40 years ago today were you watching this ........... Even the theme tune and opening titles takes me back

[IhaveChillyToes]

I was and loved it

How many others watched it too?

The day I saw this heartthrob at an under 18's night at the local nightclub was a very good day indeed.

He didn't actually comment on my hooded top and flared jeans combo, but he can't have failed to be impressed

I worked flexitime and used to leave early on the days GH was in to get home and watch it. No VCR

I loved Grange Hill! I was 14 when it started and it was so true to life. It got a lot of criticism for the storylines but worse things happened at my school. I was in love with Tucker! 40 years though, terrifying!

Noo it can’t be 40 years! I loved Pongo Yates and Alan and Benny and Tucker. They were my age and went to a school I’d have loved to go to.

I remember all the kids cheering when Gripper the bully finally got expelled and he was walking down the hallway out of the school for the last time.

40 years!! Sure I wasn’t 7 when I first watched but maybe a couple of years later. It was quite controversial though, I remember some friends not being allowed to watch it.

Yes! Loved it!

No baddie on tv has ever matched up to Gripper Stebson. I think Nick Cotton was modelled on him.

Still one of the best kids' shows of its time. I can see my 13 year old self on the sofa watching the first episode and how we all discussed it at school. Mrs McCluskey was the head teacher we all wanted. Not too keen on the scary, bullish PE teacher though.

Flippin' 'eck Benny! 40 YEARS?! I remember running home from school for the first episode.

Oh and Tucker Jenkins opened a school fete at my old school in the early 80's (I'd already left but went back to queue for his autograph). When he was in Eastenders and Dancing on Ice he was still called Tucker Jenkins (full name always) in our house.

Loved Grange Hill in the lates 80s/90s and like many others I watched them from the beginning when CBBC reran them in the 90s. Great show.

One of my favourite shows when growing up - I started watching in 1982 and used to love re-reading the annuals (anyone remember them?).

Gonch, Cally and Hollo was the 'golden period' for me, I think because I was almost the same age as them. I remember being shocked when I read that Cally did a kiss and tell on Michael Winner back in the 90's!

Has anyone met any of the actors?

I used to live Grange Hill! My mum wouldn't let us watch it as the children were badly behaved in her opinion. I remember the joy when she got a full time job which meant we had to go to a Grange Hill allowing child minder after school

I loved Grange Hill and watched it from the start, I was at primary school then and I pretty much watched it until the very end, I recorded it when I was at work.

I remember being in a school trip in London in the 80s and Zammo walked past us in a tube station. Oh the excitement!

maddie He'll forever be Tucker Jenkins in our house too!

Definitely! Watched it from Tucker Jenkins and Gripper Stebson’s Days.

And Ro-Land.

Nooo that can't be 40 years ago...

Favourite episode was swimming pool one in first series.

Nah. Id be 13 when it started. Never really like it and never got into it.

Glad there's a thread on this. Loved GH. Favourite series of all time! The start coincided with my first year at secondary school. I introduced my DS to them a few years ago and he loved it too. When you watch them back you realise how relevant some of the storylines still are. We've got stock GH sayings in our house - when my DS is running late Come on Justin. And if the PE teacher's being a twat - Slip on the wet floor did ya?
Weirdly one of my closest childhood friends is now good friends with one of the early cast members.

I loved it. Was addicted in 1987/88. I remember earlier characters too - a beautiful girl called Pamela and a rebel called Annette with gorgeous hair. And who can forget Rol-AND. And Mr Hopwood (ooosh!).

I'd love it to appear on Netflix.

I started watching this in the early 80’s with Roli and Mr Bronson. Great tele!

I loved it and watched from the early Tucker days. I thought the likes of Trish and Cathy were really cool and dead glam.

I remember being out with a friend and her mum after school one time and getting irritated because we wouldn't get back in time for Grange Hill . Her mum told me off for being too obsessed with telly! I don't think approved of GH tbh.

My era too...have watched it on You Tube up until the end of when I stopped watching..
It is actually quite revealing in the attitudes and behaviours that are now outdated and would result in major scandal but actually were common place.
Teachers whacking kids, Racism towards Benny, Another dyslexic boy being shipped off to special school, Duanne given black eye by his dad for his bike being nicked etc..
Kids today don't know they are born..

I loved it! I would have sworn I'd watched it from the start but I would only have been 5 if it's really been 40 years, so I can't have! Do remember Tucker and Gripper et al. My mum let me watch, so all the kids in the street who weren't allowed to watch came to our house to "play" at that time....