Zoos in soap operas

[TARZAN]

As I am sure most of us are aware the long running soap opera Coronation Street is this week celebrating its 50th year. Thinking about this great milestone in the shows history I do remember an episode from the early seventies when an outside broadcast of the show was filmed at Knowsley Safari PARK featuring Annie Walker(Doris Speed),Hilda Ogden(Jean Alexander) and Elsie Tanner(Pat Phoenix) and other well known characters. Zoos have also been mentioned from time to time in the scripts,visits to Chester have been made , indeed the price of a family ticket was recently quoted. Johnny Briggs charecter (Mike Baldwin) once referred to the behavior of the women who worked in his factory as similar to the chimps at Twycross Zoo. Twycross did feature in the Midlands soap opera Crossroads in the mid eighties when Miss Diane(Sue Hanson) and Benny (Paul Henry) took a downs syndrome child to the zoo for a day out, the child went missing and fortunately was later found, much to the relief of Miss Diane and Benny, playing on the lawn with two young chimps William and Jambo, accompanied by a lady who was not just well known in the Midlands but throughout the country, indeed the matriarchal boss of the show, and sadly after she departed, many said this great institution which she had been the head of for many years would never be the same again, and no it wasn't Noele Gordon

 

[Pertinax]

I imagine the 'Eastenders' must have taken some of their children to visit London Zoo at some stage but I can't remember who or when.

Similarly 'Neighbours' are bound to have visited Melbourne Zoo occassionally as its filmed in that city and they sometimes use outside locations.

'Casualty' (more a soap rather than a drama nowadays IMO) which is filmed in Bristol had an episode some years back where Charlie and his son Louie visited the Zoo- some sort of chase in the 'Seals & Coasts' exhibit.

 

[Maguari]

'Casualty' (more a soap rather than a drama nowadays IMO) which is filmed in Bristol had an episode some years back where Charlie and his son Louie visited the Zoo- some sort of chase in the 'Seals & Coasts' exhibit.

I actually remember that. I seem to recall it ended with someone falling from a keeper walkway.

 

[easytigger]

Chester zoo was featured for a while in hollyoaks when a charachter was dating a keeper at the zoo, can't remember who or when.

Many moons ago (early 90's) Eastenders was filmed at Chessington when the Butchers went on a day trip

Oh yes and welsh language soap pobol y cwm was once filmed at Penscynor wildlife park

 

[Pertinax]

I actually remember that. I seem to recall it ended with someone falling from a keeper walkway.

Probably, they love their high drama in Casualty! And don't they recover quickly too? I remember in one episode a nurse/sister got herself impaled on a metal fence spike during another chase(miles away from the hospital of course) and they had to take her and the spike together to the hospital (Holby of course). Despite this life and death scenario she was back at work in about a week.

Quite a lot of BBC drama is shot in Bristol and I'm surprised the Zoo doesn't feature a bit more often really.

 

[kiang]

Similarly 'Neighbours' are bound to have visited Melbourne Zoo occassionally as its filmed in that city and they sometimes use outside locations.

Showing my age here, i am sure i remember Joe and Sky (i think) Mangel, getting married in the butterfly house at Melbourne zoo

 

[Pertinax]

Showing my age here, i am sure i remember Joe and Sky (i think) Mangel, getting married in the butterfly house at Melbourne zoo

Yes, you're correct- that was over 20 years ago? I wonder if they've shot any other bits at Melbourne Zoo since then.

 

[FBBird]

Slight digression here; anyone rember Sky's mother being shot in mistake for a duck?

 

[FBBird]

Thinking about it, wasn't Joe Sky's dad?

 

[Shirokuma]

Grange Hill went to (I think) Chessington Zoo. I was very young but remember polar bears and something like Roland's sandwiches being thrown in to them. Was mid eighties I think.

 

[Zambar]

Quite a lot of BBC drama is shot in Bristol and I'm surprised the Zoo doesn't feature a bit more often really.

I was thinking that, surprised there hasn't been a keeper or visitor patient who got attacked by the lions yet! I heard Bristol Zoo also featured on Skins once.

 

[CGSwans]

Similarly 'Neighbours' are bound to have visited Melbourne Zoo occassionally as its filmed in that city and they sometimes use outside locations.

Showing my age here, i am sure i remember Joe and Sky (i think) Mangel, getting married in the butterfly house at Melbourne zoo

Good grief. I know soap operas have only the most tenuous of links to reality, but I can't think of a worse place to be dressed up in suit and tie. The humidity compared to the typical Melbourne ambient climate (either cold and wet or hot and dry, though this year is more humid than usual) is quite jarring. I actually don't go in there for more than a couple of minutes because of that.

 

[Shirokuma]

Not a soap opera but I also remember a 'Golden Girls' episode at Miami Zoo. They didn't film there but had a studio version.

There is a 'Fame' episode where they dance around New York City and the sequence features the pre-rennovation Central Park Zoo.

 

[easytigger]

Thinking about it, wasn't Joe Sky's dad?

Yes she was, her mum and was Harolds daughter who's name escapes me

There was also a character that worked briefly in a wildlife park, might have been Bronwyn or Beth, long time ago and memories are very hazy, but I definetly recall dungarees and a wombat, at least I hope it was neighbours and not just a very strange dream

 

[Pertinax]

There was also a character that worked briefly in a wildlife park, might have been Bronwyn or Beth, long time ago and memories are very hazy, but I definetly recall dungarees and a wombat, at least I hope it was neighbours and not just a very strange dream

Not a dream- I remember that too... was it Beth, and was it Natalie Imbruglia who played the character? (very pretty girl..)

 

[Pertinax]

The humidity compared to the typical Melbourne ambient climate (either cold and wet or hot and dry, though this year is more humid than usual) is quite jarring. I actually don't go in there for more than a couple of minutes because of that.

I have the same problem in some Butterfly and Tropical Houses- too great a contrast to the outside, I can't cope with it for very long, so don't tend to go in them.

 

[Pertinax]

I was thinking that, surprised there hasn't been a keeper or visitor patient who got attacked by the lions yet!

They've missed a trick there and they've had just about every other accident /emergency under the sun. Perhaps a near fatality at 'Holby Zoo' is just what we need...

 

[TARZAN]

A few memories have been jogged today I take it, for our Australian members I am sure in Prisoner Cell Block H. Joan Ferguson(Maggie Kirkpatrick) once went on a zoo visit with a young lad she befriended ,out of uniform of coarse, Shane was his name, "Auntie Joan, Auntie Joan, look at the gorillas". In Eastenders i am sure that there was a visit to London zoo but which characters were involved I couldn't state for sure, however let us not forget Pam St. Clements, an actress in the show for many years, an animal lover and a supporter of good zoos, I think you will find she officially opened the penguin exhibit at Whipsnade. As for Crossroads, post Noele Gordon , didn't they build a lavish new entrance/ restaurant/gift shop? I think for my next visit Ill look in the Autotrader and see if I can find a good red Austin/M.G. Maestro for when I have dinner with Mr. Shorts and our two lady guests

 

[Tarkin]

To Easytigger,
Keep off the Boddingtons and give the wii a rest. Your back to work monday and throughts of Natalie Imbruglia in dungarees and a Wombat are just to much for you.

 

[Pootle]

A few memories have been jogged today I take it, for our Australian members I am sure in Prisoner Cell Block H. Joan Ferguson(Maggie Kirkpatrick) once went on a zoo visit with a young lad she befriended ,out of uniform of coarse, Shane was his name, "Auntie Joan, Auntie Joan, look at the gorillas".

Your knowledge of soap opera happenings, character names and actor/actress names from the mid 70's to date blows me away. Although I admit I got addicted to cell block H whilst at Uni.


I recall an Alan Partridge quote about the Knowsley Baboons "If you’ve been to Knowsley Safari Park and they’re pulling the wipers off your windscreen and nicking your hub caps, you lose sympathy."