Whatever happened to Marian’s Merry Men?
HIT TV SPOOF THAT DELIGHTED ALL AGES
HIT BBC One show Maid Marian And Her Merry Men was making kids and adults alike cackle with laughter for just over four years, starting at the turn of the 90s.
It was a sitcom, musical comedy and history lesson rolled into one – laying the foundation for later shows such as the legendary Horrible Histories.
Created by comedy veteran and history buff Tony Robinson, it was based on the legend of Robin Hood with a twist – Maid Marian led the band of noble thieves, and Robin Hood himself was reduced to the role of a foolish tailor.
It spoofed other popular shows and films, including The Crystal Maze, Jurassic Park and It Came From Outer Space.
The show was set in Worksop, close to the Major Oak, where Robin Hood is said to have had his mythical hideout.
It has been 27 years since the last episode, so let’s see where the actors who played Maid Marian, Robin Hood and the Merry Men are now.
■ KATE LONERGAN – Maid Marian Lonergan played the lead role. During her time on the show, she also appeared in the mini-series Terry And Julian with Julian Clary and Lee Simpson.
She went on to play roles across the spectrum of British TV drama. She appeared as four different characters – Sal Gilks, Nurse Stephenson, Louise Hunter and Bridget Ponting – over 12 years on The Bill.
She also appeared on Heartbeat and Doctors, the children’s sci-fi show Parallel 9, and the comedy-drama The Hello Girls, set in Derby.
She has since left her acting career behind, and started the Blackheath Windowbox Company in 2011, turning her hand from acting to gardens. That company is gone now, but she did meet Tony Robinson and the rest of the cast in 2018 – showing how fondly they remember the show.
■ ADAM MORRIS - Robin Hood Adam Morris, sometimes known as Wayne, played Robin Hood - the Merry Men’s tailor who is accidentally seen as the band of thieves’ leader.
Like Kate, classically trained Adam has popped up plenty on British TV since Maid Marian – as well as appearing in Doctors and Holby City, he played Fran’s boyfriend in Black Books, and noughties kids might remember him as Philip Norton in the Nickelodeon sitcom Genie In The House. More recently, the veteran actor won an award for his performance in the short film Four Tails, and his last credit on IMDB is in The Carer alongside Succession star Brian Cox.
■ DANNY JOHN-JULES – Barrington Danny John-jules played Barrington – a “sort-of” narrator for the show, and the Merry Men’s rap specialist for their musical performances.
During the run of Maid Marian, he was already busy becoming famous as Cat from Red Dwarf, which would become a cult sci-fi success.
He counts Doctors, The Bill and Casualty among his credits, along with more unusual jobs – voice-acting in Bob The Builder, Barfly Jack in Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels and a vampire in Blade 2. Viewers today might best know him from Death In Paradise or newer episodes of Red Dwarf, but his most recent credit came in Creation Stories – a biopic about the record label that made Oasis a hit band.
■ MIKE EDMONDS – Little Ron Played the dwarf Little Ron - Maid Marian’s parody of Little John.
Before his time on the show, Mike Edmonds had already acted in some big films – Flash Gordon, The Dark Crystal, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Star Wars among them.
He would go on to play roles as a goblin in the Harry Potter films’ wizarding bank Gringotts, and his most recent credit is a voice-acting role – playing Jabba The Hutt in the Star Wars: Battlefront 2 video game. Mike received his own biopic in 2016, Under The Radar – covering the ups and downs of his vast acting career.
■ HOWARD LEW LEWIS – Rabies Rabies was the foolish strongman with a heart of gold.
Howard Lew Lewis was already a well-known comedy actor before his time on Maid Marian, with roles in Blackadder, Chelmsford 123, The Two Ronnies and Brush Strokes.
After being a Merry Man, he made a few appearances on the usual British TV suspects – Casualty and The Bill – as well as minor roles in films.
Howard was diagnosed with dementia in
2017, and died in early 2018, with his friend Tony Robinson announcing the news.
■ TONY ROBINSON – Sheriff of Nottingham Now for a couple of baddies – series creator Tony was cast as the Sheriff. He hardly needs introducing, and he was already a star by the time of Maid Marian thanks to his many “cunning plans” as Baldrick in Blackadder.
Since then, he’s found a new calling as a producer and presenter on many British history shows – Time Team, Time Travels, History of Britain and more.
Most recently, you might have seen him sailing up and down the south of the country in The Secret Life Of The Thames.
He received a knighthood for his services in 2013 – “Sir Tony Robinson” sounds very fitting for his life as a history buff.
■ FORBES COLLINS – King John Veteran actor Forbes Collins played King John. He also played Richard the Lionheart and Queen Eleanor on the show – a dig at all royals looking alike in medieval times.
His time on Maid Marian would prove to be one his last major roles. His prime era came in the 70s and 80s, making appearances in Coronation Street, the old Poldark, Blackadder and Doctor Who. His last appearance came on CITV’S Mike & Angelo in 1999 – the year he retired from acting.