A Tribute To Reg Watson: Daily Life At The Crossroads Motel...

The modernistic 1950s/60s style buildings of the old Crossroads Motel! In her autobiography, My Life At Crossroads, Noele Gordon wrote about a painting of the motel (and it was featured in Reception for some years). Was this it? The Malvern Hills in the background?

What a wonderful place the motel was!

This picture has long been a paradise to me - a representation of a place which came to mean a great deal to me during my childhood, and a bustling place, full of well-loved characters.

I can happily wander around it for hours.

It has inspired me to write a Lost Episode In The Life Of Crossroads scenario...

It's set in the early 1970s - the dreadful hangover of 1960s youth fashion being sported by thirty, forty and fifty-somethings, almost enough hair lacquer to induce rigor mortis, and blissful days at the motel, with Meg in charge and cosy chat and trivial differences mixing with comedy, pathos, intrigue, high drama and a little social comment in the storylines...

It's not a spoof. So many episodes have been wiped that I wanted to try and recreate one of the motel eras I fondly remember which has largely disappeared from the archives.

And the wiped episodes are mostly from the Reg Watson era - which is a tremendous tragedy. I always remember the Crossroads of those days being absolutely thrilling - the dog with its leash wrapped around Meg's grandfather clock as the clock ticked away the minutes to a suspected bomb going off; Diane frantically searching for Nicky and thinking he'd wandered into a dumped fridge on some waste ground and suffocated; Stan almost striking Jill and Jill saying: 'That's right! Show me the REAL Stan Harvey!' before they began kissing passionately; Sheila going into labour at the motel; Meg talking a suicidal man down from a ledge...

Reg Watson's era was magic. I enjoyed each and every era of Crossroads, as you know, but the original master had his very own approach which established the show as a viewers' must-watch.

File this under 'fan fiction'.

See what you think...

The story so far: Mrs De Courcy-Brown, a guest at the motel, has been wreaking havoc with constant complaints about everyone and everything. Vera Downend was horrified when the lady booked herself an appointment at the salon. Things were not much happier in the kitchen, where perfectionist chefs Mr Booth and Mr Lovejoy were not getting on. Tish Hope was intrigued by the arrival of a new lady guest, and decided to tell Meg about her. The new guest seemed strangely familiar...

OPENING THEME, THEN...

8.05am: Don Rogers delivers the first post at reception - and gets a frosty reception from Diane Parker, who has heard the latest about poor Pat Mackenzie's romance with Don. Diane has decided that Don is of the 'I love myself, who do you love?' type of person. Di's frosty front doesn't faze Don at all. Di scowls as he leaves, whistling happily. The man had once made a pass at Mrs Richardson, which proved his arrogant insolence for all time!

8.34am: In the kitchen, Mr Booth and Mr Lovejoy are not happy. Mr Lovejoy is about to prepare Beef Wellington, but Mr Booth has come up with some trendy modern tips which have brought a swift glower from his colleague: 

'Mr Booth, Beef Wellington is a classic dish, best cooked and served in the classic manner.'

'Quite, Mr Lovejoy, but one can always improve. The Montpelier Hotel restaurant in London has had considerable success with...'

'This is not London, Mr Booth. It is the English countryside. People come here to enjoy tradition. This is Shakespeare country. London fads have no place here...'

'Quite so, Mr Lovejoy, but that is not to say the people around here, or visiting here, are all country bumpkins. There are some who may appreciate some modern sophistication...'

And so on. And so on. And so on.

9.06am: In the sitting room, Meg and Tish are looking at quotes for repairs to the motel's tiled swimming pool surround. Tish talks about the new woman in Chalet Eight, who booked in the night before, and says there is something oddly familiar about her. Meg is puzzled.

'You think you've met her before?'

Tish frowns.

'Well, not met her exactly, but certainly seen her... it's very puzzling, but I had the oddest feeling...'

'What's she like?'

'Well, Italian or Spanish, I think. Very beautiful. Strikingly so. And yet she looked unhappy... haunted... and terribly tired...'

'What's her name?' asks Meg.

'Mrs Sanchez, that's what she wrote in the register,' says Tish. 'But that name rings no bells with me at all.'

'Oh well, I daresay we shall find out more. How long has she booked in for?'

'A week. Yes, I daresay I'm being silly. She'd probably just flown into the country and flying doesn't agree with everybody...'

They return to the swimming pool quotes.

10.04am: Amy Turtle is outside Chalet Eight with her cleaning things.

She knocks on the door. There is no reply and she uses her key to enter the chalet.

A beautiful raven haired woman sits up in bed, looking at Amy in alarm.

'Who are you?!' she asks, in a heavy Italian accent.

'I'm the cleaner,' says Amy, peering through the gloom as the curtains are drawn.

'I do not wish for any cleaning,' says the woman, sinking back onto her pillows.

'Aren't you feeling well?' asks Amy. 'There's a bit of flu going about.'

'No, I am fine,' the woman sighs.

Amy is curious. 'Don't I know you?' she asks.

'I have never seen you before in my life,' says the woman. 'I have never been in England before. Now, leave me, please - and lock the door again as you go!'

'Oh, all right then, keep your hair on.' Amy leaves, looking very puzzled.

11.14am: Mrs De Courcy-Brown, a very grumpy lady who has been staying at the motel for a week and causing many headaches with her constant complaints, is at Vera Downend's salon to get her henna tint reinstated. Vera has heard of the lady, and tells Bernice they must be careful not to give cause for complaint.

'I think she's something in local society, and that would do us no good at all,' says Vera. 'I actually recommended she go to Henri's in Merryfields, and I never do that, but she insisted on coming here. I'll take care of her personally.'

'I haven't got all day,' says Mrs De Courcy-Brown testily. 'I'm not paying for you two to exchange chit-chat, you know.'

'Oh well, here goes...' says Vera to Bernice. She walks over to where Mrs De Courcy-Brown is sitting in front of one of the mirrors. 'Nice morning isn't it?'

'Horrid. Absolutely horrid,' says Mrs De Courcy-Brown. 'The sun is insipid and the breeze is absolutely biting. Beastly time of year.'

Vera sighs.

'Well, how can we help you today?'

'You can restore my hair colour,' says Mrs De Courcy-Brown. 'I have an important function to attend next week. I expect an excellent result, and I haven't got all day!'

11.18am: 'Ah, the aroma of a classic Beef Wellington cooking,' says Mr Lovejoy to Mr Booth in the motel kitchen. 'There's nothing like a classic dish, prepared well.'

Mr Booth sniffs and gives a vinegary smile: 'Very nice, I'm sure.'

'I wish you two would pack it in,' says Mrs Witton, slicing carrots.

 Amy Turtle comes rushing in:

'You'll never guess who we've got staying in Chalet Eight!' she cries.

END OF PART ONE

PART TWO

11.25am: Mr Booth is moaning at Mrs Witton in the kitchen.

'I always enjoyed Miss Penn's presence in this kitchen,' he says. 'She was a kindred spirit. Such a shame she got married in some ways. I would have been quite happy to offer her a full-time permanent position here.'

Mrs Witton sniffs.

'Well, from what Amy said, that Miss Penn hung on your every word and thought the sun shone out of you,' she says. 'That's why you'd be so happy to have her here, if you ask me.'

Mr Booth looks offended.

Mrs Witton turns to more interesting topics as she finishes washing up a tureen:

'I wonder if Amy's right about that woman in chalet Eight...'

11.28am: Vera is interrupted while doing Mrs De Courcy-Brown's hair by an urgent phone call. It's Wilf Harvey, in a phone box near the canal. He's spotted a gang of youths hanging around the boat and has called the police. Vera gets anxious and dashes off to the boat. 

'I haven't got much, luv, but I don't want to lose it,' she tells Bernice before she leaves.

Bernice steps in to finish Mrs De Courcy-Brown's hair.

11:54am: In the sitting room, Meg is preparing to go and see Jill. She and Tish discuss their children.

'I do worry about Peter and Marilyn being so far away,' says Tish. 'But they do seem to be happy. I had a lovely letter yesterday.'

'Near or far, I don't think we ever stop worrying about our children,' says Meg.

She goes to see Jill. Tish begins work on a mound of paperwork, and Amy bursts in. She's been dispensing the news about the mystery woman's identity around the motel and has finally reached the sitting room. She's very disappointed to learn that Meg has just left for Jill's...

1.04pm: Vera Downend arrives back at the motel to see a woman with hair a bizarre shade of orangey red sitting at a table. She asks Diane, who is still on reception, about her.

'I thought you would know,' says Diane. 'She came from your salon. It's Mrs De Courcy-Wotsit - you know, the old battleaxe that's been running us all ragged. Her hair looks the colour of tomato soup, doesn't it? Still, there's no accounting for taste. What's this I heard about some sort of upset to do with the boat?'

Vera is gazing at Mrs De Courcy-Brown in horror.

'Oh, everything's OK, Di. Just some yobs hanging about. I don't know what kids are coming to. Sad really. Wilf Harvey phoned the police, but the kids'd cleared off by the time they arrived.'

She looks at Mrs De Courcy-Brown again.

'Oh my gawd! Mrs Thingy wanted henna. What on earth's Bernice done? I shall never hear the last of it!'

Bravely, she steps forward to talk to the dragon lady.

'Well, well, it's you!' says Mrs De Courcy-Brown, severely. She glares at Vera.

'Yes, I...' Vera is so petrified her tongue freezes.

Suddenly, Mrs De Courcy-Brown laughs.

'My dear girl, don't look so worried!' she says. 'I'm being very naughty and pulling your leg. Your young lady explained that you had to rush off an emergency errand. Clearly, my hair was a little beyond her.'

'Yes, I'm very sorry,' says Vera.

'Don't be!' says Mrs De Courcy-Brown. 'When I saw myself in the mirror I laughed and laughed. My dear, I haven't laughed since my husband died last year. I've become very tetchy, very difficult. I was taking my pain out on others. I felt I would never laugh again. But when I saw my hair... well! Dear Roderick, my husband, always had a marvellous sense of humour, you know, and I felt he was laughing with me. Don't you worry. You've done me a great favour - and my new hair colour will be the talk of Warwickshire for the next few weeks!'

'Well, at least let me give you a refund, if you've paid,' says Vera.

'I wouldn't dream of it!' says Mrs De Courcy-Brown. 'This hairdo has been worth its weight in gold. It's brought me back to life. You've no idea what it feels like to be able to laugh again - and to feel that my dear Roderick was laughing with me. For the first time, I felt he was still at my side... I've missed him so dreadfully, and I've behaved very badly. This really feels like a new beginning.'

2.46pm: At the Hope Chest, Ted Hope is chatting with Miss Tatum.

'Such a lovely chess board,' Miss Tatum is saying. 'My dear father had one just like it.'

'Well, it's definitely pre-Victorian,' says Ted. 'It interests you, Miss Tatum?'

Miss Tatum looks embarrassed:

'Oh dear, Captain Hope, I don't want to mislead you. I'm not thinking of buying it - I have so many sentimental keepsakes from the old days already, and space is at a premium in my flat. I really just wanted to look at it.'

Ted is gallant:

'Well, you look as long as you want to, Miss Tatum,' he says. 'You're more than welcome - and it's nice to see you.'

A car roars to a halt outside and a door slams. Then a swarthy, dark-haired man in a sharp suit and dark glasses enters the shop.

'Can I help you?' asks Ted.

'Can you tell me the way to the Crossroads Motel?' says the man in a heavy Italian accent. 'I have gone astray.'

Ted gives him directions then says:

'Visiting these parts, are you?'

The man looks at him through the dark glasses.

'Well, I am here, so that is so,' he says, and leaves.

Miss Tatum and Ted listen to the car revving up outside and screeching off. Tish comes in, looking perturbed.

'Nearly got run over just now by a beastly red sports car,' she says. 'Horrid looking man in sunglasses driving it. I had to leap for the pavement. I'm lucky to be in one piece.'

'The young gentleman was in here,' says Miss Tatum. 'He did seem in rather a hurry.'

'I rather think, Miss Tatum, that the young man might not be a gentleman,' says Ted.

3.00pm:

Meg walks into reception.

'You go home now, dear,' she tells Diane. 'I'll take over here.'

'Ooh, ta, Mrs Richardson - me feet are going up in flames!' says Di.

A peal of laughter echoes across reception. Meg looks in surprise at Mrs De Courcy-Brown, who is chatting to Vera at her table.

'Good heavens! Mrs De Courcy-Brown, laughing! And what an unusual hair colour!' says Meg.

'Ah, all down to the miracle of Vera's salon!' says Di. 'Mrs Wotsit's a new woman!'

'Well, I never!' Meg is amazed.

'Did you hear about Mr Booth and Mr Lovejoy this morning?' asks Diane. 'I just saw Mrs Witton.'

Meg frowns:

'Yes, I did. They're both such perfectionists and their ideas don't always coincide. I hope things go all right on Thursday.'

'Why, what's happening on Thursday?' asks Di.

'Well, our fame is spreading,' says Meg. 'Largely thanks to the efforts of Mr Lovejoy and Mr Booth, the restaurant is absolutely booming. We're getting lots of local people coming in, as well as motel guests. The Castlewich Clarion is sending somebody to review the restaurant and interview the chefs.'

'Oooh, not together, I hope!' says Di.

'I must try and make sure that doesn't happen,' says Meg. 'I'll suggest to Mr Lovejoy that, as head chef, he should have an interview to himself. That might work. They're such lovely men aside from their professional temperaments - you remember how kind Mr Lovejoy was to Josefina - and Mr Booth always means so well...'

Amy comes dashing in.

'MRS RICHARDSON! I've been stuck over at the cafeteria - they've had a leak and I've been mopping up. Has anybody told you about Chalet Eight yet?'

Meg looks blank:

'Chalet Eight? Oh, well... Mrs Hope mentioned something this morning about a new guest she was a little intrigued by. Seemed to think she'd seen her somewhere before...'

'She has!' affirmed Amy. 'And I know who she is!'

Di, in the act of leaving, pauses to listen.

'It's Sophia Canterbelly!' says Amy dramatically.

'Who?' Meg is puzzled. 'Oh, do you mean Sophia Catriabelli, the actress? But she disappeared - simply vanished... it must be at least three years ago.'

'Are you saying she's staying here, Amy?' Di asks, grinning.

'That's exactly what I'm saying!' says Amy. 'I've seen her with my own two eyes. And you remember how she disappeared, don't you? It was in all the papers.'

'Her husband went to prison, didn't he?' says Di. 'He was a big businessman and he was found to be linked to the mob or something. It was all over the papers for ages, the trial. Then he got sent to prison - and a few others went with him - and she simply disappeared. Never heard of since.'

'That's right,' Meg nods gravely. 'Some thought she couldn't stand the publicity...'

'And others thought she'd been bumped off by enemies of her husband who'd been implicated in the trial,' says Di. 'Crikey, yeah, he made a lot of enemies during that trial, didn't he? I suppose she might have been bumped off.'

'She hasn't been bumped off - and that's a fact,' says Amy. 'She's here, now, in Chalet Eight - and when I saw her this morning she looked scared to death. Scared out of her wits!'

Roll End credits.

Final scene at end of episode: The closed door of Chalet Eight...

Our Favourite Crossroads Characters: Diane Lawton/Parker/Hunter

Diane! Another legendary Crossroads character and another huge favourite of ours.

Poor old Di, played by Susan Hanson, had a terrible time, as do all soap heroines. She'd originally arrived to win a beauty contest in the mid-1960s, then got a job as a waitress and kitchen hand at the motel. By the end of that decade she'd had a nervous breakdown after the explosion of an old wartime bomb which had devastated the motel kitchen.

Di also braved temperamental chefs like Carlos Rafael, Mr Booth, Mr Lovejoy, and Shughie McFee (or Shughie McCradock as she once called him), and the nosiness of the likes of Amy Turtle and Mrs Witton. The kitchen was not a particularly harmonious place, even without a bomb.

If all that wasn't enough, Di had a terribly shifty brother, Terry, who turned up at odd intervals to cause her heartache.

The start of the 1970s saw Di dealing with a drunken landlord and enjoying a heady romance with American film star Frank Adam, which resulted in an out-of wedlock baby, Nicky. Kindly postman and motel barman Vince Parker came to the rescue and married her.

The marriage broke up when Vince discovered that Frank Adam was secretly sending Di money for Nicky, and then Nicky got kidnapped. Di was frantic, thinking that the toddler has suffocated in an old fridge dumped on wasteland at one point, before discovering his father was the kidnapper.

Nicky now lived in America, with Di visiting him regularly.

Di had a brief encounter with the demon drink, but Prince Charming certainly didn't arrive. Clifford Leyton (Johnny Briggs - later Mike Baldwin of Coronation Street) and PC Steve Cater certainly weren't him.

Midway through the decade, Di visited her aunt and uncle, Peggy and Ed Lawton, at Heywoods Farm. Aunt Peggy fell and broke her hip, so Diane stayed on to help. She returned to the farm after her Aunt Peggy died.

It was at the farm that Diane met a simple country lad called Benny Hawkins, who called her 'Miss Diane'. The two forged a lasting bond of friendship, Benny gave her a kid (which caused Vera Downend brief confusion and concern) - of the goat variety - and Diane taught him to read.

Back home, Di experienced another nervous breakdown, prowling around her flat at night committing acts of vandalism, and having no memory of it by daylight. Her flatmate at the time, Jane Smith, helped her to see what was happening.

As the decade ended, Di agreed to marry Chris Hunter so that Chris would receive some inheritance money. It was a marriage purely of convenience.

The 1980s saw Di sharing her flat with motel garage manageress Sharon Metcalfe. She developed an unrequited love for Dr James Wilcox, of the group practice in King's Oak, and her shifty brother, Terry, returned to wreak further havoc on a couple of occasions. On one of these, Benny came to Di's rescue, using his father's inheritance money to pay off Terry's shady money lenders, who were 'leaning on' Diane.

Poor old Benny, who was trying to make her happy, couldn't understand why she cried!

Di briefly tangled with oily restaurant manager Paul Ross - Mr Paul - and regretted it - although the man was supportive towards her later.

Di supported Sharon's efforts to help a local Down's Syndrome child in one of the show's best story-lines in 1983, and also became entangled in the war between J. Henry Pollard and Mr Paul, which ended up earning her demotion - from cold trolley waitress to simple waitress. She icily refused guilt-ridden J Henry's offer of financial compensation - she had her pride.

Various absences from the motel over the years, often seeing Nicky in America, had ended in Di simply walking back into her job, often after many months away. The 1983 demotion story-line came as something of a shock to us viewers, and reality caught up with her again in 1985 when, after a spell away, she returned to find no job available. Or at least not one suitable for her experience. Even her old pal Jill Chance couldn't help. 

On this occasion, restaurant manager Mr Paul's misfortune was Diane's gain, as she walked into his job after he was injured in a wages snatch.

Di finally had the job she wanted, but Mr Right still proved elusive. She settled into a cottage in the village, and endured the tender ministrations of Benny (herbal tea made with dried mixed herbs) when she had the flu at Christmas 1986.

In 1987, Di was involved in a car accident, but was seemingly OK. However, not long afterwards, she suddenly collapsed in the office at work. She had had a brain hemorrhage and died in hospital a few days later.

The nation wept, including me, but although it was meant kindly, Benny naming a donkey 'Miss Diane' was not a very fitting tribute.

Di was magic. She'd been in our living rooms for so many years she was like an old friend or older sister. Once again, that magical quality some Crossroads performers had to make their characters seem real shone through in abundance.

I always wished she'd found true love - married and been whisked away to run a plush hotel in the Caribbean or something with her new hubby.

But poor old Di never was lucky.

Our Crossroads Favourites: Vera Downend

Vera faces another problem on her boat. Actress Zeph Gladstone had the freedom to buy the clothes for her character - but they had to be in bad taste.

Dear old Vera Downend! Played by Zeph Gladstone, Vera is one of my absolute-ultimate-favourite Crossroads characters. I love her.

Ex-tart Vera started out in Crossroads living next door to single mother Diane Lawton, who had a grotty bedsit, in 1970. She was originally quite a slovenly character, but good-hearted and quickly became a hit with us viewers.

So Vera smartened up (in her own way) and came to the motel to open a hairdressing salon and live on the Harvey family's barge on the canal.

Wilf Harvey advanced Vera £3,000 to start the salon so, although we remember him mainly for being a grouse, he certainly wasn't all bad.

Vera was another of those magical Crossroads characters you felt you could confide in and, during my often troubled youth, I could have done with a chat with her on many occasions. In fact sometimes, in my imagination, I did visit her boat to confide in her - and, occasionally, when troubled, still do!

But she worried us. The section of the King's Oak canal (near Wilf Harvey's) where Vera lived looked downright seedy and her attention to security on the boat was, to put it mildly, rather lax. She was often seen wandering off to bed with no effort to 'batten down the hatches' (or whatever one does on barges), with just a flimsy interior door separating her from the despicable characters no doubt lurking on the canal banks.

We were genuinely worried about this.

There were no mobile phones in those days.

And she suffered. Weird and menacing goings on sometimes came Vera's way - and once she was even mugged. Though not on her boat.

Bless her.

The boat once suddenly sprang a leak. Cue dramatic ending of episode! 

In 1976, the salon ran into financial difficulties. The motel took over, but kept Vera on as manageress.

Vera sprouted a long-lost son, Clive Merrow, late in her reign and experienced motherhood problems - and coming to terms with Clive's adopted mother. She came through it all brilliantly.

Romance was never smooth or easy - and all the nice girls love a sailor, including Vera. She dated Doug Randall (Richard Thorp - Alan Turner in Emmerdale Farm from 1982 onwards) for a time, but it came to naught. Doug was eager to escape his unhappy marriage, but his wife had other ideas and the situation was impossible.

And then, in 1977, Vera fell for creepy restaurant manager Max Lorimer, who bought her boat from Sheila Mollison and Stan Harvey, and basically set his cap at her in a most unhealthy way. 

Vera found herself back on dry land, sharing Max's old flat with Diane, but not long afterwards finally departed from King's Oak.

I missed her dreadfully. My memories of her departure are that it was to be temporary and she would be returning. She was apparently working on a cruise ship for a time. I must have dreamt it, but I could swear there was an episode a few years later in which Diane said, 'I've just seen Vera in the village, and she says...' (referring to some ongoing storyline)

And I suddenly had the notion that she would be reappearing. The hope flickered for a few weeks.

It was wishful thinking. A year long 'sabbatical' for actress Zeph Gladstone turned into a permanent departure as she was not asked back.

It was never the same. Pure magic, our Vera. A cherished memory.

Our Crossroads Favourites: Paul Ross - "Mr Paul"

Of British/Swiss parentage, Paul Ross, known to his subordinates as Mr Paul, played by Sandor Elès arrived at the Crossroads Motel in 1982 to take on the role of restaurant manager. He aimed to rule with 'subdued charisma', but was not quite what he seemed.

The 'un-spot changing leopard' (as Kate Hamilton once called him), Mr Paul (I always felt subordinate to him) soon turned out to be trouble. He was secretly in the employ of wealthy businessman J Henry Pollard, and worked as his spy at the motel, undercover of the restaurant manager role.

He acted abominably at first - breaking down Diane Hunter's defences by taking her away for the weekend and then treating her like dirt after she'd fallen under his spell. But Mr Paul was to mellow. A year or two later, he was instrumental in securing Diane a job back at the motel after she'd gone off on some daft training scheme devised by J Henry Pollard, and comforted her when she bemoaned the fact that she'd lost her cold trolley job and come back as a lowly waitress. A lowly waitress?! Being a waitress was no such thing!

Mr Paul's love life was a disaster. He was pursued by that young high flier Miranda Pollard, which led him into trouble with Daddy and Mummy Pollard. Then he fell for the lovely young Georgina Moran, but suave Richard Lord soon saw him off.

Mr Paul had a past - a long-lost daughter called Lisa Walters. She didn't know he was her father, and after he secured her a job as a receptionist at Crossroads, she became attracted to him. Mr Paul had to acquaint her with the facts. He was later distressed when that nasty smoothy Douglas Brady hurt Lisa dreadfully. This was an interesting story, two of its components being that Douglas intended to emigrate to South Africa, and that Lisa was of mixed race parentage.

Lisa left and Mr Paul soon fell for Polish dissident Anna Radek. But she fell in love with Douglas Brady too - and poor Mr Paul married her so that she could stay in England because he was so devoted to her.

When the authorities got hold of the facts, Mr Paul and Anna were both in the soup. Anna was deported, but Mr Paul extracted revenge on the female immigration officer by spurning her when she revealed she had feelings for him.

One of the joys of Mr Paul was the way he spanned breathless high drama to the mundane, teasing Jill Chance with the notion he might sack Shughie McFee, upbraiding the waitresses because their hair was straggling, moaning about the presentation of the restaurant table cloths - surely they could find a better laundry service? - and so on.

In 1985, Mr Paul moved in to a cottage with his old love Miranda Pollard. Purely platonically. The motel staff were sceptical. And, sure enough, very soon the flame between them was rekindled.

Poor Mr Paul. His perfectionist zeal was his undoing in the end. Having decided that the restaurant flowers were not up to par one day, he went into the village for more, and came upon some robbers, intent on stealing the motel staff's wages, on his way back. He got whacked over the head, went into a coma and emerged with an impaired memory.

It was all very sad because in the meantime Miranda had decided she definitely loved him.

But the post-coma Paul had other fish to fry, and soon left King's Oak to work elsewhere.

I missed him and the era of wondering whatever Mr Paul would do next remains one of the shining highpoints of my Crossroads viewing years.

Our Crossroads Favourites: Shughie McFee

Shughie McFee, magnificently played by Angus Lennie, was a chef at the Crossroads Motel from the mid 1970s until around 1984/85 - although he was invisible for several years at the end! 

Shughie was not the chef he made himself out to be when he arrived at the motel. He... er... told a few pork pies. But he improved.

A proud Scotsman, Shughie drew a squawk of disgust from Amy Turtle when she saw what was going into the haggis he was preparing. Sadly, Scot though he was, he couldn't really play the bagpipes, although he did once try to hoodwink everybody into thinking he could.

In the best traditions of a Crossroads chef Shughie, once called 'Shughie McCradock' by waitress Diane Parker, was highly temperamental. He could puff himself up and bluster with the best of them. But underneath it all, Shughie was actually quite a sad and lonely little man. And there was a slight whiff of the Walter Mittys about him. Remember his wonderful flat, which turned out to be anything but?

Romance eluded Shughie although he tried (remember Avis Tennyson?), but Doris Luke did turn his shirt collars for him.

So that was nice.

Shughie worked with Bernard Booth for part of his tenure in the motel kitchens, and called him 'Bern-ard'. Why? I think Shughie was trying to sound posh. But, whatever the reason, it was very funny.

The highly strung chef had a nervous breakdown in late 1980, putting spiders in a dessert served to a motel guest, hiding the store cupboard keys in the food mixer, and then attempting to wreck the motel kitchen. He was caught in the act by Kath Brownlow. Shughie was consumed by guilt as he hadn't been there when his mother had died, and this had triggered his strange behaviour. Mrs McFee had had a brief but unhappy stay at the motel just before her death and had tried to persuade Shughie to return to Scotland, as she was unwell. Shughie suspected her of malingering, a doctor's examination suggested only indigestion, but she'd died just after returning home.

Shughie recovered from his breakdown and was there in 1981 when the staff drank a toast in reception to the newlywed royals, Charles and Diana.

And he had a big fall-out with Diane Hunter, the majority share-holder's daughter-in-law, who was briefly left in charge of the kitchen, which nearly resulted in his departure. But that was soon patched-up.

However, 1981 did see Shughie's last on-screen appearance, although he continued to work at the motel for several years after.

The reason for Shughie's disappearance from our screens seems to lay with the production team, which decided not to build a new kitchen set after the motel fire in the November of 1981.

No kitchen scenes. No Shughie.

But although he was off-screen, Shughie was often mentioned and indeed even had a couple of storylines, bizarre though that may seem! Remember Kath Brownlow packing him off to the dentist? Mr Paul telling Jill he wanted rid of him and a new chef (preferably Swiss) for the kitchens? I was quite worried about that! 'Shughie can't leave!' I muttered. I was mightily relieved when Mr Paul revealed that he'd only been teasing.

And yet, at the time, we hadn't laid eyes on Shughie for at least two years!

I loved Shughie. Sadly, Angus Lennie is no longer with us, but I still treasure a lovely letter and some photos I had from him many years ago. 

And Shughie is my all-time favourite Crossroads chef.

Our Crossroads Favourites: Jane Smith

Jane Smith, once described by motel owner Meg Mortimer as: "One of our waitresses, with a heart of gold."

A real plain Jane with a real plain name, this waitress, played by Sally Adcock, was employed at the motel in the mid-to-late 1970s. She was plain speaking too, a great, down-to-earth Northern character. 

Her family background was rather unsettled and her mother was... well... not the nicest nurturing influence, but Jane fought her way upwards and onwards and was a very loyal member of the Salvation Army. Occasionally, I found her a little bit too much of a do-gooder and she got on my nerves but, in the main, plain Jane was solid gold, always caring and cheerful. I particularly liked her scenes with Sandy Richardson. There were times when Jane almost seemed like a sister to him, and the two had a great rapport which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Jane was also a great friend to Carney and Diane and Benny and, in fact, just about everybody. She even stuck around for Diane, with whom she shared a flat for a while, when Diane went a bit loopy and took to prowling around at night shredding clothes and other strange things, and then thinking an intruder had done them.

Jane's positive attitude and devotion to the Salvation Army made for heartwarming viewing.

I don't think they make soap characters like Jane Smith any more. In today's soap world of lusting, money-grabbing and serial killings, kindly Jane would seem very out of place.

Pity.

Our Crossroads Favourites: Vince Parker

Vince Parker, friend of village postmistress Miss Tatum and many others, briefly husband of Diane Lawton and step-father of her son Nicky, and cheerful postman of King's Oak in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

A first class choice for a Crossroads favourite character is King's Oak village postman and part-time motel barman Vince Parker, played by Peter Brookes. Vince arrived in King's Oak in 1968 and soon palled up with Miss Tatum, who ran the post office and village store. He was a cheerful bloke with an eye for the ladies, but narrowly survived tragedy shortly after his arrival when he was knocked off his bike by Meg Richardson, who had swerved to avoid a cat on the road whilst driving. Vince suffered temporary blindness, but recovered and was soon participating in King's Oak village life again.

When motel waitress Diane Lawton became pregnant, it was at first thought by local gossips that Vince was the father, but he wasn't. The man responsible was actually American film star Frank Adam. Despite this, Vince married Diane in 1971 and was very fond of her son, Nicky. However, cracks soon appeared in the fledgling marriage - Vince was particularly unhappy that Frank Adam was sending money to help support Nicky.

Vince and Di filed for divorce.

Vince left the village in 1973, returning only once and very  briefly for the wedding of Meg Richardson to Hugh Mortimer in 1975.

Vince, despite his dramas, was a very positive and likeable character, and provided a lot of fun moments during his stay in the series. The character was also believable, even if some of the situations he found himself in were rather out of the ordinary.

The sort of bloke I'd be happy to have a pint with down the local.