Soldier, Soldier was a huge TV hit in the 90s and made stars of Robson Green and Jerome Flynn who went on to have a number one hit and huge success in Hollywood
Soldier, Soldier star Marise Wipani has tragically died aged 61. The actress, who also appeared in Xena: Warrior Princess, died on her birthday on Friday.
Her Facebook page announced the news of her death in a sad message to friends and family. It read: “Marise passed peacefully today on her 61st birthday surrounded by family and friends.
” She just wanted to say…. I have shuffled off this mortal coil. Good byyye, good luuuck, good God!!! Quote from Driving Miss Daisy. “
Her cause of death was not shared in the post.
ITV’s Soldier, Soldier was a massive telly hit in the 90s, captivating viewers with its fictional insight into the ups and downs of the British Army. Set within the made-up 1st Battalion The King’s Fusiliers regiment, it delved into the professional and personal dramas of the show’s ensemble.
The standout stars were Robson and Jerome, who enjoyed a brief but significant music career, sparked by an episode where they performed Unchained Melody. With Simon Cowell’s support, their rendition topped the charts for seven weeks and became 1995’s best-selling single.
They both exited the show in the fifth series, but it continued for another two seasons before wrapping up in December 1997. It ran for seven series and captured the nation’s attention.
Since the show ended, the stars have had varied fates. Here’s a look at what the cast have been up to…
Robson Green – Fusilier Dave Tucker
Robson was already familiar to viewers for his role as Jimmy Powell on BBC One’s Casualty when he scored the part of Fusilier Dave Tucker, reports the Express.
This role propelled him to mega-stardom and chart-topping success. He and co-star Jerome Flynn had a short but massive music career which saw them become the first act to have their initial three singles enter the charts at number one.
Since leaving the show, angling fanatic Robson has presented numerous fishing shows. He has also appeared in BBC Three’s supernatural drama Being Human, as well as BBC One’s Waterloo Road. His current role sees him playing DI George Keating in ITV’s hugely popular ’50s set detective drama Grantchester.
Off screen, Green’s personal life has been quite eventful; he wed Alison Ogilvie in 1991, but their marriage ended by 1999 amid reports of Green’s affair with Pamela McDonald, who was then the wife of Emmerdale’s Ian Sharrock, known for his role as Jackie Merrick on the soap.
He met his second wife, former Page 3 model Vanya Seager, during a recording session at BMG Records in 1995. They went on to have a son, Taylor Seager-Green and tied the knot in 2001. However, a decade later they issued a statement saying their marriage had” irretrievably broken down “and that they were separating.
Jerome Flynn – Lance Corporal Paddy Garvey
After getting his breakthrough in London’s Burning Jerome found huge fame with Soldier, Soldier and in his music career with co-star Robson Green
In more recent times Jerome resurrected his acting career, impressing audiences globally with his role in Game of Thrones and gracing ITV’s Ripper Street.
His career took another thrilling turn in 2019 when he shared the big screen with Keanu Reeves and Halle Berry in the action thriller John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.
Off-screen, the star has never married nor had children, but he’s created a new-age holiday retreat named Trefacwn in a Grade II-listed Georgian mansion, which its website claims radiates” an ancient healing energy palpable to all who visit”.
Denise Welch – Marsha Stubbs
Denise became a household name as Marsha Stubbs on the show back in 1993 and continued to grace the screens for two years until 1995, by then already recognised from her stints in Byker Grove and Spender.
Post Soldier, Soldier, she starred in Coronation Street as Natalie Barnes, causing a stir across the nation when she became embroiled in the breakdown of Kevin and Sally Webster’s marriage.
Since then, Denise’s career has thrived with roles in hit series like Holby City, Down To Earth, Waterloo Road, and Hollyoaks. She is also no stranger to reality TV and has appeared on Dancing On Ice and she won Celebrity Big Brother in 2012.
A familiar face now on Loose Women, Denise openly shares her struggles with alcoholism on the show and is well appreciated for her candour.
Behind the scenes, Denise is a mother to two sons with her former spouse Tim Healy, one being Matty, the frontman of The 1975, and she’s currently married to artist Lincoln Townley.
Annabelle Apsion – Joy Wilton
Annabelle might not have been a well-known figure to audiences during her time on Soldier, Soldier with only a few minor roles under her belt, but today she stands as one of televisions most recognisable figures, noted for a myriad of iconic roles since departing the series in 1995.
A year on from her exit, she portrayed Jenni Hicks, a mother who tragically lost her two daughters in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, in the docudrama Hillsborough. She also shared the silver screen with Hollywood heartthrob Johnny Depp in From Hell, where she played Polly Nichols, Jack the Ripper’s first known victim.
In 2002, she made a brief yet unforgettable appearance on Coronation Street as Patricia Hillman, the ex-wife of serial killer Richard Hillman, who met a gruesome end at his hands.
Despite her impressive acting portfolio, until recently she was most recognised for her role as Monica Gallagher in Channel 4’s Shameless. However, these days she is best known for her portrayal of Mayor Violet Buckle in BBC One’s Call The Midwife.
Paterson Joseph – Fusilier Eddie” Horatio “Nelson
Paterson Joseph was just beginning to make a name for himself when he featured in one episode of Soldier, Soldier in series four in 1994. That same year, he appeared in an episode of BBC’s Casualty before becoming a regular on the show three years later.
Over his 45-year career, he has become one of the most recognisable faces in British drama, playing roles such as Reuben in William and Mary, alongside Martin Clunes, the Marquis de Carabas in Neverwhere, Alan Johnson in Peep Show, Lyndon Jones in Green Wing, and Shorty in the first episode of Jericho.
Like many other esteemed British actors, he has appeared in Doctor Who in the 2005 two-part episodes Bad Wolf and The Parting of the Ways. He played Rodrick, a contestant on a futuristic version of The Weakest Link game show.
Most recently, he dazzled audiences in cinemas as Arthur Slugworth in Wonka. Away from the spotlight, he shares his life with wife Emmanuelle Joseph and their child.
He also holds the esteemed position of Chancellor at Oxford Brookes University.
Holly Aird – Corporal (later Sergeant) Nancy Thorpe
Holly, a veteran actress since childhood, boasted an impressive resume by the time she joined Soldier, Soldier. Post-departure, she captivated viewers as Carla in Dressing For Breakfast and became widely recognised for her role as forensic pathologist Frankie Wharton in BBC1’s Waking the Dead.
Her recent credits include roles in A Discovery Of Witches and Four Lives, and last year she shone in the Idris Elba-led Apple TV production Hijack. In her personal life, Holly was married to Rome actor James Purefoy from 1996 until 2002 and is currently wed to Toby Merritt since 2004.
Samantha Morton – Clare Anderson
Samantha Morton first graced our screens in Soldier, Soldier, making an immediate impact despite appearing in just four episodes. A mere four years later, she captured the nation’s attention in ITV’s Band Of Gold.
Since then, she has graced the silver screen in Hollywood blockbusters like Minority Report with Tom Cruise, and Elizabeth: The Golden Age alongside Cate Blanchett. Expanding her talents, she has also ventured into producing and directing throughout her thirty-year career.
Her outstanding contributions were honoured at this year’s BAFTAs with the prestigious fellowship, where she delivered a heartfelt acceptance speech:” representation matters”.
Away from the spotlight, she’s a mother to three children, including actress Esmé Creed-Miles.
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