Returning to Brookside is the perfect way to honour Hollyoaks’ heritage

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As a long-time soap fan, I’ve noticed a trend: whenever a show hits a big anniversary, they always do a flashback episode. It’s like they bring back old favorites and sprinkle in tons of inside jokes for those of us who’ve been watching forever. It’s a nice treat, really – a way to remember where everything started and why we got so hooked in the first place.

To mark its 30th anniversary, Hollyoaks is pulling out all the stops. The popular Channel 4 soap is celebrating its past – and the show that came before it – as a special treat for its loyal viewers.

In a surprising move for soap opera fans, Hollyoaks and Brookside are joining forces in a special crossover episode. This happens just before ITV plans to connect the worlds of Coronation Street and Emmerdale. It’s a nostalgic pairing, as both Hollyoaks and Brookside were originally created by the same person, Sir Phil Redmond, back in 1995. Some are calling it the ‘Redmond Universe,’ a shared world of interconnected soap stories, similar to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

It’s been 22 years since the popular Channel 4 drama ended, but it’s still remembered for pushing limits and tackling sensitive subjects that other shows avoided.

Detective Donny Clark’s investigation during Hollyoaks’ anniversary week leads him to Brookside Close, the famous Liverpool street where the groundbreaking TV show Brookside was filmed. He’ll encounter some old characters from Brookside – some not seen in decades – and discover a surprising connection to the Close. However, the ties between Hollyoaks and Brookside go far beyond this single discovery.

The brief revival of Brookside has sparked fond memories and highlighted its important place in television history. It was a groundbreaking soap opera, paving the way for shows like Hollyoaks, which still carries on its tradition of bold storytelling.

Hollyoaks began in 1995 as a glamorous teen drama focusing on a group of attractive friends growing up in a typical, middle-class area near Chester. However, it quickly proved to be more than just a pretty face, demonstrating a willingness to tackle challenging issues. Early on, the show made a bold move by unexpectedly killing off a main character, Natasha Andersen, due to a drug overdose. This established Hollyoaks as a place to tell impactful and courageous stories aimed at young audiences.

Hollyoaks is known for bravely addressing difficult topics, famously being the first soap opera to depict male sexual assault with a late-night special. Over the past 30 years, it has covered an impressive range of issues. Just in the last year, the show has tackled sibling sexual abuse – another first for soap operas – as well as child exploitation, conversion therapy, violence from children towards their parents, and hate crimes against transgender people.

Considering storylines like those dealing with far-right radicalization, self-harm, eating disorders, and county lines grooming, it’s clear that Hollyoaks is deeply committed to helping its young audience understand and cope with difficult issues.

Brookside wasn’t just a soap opera; it completely changed the landscape of British television drama. Starting on Channel 4 in 1982, it was a groundbreaking show that set a new standard for the genre and influenced how all British TV dramas were made.

Soap operas have been a regular part of television since ‘Coronation Street’ pioneered the genre in 1960 by realistically portraying working-class families. However, by the early 1980s, these shows had become less focused on harsh realities and more on lighthearted comfort. ‘Crossroads’ was a simple, feel-good drama, ‘Emmerdale’ offered a gentle look at rural life, and American shows like ‘Dallas’ and ‘Dynasty’ were all about glamorous, over-the-top entertainment.

Brookside revolutionized television by portraying the everyday lives and relationships of people in a tightly-knit community in a way that felt current and relatable. Unlike other shows, it realistically tackled important social issues and didn’t shy away from politics, specifically exploring how Margaret Thatcher’s policies affected ordinary families – families viewers could easily identify with.

What really struck me about this show was its willingness to tackle everything. It didn’t shy away from difficult topics like sexual assault, mental health struggles, violence, or even complex issues of class and religion. And, crucially, it was ahead of its time in offering genuine representation for LGBTQ+ characters. Seriously, nothing felt off-limits for the creator, and that fearlessness really made it stand out.

In 1993, the death of abusive husband and father Trevor Jordache at the hands of his wife and daughter became Brookside’s most talked-about and remarkably foreshadowing storyline. The plot, where they buried his body under the patio and kept it hidden for two years, chillingly mirrored a real-life case. Just a year later, police uncovered the remains of victims – including the killers Fred and Rose West’s own daughter – buried in their garden. The Jordache storyline was the essence of Brookside: a shocking, controversial, and tragically realistic drama.

The year Trevor’s body was discovered also marked the beginning of the soap opera Hollyoaks. Like Brookside before it, Hollyoaks was made by the same production team in Liverpool, and even used some of the same sets – for example, the building now known as Dee Valley Hospital was once a nightclub featured on Brookside’s shopping street. Producer Phil Redmond always viewed Hollyoaks as a spin-off aimed at a younger audience. Characters appearing in both shows isn’t a recent development; it happened from the very beginning. However, that connection faded over time, particularly after Brookside ended in 2003.

Bringing back this storyline to celebrate Hollyoaks’ 30th anniversary is a smart move. It’s a fitting way to acknowledge that Hollyoaks began with Brooke and highlight their original connection, especially with beloved characters like Sheila Grant and Billy Corkhill returning. This isn’t just a nostalgic moment either – Billy will be joining Donny back in Hollyoaks next week, suggesting we’ll see more of their story unfold.

Brookside’s appearance as a guest at Hollyoaks’ 30th anniversary celebration is a nod to how both shows share a spirit of pushing boundaries. While Hollyoaks continues to appeal to younger viewers, it’s also matured into a confident and provocative soap opera, much like its predecessor was.

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2025-10-22 14:35