Roland Rat to appear in Ashes to Ashes

A tabloid story claims that Roland Rat will appear in the second series of BBC One’s 1980’s drama Ashes to Ashes.

According to The Mirror Roland the Rat, an icon in his own right, is to appear in the next series of 1980s drama Ashes to Ashes. The rat puppet is perhaps best known for his time on breakfast magazine show TV-am in the 1980s, alongside Anne Diamond and Nick Owen.

The article in The Mirror goes on to note how the famous rodent will deliver a message to DI Drake [Keeley Hawes] via her television. DI Drake is stuck in the 1980s after being shot in the present day and teamed up with Gene Hunt [Phillip Glenister] during the first season of the show.

The tabloid also adds that the puppet won’t be the only 80’s icon appearing in the next series of the Life on Mars spin-off. The paper claims that Grange Hill favourite Mrs McCluskey, played by Gwyneth Powell between 1980 and 1991, will also be featuring in Ashes to Ashes in a cameo role.

Roland will be on hand with his catchphrase, ‘Heeeeeeee, rat fans!’ and Mrs McCluskey will appear on the screen in all her Grange Hill glory.” – A “source” speaks to The Mirror

And the cameo appearances by 80’s icons won’t stop there apparently with Morph, the plasticine man, also appearing to DI Drake via her television. Ashes to Ashes will return to BBC One later this year for its second season.

Roland Rat was swiftly devised for TV-am to stem a ratings decline in the early 1980s, when its flagship show, Good Morning Britain, failed to lure in viewers with the likes of Michael Parkinson and Anna Ford at the helm. Diamond, Owen and the rat saw ratings rise with eventually the TV-am slot becoming the most successful breakfast show in the UK.