Two beloved Brookside fan-favourites confirm return for special Hollyoaks crossover episode

Olivier will reprise the role of Timothy O'Leary, while Collins will appear once again as Nikki Shadwick.

"I remember my time on Brookside with great affection and will relish returning to the close," said Olivier, who has since gone on to appear in Holby City and Benidorm.

"When I was first cast in Brookside aged 15, I would never have thought that 30 years on, people would still be calling me 'Tinhead'."

Meanwhile, Collins said it had been "life-changing getting cast in this role all those years ago".

She added: "I've been lucky to work for nearly 30 years, all over the world with wonderful people, but nothing comes close to my Brookside family. I feel like I'm going home."

Shadwick appeared on the soap between 1998 and 2003. Following the death of her father, she developed a close bond with Jimmy Corkhill, played by the late Dean Sullivan.

She added: "It will be emotional without our darling Dean, but I think he will be looking down, beaming with pride and smiling down on us."

Tim made his debut on the soap in 1996 as the son of Carmel and Tommy O'Leary and brother to Ben and Melanie.

He initially played a bully but, after almost killing his sister in a near-fatal accident, he began to reform his ways.

He later fell in love with Nikki’s sister Emily, played by Jennifer Ellison, with the pair marrying in 2001.

The actors join Sue Johnston, John McArdle and Paul Usher, who were previously confirmed to be reprising their roles as Sheila Grant, Billy Corkhill and Barry Grant, respectively, in the revival.

Episodes of Brookside are available to watch on STV player. Hollyoaks is available to watch on catch-up on Channel 4.

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