The iconic Liverpool soap returned to screens for one special episode
Mick Johnson returned to Brookside Close after 22 years(Image: E4)
Brookside fans “screamed at the TV” after noticing a subtle detail in the Hollyoaks crossover episode. After 22 years away from our screens, the iconic Liverpool soap made a dramatic return as part of a one-off special episode. It’s long-awaited return came about as part of Hollyoaks’ 30th birthday celebrations.
Brookside came to an end 22 years ago, but Channel 4 announced earlier this year they would be bringing it back for a one-off crossover to celebrate three decades Hollyoaks.
Filmed and set on Brookside Close in West Derby, the show ran from 1982 to 2003. As Channel 4’s first soap, it was pioneering and tackled important social issues in the community in which it was based.
For millions of people, life on Brookside Close was as much a part of their daily routine as what was happening outside their own front door. The show was axed in 2003, but in over two decades, it was filled with over-the-top drama and wild storylines, breaking ground across the British TV landscape.
Fans of the show were thrilled to hear Channel 4 were allowing viewers back into the close after over two decades. Filming took place in one day and the jam-packed episode aired tonight to honour Sir Phil Redmond, who created both shows.
It returned as part of a jam-packed Hollyoaks episode, including everything from plane crashes to wedding day disasters. However, Hollyoaks village detective Donny Clark (who portrayed Mick Johnson on Brookside) was seen making a phone call before getting in a taxi and heading to none other than Brookside Close.
As the car pulled into the infamous street, the Brookside theme song played out on screen and fans “screamed at the TV” and immediately felt the nostalgia.
Taking to social media as Louis Emerick got out of the taxi, one said: “OMG That Music…I Screamed at the TV.” Another said: The Brookside theme! That was the sound that I had half an hour until bed when I was a kid.”
The cast reprised their roles for the one-off episode(Image: E4)
A third added: “Hearing the @brooksidesoap theme after all these years has made me feel things!” A fourth wrote: “Awww that theme tune took me way back. Felt so good.”
More fans joined in the conversation on X, formally known as Twitter. One said: “The Brookside theme!”, “Omg they even did the theme tune!” and “So good to hear that theme tune again!”
Speaking about how the special episode of Brookside came about, the show’s creator Sir Phil Redmond said: “This year is Hollyoaks’ 30th anniversary, and while we have loads of action and brilliant story and unmissable stunts planned, I kept thinking about how important a moment this is in the culture and in the TV landscape right now, for Hollyoaks as a show, for the genre of continuing drama, for the wider Liverpool area.
“The 30th is such a massive achievement, I started racking my brain about how else we could make noise to make people sit up and notice and give the audience something they hadn’t had before.”
Speaking about how he managed to make the crossover happen, Sir Phil announced Channel 4 were excited about it. He said: “Channel 4 were incredibly excited about it from the get go. Where there’s a will there’s a way! It’s been a very big strategy in terms of making this happen.
“We needed to get the Close which had been sold off, all these houses that used to be owned by Mersey TV are now people’s homes. And I didn’t want to approach the cast until we had the Close. It’s been a massive collective effort by everyone, so much love and passion has gone into it.”
Currently, all Brookside episodes are available to stream from the start on STV Player.