BROOKSIDE

Excellent, long-running Channel 4 soap opera, until its latter years descended into farcical storylines, Brookside centred around the Corkhill and Grant families, and was set in a (on the surface) cosy cul-de-sac in Liverpool.

Some of the Brookside characters became cult figures such as the grumpy Harry Cross (Bill Dean), cheeky chappie Sinbad (Michael Starke), and perpetual scally Jimmy Corkhill (Dean Sullivan).

Beginning in 1982, and running until 2003, Brookside had grittier stories, in its early days, than soaps such as Coronation Street and EastEnders, and also launched the careers of the likes of Sue Johnston and Ricky Tomlinson.

- Paul Rance/booksmusicfilmstv.com.

Brookside DVDs available from booksmusicfilmstv.com - in association with Amazon.co.uk

Brookside-The Women ~ Sue Johnston, Sarah White

Brookside - The Men [1997] [1982] ~ Marcus Hutton, Colin Meredith