The 19th of October will see Eureka Entertainment releasing series nine and ten of Grange Hill on DVD. There’s plenty to chew over during these two series – from Zammo’s heroin addiction to Harriet the Donkey. I’ve written about series nine here and series ten here, As the release date gets a little closer hopefully I’ll be able to revisit this era of the programme both here on the blog and over on my Twitter feed.
Below is an extract from the press release.
Series 9
New pupils Eric ‘Ziggy’ Greaves, Danny Kendall, Georgina Hayes & Ant Jones are amongst the fresh faces piling through the Grange Hill gates & Zammo makes some bad decisions when he should ‘Just Say No’. Zammo’s behaviour becomes increasingly erratic & It’s Roland who eventually discovers the shocking truth. The thorny subject of smoking is tackled with new student Danny Kendall taking every opportunity for a crafty cigarette. This leads pupils to set up an anti-smoking campaign, which also targets the teachers!! In other news the ever entrepreneurial Gonch serves up his latest money-making scheme, anyone for a slice of toast?
Series 10
Imelda Davis continues her campaign of carnage & bullying, creating difficulties for pupils & teachers alike. It’s a tough year for Danny Kendall as he battles Cancer. Roland starts up a School Fund to help pay for his treatment. A sixth form barge trip is certainly eventful as Gonch, Ziggy, Rob & Trevor first manage to crash the boat, then send it floating off on its own with stowaway (& former Grange Hill pupil) Ant Jones inside. The school gets its own Radio station, Zammo & Jackie get Engaged; & what will happen to Harriett the Donkey…?
DVD EXTRA Feature: 1985 Christmas Special Episode (First aired 27th December 1985)
The School Christmas Fayre preparations are underway. Roland faces Christmas alone & Calley can’t decide which of her parents to spend the festive season with.
At the Fayre Zammo & Banksie’s “shaky hand” machine proves popular, as does the wet sponge stall (especially with Mr Baxter as the target!!). Gonch & Hollo unwittingly unleash pandemonium when they unlock a storeroom & a Donkey runs out. Merry Christmas everyone!!
DVD Boxed Set Details
- Release date 19th October 2020
- BBFC : 12
- RRP: £34.99
- Series 9 x 4 Discs
- Series 10 x 4 Discs
- Series 9 -24 Episodes
- Series 10 – 24 Episodes
- Running time Series 9: – 579.41
- Running time Series 10: – 576.47
- Christmas Special: 29.10 (TX 27/12/85)
- Series 9 & 10 Broadcast 1st April 1986/6th January 1987
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Archive Television Musings 
I don’t like the new design on the Series 9 case and Series 10 case, other than that looks like a pretty good collection.
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Excellent news! Remind me to compose another thank you e-mail to Eureka once this is released in the hope that they keep going. What’s that, ten series down, twenty-one to go?
Given that the Christmas Special takes place chronologically immediately before Series 9, I hope they put it on the first disc rather than the last one as an “Extra”.
Weirdly, during a quiet moment at work yesterday, I sat down and scribbled down who I thought would be on the cover of this boxset. (These things matter to me.) Disappointingly, once got two out of six right: I held Calley off for the next set, since I think she’s fairly anonymous in this one.Some choices are a bit baffling: Perennial glorified extra Jane Bishop but not focus character Ant Jones?
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Something of a compromise at it turned out: The Christmas Special is on the last disc of Series 9, which is slightly annoying but at least DVD makes it easier to watch episodes in your own preferred order.
(Of course, this has prompted me to wonder exactly when it’s set, given the Christmas setting, the fact that by this point each season more or less covered an entire year, and Mr Smart’s departure being mentioned early on in Series 9. Whereas the previous Christmas special could comfortably fit into Tucker and co’s otherwise unseen fourth year, best guess here is that Series 9 covers the period from January onwards and it’s set immediately before it!)
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please release all series on dvd i miss it
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