wallow in self-pity, the anger I felt made me very pro-active. I decided I would do everything I needed to do to fight the cancer and I wouldn't let it take over my life.
"It had taken my health and my time but that was it. In the seven months of chemo, plus three weeks of daily radiotherapy, I tried to live as normally as I could." Thankfully, Amanda was eventually given the all clear.
The actress has also moved behind the camera, directing three episodes of Casualty and a short film.
Terence 'Tegs' Ratcliffe - Sean Maguire
Sean Maguire was just 11 when he rose to fame playing TegsSean Maguire was just 11 when he rose to fame playing Tegs. The actor went on to appear in EastEnders as Aidan Brosnan and had roles in Holby City, The Bill and Scott & Bailey.
During the 90s, Sean turned his attention to music, releasing two albums and eight singles which made their way into the top 30 in the UK singles charts. He wet on to star in film Meet the Spartans ,which was voted Worst Film of 2008 by The Times.
His career took a major boost when he was cast as Robin Hood on US TV show Once Upon a Time.
Joseph 'Hughsey' Hughes - Donald Waugh
Donald Waugh played Hughsey on Grange HillDonald Waugh played Hughsey on Grange Hill from 1978 to 1980. After leaving the show he struggled with alcoholism and watched his life spiral out of control.
Eventually the actor was forced to live on the streets - an experience which he says 'opened his eyes'. He now dedicates his time to helping the homeless.
Speaking about the enterprise Pavement to Catwalk, Donald said: "Working with and being homeless for a period of time has opened my eyes to the potential and talent within this un-tapped society. In this I have learned that the secret to helping yourself is to help others. I still hold this very close to my heart today."
Fay Lucas - Alison Bettles
Alison Bettles was part of the Grange Hill family from 1982 until 1987Alison Bettles was part of the Grange Hill family from 1982 until 1987 playing Fay Lucas, who had an affair with one of her teachers. After leaving the show, Alison appeared in EastEnders spin-off CivvyStreet set during the second world war as a young Ethel Skinner.
She also starred in The Bill and London's Burning, but gave up acting in the 90s and qualified as a beauty therapist. Her son Albert starred as the creepy gas mask child in that episode of Doctor Who that had us all hiding behind sofas.
Gary Hargreaves - Mark Farmer
Mark Farmer played football-loving Gary i (BBC)Mark Farmer played football-loving Gary in the first three series of Grange Hill before moving on. He went on to star in Channel 4 sitcom Relative Strangers and the TV drama film Mister Corbett's Ghost.
Once his acting career ended, Mark formed a band called Littlehouse with his school classmate and other friends. Sadly, Mark tragically passed away following a short battle with cancer in April 2016. News of his death was announced on a Grange Hill Twitter account, which posted: "It is with great sadness we report that Mark Farmer aka Gary Hargreaves died earlier today. RIP."
Caroline 'Calley' Donnington - Simone Hyams
Simone Hymas is best known for her role as CalleySimone Hymas is best known for her role as Calley in Grange Hill, which she starred in from 1985 until 1991. She went on to appear in The Bill, Baywatch and had a role in 1993 film Dirty Weekend. In a drastic change, Simone then started working as a corporate events manager for Richard Branson's Virgin Group.
Luke 'Gonch' Gardener - John Holmes
John Holmes as Gonch (BBC)After starring as Gonch from 1989 to 1985, actor John Holmes left Grange Hill to go back into education. He studied at the University Of East Anglia and spent several years as president of the Student Union. According to The Daily Star, John gave up now works as the manager of a casino.
Trisha Yates - Michelle Herbert
Michelle, who played bad girl Trisha Yates, left the show in 1982Michelle, who played bad girl Trisha Yates, left the show in 1982 after five series. The actress was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 and was forced to endure a lumpectomy and a mastectomy to remove the breast in August 2021.
After the procedures, she also suffered from a haematoma - a blood clot caused by a ruptured blood vessel inside the breast tissue. Michelle told The Mirror: "I was really ill and they had to drain blood from my breast. There was even talk of me needing a blood transfusion, but thankfully I recovered."
Michelle has since been given the all-clear.
Julie Marchant - Lisa York
Julie Marchant played Lisa YorkJulie Marchant played Lisa York for five series of Grange Hill from 1983 to 1987. After finishing on the show, Lisa told Grange Hill Gold that she did a bit of acting before moving to Australia.
Christopher 'Stupot' Stewart - Mark Burdis
Mark Burdis played the role of Christopher 'Stewpot' StewartMark Burdis played the role of Christopher 'Stewpot' Stewart from 1981 to 1985. After leaving the school drama, the actor appeared in A Touch Of Frost and the first feature length addition of Only Fools And Horses.
He has also been in The Bill and played Gary Rawlings, a rival fruit and veg stall holder to Mark Fowler in EastEnders. Mark had a starring role in that slightly annoying 'Kev, BEV' AA advert from 2009.
His career has now taken a different turn as he has worked as an announcer for boxing matches for several years.
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