The iconic Merseyside soap Brookside, also known as ‘Brookie,’ is making a comeback to our screens after two decades.
Originally launched over 40 years ago on November 2, 1982, the Liverpool-set drama quickly became a staple in the lives of millions, attracting audiences of up to nine million viewers at its height.
Despite being cancelled in 2003, Brookside is now set for a revival, 20 years since the last episode aired. Fans will be able to stream the series from the very beginning for the first time, thanks to a new deal between STV Player and distributor All3Media International.
With a total of 2,915 episodes, Brookside was renowned for its gripping storylines, including the unforgettable romance between Damon Grant and Debbie McGrath.
Portrayed by Simon O’Brien and Gillian Kearney, their storyline led to Channel 4’s groundbreaking mini-series spin-off, Damon and Debbie, in November 1987, which was hailed as television’s inaugural “soap bubble.”
The pair made their home in York, with Debbie attending an open day at the university and Damon securing a job at a burger joint named Dick Turpin’s. However, things didn’t run smoothly – Debbie kept her diabetes a secret from Damon and when the barge they were living on disappeared, she was left in a panic about her insulin supply, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Their tale, akin to Shakespeare’s tragic lovers, had a sorrowful conclusion. Following a pretend wedding in a hotel room, Damon is fatally stabbed by an unidentified attacker on the streets of York, dying in Debbie’s arms.
Following the spin-off series, both actors continued to build successful careers in show business and started families. After Brookside, which she joined at 14, Gillian Kearney completed her O and A levels before attending drama school.
A past member of the Liverpool Playhouse Youth Theatre, she accumulated numerous television credits. Her TV roles include Casualty, Clocking Off, Shameless, Lilies, The Forsyte Saga and daytime courtroom drama Justice, partially filmed in the ECHO’S Old Hall Street offices in November 2010.
She also graced the stage in Hedda Gabler, King Lear, The Flint Street Nativity at the Playhouse and A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the West End. Many will also remember Gillian for her role as young Shirley Valentine, starring in Suspects and later joining the cast of Emmerdale.
In December 2014, the ECHO revealed that the Liverpool actress had secured the role of Finn Barton’s long-lost mum, Emma. This role led to her being nominated for Best Serial Drama Performance at the 2016 National Television Awards.
In 2019, Gillian also took on the directorial role for the 5Star women’s prison drama Clink. In 2010, she welcomed her first child with her husband.
Simon O’Brien embarked on his acting career in 1982 with the debut episode of Brookside, when he was just 16. Post-Brookie, he has continued to act and has also made a name for himself as a radio presenter and property developer.
He has hosted his own TV children’s shows, starred in films like Willy Russell’s Dancing In The Dark and fortuitously landed the role as presenter of BBC 2’s The Rough Guide travelogues alongside Magenta Divine. According to his website, he also travels across Europe “seeking out derelict properties to renovate: all done from an ecological perspective.”
After a stint presenting football show Standing Room Only on the BBC in the 90s, Simon also gained recognition in the States for his role in American sitcom Out All Night and presenting on BBC Radio Merseyside. He also opened a vegetarian cafe and cycle shop in Liverpool, before returning to acting after a career break, appearing in Grange Hill.
In December 2014, the Liverpool actor and environmentalist was appointed chair of Green Strategy Group to scrutinise city’s green space. The married dad-of-one, as the cycling and walking commissioner for the Liverpool City Region, is a key face for promoting active travel around the region.
In 2022, fans were thrilled to see Simon appear on the ITV soap opera Coronation Street as guest character Frank Bardsley. At the time, the ECHO reported how Simon was introduced to The Rovers, seemingly as a new love interest for Sean Tully (Antony Cotton).
In more recent years, we have seen the Brookside duo reunite. In January 2015, Gillian Kearney made her directorial debut movie for the Sunday ECHO, which went viral on the internet.
Brookside’s Damon and Debbie reunited on screen as a posh couple who “turn Scouse” after moving to Liverpool and reading the ECHO seven days a week. The film, created to celebrate the anniversary of the first Sunday edition, was produced by Colin McKeown and written by Echo columnist Gary Bainbridge.
In April 2018, the actors who helped Channel 4 make history by starring in Britain’s first mini-series spin-off from a soap opera also urged the broadcaster to move to their city. It is now possible to relive the Brookside drama and stream the soap from the start for the first time ever on STV Player.