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Brookside (TV series)
British television soap opera (1982–2003) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Brookside is a British television soap opera, set in Liverpool, England, which began on 2 November 1982 and ran for 21 years until 4 November 2003.[2] It was produced by Mersey Television and conceived by Grange Hill and Hollyoaks creator Phil Redmond.[3][4]
Brookside was Channel 4's highest rated programme from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s, with audiences regularly in excess of seven million.[5] Initially notable for its realistic and socially challenging storylines,[6] from the mid-1990s the show began raising more controversial subjects under new producers such as Mal Young and Paul Marquess.[7] It is well known for broadcasting the first pre-watershed lesbian kiss on British television in 1994, as well as a domestic abuse storyline resulting in murder.[7] It also had the first gay character on a British TV series, who was outed in a 1985 storyline.[8] In 1996, the series experienced an extreme backlash from viewers when it featured a hugely controversial storyline focusing on an incestuous sexual relationship between two siblings,[9] and from that point the show became notable for its more outrageous and improbable storylines which affected its popularity. Viewing figures were in terminal decline by 2000, and low ratings eventually led to its cancellation, with the final episode airing on 4 November 2003.[10][11]
In January 2023, STV Player signed a deal with distributor All3Media to become the first streaming service to provide every episode;[12] former cast members Claire Sweeney and Sunetra Sarker praised the decision to relaunch the show.[13]
Brookside's location and cast members will be involved in a 2025 crossover episode with Hollyoaks, as part of the latter's 30th anniversary.[14]
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Development
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Conception and preparation
Phil Redmond has first conceived the idea for a drama serial centred on a newly-built housing estate as early as 1973, while writing for sitcom Doctor in Charge. He pitched the idea to several ITV production companies, but the idea was not picked up and Redmond abandoned the idea. In 1981 he attended a lecture from the chief executive of newly-commissioned Channel 4, Jeremy Isaacs, at the Royal Institution of Great Britain for independent producers that could provide content for the channel, and promised Isaacs a format for a drama serial. After previous clashes with the BBC during production of Grange Hill, Redmond established production company Mersey Television to maintain control over his future programmes; Brookside would be its first product.[15][16]
In early 1982, Mersey Television purchased 13 houses on a cul-de-sac in Croxteth, Liverpool, on land formerly a part of Lord Sefton's estate. Six of the houses would be seen on-screen as sets, while the remaining seven were used for administration, post-production and canteen facilities. The cul-de-sac backed onto the River Alt, which lent the programme its name, replacing Redmond's original name Meadowcroft (which would later be recycled for the show's in-universe soap opera, Meadowcroft Park). The houses cost a total of £25,000 and were custom-built by Broseley Homes, and using houses on a real new-build estate added to the desired realism Redmond wanted.[15]
Ahead of the first episode in November, Redmond gave an interview to Liverpool Echo in March 1982 describing the show as "a cross between Knots Landing [...] and Coronation Street", and stating his intention to have Brookside deal realistically with issues faced by its potential viewers. The article also included a overview of the characters, including mention of a black family called the Manchesters, who were later scrapped during the production process.[17] Actors that were unfamiliar to the public were cast to enhance the credibility of the characters; the ensemble was smaller than other soaps, having only 16 regular characters and only three of the six houses occupied. This was an intentional choice made to reflect the reality of new-build estate occupancy, and it was over a year until all the houses were full.[17][18] Shooting for the first episode began on 6 September 1982.[19]
1980s
Central to much of the show's early publicity were the working-class Grant family - socialist factory worker and Bobby (Ricky Tomlinson), devout Catholic Sheila (Sue Johnston), and their three children Barry (Paul Usher), Karen (Shelagh O'Hara) and Damon (Simon O'Brien) - who moved into 5 Brookside Close from a rundown council estate. Bobby and Sheila's turbulent marriage proved popular, as Bobby's socialist principles clashed with Sheila's traditional family values. The Grants contrasted their conservative, middle-class neighbours Paul (Jim Wiggins) and Annabelle Collins (Doreen Sloane), and their children Lucy (Katrin Cartlidge/ Maggie Saunders) and Gordon (Nigel Crowley/Mark Burgess), who downsized from a large home on the Wirral to Number 8 after Paul was made redundant from his executive position at a chemical plant. Much of the early storylines were driven by the social and political differences between the left-wing Grants and the right-wing Collinses. Number 9 was occupied by solicitor's clerk Roger Huntington (Rob Spendlove) and his wife, ambitious accountant Heather (Amanda Burton), and together the Huntingtons represented the "yuppie" subculture that was developing at the time. Roger, who was ashamed of his working-class roots, sided with the Collinses against the Grants, while Heather remained civil with everyone. Low-class newlyweds Gavin (Danny Webb) and Petra Taylor (Alexandra Pigg) arrived next-door to the Huntingtons at Number 10 at the end of November, and Gavin infuriated their neighbours by selling stolen gas cookers from his front lawn.[20]
The first episode was watched by 4.2 million viewers,[21] but initial reactions were far from positive. Critics were quick to point out various technical problems, as well as the swearing now being screened before the watershed. As viewing figures stabilised at 1 million, the production team started to iron out the show's teething troubles. Soundproof panels were placed on the ceilings of the houses to contain sound and eliminate echoing, and scriptwriters toned down the language and removed a couple of poorly performing supporting actors.[22] The atmosphere changed as the rest of the original cast arrived in 1983: computer programmer Alan Partridge (a character played by Dicken Ashworth and unrelated to the later comedy character of the same name) moved into Number 6 in April, and pensioners Harry and Edna Cross (Bill Dean and Betty Alberge) bought Number 7, arriving in November. These new characters expanded the cast whilst helping to bring humour and balance to the existing dynamic.[23] By 1984, off the back of the popular "Free George Jackson" (Cliff Howells) storyline, Brookside had achieved mainstream popularity, being voted best programme of the year by separate polls in Smash Hits and No.1 magazines.[24]
Brookside topped 7 million for the first time in 1985 following a dramatic siege storyline that, despite criticism of the unlikeliness of the plot (Hilary Kingsley described it as "ludicrous")[25] and the killing of the series' only black character, proved popular among viewers.[26] September that year saw the arrival of the first generation of the Corkhill family, Billy (John McArdle), Doreen (Kate Fitzgerald), Rod (Jason Hope) and Tracy (Justine Kerrigan), accompanied by Doreen's malapropping mother Julia Brogan (Gladys Ambrose), and the next year by Billy's ne'er-do-well brother Jimmy (Dean Sullivan).
The late 1980s saw two spin-offs, referred to as "soap bubbles". The first, 1987's Damon and Debbie, focussed on the relationship between Damon Grant and schoolgirl Debbie McGrath (Gillian Kearney) as they fled their families in Liverpool to make their own life in York; the series ended in Damon's death, being stabbed while defending himself from a mugger. The second, 1988's South, featured Tracy Corkhill and Jamie Henderson (Sean McKee) heading to London to find employment, sick of the lack of opportunities in Merseyside. The spin-offs were both written by regular Brookside contributor Frank Cottrell-Boyce, and were woven into the narrative of Brookside as well - especially Damon and Debbie, as scriptwriters explored the grief of Bobby and Sheila at their youngest son's death. The episode featuring Damon's funeral gained 7 million viewers,[27] and also introduced the Rogers family. Lorry driver Frank (Peter Christian) and his wife Chrissy (Eithne Brown) had three children, daughters Sammy (Rachael Lindsay) and Katie (Debbie Reynolds/Diane Burke) and son Geoff (Kevin Carson/Stephen Walters), and were set to become the show's new nuclear family following the disintegration of the Grants. This status was solidified by the Rogers family buying the Grants' old house, Number 5, at auction in May 1989. A popular storyline at this point was the slow-burning romance between divorcees Billy Corkhill and Sheila Grant, which peaked with their long-awaited marriage.
1990s
Many long-standing characters departed in 1990. Harry Cross moved to St Helen's in May; the entire Collins family was written out by June, following the sudden death of actress Doreen Sloane; Billy and Sheila Corkhill departed in September for Basingstoke; and solicitor Jonathan Gordon-Davies (Steven Pinner), who had bought Number 9 from Heather Black in 1987, left for London in October. The departures made way for an influx of new characters who arrived in rapid succession. Harry Cross's old lodger Mick Johnson (Louis Emerick) was joined by his wife Josie (Suzanne Packer) and their children, Leo (Leeon Sawyer/Steven Cole) and Gemma (Naomi Kamanga) at Number 6 in May. Businessman Max Farnham (Steven Pinder) and his wife, public relations consultant Patricia (Gabrielle Glaister), bought Number 7 in July, moving in with their infant son Thomas (Kieran Warham) and live-in nanny Margaret Clemence (Nicola Stephenson). Working-class Ron (Vince Earl) and DD Dixon (Irene Marot) moved into Number 8 in October, accompanied by their three children Mike (Paul Byatt), Jacqui (Alexandra Fletcher) and Tony (Gerard Bostock/Mark Lennock) and "The Moby", their mobile shop. The dynamic between the Dixons and the Farnhams echoed that of the Grant and Collins families at the show's inception, and there remained a strong rivalry between them until Brookside's demise. The Rogers family remained at Number 5, siblings Rod and Tracy Corkhill remained at Number 10, and longtime resident Terry Sullivan (Brian Regan) stayed at Number 9 with his wife Sue (Annie Miles) and adoptive son Danny (Keiran Poole). Barry Grant, now without any family ties, descended further into Liverpool's criminal underworld.
Even with the near-wholesale cast change, ratings were regularly topping 7 million and so a third weekly episode was added from 1 July 1990.[28] To accommodate this, Mersey Television bought a defunct technical college in nearby Childwall, planning to incorporate it into the programme as a row of shops called Brookside Parade, most of which would be owned by residents of Brookside Close.
Brookside's most famous storyline, becoming known as "The Body Under the Patio", involved the murder of wife-beater and child abuser Trevor Jordache (Bryan Murray) in May 1993, at the hands of his wife Mandy (Sandra Maitland) and daughter Beth (Anna Friel). His body was unceremoniously buried beneath the patio at Number 10 and remained there until its unearthing in January 1995, during a search for a leaking water pipe. The trial and imprisonment of Mandy and Beth Jordache captivated viewers and drew Brookside's highest ratings of 9 million viewers.[29] The storyline was inspired by a 1990 murder in the West Midlands, when a woman killed her abusive husband and buried him in her garden. The Jordache family contributed heavily to the show's appeal, especially through Beth Jordache sharing the first televised pre-watershed lesbian kiss with Margaret Clemence, and Mandy's relationship with popular long-standing character Sinbad (Michael Starke). However, the conclusion to their storyline drew criticism when Beth suddenly died off-screen from an undiagnosed heart disease, while incarcerated for Trevor's murder and waiting for an appeal hearing. The character's death came when Anna Friel decided not to renew her contract and quit the role; executive producer Redmond explained to disappointed viewers at the time that he felt it would not be right to leave the popular character languishing in prison.[30] Mandy Jordache left shortly afterward, having been acquitted and given birth to hers and Sinbad's daughter, which left only youngest child Rachel (Tiffany Chapman), who remained until the programme's end.
Following the conclusion of the Jordache family's story, writers persisted with contentious and sensational storylines to keep ratings high and Brookside in the headlines. In 1996, an incest storyline between siblings Georgia (Helen Grace) and Nat Simpson (John Sandford) drew substantial backlash, especially as they were caught in bed by younger brother Danny (Andrew Butler). In the aftermath of viewer complaints to the Independent Television Commission, Channel 4 were ordered to broadcast a public apology and Redmond admitted that he and the writers "got it wrong";[31] senior producer Mal Young also drew criticism for taking the programme away from its social-realist roots.[32] Following the separate departures of Rod and Tracy Corkhill, their uncle Jimmy (Dean Sullivan) was joined by his wife Jackie (Sue Jenkins) and daughter Lindsey (Claire Sweeney). Sweeney became popular among Brookside's audience, and Lindsey went through several different incarnations, moving from a downtrodden single mother to a formidable gun-toting gangster romantically involved with Barry Grant (Paul Usher). Lindsey became so associated with guns that the Mersey Television publicity department released promotional pictures of Sweeney posing provocatively with a firearm.[33] The complete transformation of the character was indicative of the improbable storylines, and Lindsey's spell as a gangster was described by Lorna Hughes of the Liverpool Echo as "best forgotten".[34]
By 1998, viewing figures had fallen below 5 million and new Channel 4 chief executive Michael Jackson was considering cancelling the show. In response to the falling ratings, and criticisms for outlandish and dangerous plots that upset television watchdogs, producers shifted focus back onto the families and their dynamics within a close-knit community; Redmond would go on to comment that the Brookside of 1998 was closer to the show he had launched in 1982.[35] Despite the attempt to return to realism and issue-led plots, Brookside had become synonymous with guns and explosions, and was losing support among its viewers and the press. Alison Graham, TV listing editor for Radio Times, dropped the show from her soap opera column in 1998 and replaced it with BBC Radio 4's rural soap The Archers.
2000s
2000 saw Brookside try and revamp itself for the new millennium, by reviving past characters Josie Johnson (Suzanne Packer), Bev McLoughlin (Sarah White), Leanne Powell (Vickie Gates) and Nisha Batra (Sunetra Sarker), and introducing pop singer Bernie Nolan in her first acting role as Diane Murray, the matriarch of a new nuclear family in Number 9. This succeeded in sparking a new interest in the programme, although many of the plots were felt to be rehashes of previously explored issues. The departure of the popular Sinbad in a controversial child abuse scandal, and a love triangle involving Lindsey Corkhill, Shelley Bowers (Alexandra Wescourt) and Lindsey's mother Jackie, were poorly received by viewers, and Redmond spoke out again: "NHS and childcare - these are the things that engage and worry people now. [...] I'm giving up the lesbian-affair-with-the-mother-in-law syndrome".[36] One of the more successful plotlines was the death of Susannah Morrisey (Karen Drury) in a "Whodunit?" storyline that pushed viewing figures back over 6 million.[37]
The ratings boost from Susannah's death did not last and by 2001, the programme was again in dire straits. Ratings dropped back below 5 million viewers, long-running characters Lindsey Corkhill, Mick Johnson, and Jackie Corkhill were written out, and producer Paul Marquess left to produce ITV's The Bill. Brookside had been renewed for four years in 1997, but by the time this contract ended in 2001 the show was far less important in Channel 4's programming.[38] After a failed attempt to lure back Mal Young,[39] Phil Redmond resumed total control shortly before Brookside's 20th anniversary, and marked the occasion by pledging to return the ailing programme to its former glory at a meeting attended by the cast and crew.[40][41] The exteriors of the houses on Brookside Close received decoration, four members of the cast were axed, and several new directors and writers were hired.[42] A new focal family, the Gordons, were introduced, and characters returned to discussing current political and environmental issues, but Redmond's grounded new-look approach did little to stop declining ratings. The Gordons were considered miscast and unlikeable, and were unfavourably compared to the original Grant family.[43] As Brookside approached its twentieth anniversary in November 2002, ratings dropped below 1.8 million. In response, Channel 4 announced that the programme would be withdrawn from its prime-time evening slots on weeknights and instead be broadcast only in its Saturday omnibus slot. Channel 4 was contractually obligated to Brookside until November 2003, and the move was seen as damage limitation, hoping that the move would cease the dwindling audience share and let it die quietly. This announcement coincided with the programmes twentieth anniversary, which was unfortunate as the show celebrated the milestone with an updated theme tune, new opening credits and a post-production film effect to update visuals.
The twentieth anniversary storyline in November 2002, which also featured the return of Claire Sweeney as Lindsey Corkhill, involved four armed drug dealers ending up on Brookside Close after taking a wrong turn during a police chase. Finding themselves cornered, they raided the houses and took several residents hostage in their homes. The scenes featured graphic violence, profanity, cocaine consumption, and culminated with a police helicopter crashing and exploding onto the car park outside Brookside Parade. The storyline drew comparison to a similar 1993 storyline from Emmerdale, which had also been devised by Phil Redmond to safe the flagging soap.[44] Unlike Emmerdale, which was saved by its storyline, Brookside faced criticism for the unrealistic premise and unsuitability for pre-watershed viewing, especially as the omnibus had been broadcast at 4.30 pm on Saturday afternoon.[45] A lack of promotion from Channel 4 meant that there was little change in the ratings.[46]
The final year of Brookside began with a reduced budget and the programme's shift to one 90-minute episode on Saturdays. Episodes now only featured a small cast and in only one location, and the inclusion of gimmicks such as flashbacks, dream sequences and split screen were unsuccessful. Storylines followed the most popular characters in more self-contained episodes, while some were written out without on-screen departures - including Max and Jacqui Farnham (Steven Pinder and Alexandra Fletcher), who were dismissed as having moved to Woolton with a scripted offhand comment by Jacqui's father Ron Dixon (Vince Earl).[47] With viewing figures now at around just 400,000, Brookside was officially cancelled by Channel 4 on 11 June 2003.[10] The programme was then moved to a post-watershed timeslot, usually after 11 pm, and saw an increase of profanity and unfiltered violence. Producers began winding the show down, with the residents of Brookside Close selling up to a company that wanted to demolish the cul-de-sac to make space for an access road. The final episode was written by Phil Redmond and aired at 22:40 pm on 4 November 2003, two days after the programme's twenty-first anniversary. The plot saw despised Jack Michaelson (Paul Duckworth) being lynched from his bedroom at Number 8 by a trio of unidentified neighbours, and ended with Jimmy Corkhill (Dean Sullivan) giving a scripted rant about modern society before vandalising the abandoned houses and moving to live in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, where his daughter Lindsey had become engaged to Barry Grant (Paul Usher). At its peak, the final episode drew in 2.27 million viewers.[48][49]
After Brookside
Following Brookside's removal from primetime in late 2002, Mersey Television began utilising the sets for sister shows Hollyoaks. The Brookside Parade set was phased out and became the students' university bar, and Number 7 and Number 8 were homes to the Dean and Burton-Taylor families respectively; the interior of Number 8 was not seen again following its repurposing for Hollyoaks, and its Brookside resident Jack Michaelson (Paul Duckworth) only ever appeared at the front door. Although the two houses were dressed with mock-Tudor cladding for Brookside and avoided being used in long-shots, viewers frequently noticed props that made their use in Hollyoaks obvious.
After Mersey Television was sold to All3Media in June 2005, all thirteen of the Brookside houses were sold to a property developer who attempted to repurpose them for residential living. The houses were listed for sale in January 2007 with asking prices between £199,000 and £295,000, but they were offered in a semi-finished condition and did not sell.[50] The developer went into receivership soon after, and the properties fell into neglect.[51]
In 2008, a local production company was given special permission to use Brookside Close for a low-budget horror film called Salvage.[52] The film received modest reviews but was not widely distributed. Despite the best efforts of the set designers, some reviewers recognised the location.[53]
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Auctioneers SHM Smith Hodgkinson announced in February 2008 that they would be taking offers on the houses, considering bids in the region of £2 million.[54] It was later reported in November of that year that the properties would be auctioned off collectively with a guide price of between £500,000 and £625,000. Actor Dean Sullivan tried to purchase the properties, leading to speculation that Brookside maybe revived, but an unnamed Liverpool-based buyer purchased all thirteen proeprties in December 2008 for a total of £735,000.[55] Restoration of the houses for occupancy was completed in February 2011, with the houses integrated into the estate surrounding them.[56]
In 2021, former Brookside actor Ray Quinn revealed he had begun a new career laying carpet during the coronavirus pandemic, with one of his first jobs being to lay carpet at one of the renovated Brookside Close houses.[57]
In 2023, Ricky Tomlinson reprised his character Bobby Grant for a promotional segment aired during that year's Eurovision Song Contest, which was being held in Liverpool. In it, he attached Ukranian-themed bunting to the garage of Number 5, the former Grant family home.[58]
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Storylines
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Aside from the pre-watershed lesbian kiss, Brookside had several other "firsts" for British television, including the first openly homosexual character,[8] the first candid depictions of heroin addiction, the first awareness campaign for dyslexia, the first soap opera character to transfer between shows, and - more darkly - the first on-screen murder of a child.[59]
Many storylines in the first decade were topical and hard-hitting, often issue-led, exploring the effects of the early 1980s recession and life under Thatcherism. A strong political undertone was evident in the writing, and characters were clearly aligned with and built around conflicting political ideals. Union reps were often residents of Brookside Close, and their storylines gave audiences a window into the operations of trade unions from the worker's perspective. The show's first high-profile storyline aired in 1984, with the wrongful conviction and imprisonment of fireman George Jackson (Cliff Howells), which created a media hype that drew comparisons to the "Who shot J.R.?" storyline from American soap opera Dallas. The efforts of George's wife Marie (Anna Keaveney) to prove his innocence led to a blurring between fiction and reality, with the Brookside press office receiving five thousand calls from concerned viewers.[60][61]
Drug addiction was a regular storyline, and was first featured in 1986 when Heather Haversham (Amanda Burton) marrying high-functioning heroin addict Nicholas Black (Alan Rothwell). It ended when Heather kicked Nicholas out of their house, and he died of exposure in Sefton Park after overdosing. Heroin addiction returned as a storyline in the 1990s, when both Jimmy Corkhill (Dean Sullivan) and his son "Little" Jimmy (George Christopher) became involved with consumption and distribution of the drug on separate occasions. In 2002, cocaine addict Terry "Psycho" Gibson (Greg Milburn) featured in the twentieth anniversary episodes, in which he openly and heavily abused the drug. The rape of matriarch Sheila Grant (Sue Johnston) in 1986 was highly-acclaimed for its realism, in its depiction of the attack and of its aftermath on Sheila and her family; the storyline had been concocted to persuade actress Johnston to remain on the soap after she had expressed an interest in leaving.[62] Date-rape was explored in 1992, after Diana Corkhill (Paula Frances) was assaulted by her friend Peter Harrison (Robert Beck) at a house party; the subject was revisited in 1999, this time involving Nikki Shadwick (Suzanne Collins) and Joey Musgrove (Dan Mullane). Light-hearted storylines often balanced out the programme, playing on the "scally" element, and often involved window-cleaner Sinbad (Michael Starke) engaging in petty crimes or get-rich-quick schemes.
The 1991 double-murder of pregnant Sue Sullivan (Annie Miles) and her toddler son Danny (Keiran Poole), who were pushed through a glass canopy from atop some scaffolding by an unseen assailant, coincided with the programmes 1000th episode and the introduction of Brookside Parade. Although many suspected Sue's stalker Graeme Curtis (David Banks), it was revealed that the killer was Sue's lover Barry Grant (Paul Usher), the best friend of her husband Terry Sullivan (Brian Regan). This had long-term impacts on both characters, and eventually led to the disintegration of their friendship, which had lasted since the programme's inception in 1982.
Despite the popularity of "The Body Under the Patio", the storyline signified a shift towards more controversial and sensational storylines that attracted criticism to both Brookside and the then-producer, Mal Young.[32] These included a cult led by religious Simon Howe (Lee Hartney) that blew up Number 5 in a suicide pact, and a mysterious unidentified killer virus, and the 1996 incest storyline. Despite attempts to shed its reputation for sensational and implausible stories by returning to grounded and issue-led storylines in 1998, Brookside never managed to recover. As well as the more outrageous elements, Brookside's storylines also featured adultery, divorce, surrogacy, artificial insemination, sieges, mental health, debt, jealousy, domestic rivalry, teenage pregnancy, elder abuse, teacher-student relationships, unemployment, attempted suicide and organised crime.
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Characters
Theme music and opening titles
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The distinctive synthesised theme to Brookside was written by local composers Steve Wright and Dave Roylance from Wirral. Roylance died in October 2006.[63] This version was used on the programme on 2 November 1982, the day the first episode was broadcast, and lasted until 28 December 1990.
With the advent of Dolby Stereo surround sound, the theme was updated and modernised by Wright, and the first episode to feature this music was broadcast on 31 December 1990. This version was the longest-running, and the last time this music was featured on the credits originally aired 31 October 2002.
The third version of the Brookside theme launched on 6 November 2002, a year before the programme was cancelled. A new arrangement at the start of this theme, again by Wright, makes this version of the theme distinctive, although the midsection and close remained similar to the previous versions.
Brookside had memorable opening titles, which subtly changed many times over 21 years, particularly as the residents of Brookside Close came and went. The beginning of the sequence contained sweeping high shots of Liverpool life and landmarks, before showing a bird's-eye view of the estate leading to Brookside Close. Several views of the various residents' homes were shown, before the camera finally settled by the iconic Brookside Close sign. In the early episodes, Bobby Grant's blue Princess was always predominantly parked outside number 5, and in 1990, this became Frank Rogers' purple Ford Cortina when the Rogers replaced the Grants as the family occupying number 5. When Brookside Parade became part of the programme in 1991, shots of the Parade were regularly spliced into the title sequence as businesses came and went – these shots were shown after the existing landmark shots of Liverpool, but before the birds-eye views of Brookside Close and residents' homes.
The closing credits were originally scrolled against a royal blue background, however, this backdrop was soon changed to an aerial view of Brookside Close from episode 105 in 1983. The titles were originally transparent, but this changed to a bold typeface of the same font in 1987. The closing sequence was slightly changed on 7 October 1991 and lasted until 31 December 1993. The closing sequence was changed entirely, giving a bird's-eye view of the close, which was used from 3 January 1994 and lasted until 25 June 1999.
In 1999, the titles were completely changed, and new shots were composed to fit into a split-screen box effect – these titles were specifically designed to reflect the programme's newly launched website. Early versions of this sequence followed a cyclist through the close to Brookside Parade in one box, while the other box contained Steadicam shots approaching each door to the houses on Brookside Close. At the end of each episode until the end of the series, there would be a Next time on Brookside continuity announcement with a preview of scenes from the next episode. This opening title-sequence launched on 29 June 1999.
The final set of opening titles launched on 6 November 2002. Again, following a split screen effect, one half of the (same) shot is presented in daylight, and the other half during night-time. Totally new shots were filmed for this title-sequence and it lasted until the final episode in 2003. These credits were often preceded by the strains of theme song and a Previously on Brookside... comment by various actors during a recap of previous episodes. The series finale's end credits music was cut off at the last portion by the closing of the original Grange Hill theme.
Unlike other British soap operas past or present, at the end of omnibus editions screened at Christmas (usually the last omnibus that year), the cast of actors and crew would stand waving at the camera for the entire duration of the closing credits, wishing all Brookside viewers a 'Happy Christmas'.
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Broadcasting
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From its launch in 1982, Brookside was broadcast between 8 pm and 9 pm, although some episodes would occasionally be shown at 9 pm or after for scheduling reasons. In Wales, S4C originally screened Brookside at 6 pm, moving to 5 pm for a period in the 1990s, but it was most frequently shown at 10 pm. It was the first British soap opera to introduce an omnibus edition; this was broadcast on Channel 4 on a Saturday evening usually between 5 pm – 6 pm from 6 November 1982.
During weekdays, Brookside was always broadcast from 8 pm, first on Tuesday and Wednesday, then Monday and Wednesday, with a few special five-nighters, with these episodes always airing Monday to Friday.
On 1 July 1990, as ratings increased, Brookside gained a third weekly episode, which saw a regular broadcast pattern of Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8 pm. The serial's timeslot was far more consistent in the 1980s and early 1990s, however, from the mid-1990s, the schedules did keep changing. In 1994, when the BBC's soap EastEnders started broadcasting three nights a week, the third weekly episodes was broadcast every Monday at 8 pm, which clashed with Brookside. This forced Channel 4 to move Brookside to Tuesdays at 8 pm (initially up against ITV's The Bill). The final weekday schedule, introduced from 2001, was Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 8 pm.
Decline and cancellation
From 30 November 2002, as a consequence of declining ratings over the previous seven years, it was removed from its traditional weekday early evening timeslots and relegated to a 90-minute edition broadcast once a week on Saturday evening, usually from 4 pm. By now, it was being widely reported in the media that Brookside was likely to be axed completely within the next year.
On 27 July 2003, by which time Channel 4 bosses had confirmed that it would be discontinued later in the year, Brookside was moved to its final broadcast time of Tuesdays, usually starting after 11 pm, but on at least one occasion the show did not start until after midnight for scheduling reasons. The final episode, broadcast on 4 November 2003, was screened slightly earlier, from 10:40 pm to 12:20 am, and garnered two million viewers.[64]
Repeats
Living (then called UK Living, later Sky Living, then Sky Witness) repeated Brookside from the first episode between 13 February 1995 until September 2001. Episodes were originally screened at 6.30 pm and repeated that evening at 11 pm, although by 2000 it was being aired in a morning slot at 9.30 am. Sky One then took over the repeat rights to Brookside, screening them 10:30 am. In 2002 this was changed to an early-morning 3:30 am timeslot, before being dropped completely in June, ending with Episode 1795, originally broadcast in October 1996. No episodes from late-1996 onward have been repeated on British television.
The first episode of Brookside was repeated as part of Channel 4 at 25 on 1 October 2007. The episode aired on More4 in a season of celebratory Channel 4 programmes to mark the channel's 25th anniversary. Several classic episodes have also been available to view on All 4 since 2009.
From February 2023, the entire series is being made available to view on STV Player, with five episodes being uploaded every Wednesday.
Scheduling history
1982–1990: Twice a week (30-minute episodes)
- Tuesday & Wednesday: Week commencing 31 October 1982 – 17 November 1984
- Monday & Wednesday: Week commencing 18 November 1984 – 29 December 1984, 31 July 1988 – 30 June 1990
- Monday & Tuesday: Week commencing 30 December 1984 – 30 July 1988
1990–2002: Three nights a week (30-minute episodes)
- Monday, Wednesday & Friday: Week commencing 1 July 1990 – 30 April 1994
- Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday: Week commencing 1 May 1994 – 15 December 2001
- Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: Week commencing 16 December 2001 – 23 November 2002
2002–2003: Once a week (90-minute episode)
- Saturday: Week commencing 30 November 2002 – 5 April 2003, 13 April 2003 – 19 July 2003
- Thursday: Week commencing 6 April 2003 – 12 April 2003
- Tuesday: Week commencing 27 July 2003 – 8 November 2003
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Merchandise
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Video releases
Brookside was one of the first British soap operas to have classic episodes released on video. In 1990, Channel 4 and Mersey Television released a series of videos showcasing some of Brookside's most memorable episodes and characters of the 1980s:
- Brookside Classics Volume One: The Siege: This video, released in 1989 contained three episodes and brought together the gripping 'number 7 Siege' as an extended omnibus edition of 75 minutes. These episodes originally aired in July 1985.
- Brookside Classics Volume Two: The Sheila Grant Years: The much-loved character Sheila Grant, played by Sue Johnston, was the subject of the second video release in 1989. Sheila's rape ordeal was featured, alongside a night out with Jimmy's then girlfriend Kathy Roach (Noreen Kershaw).
- Brookside Classics Volume Three: That Man Harry Cross: The third video released in 1989 included three classic episodes featuring the popular character Harry Cross played by Bill Dean. This video contained memories of his time in Brookside Close with his wife Edna (Betty Alberge) and, later, his old friend Ralph Hardwick (Ray Dunbobbin).
- Brookside: The Women: released in 1994, this video brought together the most popular female characters in the soap, including Mandy Jordache (Sandra Maitland), Sue Sullivan (Annie Miles) and Deborah 'D.D' Dixon (Irene Marot).
- Brookside: The Teenagers: A later release, from 1995, documents the teenage characters in Brookside including Beth Jordache (Anna Friel), Margaret Clemence (Nicola Stephenson), Damon Grant (Simon O'Brien) and Katie Rogers (Diane Burke).
- Brookside: The Backstage Tour: A behind-the-scenes documentary released in 1995, with the only opportunity to view the 'alternative' ending to the infamous Body Under The Patio Trial from the same year, where Beth and Mandy are proven not guilty of murdering Trevor.
- Brookside: The Men: Released two years after The Women video, similarly, The Men contained previously unseen footage and interviews with actors documenting the long-suffering male characters of Brookside Close.
In the late 1990s, there were several videos that contained extensions of plots that began in Brookside on-screen, or gave viewers a chance to see their favourite Brookside actors behind-the-scenes or outside their usual roles in the soap:
- Brookside: The Lost Weekend: A feature-length episode of Brookside reuniting characters old and new. This feature-length episode from 1997 detailed the reunion of Sheila and Barry Grant (Sue Johnston and Paul Usher) in an action-packed continuation of a storyline, which began in the regular editions of the soap on Channel 4.
- Brookside: Friday the 13th: A dramatic storyline for selected characters of the television soap. Here, we are able to view Lindsey Corkhill's (Claire Sweeney) 'missing' journey to her wedding to Peter Phelan (Samuel Kane), as well as another appearance from Sheila Grant (Sue Johnston) and a cameo from Harry Cross (Bill Dean). It was released in 1998.
- Brookside: Double Take: In 1999, this unusual video saw members of the Brookside and Hollyoaks casts playing alternative characters in a spoof-documentary style feature.
DVD releases
When it was announced that the show would be finishing as a continuing series in 2003, on Brookside's official website, there was a suggestion by Phil Redmond that Brookside would continue with a succession of DVD releases. In fact, as early as 1988, Hilary Kingsley interviewed Redmond for her book, Soap Box, and even then, he confidently suggested that if Brookside were to end on Channel 4, he would attempt to continue the show off-screen:
"Redmond has even suggested the end of Brookside in that way—fittingly inspired and unusual. "Perhaps we will watch a character leave and follow him or her. Brookside will continue with its daily life, but not on-screen any more", he mused."[65]
The first DVD after the final episode featured the climax to a long-running storyline involving Tim "Tinhead" O'Leary and Steve Murray finally getting revenge on Terry 'Psycho' Gibson in an 85-minute feature called Unfinished Business.[66] Psycho killed Tim's wife Emily during the November 2002 siege, and Steve's stepmother, Diane (Bernie Nolan), died in the subsequent helicopter crash on Brookside Parade. The DVD was released in November 2003 to generally poor reviews. There was meant to be a follow-up DVD release involving a storyline with Barry Grant tracking down his brother Damon's killers, a story arc vaguely referenced during Brookside's final episode on Channel 4. A trail for a DVD-film called Settlin' Up was filmed and included in the Unfinished Business extras. Simon O'Brien was slated to appear as Damon Grant's ghost, and it is believed that although scenes were shot for the Settlin' Up promotional trail, the actual feature did not make the production stages.
Also included as an extra was promo for a 21st-anniversary documentary called Brookside: 100 Greatest Moments. A heavily cut-down version of this documentary also appeared, called Brookside: 10 of the Best. Whilst recognising the existence of the Most Memorable Moments DVD, containing 16 Episodes and was released on 26 November 2012.[67][68]
After years of campaigning by fans, the special DVD Brookside Most Memorable Moments was released in November 2012, featuring clips and episodes from the programme's 21-year history.[69][70]
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In popular culture
Idle Gossip, a 1986 album by punk rock band Toy Dolls, referred to the popular characters Harry and Edna Cross (Bill Dean and Betty Alberge) in one of the album's tracks, which was entitled "Harry Cross: A Tribute to Edna". The album was released the year after Edna's on-screen death.
Liverpudlian professional wrestler Robbie Brookside (real name Robert Brooks) was given his ring name by promoter Brian Dixon as a reference to Brookside, which began airing two years before Robbie's wrestling debut.[71] His daughter Xia Brookside has also taken the ring name.
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Awards
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References
Further reading
External links
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