Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Entertainment
Abigail Nicholson

Where is George Christopher now after Brookside and Grange Hill?

After rising to fame at the age of 15, George Christopher quickly became one of the most popular young actors on TV.

George Wilson - also known by his stage name George Christopher - graced the small screen in the latter years of the 1980s to the 1990s.

In 1986 he took on the role of Ziggy Greaves in Grange Hill, MyLondon reports.

READ MORE: Housing estate where homes are torched and residents live in fear

He instantly became a firm favourite on the show and at the age of 15, he was already a well-known face in the industry.

After leaving the show in 1989, he went on to appear in the Channel 4 show, Brookside, as Little Jimmy Corkhill.

George, 51, who comes from West Derby and today lives in Huyton was inspired to start acting by his two drama teachers.

Grange Hill was looking for a northern male character and George decided to attend auditions in Manchester.

Grange Hill star George Wilson - stage name George Christopher - with his son, Kirk, on holiday in Spain (submitted picture)

He told The ECHO: "It ended up being between me and a guy from Leeds.

"Producer Ron Smedley picked me but the next day I went to meet (Grange Hill and Brookside creator) Phil Redmond as he would have the final say. When he chose me it was the best moment of my life."

He has also appeared in other productions including a play about the Hillsborough disaster while, in 2020, George appeared in Sphere of Fear 2.

George has been with his partner, Mel, for over 20 years.

They have one son together, Kirk, 21. He said about Mel that 'we got engaged 10 years ago, and we WILL get married!'

He has also been very open about his mental health struggles after being diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder at the age of 40.

Before then he was experienced a number of different episodes.

Talking to The ECHO in 2019, he spoke about his trauma and near-tragedy while talking about his book, 'From Grange Hill To Bipolar and Back'.

He said: "In the early 1990s I took an overdose of pills but, luckily, my mum found me and I was taken to hospital to have my stomach pumped.

"I regret doing what I did that night because I would have missed out on so much.”

He also spoke about an instance in 1989 when he just started crying.

He said: "I was crying a lot but didn’t understand why. Then, in 1989, lots of bad things happened. My nan passed away and I was at Hillsborough.

"I watched it unfold and later had nightmares. But, for a long time, I didn’t talk to anyone about it. It’s only relatively recently that I have attended Hillsborough Survivors Support Alliance meetings.”

He was officially diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder in 2011.

He now takes Lithium which helps to keep him 'balanced' and he hasn't been back in hospital since 2013.

George reiterated: "While bipolar can be one of the most frightening things in the world, it’s not the end of the world. I want to show people there is hope – that you can get better.”

George this week appeared on BBC's Pointless Celebrities.

Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.