Grange Hill: Your memories

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/talking_point/7617886.stm

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A scene from Grange Hill Series 7

The last episode of long-running BBC school drama Grange Hill has been shown on BBC One.

TV bosses decided to axe the show, saying it no longer reflected modern children's lives.

News website readers have been sending their memories of the show, which hit screens in 1978.

YOUR GRANGE HILL MEMORIES

I started secondary school in Lanarkshire the year it was first shown. It gave me an idea of what I was to expect and it wasn't that far from the truth. A lot of the characters that were on the show in the early years, pupils and teachers, I could recognise in my own school. I'm sad it will be ending but everything has a shelf-life and perhaps things have moved on too much for this kind of programme now....its had a good innings. Don Canning, Bristol

In the mid eighties when Grange Hill was at its prime, I used to sneak round to my friend Anna's house, as my parents banned me from watching it. It was apparently "a bad influence". I admitted to them a couple of weeks ago that I did this....I'm 34 years old! They were horrified and announced that I'm grounded! I live 60 miles from them so quite how they plan to put this into force I don't know. Kirsty Jackson

This started the year I went to secondary school and I watched it for those for years and a few beyond. You had a feeling of growing up with these kids. It has run its course, although in some ways it is disappointing to see it go. It will always remain a part of my childhood though and I, for one, will be recording it whilst at work and watching it when I get home. Saw the first and will see the last. Sarah, Norfolk

I haven't watched it in a long time, but it began as I went up to secondary school, so I watched every episode as it was just like my school in Glasgow! It was great to see other kids going through the same problems that my friends and I were - it helped us to not feel so alone in a funny sort of a way. I now work in a secondary school and a lot of the situations are still the same, so it's a shame that they've not been able to adapt the writing to be relevant to today's kids. Cecilia Barton, Bournemouth

I watched Grange Hill for many years as Tucker started secondary school the year before me. My main memory of the 80s was that the actor who played Bullet Baxter was also in Juliet Bravo on a Friday night. I was a bit confused as to how come he had a beard in Grange Hill but not in Juliet Bravo. My older sister patiently explained that the beard was stuck on. Clearly I had not realised that TV wasn't liveâ¦ Lydia, Derby

I remember cheering when 'Gripper' Stebson had his mouth washed out with soap by Mr Baxter, but also being really disturbed when a kid died from a heart defect getting Fay's bracelet out of the pool, not to mention Zammo overdosing on heroin. The best years were 78 - 87 definitely. Why did they ever change the theme tune? Duffster, Leamington Spa

I started secondary School in 1978. So much felt right about Grange Hill , it reflected my daily experience well, as with all drama, it was life with the boring bits taken out. Tucker was my hero. For me it lost its relevance with the Zammo drugs story, maybe I was fortunate that drugs were NOT an issue at my School, I think it portrayed a minority issue as mainstream, which contrary to its intention probably made some more curious about drugs. KP, West Midlands