Grange Hill film: Creator credits fan demand for classic show's comeback

The writer will be bringing back the beloved show as a film for a new generation later this year.

The film comes following the 1978 show that was set in a London school and ran for 30 years.

The show was known for tackling gritty social-led issues including drugs, teen pregnancy, sexuality, HIV and gun crime.

• Read More: A Grange Hill history lesson: the school drama’s most important moments

However, not everyone seems keen on the idea of the show making a comeback.

A viewer from North Wales named Dave wrote to BBC Breakfast asking Sir Phil to reject the show returning in a big-screen format.

Dave penned: “Some things are best left as classics. It won’t be the same.”

In response, Sir Phil commented: “Listen, Dave, I’ve been saying no for about 15 years, but it’s kind of the thing that won’t go away.

“It’s this thing that’s been following me around. Nearly every single day someone will say to me ‘Why don’t you bring it back? Do something.’"

Sir Phil added that the “past couple of years” and in “lockdown” he had noticed increasing references to the beloved series, especially in memes.

He also noted how the original series had helped save people from self-harm and impacted lives in the real world.

Sir Phil told The Guardian on Wednesday (5th January): “We’ve been through four school-rebuilding programmes in my lifetime, but it’s not about bricks and mortar, it’s about getting the best out of every pupil.

“How will ripping schools out of communities solve anything? Or making catchment areas so big that kids have to travel miles to be with their friends?

“That’s the thesis of the movie: it’s decided the school is costing too much to maintain so it should be knocked down, the land sold and proceeds used to build a new one and replenish local coffers.”

The film is due to begin casting new characters soon but the writer is hopeful that old cast members will return as parents and grandparents of new pupils.

Speaking to BBC News back in December, Sir Phil spoke about the impact that issue-led series such as Grange Hill and his Channel 4 soap Brookside can have.

He commented: "There needs to be something like a Brookside or a Grange Hill because we seem to have lost that," he said.

"It's almost as though contemporary drama has been no-platformed in television. Drama that's really difficult has dropped back into being single dramas."

He added that current soaps were doing their purpose, but argued that broadcasters should “push” them further.

Sir Phil recommended challenging topics such as focusing on county lines drugs issues and sexting as storylines in continuing dramas.

The Grange Hill film will be released later this year.

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