After more than two decades off the air, the iconic Liverpool-set soap Brookside is poised for a dramatic return—if only for one night. Channel 4 has confirmed that a one-off special episode, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Hollyoaks, will air on E4 at 7pm BST on Wednesday, October 22, 2025. For fans who’ve yearned to see the famous cul-de-sac once more, this crossover event promises nostalgia, surprises, and a healthy dose of the hard-hitting storytelling that made Brookside a household name.
Camera crews rolled onto Brookside Close last month, reigniting memories for cast, crew, and local residents alike. The occasion? A cross-generational soap crossover that brings together beloved characters from Brookside and Hollyoaks for a storyline steeped in secrets and suspense. According to BBC, this marks the first time the legendary street has been seen on television since the soap’s final episode aired on November 4, 2003—a moment that ended with Jimmy Corkhill, played by the late Dean Sullivan, painting a ‘d’ on the sign, leaving it as ‘Brookside Closed’ before driving away.
Among those reprising their roles are TV royalty Sue Johnston and Ricky Tomlinson, who return as Sheila and Bobby Grant. Johnston, now 82, expressed her excitement, saying, “It'll be so lovely to go back and be Sheila for a day as it was such big, enjoyable part of my life.” Tomlinson, 86, echoed the sentiment: “It will be lovely to take part in Brookside again especially to work alongside Sue Johnston. I’m looking forward to being on the close again after all these years.” Both actors have a storied history together, having also played a married couple in the beloved BBC sitcom The Royle Family.
They’re joined by a host of other familiar faces—Paul Usher as Barry Grant, John McArdle as Billy Corkhill, Philip Olivier as Timothy ‘Tinhead’ O’Leary, Suzanne Collins as Nikki Shadwick, and Michael Starke as Thomas ‘Sinbad’ Sweeney. Louis Emerick, who played Mick Johnson on Brookside from 1989 to 2001, returns in a dual capacity: he’s currently starring as detective Donny Clark in Hollyoaks, a role that becomes central to the crossover’s intrigue.
Emerick teased the upcoming storyline with characteristic mischief. “Well, the character of Froggy Black recently arrived and is rattling Donny’s cage because he knows a big secret Donny’s been hiding. All is not as it seems and we can safely say it’s connected to the Brookside crossover. The house of cards is going to start collapsing,” Emerick told Channel 4. The episode sees Donny investigating the aftermath of a wedding day disaster in Hollyoaks—a plot involving villain Clare and serial killer Jez—before his quest for answers leads him back to the close he once called home.
When Donny’s taxi pulls up on Brookside Close, he’s greeted by Sheila Grant, who gives him a decidedly cold welcome. According to Digital Spy, this meeting is the ultimate throwback for long-time fans: “Donny goes against advice and heads in a taxi to visit, and while what happens next remains under wraps, we know that he doesn’t exactly get a warm welcome. Froggy is keeping a big secret about Donny – but what is he hiding?” The crossover’s plot is shrouded in secrecy, but if the teasers are any indication, viewers can expect the kind of explosive drama that made both shows famous.
Behind the scenes, the reunion has been deeply emotional for the cast. Paul Usher, who returns as Barry Grant, reflected on what drew him back: “That made me say yes because we don’t get to see each other as often as we’d like. I’ve got a lot of really good friends from the Brookside days so to come back and be with them, it puts the bow on top of it. I’m pleased I said yes now.” He recalled the family-like atmosphere during the show’s original run, saying, “We’d be working 12, 14-hour days then at the weekend we’d go to Sue’s for Sunday dinner. She’d do all the cooking and look after us, we really bonded.”
Filming the special was no small feat. Permission had to be granted by the current owner of Brookside Close and the Liverpool Film Office. To celebrate, residents were invited to join the cast and crew for lunch, marking the occasion with a sense of community reminiscent of the show’s heyday. As Liverpool Echo reported, Emerick found the experience surreal: “When I saw Sue Johnno for the first time on the Close I thought: ‘Oh this is real, it’s happening!’ It sounds corny, but it was like a school reunion as we relived the anecdotes. I loved every minute of Brookside.”
For creator Sir Phil Redmond, the event is both a celebration and a tribute. “It is always bitter sweet thinking back to Brookie, the reminders of its success and impact, but the thoughts of many, like Dean Sullivan and Bill Dean, who are no longer with us. But it is great that Lime Pictures are paying homage in their Hollyoaks anniversary cross over episodes,” he said, according to Liverpool Echo. Redmond’s influence on British television is undeniable, having created both Brookside and Hollyoaks, two shows renowned for pushing boundaries and reflecting real-life issues.
Brookside was always a soap apart. Launched in 1982, it tackled subjects like rape, bullying, and incest—storylines that were rarely, if ever, seen on UK television at the time. Sue Johnston remembers those early days vividly: “It was different, and relevant to people’s lives. Although (conservative activist) Mary Whitehouse went berserk in the beginning because of the swearing! All of us were learning on the job, and that excitement transferred to the screen, you felt the commitment and love for it.”
Ricky Tomlinson, reflecting on the possibility of a full-time revival, told Radio Times: “I would certainly think about it. I do other stuff and have got grandchildren now so I spend a lot of time with them. 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.”
As the airdate draws near, anticipation is running high. The crossover not only honors Brookside’s legacy but also celebrates the enduring appeal of British soaps that reflect the grit and warmth of everyday life. Whether this one-off special leads to more remains to be seen, but for now, fans old and new are set to enjoy a piece of television history—one that, for a single evening, reopens the doors of Brookside Close.
