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Skateboarding jumps - the shark! Phil Wright was absolutely horrified by Episode 2 of Grange Hill: "Well, what can I say? The new series is absolute rubbish - and that's coming from someone who has been a fan right from the very start. The BBC were a major letdown axing GH in the first place, but to finish with a series like this is an insult to the viewers. Did they actually use any script writers? It's pure nonsense. Perhaps it is time to end the iconic programme if this is the best they can come up with. I watched the episode with my 14 year old daughter the other day. She goes to a secondary school and commented that GH is just not realistic. Come on - kids going round on skateboards, mysteriously unknown to anyone and then wrapping things round teachers! It is absurd. And when did you last see someone on a skateboard?"GH did lose its way a few years back and could never match the Tucker, Zammo, Gripper years. They were in a class (pardon the pun!) of their own. But it could have kept up to date with things and still had strength in its story lines. It had begun to and still does focus on too few pupils. The stories weren't realistic. Some stories were even repeats of things which had happened in GH years before. Were any actual pupils ever consulted with regard to what should be included in the stories? Did the writers, producers, etc. ever visit any secondary schools to gauge what actually happens? I go to things at my kids' school and things are hardly any different to when I was at school some 25+ years ago. OK, they all have mobile phones and there are more computers, but the basics are very similar: scruffy dressed youths, varied hairstyles, etc. - it's just the same. If GH could be in touch with reality in 1978 then there's no reason why it shouldn't be today. It's best to remember GH as it was - a classic, cult TV show, and forget the nonsense which is being broadcast now. Hopefully one of the freeview channels will at some point begin repeating the show from the very first episode." Hi Phil - sorry you didn't enjoy Episode 2. However, as you probably know Grange Hill is now made for an under-12 audience in order to fit in with CBBC's new 6-12 broadcast policy and the show had to be substantially reworked to fit in with this. Although Phil Redmond agreed to the changes, he was still none too pleased as he wanted to do a hard-hitting storyline for Series 31, and he feels Grange Hill has now lost its identity. Find out more about the reasons for the axing of Grange Hill - and why it was so radically altered for the last series - in our new Close Up Special: The Curtain Comes Down. The Beeb lost its bottle Proving it isn't too late to send in your views on the axing of Grange Hill, Rob and Hayley Licence from Sussex write: "Both myself and my wife were fans of the show from the start and the best thing about the show was its gritty realism - it really showed the way things were and didn't pull any punches. It is symptomatic of today's namby pamby world, that the BBC has made its current decision, We both wholeheartedly agree with Phil Redmond's recent comments. How about a special programme reunion with everybody from the Grange Hill past - especially those from the start in 1978 hat would be fantastic, we are loving the DVDs." Hi Rob. The axing of Grange Hill has indeed prompted much debate as to whether the reality of school life eclipsed what could be shown in a teatime show - Lee MacDonald aka Zammo has said he thinks that society has overtaken Grange Hill. On the other hand, issues such as knife and gun crime in schools are sadly nothing new and Grange Hill tackled these head-on in the late 1990s. CBBC firmly denies it is toning down its output for fear of upsetting the broadcast regulators, but with the scandals which have beset television in the past year or so that issue is open to debate.
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DVDs wanted!
Steve Alvey hopes we can get more Grange Hill DVDs released: "As I am writing this I am watching the series 4 DVD. I think I have heard that the BBC aren't releasing any further series on DVD now due to poor sales. If this is the case, I was wondering how things were going with your efforts to get them put onto DVD." Hi Steve; yes it is unfortunately true there will be no further DVDs and I'm afraid GH Online has no influence as to whether or not Grange Hill is released on DVD. You could try making your views known to BBC Worldwide who deal with home video releases of BBC programmes; they can be reached at www.bbcworldwide.com. Writing to Paul Parris John Lamacraft asks: "Hi there, I was wondering if you have an address I can write to Paul Adams - Parris (Matthew Pearson) from 1988 - 1992, he's a great actor, I saw on your site the address is only to write to current cast, not ex cast. Hope you can help." Well John, unfortunately there is no current listing for Paul on The Spotlight but his last know agent was Rossmore Personal Management, 70-76 Bell Street, London NW1 6SP. We cannot guarantee any correspondence would be forwarded, but good luck! |
