Top 50 Greatest Soap Moments - No 38 Motel Fire

[@londonnodippydolly6635]

This November (2021), will be the 40th.Anniversary of the 'CROSSROADS' motel fire, to this day a very well remembered episode, the fire caused by 3 ''yobbo's'' (as Adam Chance called them), hanging around the motel. a sad episode too because it was an end of an era, the end of the reception area we had all know for so many years and Noele Gordon's 'swan song'. first broadcast 4th.November 1981.

[@derekhorne8076]

It's funny about the closing credits. I was 6 years old when this episode aired, but I have always vividly remembered it. I always remembered as Vanessa said. Just the sound of the blaze, fire engines and the crowd. Yet in other recordings (the DVD for certain) the (magnificent) theme tune plays out as usual (and not even the wings version - the standard theme)

[@CrossroadsLad]

I hated people saying 'Crossroads' had wobbly sets, i never saw one set move, I was watching a 70's colour episode of 'Coronation Street' recently and it had the same faults as 'Crossroads', (actors tripping slightly on a word, or a microphone coming slightly into view, a lot of programmes were like that, you saw such things even in 'Dr.Who' in the 70's, no 'Crossroads' was lovely, full of kindly, lovely stories, that the whole family could watch together.

[@SimonandJojo]

Some have thought this episode ended with either the Hatch or Wings version, but Vanessa is quite correct the end credits went the usual horizontal and vertical directions, but no closing theme. The DVD set's out 'Crossroads' Volume 2' in 2005 and 'Crossroads Classics' DVD in 2023 have the original broadcasted version, with no closing theme on this episode. The ITVx drama 'Nolly' shows the build up to the fire episode, Nolly learns from her make up lady the set has been dismantled and being re erected on a disused airfield, and is going to be burnt to the ground, Nolly asks her make up lady "why do they hate me so much", the ITV x drama 'Nolly' shows real footage of the original Crossroads reception burning down (taken from the original episode).

[@djboy247]

Has anyone got the whole programme to watch please? I really would like to see it.

[@BestSoapFanEver]

Please could you upload the whole programme as i've never seen it and would really like to see it thanks bestsoapfanever

[@euronick61]

The introduction said it was the 70's and the caption said it was 1982 !!!! what shoddy research

[@scottpeacock5492]

It was the Evening of Monday 2nd of November 1981 when the fire was broadcast on ITV at 6:30, not 1982 Channel 5.

[@PaulKinnear]

It was wednesday on Grampian and STV

[@ashleybuckley5594]

Mike Reid (EastEnders' Frank Butcher) narrating!!

[@philnewton-england7795]

The 'celebs' are normally shown small clips beforehand & then just film their comments on what they've watched - hence most not really knowing or remembering the actual episodes at that time.

[@CrossroadsLad]

Some of the daft things these celebs say! especially that chap making that remark that the set was made of cardboard, what a daft thing to say.Vanessa was the only one who said something of interest, saying they suspended the end closing theme, which they did. and that other chap saying he didn't know how the fire started, it was 3 youths hanging around the motel, and it was Adam Chance who escorted them away from the motel grounds. alas too late, they had planted the f/works in reception.

[@terrypearson7787]

It was Episode 3530

[@SimonandJojo]

Sad only Vanessa had something decent and interesting to say, not those stupid , daft comments the others made, if those men had watched ,'Crossroads' properly that night the episode went out, the fire was started by 3 teenagers hanging around clearly up to no good, it is believed they threw some fireworks into reception on purpose, but the daft statement about the set being cupboard, what a daft statement, it took a team of pyrotechnics to set up controlled flames so they could get the fire scenes they wanted in the can, once they got the shots they wanted then the set was torched, if you look at the first part of the fire on DVD or Brit box you will see it is 3 sets of controlled flames, then brief cut to Sam Hurst who has gone in to save Meg, then it is the torched scenes where the whole lot is a blaze, as Vanessa rightly say the closing theme was not used, today after 40 years it still holds out as a wonderful episode, a slow build up to a dramatic end, 'Crossroads' was a lovely show, a show the whole family could sit and watch, to this day many rightly say how well done the fire scenes were and they were very well done.