Billy Murray played cold and calculated DS Don Beech from 1995 to 2004, but had previously played a different character in 1989. Sadly, Terry Sue-Patt (who played Grange Hill's Benny Green) was found dead aged 50 in 2015 after battling a drink problem. Today fans are mourning the passing of Lee Whitlock, who played Bevis Loveday in series 16 in 1993. Powell was best known for playing headteacher Bridget McClusky between 1981 and 1991 and also appeared in Channel 4 comedy show Man Down. (function() { From Grange Hill to London's Burning, Shine on Harvey Moon, Two of Us, The Bill and so much more, he was a such a well kent face of his generation. ", Try 12 issues for 1 today - never miss an issue. Gwyneth Powell, actor who played Grange Hill's headteacher, dies aged Although she secured regular work and appeared in a series of TV dramas, her career accelerated after being cast in the childrens series Grange Hill, about life in a comprehensive school. We've only just started like working through the script. I had a great time, getting time off school to play football. The now 51-year-old went on to manage a casino. While the actress' stint was fairly short, she would go on to have longer roles on Holby City and Casualty. Despite finding enormous success, Paulas life was thrown upside down after she found out she had stage three triple-negative breast cancer in 2018. * 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.. He entered Celebrity Big Brother in 2015, and lasted just under two weeks before being evicted. The pair have two sons. Michelle has since been given the all clear. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Grange Hill and Sweeney Todd actor Lee Whitlock dies aged 54 Saddened by the death of our client Lee Whitlock, they wrote on Twitter. Published: Monday, 20th February 2023 at 4:36 pm, Grange Hill and Sweeney Todd star Lee Whitlock dies, aged 54. The actor - best known for playing Gary Hargreaves - had reportedly been battling cancer . Both of them were accepted as part of the gang and refused to accept special treatment because of their conditions. 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. Here are just a few of the heartbreaking tragedies we've seen over the years: Terry, who played Benny Green, was found dead at his home in London in May 2015. Jeff went on to return to acting and went on to win international acclaim for his role in 2011 movie Under Jakob's Ladder. Set in the fictional north London suburb of Northam, the show followed the lives of the students and teachers who attended Grange Hill comprehensive. Mark's untimely death is the latest in a list of tragedies that have plagued the former stars of Grange Hill. "After the celebrity of being in Grange Hill and the excitement of the boxing, here I was, aged 21, working in a wholesaler. During 27 years on our screens, The Bill became a staple on the TV schedule, moving to post-watershed when storylines became even darker and more violent. 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. Since , six actors who appeared in Home Alone have sadly passed away. He was at the centre of one of Grange Hill's most impactful storylines, when the cheeky schoolboy developed a heroin addiction. *If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. I still hold this very close to my heart today. One of the most familiar faces on the show, the character retired when her relationship with DC Jim Carver came to a very abrupt end. Powell was married to the actor Alan Leith. 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. 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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. Despite being axed a decade ago, The Bill made a much-welcomed comeback to UKTV Play last year, with the channel airing classic episodes from the early years. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Fans loved how, despite horrific bullying, Roly always stood up for himself. Tributes have been flooding in for Whitlock on social media following the tragic news of his death. His character DS Bob Cryer left after being accidentally shot by PC Dale Smith, but made the occasional appearance after. "It had taken my health and my time but that was it. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. 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. Daily Mail article on Nicholas Donnelly's death, Grange Hill Retro Mug GiftBUY from AMAZONGrange Hill Series 5 & 6 DVDsBUY from AMAZON, Millmead, Mill Lane, Badsey, Worcestershire WR11 7EP, GB. _yts.push(["_trackPageview"]); As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Something went wrong, please try again later. He was 67. . He was also the first pupil to be shown in the debut episode. "Terrys successful and eventful life was tragically cut short. Grange Hill tragedies and triumphs: Drugs, death and crime as the He played Tegs Ratcliffe in Grange Hill then footballer Aidan Brosnan in EastEnders and also had a briefly successful music career. In an interview in theSunday Expressat the time, Paula revealed: When you hear the word cancer, you can't hear anything else, everything else becomes just white noise.. As well as starring in panto, Chris played the role of Stuart Sumner in Hollyoaks in 2019. He went on to be deputy head at Grange Hill before leaving in 1987 to run a leisure centre. Grange Hill's Mr Maurice Bronson aka Michael Sheard was born in Aberdeen Michael sadly died in 2005 Mr "Bullet" Baxter Mr Baxter ruled the PE department with an iron fist, rising to deputy. 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. Grange Hill star Mark Farmer has sadly passed away at the age of 53. It was a joy to work with him twice and to know him as a funny, gentle, lovely man. 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. Actor who played Grange Hill's Mr MacKenzie, Nicholas - Sky News It's a sad day for fans of The Bill, as it was announced George Rossi has tragically died at the age of 61. A cause of death has not been disclosed. Most recently, he appeared in the film Silver Birches in 2017 about an author struggling to rebuild his life after the untimely death of his wife. Nicholas Donnelly dead: Grange Hill actor famous for Mr - The Sun He left Walford in the following episode. surprise comeback 32 years after playing Zammo by joining EastEnders. Susan Tully starred as rebellious school girl Suzanne Ross in Grange Hill from 1980 to 1984, and was the daughter of Mrs Ross. In the seven months of chemo, plus three weeks of daily radiotherapy, I tried to live as normally as I could.". He remained in the role for a number of years until he left in 1991. He later appeared as apprentice footballer Aidan Brosnan on. Today he runs his own casino, according to The Daily Star. His psychopathic tendencies then escalated to the point of Judi's death, when she fell from the school fire escape while trying to escape from the blaze Sean had started deliberately. Discussing the pressure of bringing it back, he told BBC Breakfast: "If my hair could get any greyer it would do. The actor - best known for playing Gary Hargreaves - had reportedly been battling cancer . A statement by the actor's family revealed that he'd been fighting demons before his death. (document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0] || document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).appendChild(yts); Then keep reading below to find out more! The star of the classic BBC school drama - one of the longest-running shows in British televi Susan Tully landed her Grange Hill role in 1981, aged 13. 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. Her credits include Line of Duty, Lark Rise to Candleford and Secret Diary of a Call Girl. Actor Todd Carty is another Grange Hill alumni who moved on to pastures new at EastEnders. Since then, Bill has appeared in British gangster films Rise of the Footsoldier and Rollin' With The Nines. Soon after, in 1993, he joined the cast of EastEnders playing Aidan . She has since applied her talents behind the camera as a successful television director of shows including Secret Diary Of A Call Girl, Lark Rise To Candleford and Getting On. Afterwards she went on to land the role of Georgia Sharma in Emmerdale, appearing in the soap for four years from 2011 until 2015. Michelle, who played bad girl Trisha Yates, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. However, it seems it hasn't always been easy being famous and George has hit some bumps in the road during his career. If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. Audiences around the UK were gripped by Zammo's struggles with heroin addiction. However his hopes and dreams were dashed when he was involved in a horrific car accident that saw him thrown through the window screen. Former Grange Hill and Sweeney Todd actor Lee Whitlock has died aged 54, his acting agency confirmed on Monday. Actor Chris Simmons had actually been in the show twice before playing criminals, but became a regular cast member on the side of the good guys. yts.type = "text/javascript"; Denny Roberts, played by Lisa Hammond, was the first person on the show with dwarfism, while Rachel Burns (Francesca Martinez) had cerebral palsy. Through his film and tv career I loved his work as did millions. stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage, EastEnders spoilers: Linda Carter makes a mysterious phone call after big Mick decision, 10 soap spoilers this week: EastEnders earth-shattering twist, huge Emmerdale death, Coronation Street Stephen drug horror, Hollyoaks health trauma, Do not sell or share my personal information. Her famous portrayal of Mrs McClusky is one that will be fondly remembered by all those that grew up watching Grange Hill. Actor Andrew Lancel wrote on Twitter: "I was always a fan of Lee Whitlock since Shine on Harvey Moon. He was our cherished son, brother, uncle and friend and will be sadly missed.". Eric suffered a family tragedy as his two-month-old grandson Charlie Smith was killed in the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami in Sri Lanka. He told the Mirror in 1998: "It was a nightmare. Get the biggest TV headlines, recaps and insider knowledge straight to your inbox. His death follows that of Gwyneth Powell, 76, who played headmistress Mrs Bridget McClusky in the BBC classroom drama, on August 8 last year. This week, he was spotted with long hair and a beard as he grabbed lunch during a low-key outing. })(); Grange Hill actor Lee Whitlock dies aged 54 Grange Hill star Mark Farmer has sadly passed away at the age of 53. 'Grange Hill' star Gwyneth Powell has died aged 76 - Yahoo News 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? 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. Filmed in real schools in the 1980s, the trials and tribulations of the pupils at Grange Hill had a nation of teenagers gripped. Gwyneth Powell as Mrs McClusky in Grange Hill. Browse our new catalogue to inspire you with homeware, gardening tools, books and more! Susan, 55, went on to star in EastEnders as Michelle Fowler after playing Suzanne for three years. She gave up performing in the 1990s to marry and bring up her family. Students from the hit TV show Grange Hill. Here is what happened to the former officers of Sun Hill after the beloved police drama, which was taken off the air in 2010, after the tragic news of George Rossi's death. Sean Maguire played schoolboy Terence Ratcliffe (Image: BBC) Actor Sean Maguire first rose to fame in 1988 at just eleven-years-old when he took on the role of 'Tegs' Ratcliffe on the BBC drama Grange Hill. 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. The popular actor, . He temporarily left in 2003 after the culmination of a hard-hitting storyline where his character was raped. function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} Whitlock also appeared as Phil in Two Of Us, a 1987 LGBTQ+ BBC drama about a relationship between two schoolboys. Actor Mark Savage said that people were terrible to him after Grange Hill, paying him back for his characters misdemeanours. He became a regular cast member from 1988 to 1993 before returning again from 1998 to 2000. In a bizarre turn of events, some of the Grange Hill cast were invited to the White House to meet First Lady Nancy Reagan, whose anti-drugs campaign Just Say No was gathering apace. Actor Lee, now 53, recently became engaged. 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.