10 February 2024 , 13:56
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Robson Green, famous for his roles in TV dramas like Casualty, Soldier Soldier and Wire in the Blood, is currently on our screens as Detective Inspector Geordie Keating in ITV's Grantchester. Besides acting, he has also presented shows such as Robson Green's Weekend Escapes on BBC Two.
His passion for fishing led him to host Extreme Fishing and Extreme Fishing Challenge. Fans might remember him as part of the chart-topping pop duo Robson and Jerome with Soldier Soldier co-star Jerome Flynn. They recorded two albums together before focusing solely on their acting careers.
Born in Hexham, Northumberland, Robson grew up in Dudley, a mining village in North Tyneside. He has two sisters - Dawn and Joanna - and a brother, David. But what else do we know about the star away from his career? Below we look at his love life, his real name, a devastating flood that ruined his home and more.
Robson Green has spoken frankly about his private life in the past (ITV)In his personal life, Robson married Alison Ogilvie in 1991, whom he had met through director Andrew Gunn. However, they split up in 1999 after being together for eight years. Robson first met his second wife, former model Vanya Seager, whilst she was Simon Cowell's secretary and he was recording Unchained Melody alongside Jerome Flynn. The pair had a son, Taylor Robson Green, in April 2000 before they tied the knot at Cliveden House in Buckinghamshire in 2001.
However, after years of wedded bliss, Robson and Vanya ended their marriage, officially divorcing in 2013. Now, it's thought that Robson is dating Zoila Short, who he met at a gym. The private pair live together in Hexham, Northumberland, away from prying eyes, although they have been spotted together on the red carpet.
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During an interview with The Times in 2023, Robson revealed that he and Zoila are not considering tying the knot. He admitted: "No, I've done enough of that. We're very happy together". In 2015, Robson had to deal with his home being ruined by a devastating flood.
The actor confessed he lost "everything precious and personal" in the tragic event which happened in 2015. Revealing the heartbreak to Radio Times, Robson said: "I live in an old ferryman's cottage that's 350 years old, and I love it. I've got Hadrian's Wall to the north and there are pheasants and deer in the garden every morning."
Robson Green with partner Zoila Short (Joe Maher/WireImage)
Robson Green with former wife, Vanya Seager (PA)"But in 2015 my house was under seven feet of water, destroyed in a flood. Everything precious and personal in my life, just washed away. It was very painful, I was devastated. Not only were there salmon going down the Tyne that day, my three-piece suite was, too."
Recalling how the terrible flood occurred, he told Mail on Sunday: "It was the perfect storm. There was a massive amount of rain, a spring tide, and at the same time the Kielder Water dam had to release 20 cubic metres of water a second to prevent it bursting. I'm right on the apex of where all this water met, and a huge surge swelled up straight through my house."
Robson has also spoken about his battle with substance misuse in his earlier years. When he was 26 and performing in Soldier Soldier, he confessed he had "real problems" with alcohol and drugs. He remembered: "I was enjoying fame. I was enjoying recognition, I was enjoying all the approval. I was enjoying the awards, I was enjoying the parties, I was enjoying the drinking and everything else that went with fame. My relationships were a car crash. I started having real problems with fame and alcohol and drugs."
Robson sought help from a therapist on his dad's advice during a hard time. When speaking to the Mirror in 2001, he shared: "Dad turned up, he'd worked hard all his life and he looks at his son who he has given everything to, blood, sweat and tears, and he goes 'Are you happy?', and I went 'Yeah,' but deep down I knew I wasn't and I realised I didn't have anything. Because all I was doing in my life was acting."
Extreme Fishing With Robson Green (Channel 5)"I was a people pleaser, always desperate for recognition, reassurance and I needed help. So I went to see a therapist. He said to me, 'So tell me who Robson Green is'. I said 'I am this guy who acts'. He said, 'No, that's your career. Who are you?' I didn't have a clue."
In another chat with Hello magazine, he remarked: "If I had the chance to go to that therapist again, I would say go fishing with me and you will see that's who Robson Green is. I needed something in life that made sense and, for me, fishing makes sense. I've learnt so much from fishing and found an inner peace that was missing."
The actor explained his feelings about fishing: "Fishing has never been about the beauty of the place or the size of the fish; it has always been about how I feel. I compare it to being at home. Home is not a house or a garden it is a feeling, and I have always felt at home on the water." Remembering his late dad who died in 2009, he shared that when he's fishing: "I am always with him".
Robson has also admitted that his school days were tough. He faced ridicule and bullying due to his aspirations of becoming an actor and his love for singing and dancing. Recollecting a challenging time, he shares: "I always wanted to be an actor and wanted to sing and dance. I wanted to do lots of things, but at school I got ridiculed for it and bullied because of it."
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One painful memory includes a nasty bully who would assault him with a conker. Robson recalled: "A lot of the lads were horrible to me and I wouldn't want to go back and see them. There was one guy who used to hit me over the head with a conker."
Before landing major roles in popular shows like Casualty and Soldier, Soldier, Robson spent seven long years working in regional theatre. Here, he met future music companion Jerome in a taxi on their way to work. Robson and Jerome, who started their music career after a singing performance on Soldier Soldier, topped the charts with three number one hits: Unchained Melody, I Believe/Up on the Roof and What Becomes of the Broken Hearted/Saturday Night at the Movies. Their first album sold 1.84 million copies and their second one, Take Two, was also a hit, selling 1.13 million copies. Despite being offered millions for a third album, they decided to focus solely on acting.