Did you know the Isle of Wight was the destination of the Grange Hill pupils in 1989? The plot was a school trip to the Island, quite a common thing to happen in real life too.
The well-known TV series about the lives of the pupils at a London Comprehensive, set in the fictional borough of Northam in North London all jumped on a coach at school and headed off for the Isle of Wight.
Of course, there were trials and tribulations throughout the episode, but a few Island locations and icons were used.
Bonchurch and West Wight
At about five minutes in they pull into the car park ready to take the Sealink (now Wightlink) Ferry.
About ten minutes in the coach squeezes its way around the drive of East Dean.
Not time to waste, at 11:30 they’re at Headon Warren for a field trip.
About four and a bit minutes in it’s all aboard the train at the Steam Railway.
Island connection
The actor who played Mr Bronson lived on the Island. Michael Sheard lived in Ryde and was well liked by those who came into contact with him.
Omar Lakhssassi explained that when worked at Isle of Wight College,
“I wrote to his agent and asked if he would compere a school themed charity quiz as Mr Bronson. He kindly agreed and I picked him in my battered old car from his house in Ryde and he was amazing!
“He spent all day with us and was so nice to everyone taking pics etc. True professional!”
He sadly passed away in August 2005 aged 67.
Another Island connection
There’s another Island connection too.
Grange Hill ran for a staggeringly long time, between 1978, all the way through to series 31(!) which finished in 2008.
During that long period the world-famous Anthony Minghella was a script editor for the show.
Watch
IMDB
You can read more in the IMDB entry
Thanks to Alice Bray and Emmylou Morey Clark for reminding us of this episode on our Facebook post about the closure of East Dene.
Article edit
11.30am 1st Feb 2021 – Added reference to Mr Bronson and a heads up for reminding us of the episode.
Image: © BBC
