It has been an incredible year for fans of the Liverpool-based soap
The street sign at Brookside Close(Image: Channel 4)
It has been an incredible year for Brookside fans after the return of filming in the famous L12 cul-de-sac took place in September for the first time in 22 years. The iconic Liverpool show, which was Channel 4’s first soap, ran from 1982 to 2003.
The comeback was part of a crossover episode with its successor Hollyoaks to celebrate the latter’s 30th anniversary. The episode honoured Sir Phil Redmond, who created both shows. When Brookside first hit our screens in 1982, nobody could’ve predicted its success. The show would often get audiences in excess of seven million at its peak.
Despite the popularity the show saw throughout the 80s and 90s, Brookside aired its final episode In November 2003. A combination of declining ratings and lower profits meant the show came to an end.
Stars such as Paul Usher, Philip Olivier, Suzanne Collins, Michael Starke, Ricky Tomlinson, Sue Johnston and John McArdle all reprised their roles for the one-off episode. Now, another major update about the classic soap has been shared.
STV Player has confirmed Brookside will continue to air on the platform into 2029. STV Player became the first streaming service to relaunch Brookside in January 2023.
The streamer, which is available for free across the UK, has signed a new three-year deal with distributor All3Media International after Brookside became one of its most-watched titles, amassing an enormous 33 million streams since first landing on the platform.
With five new episodes dropping every Wednesday, STV Player viewers have now reached episodes of the show from December 1989, the new deal means viewers can continue to watch the soap move into the 1990s.
The period is also widely recognised as Brookside’s most successful era in terms of ratings and cultural relevance. Upcoming episodes on STV Player will also follow the groundbreaking LGBTQ+ storyline which featured the UK’s first pre-watershed lesbian kiss between characters Beth Jordache (Anna Friel) and Margaret Clemence (Nicola Stephenson).
Anna Friel as Beth Jordache with Margaret Clemence played by actress Nicola Stephenson.(Image: Channel 4)
Richard Williams, STV’s Managing Director, Audience (Video & Technology), said: “Brookside regularly dominates STV Player’s most-watched list, and with some of the show’s most memorable storylines just around the corner, it’s a no-brainer to extend our partnership with All3Media International and Lime Pictures and continue to give fans their Brookie fix right through to 2029.
“The phenomenal response we’ve had since relaunching Brookside proves that it’s an integral piece of British TV history with an enduring impact, and we’re proud to be able to call STV Player its long-term home.”
Available for free to viewers across the UK, STV Player can be found on all major platforms, including Sky Q, NOW, Virgin Media, Amazon Fire TV and Freeview Play. Brookside is available to stream from the start on STV Player, with five new episodes added every Wednesday.
Brookside’s Sir Phil Redmond (Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
While the cross-over episode does not mark a return of the soap to our screens for good, Ricky Tomlinson has admitted he would be open to the idea. The 86-year-old actor was asked about a full-time return and told the Radio Times magazine: “I would certainly think about it.
“I do other stuff and have got grandchildren now so I spend a lot of time with them. I’ve just done my first children’s book called Maggie and Jack and the Rusty Key, named after two of my grandkids.
“It would be a big commitment if Brookie came back full-time, but I’d seriously consider it, because it was very good to me and to the city of Liverpool.”