"Bye. For. NOW!"
Watch Ross is a vlog series following the exploits of British actor and voice-over artist Ross Grant - who also runs a self-help website for actors known as Act On This TV. The vlog is very much a Slice of Life showing what Ross gets up to in Manchester - documented by his camera man Petch. They're usually joined by Ross's business partner Sean Hopwood - aka 'The Hop' - as they set about setting up their 'Master & Monocle' clothing line.
Among the guests who occasionally show up are Rob James Collier of Coronation Street and Downton Abbey fame, and Oscar winning Hollyoaks actress Rachel Shenton. Ross officially ended the series in 2020.
The vlogs can be seen here
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Watch Tropes:
- Aborted Arc: Segments like Ross Goss and Petch's Dice of Life were dropped in Season 3.
- Accentuate the Negative: Ross defies this - and is determined to look on the positive side of things. One of his vlogs is titled 'Make Positivity Louder'.
- Audience Participation: A few episodes have the boys stopping people out in public to answer questions on the episode's topic.
- Beauty, Brains, and Brawn: Hop the entrepreneur is the Brains, Ross with his enthusiasm for living is the Brawn and Petch with his dedication to fitness and personal appearance is the Beauty.
- Catchphrase: Ross ends every vlog with "Bye. For. Now!"
- The Chew Toy: Season 1 had a Running Gag where Petch would have to do something silly on camera for the end of each episode.
- Christmas Episode: Season 1 finished up around Christmas, so the final two episodes took place during that season.
- Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Hop eventually vanishes in Season 3 with no explanation.
- Comic Trio: Ross is The Leader, Petch is The Fool and Hop is usually the Only Sane Man.
- Commuting on a Bus: Hop is seen less in Season 3 due to working a 9-5 job in the corporate world.
- The Determinator: One episode shows just how determined Ross is to get a guest for his monthly podcast.
- Disabled Means Helpless: Defied by any disabled actors who show up to talk.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: In the early episodes, Petch is called by his first name Lee and Hop likewise by Sean. Petch also doesn't appear on camera as much.
- Edutainment Show: The vlog is quite helpful for aspiring actors.
- For Happiness: Ross's motto is simple - life is short, do what you want.
- Formerly Fat: Petch has revealed that he used to be overweight and talks about how big a deal it is for him to star in a play that requires him to have a Shirtless Scene.
- Funny Character, Boring Actor:
- Ross is an inversion. His Typecasting is usually as serious Reasonable Authority Figures but he's a complete goofball in real life. In his voice over roles (particularly in The Ceebeebies) he's closer to his real personality.
- Petch is a straight example. In real life he's much more serious than the type of characters he plays.
- Gag Haircut: One vlog has Ross giving Hop a haircut based off '90s Hair - even going into an empty barbershop to do so.
- Genki Guy: Ross's energy is unmatched. In a Q&A Petch says that one can't help but feel inspired when they're around him.
- Genre Shift: The Slice of Life changes in Season 3 instead to focus on the guests Ross has for his podcasts, showing snippets of the interviews.
- Get-Rich-Quick Scheme: Ross devotes one episode to talking about a way he used to make money between acting jobs - buying products and selling them at a higher price on Ebay.
- Good Is Not Nice: Ross will not hesitate to call bullshit on some people's excuses for why they haven't done a certain thing - but he does it in the name of helping everyone out.
- Hidden Depths: Hop was previously a model and is also a savvy businessman.
- I Am Not Pretty: Petch has confessed to struggling with body image most of his life.
- Iconic Outfit:
- For Ross it's his black t-shirt, black jeans and Cool Shades.
- For Petch it's his Spider-Man gear.
- Inspirationally Disadvantaged:
- Ross is visually impaired and will be blind by the time he's in his fifties. However he's a mentor to many.
- An episode features Carly Simon - an actress who has MS.
- Another episode features Cherylee Houston - best known as Izzy from Coronation Street - who is in a wheelchair and runs an organisation called DANK for disabled actors.
- One episode revolves around Ross interviewing Melissa Johns - an actress with one arm - and the two of them talking about overcoming their disadvantages to succeed in the industry.
- Irony: Melissa Johns talks about how a nude photos scandal led to her being let go from her day job as a supply teacher...and that in turn meant she had loads of free time to devote to acting; she ended up returning to Coronation Street, starring in a production of Othello (getting to play her favourite role of Emilia) and creating the radio drama In My Own Skin. Something that could have been career-destroying ended up being career making.
- Keet: Petch is more subdued than most examples but still quite exuberant and childlike.
- Local Hangout: Lily's coffee shop.
- The Mentor: Ross acts as one to numerous actors through his Act On This business. Occasionally one of said actors will feature in an episode of the vlog.
- Motor Mouth: Ross does like to talk a lot.
- The Nicknamer: Ross seems to bestow these on everyone.
- Older Than They Look: Petch mentions he was told to lower his playing age to twenty-four by his agent - because he does not look his actual age of thirty-three.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: It's 'Petch' and 'Hop', not Lee and Sean.
- Once an Episode: Season 1 ended each episode with Petch doing something funny on camera.
- Oop North: Ross lives in Manchester and the majority of vlogs take place there.
- Perpetual Smiler: If Ross frowns, you know shit's about to go down.
- The Pollyanna: Ross is all about positivity and looking on the bright side of things.
- Precision F-Strike: Ross usually avoids cursing but episode 19 has 'Bullshit' in the title (albeit with the I replaced by an asterix).
- Scenery Porn: There will always be plenty of nice shots showing off the Manchester architecture.
- She Cleans Up Nicely: One episode shows the guys attending the 'Once Upon A Smile' fundraiser - which gets them all into tuxedos for the night.
- Slice of Life: The vlog just follows Ross as he lives his life and works on his businesses.
- Special Guest: Among the more famous ones include.
- Dan Jillings of Hollyoaks (Billy Parker).
- Cheerylee Houston of Coronation Street (Izzy).
- Isobel Steel of Emmerdale (Liv).
- Haiesha Mistry of Hollyoaks (Yasmin).
- Rachel Shenton, director of the Oscar winning short film The Silent Child.
- Rob James Collier of Downton Abbey didn't appear but was featured on a phone call. He'd later appear on screen in Season 3.
- This became the format in Season 3 - showing the various guests Ross interviews on his podcast.
- Soul-Crushing Desk Job: Hop starts a corporate job in Season 3 and it's initially a subversion - as he says he likes the routine and structure. But it turns into a double subversion a couple of weeks later when he admits he hates it. Although it's never stated on-screen, he allegedly got himself fired from it.
- Soul-Sucking Retail Job: Ross frequently talks about his former job working for minimum wage in a game shop.
- Take This Job and Shove It: Ross's advice to those working jobs they don't like - after making sure they've got somewhere else to go afterwards.
- Trademark Favourite Food: For Ross it's coffee.
- Vocal Evolution: It's noted by commentors that Ross's accent becomes much thicker and more stereotypically Manchester when he's on the phone to Rob James Collier.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Ross gives this speech to Petch - and the viewers themselves - many times. One of his vlogs is about raising your standards in general.
