This is the first time the series has been available to stream from the beginning – and for free, beginning February 1st.
It’s been 20 years since the 13 houses on Britain’s most famous cul-de-sac were boarded up, and iconic families like the Corkhills, Dixons, and Grants said their final farewells.
Fans of Britain’s most daring and dramatic soap will not have to wait much longer, as original episodes of Brookside will return to screens next week, via the free streaming service STV Player.
The show, set in a Liverpool cul-de-sac called Brookside Close, was created by Phil Redmond, creator of Grange Hill and Hollyoaks, and produced by his company, Mersey Television (later renamed to Lime Pictures). It aired on the first night of Channel 4 on November 2, 1982, and had a peak audience of 9 million viewers.
After STV Player struck a major new deal with distributor All3Media International, the fondly remembered soap, which ended in 2003, will be available to stream from the beginning for the first time ever.
It means that both devoted fans and new viewers can relive and enjoy Brookside’s most memorable storylines, many of which were landmarks in British television history, such as the first pre-watershed lesbian kiss between characters Beth Jordache (Anna Friel) and Margaret Clemence (Nicola Stephenson).
Throughout its 21-year run, the show became known for tackling difficult social issues such as rape, bullying, and incest. Gordon Collins, a teenage character, came out to his family in 1985, making him the first openly gay character in a British TV series.
Brookside was also known for its dramatic set pieces, such as two thrilling sieges on the close, one of which ended in a helicopter crash, and the murder of abusive Trevor Jordache, who was famously discovered buried under the patio of number 10 in 1995.
Many of the cast members of Brookside have gone on to have successful careers, including Anna Friel (now a Hollywood star), Sue Johnston, Ricky Tomlinson, Amanda Burton, Alex Fletcher, Claire Sweeney, and Sunetra Sarker.
STV Player, which is available to viewers across the UK for free, has a large catalogue of high-quality drama from around the world. Sky Q, NOW, Virgin Media, Amazon Fire TV, and Freeview Play are among the platforms that offer the service.
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