Brookside is a British television soap opera, set in Liverpool, England, which began on the launch night of Channel 4, 2 November 1982. It ran for 21 years until 4 November 2003. It was produced by Mersey Television and conceived by Grange Hill and Hollyoaks creator Phil Redmond.
Jimmy Corkhill is a fictional character from Brookside, played by Dean Sullivan, who joined the series in 1986. Jimmy originally appeared on a recurring basis appearing alongside his brother, Billy, before becoming a regular character, featured in major storylines, and remained in the show until its end 17 years later. He is cited as one of the show's most popular characters, and was the longest-featured character. Jimmy has often been cited as a lovable rogue by television critics.
Frank Rogers is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Brookside, played by Peter Christian. The character made his first on-screen appearance during the episode broadcast 1 December 1987 and remained in the show for an additional six years, being killed off in the episode aired on 5 November 1993.
Steve Murray is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Brookside, played by Steven Fletcher. The character debuted on-screen during the episode broadcast on 28 March 2000. Steve remained on-screen until the final episode of the series, which was broadcast 4 November 2003. Fletcher also played the role in the spin-off show Brookside: Unfinished Business.
Timothy "Tinhead" O'Leary is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Brookside, played by Philip Olivier. The character debuted on-screen during the episode broadcast on 22 May 1996. Tim remained on-screen until the final episode of the series in 2003. Tim subsequently appeared in a video spin-off, Brookside: Unfinished Business.
Katie Rogers is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Brookside, played by Debbie Reynolds and Diane Burke. The character debuted on-screen during the episode broadcast on 7 December 1987. Reynolds played the character until 1989 when Diane Burke took over the role and remained until 2003 when Brookside was cancelled. Katie was introduced as part of the Rogers family consisting of parents Frank and Chrissy Rogers and their three children Katie, Sammy and Geoff Rogers.
Nicola "Nikki" Shadwick is a character in Channel 4 soap Brookside played by Suzanne Collins from 27 March 1998 until the programme's final episode on 4 November 2003. Nikki's storylines have included being "date-raped" by Luke Musgrove at a party at Number 5, hosted by Leo Johnson and Tim O'Leary. Not long after this ordeal, Nikki had to deal with the deaths of her father Greg and brother Jason after an explosion on Brookside Parade, and was also stalked by an obsessive friend at her University. Her younger sister Emily was killed during the Brookside Siege of 2002 and her mother then moved to Brussels. In the final episode of Brookside Nikki reveals she is going to live with her Mother Margi in Brussels.
Michael "Mike" Dixon is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Brookside, played by Paul Byatt. The character debuted on-screen during the episode broadcast on 1 October 1990.
Samantha 'Sammy' Rogers is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Brookside, played by Rachael Lindsay. The character debuted on-screen during the episode broadcast on 7 December 1987. Sammy was introduced as part of the Rogers family consisting of parents Frank and Chrissy Rogers and their three children Sammy, Katie Rogers and Geoff Rogers. Lindsay secured the role in 1987 after she learned that Brookside was auditioning for a new family. Lindsay knew someone already working on the show and they introduced her to his agent who helped secure the role. Sammy is originally characterised as a rebellious and headstrong teenager and animal rights enthusiast. Sammy is Brookside's wild child character who never accepts responsibility for her actions. Producers created a long-running relationship story with Owen Daniels. They begin a romance while at school and writers developed them into a married couple with a child.
Chrissy Rogers is a fictional character in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside played by Eithne Brown from 1987 to 1991. She was married to Frank Rogers; they had two daughters, Sammy and Katie, and a son, Geoff. She left in 1991 on the collapse on their marriage, but briefly returned two years later, after Frank's death in a car crash.
Billy Corkhill is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Brookside, played by John McArdle. The character debuted on-screen during the episode broadcast on 27 August 1985. Billy was introduced as part of the show's new family, the Corkhills, consisting of Billy, his wife Doreen Corkhill and their teenage children Rod and Tracy Corkhill. Billy is characterised as the reluctant husband of Doreen, an aspiring woman who wants the Corkhills to own their own home. Her mission to present a good image for the family is marred by her secret spending which gets the family into debt. Writers explored their debt issues throughout Billy's early tenure. They portrayed him as desperate to provide, tampering with the electricity and committing fraud with the help of his brother Jimmy Corkhill.
Doreen Corkhill is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Brookside, played by Kate Fitzgerald. The character debuted on-screen during the episode broadcast on 27 August 1985. Doreen was introduced as part of the new Corkhill family consisting of herself, husband Billy Corkhill and their two children Tracy and Rod Corkhill. Doreen was portrayed as the aspiring housewife who wants to buy her own home. Billy risks financial ruin to help Doreen get her ideal home on Brookside Close. She is characterised as competitive and wants to portray a positive family image to her neighbours. She is a shopaholic and over spender, a trait writers used to get the Corkhills into debt. Her behaviour causes her family many problems, Billy begins committing fraud and robberies to fund their lifestyle.
Margaret Clemence is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Brookside, played by Nicola Stephenson. The character debuted on-screen during the episode broadcast on 14 September 1990. Margaret is characterised as a college drop-out unsure about her future. She leaves her home town of Oldham to escape her ex-boyfriend, Kieran, and relocates to Liverpool. She takes a job working as a nanny for Max and Patricia Farnham and becomes their lodger. Stephenson has described Margaret as a domestic and organised character but when it comes to romance she is confused and unstable.
Leanne Powell is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Brookside, played by Vickie Gates. The character debuted on-screen in the episode airing on 29 January 1992. Gates was sixteen when she joined the cast. Leanne is introduced into the series as a friend of Katie Rogers and is portrayed as bad influence on her friends. Brookside's executive producer Mal Young believed there was a need to include more teenage centric stories and created a peer pressure plot for the character. Leanne was portrayed as attempting to seduce Owen Daniels. Writers also explored the issue of teenage pregnancy with Leanne and her friend's mother, DD Dixon helps her arrange a termination in secret.
Diana Corkhill is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Brookside, played by Paula Frances. The character debuted on-screen during the episode broadcast on 19 November 1990. Diana was introduced as a love interest of the established character, Rod Corkhill and it was Frances' first television role. Diana is characterised as a kindly soul who is desperate to overcome hardships. Diana works as a sales assistant at a chemist but is hiding a secret about her education. She is the daughter of Freddie Spence, who disapproves of her relationship with Rod. Writers made their relationship fraught with arguments because of his police career.
"Little" James 'Jimmy' Corkhill Jr. is a fictional character in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside. He was portrayed by George Christopher and first appeared between 1991 and 1992. Little Jimmy resented his father, Jimmy for a number of years having caught him having sex with his aunt, Val Walker.
Sheila Corkhill is a fictional character from British soap opera, Brookside played by Sue Johnston. Sheila appeared in Brookside from the first episode in 1982 until the character's departure in 1990. Her most famous storyline was in 1986, when the character was attacked, raped and beaten by an unknown assailant. Everyone was a suspect, including family friend Matty Nolan, and most residents of Brookside Close found themselves accused. It was later revealed that the taxi driver raped Sheila.
Thomas Sweeney, commonly known as Sinbad, is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Brookside, played by Michael Starke. The character debuted on-screen during the episode broadcast on 18 September 1984. Sinbad was originally only supposed to feature in a couple of episodes but continued to appear on a recurring basis until Stark was promoted to the show's regular cast in 1990.
Jacqueline "Jackie" Corkhill is a fictional character from the British television soap opera Brookside, played by Sue Jenkins from 1991 to 2001.
Simon Howe is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Brookside, played by Lee Hartney. The character debuted on-screen during the episode broadcast on 13 October 1993. Hartney received the role the day after he had auditioned for it. Simon is introduced as a new petrol pump attendant working in the local petrol station. Writers first portrayed him as being mild-mannered before revealing his true manipulative persona.
