THE actor who played the iconic Togger Johnson on Grange Hill looks completely different since leaving showbiz.
Chris Perry-Metcalf starred as the prankster on Grange Hill for six years, but left acting behind him to take on a completely different career.
Chris’ character Togger was the nephew of long-running character Peter “Tucker” Jenkins.
Togger started as a prankster alongside his mates Abel and Andy, with the lads even playing tricks on the school headmaster and rival Tanya Young.
The actor turned his back on acting when the BBC axed the long-running school drama in 2008 after 30 years on air.
The then 18-year-old decided to follow two of his passions – business and sports.
He started running courses to tackle childhood obesity, working with community groups, schools and job centres to teach young people about fitness and health.
“I’ve always loved sports, and I’m quite business-minded, so it made sense to combine the two,” he told the Liverpool Echo in 2013.
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“Acting was thrust upon me by a bit of a fluke, so I never really had any long-term goal to do it. I enjoyed every minute of Grange Hill while it lasted but once it was over, that was it.
“You’ve got to give acting 110% to succeed and I really didn’t have that in me.”
Not long after starting that endeavour, Chris turned his hand to professional boxing.
He remained undefeated after two professional bouts and then his sights on international ventures.
Chris worked closely with the Abu Dhabi Royal Family and tourist board to help bring more sporting events to the area, according to his LinkedIn.
The former actor has kept very busy in the business world since then, including running enterprise and pension investment company.
But helping others has never been far from his mind, and in 2019 set up an organisation to help armed services officers leaving the military with their mental health.
Called Anonymind, it helps military personnel find accommodation and a mental health centre for those struggling with life after serving.
“Giving someone a key doesn’t take all the problems away. It’s a foundation to build a life on but some of the individuals needed intervention, whether it was because of mental health issues or addictions,” Chris told ManchesterWorld last year.
“We opened our residential facility in Manchester in 2019 to support them making that transition from military to civilian life.
“That has been a great success but it got us thinking about a platform which could further break down the barriers for people who wouldn’t want to come to a facility but want treatment or to talk to a therapist remotely or online.”
The classic BBC school drama – one of the longest-running shows in British television history – is making a comeback as a movie, with creator Phil Redmond reportedly inviting its original stars to return as grandparents.
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It comes 14 years after the Beeb decided to pull the plug on Grange Hill, saying the show “had run its course”.
The hit drama – which ran from 1978 to 2008 – covered major issues from drug use, teen pregnancy and HIV to knife crime, mental health and sexual assault.
