They were at the heart of the close for years
The cast of Brookside. From left to right, Sue Johnston (Sheila Grant) Shelagh O’Hara (Karen Grant), Simon O’Brien (Damon Grant), Ricky Tomlinson (Robert Grant) and Paul Usher (Barry Grant). October 6, 1982(Image: Mirrorpix)
Legendary Liverpool soap Brookside is set to make a special return to our screens next month – with TV crews returning to the famous close. Affectionately known as Brookie, the hit Channel 4 soap ran from 1982 to 2003 and will make a comeback as part of a crossover episode with its successor Hollyoaks to celebrate the latter’s 30th anniversary.
The episode will air in October and will honour Brookside and its Huyton-born creator Sir Phil Redmond. Sue Johnston was the first star to be confirmed for the special episode, as the 82-year-old will reprise her role as Sheila Grant.
It has also been announced that Ricky Tomlinson will also be returning to the iconic L12 close as Sue’s onscreen husband, Bobby Grant. Over the years, a number of families were at the centre of the biggest storylines.
READ MORE: I went to Brookside Close for the first time and had a front row seat to Liverpool historyREAD MORE: Brookside Nikki Shadwick star Suzanne Collins’ life including famous footballer husband
And as Brookside is making a special return in 2025, we wanted to take another look back at one of the show’s famous families – the Grants – and where they are now. The Grant family consisted of mum and dad Bobby and Sheila, daughter Karen and sons Barry and Damon.
Sue Johnston – Sheila Grant
Sue Johnston in character as Sheila Grant in television soap Brookside, circa 1984(Image: Photo by TV Times via Getty Images)
After making her debut in Coronation Street as Mrs Chadwick in 1982, Sue went on to play Sheila Grant in Brookside until 1990, with her character becoming involved in some of the soap’s biggest storylines.
Sue later found fame on TV series including Inspector Morse, Full Stretch, Medics, Crime Traveller and My Uncle Silas. She has also appeared in as Gloria Price in Coronation Street, in The Good Karma Hospital and most recently, Downton Abbey: A New Era.
But many will know Sue for The Royle Family, as well as starring in Waking The Dead and again Coronation Street. Other notable productions include Being Eileen, which was set in Birkenhead, 2016 film Golden Years with Bernard Hill and Jennifer Saunders’s comedy drama Jam & Jerusalem.
Sue Johnston has stayed on our screens(Image: Photo by Ian Cooper)
Sue has been a vocal supporter of the Labour Party and has rallied for gay rights. The actress was made an honorary fellow by Liverpool John Moores University in 2004, was appointed OBE in the 2009 Queen’s Birthday Honours and as well as being awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Chester.
An Liverpool FC supporter, Sue attended the Hillsborough inquests to show her support, as well as memorials. In 2022, Sue and then LFC manager Jurgen Klopp were both to be given the freedom of Liverpool and Sue joined the show’s creator Phil Redmond on the roll of honour at Liverpool Town Hall.
More recently, Sue has played Gladys Denker in the Downton Abbey film series and appeared in BBC’s The Responder . She has also reunited with on-screen husband Ricky Tomlinson on Celebrity Gogglebox, Ricky, Sue and a Trip or Two and DNA Journey.
Ricky Tomlinson – Bobby Grant
Ricky Tomlinson in character as Bobby Grant in television soap Brookside, circa 1982(Image: Photo by TV Times via Getty Images)
Ricky Tomlinson has been entertaining families on Merseyside for decades – and was loved for playing Bobby Grant from 1982 to 1988 on Brookside. The actor and comedian went on to star in The Royle Family alongside Brookside wife Sue Johnston, as well as Cracker, Playing The Field, Mike Bassett: England Manager, Gloves Off and 2018 film The More You Ignore Me.
He also landed a Hollywood role when he appeared in the 51st state alongside Samuel L.Jackson and appeared in films including Grimsby, and TV series The Witchfinder. Ricky Tomlinson has also fronted a series of adverts for British Gas, Farmfoods and McCain.
In 2010, he opened his own cabaret club on Duke Street called the Green Room, which hosts entertainers from around the world. The lifelong Liverpool FC fan Ricky’s career has spanned television, film and theatre – and in 2014 he was awarded the Freedom of Liverpool.
Ricky Tomlinson is a household name(Image: Photo by Gary Mitchell/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
A long-time supporter of the Socialist Labour Party, Ricky has suffered two heart attacks and has campaigned for men to get free checks to combat the rise in heart disease. In 2020, Ricky and his Royle Family co-star Ralf Little also presented a travel series called Ricky & Ralf’s Very Northern Road Trip for Gold.
In 2021, Ricky and 13 fellow trade unionists convicted in the so-called Shrewsbury 24 trials cleared their names after 48 years. Through the years, Ricky has remained a household name.
More recently, Ricky played Bert Wildgoose in comedy The More You Ignore Me and Phil Reilly in comedy Our Kid. He has also reunited with on-screen wife Sue Johnston on Celebrity Gogglebox, Ricky, Sue and a Trip or Two and DNA Journey.
Paul Usher – Barry Grant
Paul Usher in character as Barry Grant in television soap Brookside, circa 1982(Image: Photo by TV Times via Getty Images)
Paul Usher took on the role of Barry Grant in the soap from 1982 to 2003. He also starred in spin-off Brookside: The Lost Weekend and Barry was the only character to appear in the first ever episode in November 1982 and the final episode in November 2003.
Paul has appeared on numerous programs including Liverpool 1, London’s Burning and he played a lengthy role in The Bill as Des Taviner until 2004, appearing in a total of 135 episodes.
In 2011, the ECHO reported how the Liverpool-born actor was ready to return to the job, starring in he third series of BBC1 daytime hit Moving On. But the star explained he hasn’t always enjoyed the limelight.
Brookside actor Paul Usher(Image: Birmingham Post)
He previously told the ECHO: “I enjoyed acting but not the fame side of it. I don’t want to play that game. I never really did any interviews when I was on the telly. I’m proud of my acting work, including dramas like Liverpool 1, but I get really annoyed about celebrity culture.”
Paul met his wife Charlotte while working on The Bill and went on to have son. But in 2014, it was reported that Paul’s son James from a previous relationship had tragically died at the age of 24 after taking ill on a ship in Scotland.
In 2019, Paul arrived on on Albert Square as dodgy business man Danny Hardcastle in Eastenders and in 2023, he also starred in an episode of Doctors. When it comes to Brookside’s return, it was recently announced that Paul Usher will reprise his role as Barry Grant in the episode.
Simon O’Brien – Damon Grant
Simon O’Brien in character as Damon Grant in television soap Brookside, circa 1986(Image: Photo by TV Times via Getty Images)
Simon O’Brien began acting in 1982 in the first episode of Brookside, at the age of 16. Alongside Gillian Kearney, he helped Channel 4 make history by starring in Britain’s first mini-series spin-off from a soap opera.
In November 1987, the three-part series, Damon and Debbie, hit our screens and was described as TV’s first “soap bubble.” The couple settled in York, with Debbie visiting an open day at the university and Damon finding work at a burger joint called Dick Turpin’s.
But things didn’t go smoothly – after a mock marriage in a hotel room, Damon is stabbed by an unknown assailant on the streets of York and dies in Debbie’s arms. Since Brookie, he has continued to act and also become known as a radio presenter, as well as a a property developer.
Former Brookside actor Simon O’Brien (Image: Liverpool ECHO)
He has hosted his own TV children’s shows, appeared in films like Willy Russell’s Dancing In The Dark and landed the role as presenter of BBC 2’s The Rough Guide travelogues alongside Magenta Divine. According to his website, he also scours Europe “seeking out derelict properties to renovate: all done from an ecological perspective.”
After a spell presenting football show Standing Room Only on the BBC in the 90s, Simon also became known in the States for his role in American sitcom Out All Night and presenting on BBC Radio Merseyside. He also opened a vegetarian café and cycle shop in Liverpool, before returning to acting after a career break, appearing in Grange Hill.
In December 2014, the Liverpool actor and environmentalist was appointed chair of Green Strategy Group to scrutinise city’s green space. The married dad-of-one, as the cycling and walking commissioner for the Liverpool City Region, is a key face for promoting active travel around the region and in 2022, fans were thrilled to see Simon appear on the ITV soap opera Coronation Street as guest character Frank Bardsley.
Back in August, it was announced that spin-off Damon and Debbie was available to watch again on STV Player.
Shelagh O’Hara – Karen Grant
Shelagh O’Hara in character as Karen Grant in television soap Brookside, circa 1982(Image: Photo by TV Times via Getty Images)
Shelagh O’Hara portrayed Karen Grant from 1982 until 1986. But the character did make returns to Brookie in later years. Like all the other Grants, Karen’s life on the Close wasn’t without its trauma.
In the first year, she was attacked by her boyfriend ‘Demon’ Duane, who then stabbed her brother, Barry. Karen went to Liverpool Uni to do Media Studies in 1985 and brought in one of Brookie’s many celebrity guests, when she interviewed Paula Yates after the Rag Week Parade, before the character later moved to London.
After leaving the soap in 1987, Shelagh starred as a waitress in Radio 5 Live’s drama, Lunch Hour Rush. Like her screen character Karen, she went to Liverpool University where she is believed to have graduated in Latin American studies in 1999.
The former Brookie star is now believed to be working in the antiques business.