The police drama series first aired on ITV back on April 10, 1992, with its final episode taking place on September 12, 2010 and consistently drew in over 10million viewers. Alfred was a Bedlington Terrier - Whippet Greyhound cross. Although he did return in the Heartbeat spin off series 'The Royal. Bill played loveable rogue Claude Jeremiah Greengrass from 1992 to 2000 - a man better known by his surname. He lost the use of his legs and had been living on borrowed time since September 2015, when he suffered a chronic heart attack. After playing Sgt. Vernon Scripps (2001-2005; 2007). The long serving policeman had never managed to rise beyond the rank of constable in all his years of dedication - perhaps because of his penchant for sleeping on the job or setting fire to his desk. Bill became a household name after appearing as fan-favourite Claude Jeremiah Greengrass in Heartbeat in 1992. His softer side is occasionally apparent, and at various times he has been a voice of wisdom or shoulder to cry on for younger policemen facing moral dilemmas or personal traumas. Who is Derek Dietrichs wife? He never lets the chance to make a few quid pass him by. Often appearing cynical, suspicious and bad-tempered and very serious and hard, he has mellowed somewhat with age. The role introduced him to a whole new audience as the nostalgic police drama became a TV sensation. Maynard was born in Heath End, Farnham, Surrey. Vernon Scripps. Another of Heartbeats tragic losses was actor Peter Benson, who passed away in 2018. A rotund, colourful, larger-than-life character, he replaced Claude Greengrass as the author of the hare-brained schemes which drive the show's . His exit story saw him departing the village for Canada. Later he gambled away much of his fortune on horse races, went bankrupt thanks to a huge unpaid tax bill and was left so poor his wife and two children had to sleep on the floor beside the fire in their living room because the bailiffs had taken everything they owned including their beds. Heartbeat co-star Jason Durr, who played Mike Bradley in the iconic show, shared his condolences, posting on Twitter at the time: "So sad to hear the passing of William Simons. All Rights Reserved. They said, Mr Maynard, you can be put in a private room in the hospital and die here, or you can go home and die there, said Bill. More info. Heartbeat made me a multi-millionaire. 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In 2014, he played Graham Naisby on Coronation Street, joining the cobbles for two episodes. Bill originally retired from acting in 2000 after a series of strokes, but made a comeback to public life as a radio presenter for BBC Radio Leicester in 2003. Other roles have included parts in Victoria, W1A, Vera and Silent Witness. What happened to Claude Greengrass in Heartbeat? The actor remained in the popular show playing the scruffy, eccentric character. Boots, 15, took up acting a decade ago after a search by the producers from the long-running hit show Heartbeat for a. Liverpool actor Geoffrey played Vernon Scripps, who replaced Greengrass as the loveable rogue in the village. He is currently a series regular on Casualty, appearing as David Hide. Maynard was born in Heath End, Farnham, Surrey. In 2017, he won an army of new fans when he won Strictly Come Dancing with professional dancer Katya Jones. The former Coronation Street actress - who was Candice on the cobbles - is now best known for playing Maxine Minnver in Hollyoaks, making her debut in 2012. He was played by: Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place. After a hiatus from television work in the late 1980s, Maynard starred as Claude Jeremiah Greengrass in the long-running television series Heartbeat from 1992 to 2000, reprising his role for the spin-off The Royal from 2002 to 2003. He was charged later that year with grievous bodily harm and assault after biting a pensioner who called his teen daughter a slag in a pub beer garden. Bill died in hospital in Leicestershire in 2018 shortly after breaking his hip in a fall off his mobility scooter, his daughter-in-law said. In the 1970s he took parts in anything and everything, from saucy movies like Confessions Of A Window Cleaner to playing John Thaws boss in The Sweeney. The actor had health problems and had to leave the series, but now hes back on The Royal. After moving to Leicestershire with his family, Maynard enrolled at Kibworth Beauchamp Grammar School. 26 Feb Feb Bill Maynard - Claude Jeremiah Greengrass He appeared in Carry On films during the 1970s and also starred in Oh No, It's Selwyn Froggitt. The Sunday evening favourite was set in a fictional Yorkshire village, Get our ultimate guide on things to do in Berkshire with our What's On email. At the age of 11, Bill was already earning more money than his father with his stand-up comedy performances in clubs. Its been 11 years since Heartbeat last appeared on our TV screens following an incredible 18-year run. Maynard died in hospital in Leicestershire shortly after breaking his hip in a fall from his mobility scooter, his daughter-in-law said. Mark Jordons life hasnt been without its ups and downs, either. Unfortunately, the actor who played the role passed away in 2018 as a result of injuries sustained in an accident involving a mobility scooter. The character of Claude Greengrass has not been affected in any way by the events in the show Heartbeat. After moving to Leicestershire with his family, Maynard enrolled in the Kibworth Beauchamp grammar school. Heartbeat made me a multi-millionaire. . Often appearing cynical, suspicious,bad-tempered,very serious and hard, he has mellowed somewhat with age. Three of his co-stars in Heartbeat pleaded with show bosses to sack him. Beloved ITV drama Heartbeat came to an end 10 years ago, but what happened to the cast? However, he did make an appearance in the Heartbeat spinoff series titled . After a long and happy life, Alfred finally died of heart failure in the episode "The End of the Road" in 2005. The star was best known for his role as Claude Greengrass in ITV drama 'Heartbeat . At first, Greengrass was used as a comic relief character, but after some time Greengrass became a central character with his own intrigues and schemes. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Many who worked alongside him on stage, in the five Carry On films he appeared in, or on smash hit TV shows like Oh No, Its Selwyn Froggitt found Bill to be a handful. The actor, who died aged 89 in March, also starred in five Carry On films. File photo from 1996 of the cast of ITV's Heartbeat. The novels in Nicholas Rheas Constable series served as the inspiration for this show. He would often call Nick's replacement, PC Mike Bradley, by his full name, Michael, whenever they sometimes met. After a near-fatal heart attack in Series 7 which forced his retirement from the police force, Blaketon . As always you can unsubscribe at any time. @ 54.390296, -0.722404. Penrose and Bill worked together on the show. The Cheshire-born actress went on to have a recurring role as Trish Davidson in Coronation Street in 2012. In Chistmas episodes he was traditionally dressed up like a tiny reindeer, with fake antlers. Early episodes of the series consistently drew an audience of more than 10 million people, with the series eventually attaining its highest-ever audience of 13.82 million in 2001 and 12.8 million in 2003. Penrose and Bill worked together on the show. Bill Maynard had to abandon his performance at the performance because he was unwell. Alfred (deceased), played successively by "Tramp", "Boots" and "Rosie". We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Vernon Scripps, a Liverpool actor who took over for Greengrass in his role as the charming rogue of the village, was portrayed by Geoffrey Hughes. His last acting job was appearing as Trevor Lambert in Casualty back in 2013. The episode "Face Value" has some interesting cars in it, a 1958 Plymouth Fury/Belevedere ( ), a 1965 Cadillac Fleetwood ( ), a 1950 Humber Pullman ( ), a unknown motorbike and side-car ( ), a Austin A35/A30 Countryman () and a Mercedes-Benz bus ( ). REST IN PEACE.. and Dont Wanna Be Alone. "He certainly isn't a model patient. In a similar manner, he appeared on the ITV show Heartbeat for eight years, playing the role of the lovable rogue Claude Jeremiah Greengrass. Childrens TV puppet Basil Brush was among the mourners and even recited a poem in tribute to Dereks appearances as Mr Derek on the Basil Brush TV Show. He was usually to be seen accompanied by his faithful dog Alfred, a lurcher. Tricia has two sons and as of 2020 was a presenter on Radio Wirral. Mark played loveable PC Phil Bellamy from series one until series 17. William also had brief stints in Coronation Street and Emmerdale. Trish was a private detective hired by Frank Foster to track Peter Barlow and Carla Connor and find out if there was anything between them. She also mentioned that he was larger than life and had a passion for the entertainment industry. Home / Uncategorized / what happened to jackie bradley in heartbeat. I have never stopped being appreciative for the opportunity I was given.. Derek played Sgt Oscar Blaketon in Heartbeat for 18 years. In 1957, he tried his hand at singing - coming second in the British heat of. "Im touched by it so therefore I want to do whatever I can in a small way to help," he told Bristol Live in January. People have been absolutely fantastic and they can't wait to see what scrapes he is going to get himself into.". Bill Maynard, one of Britain's best loved comedy actors, was a founder member of the cast of Heartbeat. I never stopped being thankful for the opportunity I was given.. His fans were in the millions. William Simons starred in every series of the show over 18 years - with Mark Jordon, Nick Berry and Derek Fowlds, Peter Benson died at the age of 75 in 2018, William Simons (far right) as Alf Ventress alongside co-stars James Carlton and Mark Jordon, Joe McFadden as PC Joe Mason in Heartbeat, Geoffrey Hughes with Sue Jenkins in Heartbeat. The actress went on to have a recurring role as Trish Davidson in Coronation Street in 2012. After the show came to an end he had a role in Casualty as Jacob Hinter in a 2014 episode. Bill Maynard reluctantly left the series due to poor health, with the producers unwilling to take the risk of insuring him to be on set. I had my own caravan on the set, the others had to share. In my first episode I only had five lines. I came home with a whole new routine which went down really well until the funny looking bloke Id seen in Greenwich Village turned up in London. While Heartbeat is well-known for quickly forgetting characters who have departed, Greengrass is unusual in continuing to be mentioned by his former sidekick David Stockwell in subsequent series, as both Vernon Scripps and Peggy Armstrong have tried to use Greengrass's old tricks in their schemes. Your email address will not be published. Kids: Directed by Tim Dowd. ", Michael Starke as Ken HopkirkAndy Wear as Alun MorrisAiding him in his money-making schemes are the hospital's Head Porter Ken Hopkirk and Theatre Technician Alun Morris: "Ken and Alun are wise to the kind of person that Greengrass is. He took on the Claude Greengrasses role, after Claude left for the West Indies. He even tried his hand at pub ownership later on in the show. Although he doesn't hail from Yorkshire, his work over the years at Yorkshire Television certainly qualifies him for the title honorary Yorkshireman! Bill Maynard, the actor best known as Claude Greengrass in Heartbeat, has died aged 89.The actor, whose real name was Walter Williams, starred in the TV police drama from 1992 to 2000 and in its . The actor experienced health problems and had to leave the series, but he is now back on The Royal. Bernie was the drama's funeral director and he also ran a garage in Aidensfield. Many have continued to act, appearing shows like Casualty and EastEnders, some have sadly died and others have turned their backs on their showbiz careers all together. His even tried his hand at pantomime, appearing in a Rochdale production of Dick Whittington in 2018 and 2019. Derek unfortunately died in January 2020, aged 82, from heart failure complications combined with sepsis, which had come after he was diagnosed with pneumonia. His involvement in Heartbeat ended in 2000, but he played Greengrass again in The Royal in 2003. LAMDA-trained Jason was PC and DC Mike Bradley in Heartbeat from 1997 until 2003. By. Ventress was known more for his superior local knowledge than his strength as a policeman. Something went wrong, please try again later. His rle as Claude Jeremiah Greengrass enabled him to win the title of Yorkshire Arts and Entertainment Personality of the Year in the 2003 Yorkshire Awards. Maynard went on to reprise his popular role of Greengrass in the first series of The Royal. Details To Know About The Legal Analyst, Michigan Wolverines Coach Mel Pearsons Wife and Family, Coach Fired for Misconducts, Joe Lycett Sister Beth Lycett Make Clothes For His TV Appearances, Nany Gonzalez Before And After Veneers Transformation Is Astonishing, What Is Bling Empires Blake Abbie Family Net Worth 2023, Michael Chernus And Wife Emily Simoness Made Their Best Decisions In 2015. The actor experienced health problems and had to leave the series, but he is now back on The Royal. After the show ended, he played two different cameo roles in Casualty in 2011 and again in 2013. His character arrived from London and initially rubbed people up the wrong way before settling in to village life. A crotchety sergeant with a particular loathing for Claude Greengrass, whom he was perpetually trying to put behind bars. After the show came to an end he had a role in Casualty as Jacob Hinter in a 2014 episode. He has also forged a successful career in theatre, including the UK tour of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert. Although they are wary of him, they are still prepared to help him out with his scams. Appeared in 155 episodes from 1992 - 2000. He leaves a son and daughter, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.