Brookside
Brookside, commonly referred to as "Brookie", was a
soap opera based in
Liverpool, introduced with the new British television network,
Channel 4. Produced by
Mersey Television, it aired from the channel's first night on
November 2,
1982. Although the series had a long and successful run, by the 2000s its viewing figures were in decline and low ratings eventually called for its cancellation. The final episode was broadcast on
November 4 2003 and was watched by around 3.5 million viewers.
It became well known for its tackling of realistic and socially challenging storylines. In the
1990s it began raising more controversial and sensitive issues under the guidance of new producers such as
Mal Young. It is especially well-known for broadcasting the first pre-
watershed lesbian kiss on British television in
1994, as well as a storyline featuring consensual
incestuous sexual relations between two
sibling characters.
Brookside, based in a
cul-de-sac in Liverpool, first appeared on November 1982 with the launch of the fourth British terrestrial channel, Channel 4. It differed from other soap operas because it was filmed in real houses in a real street, in an attempt by the producers to add to the show's realism. In the mid
1980s it attracted its highest viewing figure of 8 million people with a plot involving a deranged killer. Conceived by
Phil Redmond, who also devised
Grange Hill, the soap was set to become Britain's gritty soap, with other compelling and challenging story lines.
In the 1990s however, the plots of
Brookside became increasingly sensationalised, with
murder,
incest, evil
cults and mystery diseases running amok in the cul-de-sac. One infamous plot was the storyline of wife beater and
child abuser
Trevor Jordache. In
1993, his wife and daughter killed him and had him buried underneath their
patio, where his body remained for almost two years. Another was the love story of
Nat and
Georgia Simpson. Nat and Georgia knew full well that they were brother and sister, but this did not stop them from having an affair. As a result,
Brookside lost its original sense of realism and this alienated many viewers, who soon started to tune out of the show.
In June
2003 Channel 4 announced the demise of the soap due to falling ratings and the final episode was screened on November 4, 2003.
The most famous character in Brookside was probably
Jimmy Corkhill, played by
Dean Sullivan, who joined the cast in 1986. He was involved in a string of criminal activities including drug taking, robbery and car crime. In October 1993, his drug-influenced driving resulted in a car crash which resulted in
Frank Rogers dying later the same day in hospital and Frank's young passenger
Tony Dixon spending four months in a coma before he too died. Jimmy later admitted causing the accident to his wife Jackie, but no criminal action was taken.
In the final episode, Jimmy Corkhill was the last resident of Brookside Close to leave their house. As a last act of defiance he broke into the houses and left all the taps running and then painted
Game Over on the boarded-up windows of two houses and an extra
D on
Brookside Close, to spell
Brookside Closed at the end of the episode. He then went to live with his daughter
Lindsey, who had married
Barry Grant.
Two 'soap bubbles' were produced in the late
80s.
Damon and Debbie (1987) followed the two characters,
Damon Grant and Debbie McGrath absconding to
York, while 1988's
South saw
Tracy Corkhill and Jamie Henderson seeking a better life in
London. The latter was part of an ITV For Schools English programme.
As of
2006 Brookside remains out of production. When it was announced that the show would be finishing there was talk of keeping the project going via DVD releases. The first DVD featuring the climax to a long running storyline involving
Tim "Tinhead" O'Leary and his mate
Steve Murray called
Unfinished Business was released in 2003, and there was talk of another DVD involving a storyline with Barry Grant tracking down his brother Damon's killers. But this has yet to happen, and it now seems unlikely that any more new DVDs will be released.
With the sale of
Mersey Television it is rumoured that
Phil Redmond has now moved onto pastures new. If this is the case then it is unlikely we will see any further
Brookside projects.
Originally it was hoped that the DVD idea would take off with each DVD following the lives of those who had left the 'Close'. Many thought this idea couldn't work due to the limited storyline possibilities, many critics claimed that this would be a pointless project and
Phil Redmond was just clinging on to
Brookside.
The houses used as locations for the show are still in existence and some of them used to be seen in
Hollyoaks, another
Channel 4 soap opera until they were sold off in
2005. The public bar in
Brookside which resided on
Brookside parade is now used as the Student Union bar in
Hollyoaks and
Brookside parade itself can now be seen in
Grange Hill.
5 Brookside Close:*The Grants 1982â€"1989
*The Rogers 1989â€"1993
*Simon Howe and 'the cult' 1993â€"1994
*Barry Grant 1994â€"1995
*The Johnsons 1995â€"2001
*The Gordons 2002â€"2003
6 Brookside Close:*Alan Partridge 1982â€"1984
*Harry & Edna Cross and Ralph Hardwick 1984â€"1990
*The Johnsons 1990â€"1993
*Dave & Jean Crosbie 1993â€"1995
*Jacqui Dixon, Katie Rogers and Rachel Jordache 1995â€"1997
*David Crosby 1995â€"1998
*The Shadwicks 1998â€"2003
7 Brookside Close:*Harry and Edna Cross 1983â€"1984
*Sandra Maghie, Pat Hancock and Kate Moses 1984â€"1987
*The Rogers 1987â€"1989
*The Chois 1989â€"1990
*The Farnhams 1990â€"2002
*The Dixons 2002â€"2003
8 Brookside Close:*The Collins 1982â€"1990
*The Dixons 1990â€"1997
*The O'Learys and Sinbad 1997â€"1998
*The Musgroves 1998â€"2000
*Mike and Rachel, Ron and Anthea Dixon 2000â€"2002
*Max and Jacqui Farnham 2002â€"2003
9 Brookside Close:*Heather and Roger Huntington 1982â€"1983
*Heather Haversham (Heather reverted to her maiden name) 1983â€"1986
*Heather Haversham and Nicholas Black 1986â€"1987
*Jonathon and Laura Gordon-Davies, then Jonathon with Terry Sullivan as a lodger 1987â€"1990
*Terry and Sue Sullivan 1990â€"1991
*The Harrisons 1991â€"1993
*The Banks 1994â€"1996
*The Simpsons 1996â€"1998
*Nathan, Darren, Victoria and Jacqui as tenants of Lindsey Corkhill 1999â€"2000
*The Murrays 2000â€"2003
10 Brookside Close:*Gavin and Petra Taylor 1982â€"1983
*The Jacksons 1984â€"1985
*The Billy Corkhill family 1985â€"1993
*The Jordaches 1993â€"1995
*Jimmy Corkhill and family 1995â€"2003
*
List of staff for Brookside*
List of Brookside Characters*
Encyclopedia of Television*
Brookside Soapbox*
Brookside Closed - Features new stories continuing from where the series ended, an episode guide and more...*
A video of Brookside Close in 2006
