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Putting Tyneside - and Geordie accents - on the kids' TV map, Byker Grove was
the result of producer Andrea Wonfor's search for North East-based series for
new indie company Zenith North. To write the six-week pilot run, Wonfor turned
to Adele Rose, a scriptwriter of Coronation Street (ITV, 1960-) since 1961 whose
childen's play 'The Venchie' (tx. 26/9/83) - about a Newcastle adventure
playground threatened with closure - Wonfor, then at Tyne Tees, had commissioned
for Dramarama (ITV, 1983-89).
The pilot serial saw home counties teenager Julie coming to Newcastle and
escaping parental break-up issues at Byker Grove, a youth club run by the
extravagantly moustached, no-nonsense Geoff Keegan. The Grove was something of a
surrogate family for waifs and strays, several of whose members are fostered by
'Aunty' Lou Gallagher. Viewers quickly took to the large cast of characters,
while the series' earthy Northern frankness made it fresh and dangerous. Pithily
tackling racism and adolescent sexuality, it was an instant hit and a longer
twice-weekly series resulted.
For the second series, diminutive cheeky chappy Duncan teamed with new
character PJ, and the duo playing them, Ant and Dec, became Byker's biggest
stars. Happy-go-lucky PJ - Peter Jenkins, presumably acknowledging Grange Hill's
(BBC, 1978-2008) Peter 'Tucker' Jenkins - became a villain when he sleazily
employed the same candelit seduction technique on two girls. A scene of PJ
buying condoms elicited parental complaints.
This plot ended tragically, with PJ accidentally blinded in a paintball
fight. This moral stance, stressing the consequences of actions, was a feature
of the series: loudmouth Gillespie was killed joyriding, while Greg Watson was
left in a wheelchair after a fall while evading arrest. Perhaps saddest of all
was Amanda Bewick's descent into drug addiction, overdose and teenage pregnancy,
before being forced to give up her baby for adoption as an unfit mother.
For all the humour and pop music, the show will be remembered for
hard-hitting storylines. Noddy's gay kiss on startled friend Gary caused a
storm, as did teenager Leanne's baby and Kylie's self-harming compulsions. Other
tragedies included Flora's death from a cancerous brain tumour. The death of
Grove leader Geoff in 2000 in an oxygen gas explosion marked the end of an
era.
Byker Grove fell victim to a new Children's BBC edict that programmes were
now to be aimed at the under-elevens, and a slick but lightweight final run
aired in 2006 on the digital CBBC channel only.
Alistair McGown
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1. Sense of foreboding (1:58)
