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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Grange Hill rings its final bell | Grange Hill rings its final bell |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The last episode of long-running BBC school drama Grange Hill has been shown on BBC One. | The last episode of long-running BBC school drama Grange Hill has been shown on BBC One. |
| The programme, which first hit screens in 1978, featured the return of one of the original characters, Tucker Jenkins, played by actor Todd Carty. | The programme, which first hit screens in 1978, featured the return of one of the original characters, Tucker Jenkins, played by actor Todd Carty. |
| The drama has tackled tough issues such as drugs and teenage pregnancy, but was axed after TV bosses said it no longer reflected modern children's lives. | The drama has tackled tough issues such as drugs and teenage pregnancy, but was axed after TV bosses said it no longer reflected modern children's lives. |
| The final episode saw an unexploded bomb being discovered under the school. | The final episode saw an unexploded bomb being discovered under the school. |
| As pupils were preparing for their end of term prom, the WWII shell was found in the sewerage system. | As pupils were preparing for their end of term prom, the WWII shell was found in the sewerage system. |
| 'Emotional' | 'Emotional' |
| "It was a nice episode to go out on," Simon Luxton, webmaster of fan site Grange Hill Online, told the BBC News website. | "It was a nice episode to go out on," Simon Luxton, webmaster of fan site Grange Hill Online, told the BBC News website. |
| "It was great to see Tucker and nephew Togger exchanging stories of their respective scrapes at the school and Tucker's acknowledgement of the 30th anniversary was a nice touch. | "It was great to see Tucker and nephew Togger exchanging stories of their respective scrapes at the school and Tucker's acknowledgement of the 30th anniversary was a nice touch. |
| "As a fan it was emotional watching the last episode of a series that has been part of my life for many years, but having everyone just walking out of the school gates off into the sunset was a nice throwback to the very first scene in episode one and leaves the door open, as it were." | "As a fan it was emotional watching the last episode of a series that has been part of my life for many years, but having everyone just walking out of the school gates off into the sunset was a nice throwback to the very first scene in episode one and leaves the door open, as it were." |
| The programme's creator, Phil Redmond, said earlier this year that the drama had lost its hard-hitting purpose and that it was "time to hang up its mortar board". | The programme's creator, Phil Redmond, said earlier this year that the drama had lost its hard-hitting purpose and that it was "time to hang up its mortar board". |
| Share your memories of Grange Hill | Share your memories of Grange Hill |
| The show's heyday is considered to be the early to mid-1980s, with gritty storylines including Zammo's drug addiction which led the programme to spearhead a "Just Say No" campaign. | The show's heyday is considered to be the early to mid-1980s, with gritty storylines including Zammo's drug addiction which led the programme to spearhead a "Just Say No" campaign. |
| But the final series has concentrated on the school's younger pupils. | But the final series has concentrated on the school's younger pupils. |
| Cult | |
| Todd Carty said the secret of the show's success was that it was shot through a child's eyes and was never patronising. | |
| "In those early days they weren't as hard hitting - I think I threw water bombs and was in the days when you could get a little knock around the head and no one would say anything, but it's just stood the test of time," he told BBC News. | |
| "It's a generational thing - people of my age will remember Tucker and Benny and Trish, and then Zammo 10 years later." | |
| Some of the teachers from the fictional school also became cult figures among viewers, including Mrs McClusky, who was head teacher from 1981 to 1991. | Some of the teachers from the fictional school also became cult figures among viewers, including Mrs McClusky, who was head teacher from 1981 to 1991. |
| Actress Gwyneth Powell said earlier this year that the show's demise was both "sad and nostalgic", but agreed with Phil Redmond that its time was up. | Actress Gwyneth Powell said earlier this year that the show's demise was both "sad and nostalgic", but agreed with Phil Redmond that its time was up. |
| Filming on the show was moved to Liverpool in 2003, and the series - which was originally set in north London - ceased to be set in a specific location. | Filming on the show was moved to Liverpool in 2003, and the series - which was originally set in north London - ceased to be set in a specific location. |