Grantchester star Robson Green reflects on his childhood with fond memories. Born in Hexham, Northumberland, the actor grew up in the small mining village of Blyth Close in Dudley. Raised by his parents, the late Robson Sr and Anne Green, the TV star has nothing but high praise for the pair. While his father sadly passed away in 2009, Robson maintains a beautiful bond with his mum, Anne, who is living with Alzheimer's.
Opening up about his early years in Northumberland, Robson told The Guardian: "My mother, Anne, was a cleaner and a shopkeeper. Out of economic necessity, she had to hold down two jobs and she would take me and my older sisters, Dawn and Joanna, and my younger brother, David, with her when she cleaned houses."
Clearly an inspiration to him, in a 2012 interview with Mail Online, Robson referred to his mum as "The most beautiful, charismatic and intelligent woman I have ever come across."
He explained: "Her philosophy is, 'There are a lot of wonderful people in the world and you have to try and meet as many of them as you can.'"
Robson has also credited Anne with helping him discover his love of acting. Recalling childhood trips to the cinema, the actor told The Mirror: "My mother and father had great taste in movies. While others were riding around on bikes, I was going to the cinema with my mum.
"I was seeing things like Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Cool Hand Luke, and Magnificent Seven. It was a window to the world, a world I wanted to be part of. But I never thought I could make a living out of it, I just thought it was something I could do."
A few years ago, Robson revealed that Anne had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, and ever since, he's spent most weekends taking her out on trips around the Northumberland countryside. He also helped her find a new home in the area with beautiful views of the landscape.
Ahead of the release of his travel series, Walking Hadrian's Wall with Robson Green (2021), the 58-year-old shared his hopes that the locations on the show might bring back some memories for Anne. "Anyone suffering severe memory loss gets triggers that make them relaxed and lucid. When mum watches it, it will just trigger so many wonderful memories," he shared with The Mirror.
More recently, Robson gave fans an update on his mother's condition. During an interview with Chronicle Live in January, he told the publication: "Mum's so frail she can't walk, so we sit in the car watching the world go by."
"She loves it because that's where she took us with Dad. She'll say, 'I remember walking here. Remember that time we found a seal?' Long-term memory is so strong with Alzheimer's."
Robson added: "Getting her out looking at flowers, greenery and wildlife is really important. It gives her a good feeling. What's interesting of late is she'll say, 'Are you taking me home now? I don't want to go. Can we stay longer?' She's clearly processing something that's making her very happy."