Brookside legend will reprise iconic role for Hollyoaks crossover after 35 years
The first cast member for the upcoming special has been confirmed.
This article includes discussions of rape and sexual assault which some readers may find upsetting.
Since last week's announcement that Brookside was set to return to our screens for a historic crossover with Hollyoaks, fans have been speculating which former stars from the soap might be involved – and now we have our first confirmed name.
It's been revealed that legendary actress Sue Johnston – also known for her roles on The Royle Family and Downton Abbey among others – will be back as her character Sheila Grant/Corkhill.
"It'll be so lovely to go back and be Sheila for a day as it was such big, enjoyable part of my life," Johnston said in a press release announcing the news.
Sheila was involved in many iconic Brookside storylines in her eight year run on the soap from the launch episode in 1982 until her departure in 1990, appearing alongside her future The Royle Family co-star Ricky Tomlinson as her husband Bobby.
In one of the soap's most affecting storylines, Sheila was raped by a taxi driver in 1986, which resulted in her becoming pregnant and ultimately led to the breakdown of her marriage as she struggled with the long-term trauma.
Meanwhile, in another dramatic storyline just one year later, her youngest son Damon (Simon O'Brien) was stabbed to death in London during a three-part spin-off titled Damon and Debbie, which had seen him run away with his schoolgirl lover Debbie McGrath (Gillian Kearney).
Johnston left Brookside in 1990 after Sheila found love once again, marrying Billy Corkhill (John McCardle) and relocating with him from Brookside to Basingstoke.
The upcoming crossover episode is part of Hollyoaks' 30th anniversary celebrations and comes 22 years after Brookside was cancelled in 2003.
Announcing the news last week, Hollyoaks executive producer Hannah Cheers said: "This episode is a love letter to both Hollyoaks and Brookside. Brookside gave birth to Hollyoaks – it grew up on the same site and eventually took over its sets.
"For everyone at Lime Pictures (originally Mersey TV), Hollyoaks' history is deeply rooted in Brookside, and its legacy lives on through our crew and, of course, some of our cast.
"This special feels like both a moving and fitting tribute to our origin story and a chance for fans to revisit much-loved Brookside characters in honour of that legacy.
"These iconic Brookside characters are soap archetypes that helped define British TV; soap archetypes that new generations are still discovering now through Hollyoaks."
Filming will begin on the episode in September, with permission having been granted by the owner of the close and the Liverpool Film Office – as the unadopted road in West Derby is now home to residents.
Those very residents have also been invited to share lunch with the cast and crew when filming gets under way.
Episodes of Brookside are available to watch on STV player. Hollyoaks is available to watch on catch-up on Channel4.com.
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Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
