Sunday, December 22, 2024

Grange Hill legend Lee MacDonald, 56, who played Zammo, reveals he has been diagnosed with skin cancer after noticing an ‘unusual spot’ on his face

Must read

Former Grange Hill actor Lee MacDonald has revealed he has skin cancer

The actor, 56, announced that he went to the doctors over concerns about an ‘unusual’ spot on his face, only to be told it is cancerous.

Viewers know Lee best as teenage alter-ego Zammo, whose hard-hitting storylines broke TV boundaries in the mid 1980s on Grange Hill

Lee wrote: ‘Went to the doctors today to check an unusual spot on my face! Doctor says it’s cancer! 

‘As we older please keep an eye on anything unusual and hopefully get it looked at early!!! Booked in to get it sorted over the next couple of days!’ 

Fans took to the comment section to share their well wishes. 

Former EastEnders star Lee MacDonald has revealed he has skin cancer , The actor, 56, went to the doctors over concerns about an ‘unusual’ spot on his face, only to be told it is cancerous

Viewers know Lee best as teenage alter-ego Zammo, whose hard-hitting storylines broke TV boundaries in the mid 1980s on Grange Hill (pictured right with Tim Polley and Melissa Wilks)

Viewers know Lee best as teenage alter-ego Zammo, whose hard-hitting storylines broke TV boundaries in the mid 1980s on Grange Hill (pictured right with Tim Polley and Melissa Wilks) 

Lee, who played bus driver Terry on the BBC soap in 2019, wrote: 'Went to the doctors today to check an unusual spot on my face! Doctor says it¿s cancer!

Lee, who played bus driver Terry on the BBC soap in 2019, wrote: ‘Went to the doctors today to check an unusual spot on my face! Doctor says it’s cancer!

They wrote: ‘Glad you got it checked out – here’s to a speedy resolution’ and ‘Thank you for highlighting this Lee. Good luck to you over the next couple of days!’ 

‘Hope all goes well Lee. It’s good you got it checked early!’ 

Lee’s Grange Hill character Samuel Maguire was fondly known as cheeky chappy Zammo, who attended the fictional north London school between 1982 and 1987.

The actor featured in the show’s most famous – albeit controversial – storyline when Zammo spiralled into an addiction to heroin, which climaxed in an overdose scene.

Despite the shock factor, Lee and his cast members helped to spearhead the anti-drugs campaign Just Say No, by releasing a charity single which was a Top 10 hit.

However, speaking in 2007, Lee said he subsequently struggled to get acting work in his late teens because of his negative association with drugs.

‘After [the new series] was out, my agent said ‘Nobody wants you any more because it’s a drugs related character. So nobody wants to use you,’ he told fan site Grange Hill Gold.

Lee went on to become a locksmith and open his own store before returning to the soap world in 2019 as bus driver Terry in EastEnders (pictured in 2018)

Lee went on to become a locksmith and open his own store before returning to the soap world in 2019 as bus driver Terry in EastEnders (pictured in 2018) 

Throwback: Lee played Zammo in Phil Redmond's children's drama Grange Hill for six years in the 80s

Throwback: Lee played Zammo in Phil Redmond’s children’s drama Grange Hill for six years in the 80s

Fans took to the comment section to share their well wishes

Fans took to the comment section to share their well wishes 

‘I lost loads of work because adults didn’t want me at the club because it was drugs related. But that’s the power of telly . . . More so in the 80s when there was only a couple of channels. ‘

‘Things were taken a lot more seriously than they are now. There’s so much stuff that kids watch now that is outrageous.’

He has revealed that he has one addiction in real life – smoking. He only started smoking when he was 40 and his ex-wife wanted to quit, telling her that he was ‘strong-willed’ so would start smoking with her and then they would pack it in together, except he couldn’t.

After leaving Grange Hill in 1987 he planned to turn his boxing hobby into a career. He had already represented London and was planning on turning professional after being offered a contract.

But at the age of 21 he was involved in a serious car accident while in his dad’s van. The van was hit by a car being chased by the police at 90mph, sending Lee through the windscreen and leaving him with severe head injuries. 

He was told he couldn’t box again. A family friend managed to get him a job working for a wholesaler and he picked up some small acting roles in The Bill, Birds Of A Feather and Neighbours.

He admitted in a 2019 interview with The Guardian though that ‘the 90s weren’t brilliant because I didn’t know where I was or what I wanted to do.’

‘I was working in this warehouse and it was on the radio that [his Grange Hill co-star] John Alford had just got London’s Burning, and I just thought: “I had that and now John’s got that again.”‘ 

Lee married his girlfriend of ten years Jess in 2022, sharing the news on Twitter

Lee married his girlfriend of ten years Jess in 2022, sharing the news on Twitter 

Earlier in the month, an excited Lee wrote next to a snap with Jess: ''Just say yes!' So glad she did! 'I'm marrying this lovely lady later this month ❤️ xxx'

Earlier in the month, an excited Lee wrote next to a snap with Jess: ”Just say yes!’ So glad she did! ‘I’m marrying this lovely lady later this month ❤️ xxx’

Lee went on to become a locksmith and open his own Surrey store in 2000 before returning to the soap world in 2019 as bus driver Terry in EastEnders. 

Lee married his girlfriend of ten years Jess in 2022, sharing the news on Twitter with the words: ‘Finally got hitched ❤️❤️❤️ xxx.’ 

The couple got engaged in March 2020 but had to delay the wedding due to Covid. 

Posting a picture of himself and Jess posing with her engagement ring, Lee excitedly tweeted at the time: ‘My partner Jess ‘JUST SAID YES’! Wedding next.’ 

Lee’s son Harry, 16, acted as his best man. He is also a step dad to Jess’ daughter Katie, also 16.

They got engaged in March 2020 but had to delay the wedding due to Covid

They got engaged in March 2020 but had to delay the wedding due to Covid

Lee's son Harry, 16, acted as his best man

Lee’s son Harry, 16, acted as his best man 

SKIN CANCER – WHAT ARE THE SIGNS? 

Skin cancers can look very different and the symptoms can vary. Some of the symptoms are similar to other conditions.

What to look out for 

 – A sore that doesn’t heal

– Ulcer that doesn’t heal within four weeks

– A lump

– Red patches on skin

– Changes to freckles or moles 

Credit: Cancer Research  

Latest article