Like everything else in Crossroads Sandy's illness has been portrayed with scrupulous attention to what actually
happens to those similarly affected all over the country. That's why such prestigious bodies as the Paraplegic Association
have approached Roger with requests for him to meet the paraplegic patients under their care. On the whole he doesn't
make public appearances, but he's well aware of how effective his TV struggle against illness can be in encouraging people
who are confined in their own lives to a wheelchair.
Last autumn Roger Tonge, rather than Sandy Richardson, came up against his own health problems and for five long months
he had to quit the series while a team of doctors worled on making sure he completely recovered as soon as possible.
"The funny thing is I never really felt terribly ill," says Roger. If anything I felt worse after they'd finished all
the probing and prodding than I did when they started."
Today, returned to the series, Roger feels as well as ever. When Crossroads Monthly talked to him last month on
his first day back in the studios, the only problems he was having was a slight case of butterflies in the tummy after his
first scene back in front of the cameras.
Now he's back, Roger Tonge is looking forward to continuing with Crossroads. Like the rest of the cast,
he does find that the pressure of producing four weekly episodes inevitably has its tiring side-effects every now and then,
but again like everyone else concerned with Crossroads, Roger wouldn't have things any other way.
What happens to Sandy now is anybody's guess, but one thing's sure: whatever developments that very interesting and vital
character does take, there's no doubt that Roger Tonge will be around to make sure that everyone who enjoys Crossroads
will be able to find out.
