Sue Johnston will reprise her function as Sheila Grant for the return of Brookside.
The Channel 4 cleaning soap will make a particular one-off return to screens to mark the thirtieth anniversary of fellow cleaning soap Hollyoaks later this 12 months and it has been confirmed that the 81-year-old actress will as soon as once more play the Liverpudlian matriarch.
Sue mentioned: “It’s going to be so pretty to return and be Sheila for a day because it was such an enormous, fulfilling a part of my life.”
The Royle Household actress is the primary solid member confirmed for the Brookside revival and it’ll see her tackle an element she performed from 1982 to 1990.
Viewers of the gritty cleaning soap noticed Sheila battle her household funds and her husband Bobby – performed by her The Royle Household co-star Ricky Tomlinson.
Sheila was attacked by a taxi driver in 1986 and her marriage to Bobby fell aside as she discovered herself pregnant, while the character additionally noticed her youngest son Damon stabbed to loss of life in London the next 12 months.
Johnston’s alter ego discovered love once more with Billy Corkhill (John McCardle) and the couple left Brookside for Basingstoke collectively in 1990.
The crossover episode can even see the return of different beloved Brookside characters, though they’re but to be introduced.
Brookside got here to an finish in 2003 after 21 years on display screen however will probably be retuning for the Hollyoaks crossover episode in homage to Sir Phil Redmond – who created each programmes.
Hollyoaks Government Producer Hannah Cheers mentioned: “This episode is a love letter to each Hollyoaks and Brookside.
“Brookside gave delivery to Hollyoaks — it grew up on the identical web site and ultimately took over its units.
“For everybody at Lime Footage (initially Mersey TV), Hollyoaks’ historical past is deeply rooted in Brookside, and its legacy lives on via our crew and, in fact, a few of our solid.
“This particular seems like each a shifting and becoming tribute to our origin story and an opportunity for followers to revisit much-loved Brookside
“These iconic Brookside characters are cleaning soap archetypes that helped outline British TV; cleaning soap archetypes that new generations are nonetheless discovering now via Hollyoaks.
“As a lifelong cleaning soap fan who grew up watching with my mum, I used to be keen about revisiting Brookside for the anniversary. With Sir Phil’s blessing — after I had the privilege of pitching the concept to him — and the assist of Channel 4, we’re capable of make it occur.”
