A beloved soap is 'returning to screens' after 22 years off air as show is set to make a historic crossover with Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks celebrates its 30th anniversary in October, and to make the milestone Brookside will be returning too, according to The Sun.
The iconic Liverpool-based soap will be streamed in a special Hollyoaks episode that will honour the predecessor.
The soap, set in Liverpool, chronicled the lives of characters living in 13 houses on a cul-de-sac called Brookside Close.
Hollyoaks took over as Channel 4 's flagship continuing drama when the Liverpool based soap ended on November 4th 2003.
And as part of the exciting crossover, fans will see Brookside characters make a return as a treat to mark the milestone.
Executive Producer Hannah Cheers told the publication: 'This episode is a love letter to both Hollyoaks and Brookside.
'Brookside gave birth to Hollyoaks — it grew up on the same site and eventually took over its sets.
'For everyone at Lime Pictures (originally Mersey TV), Hollyoaks' history is deeply rooted in Brookside, and its legacy lives on through our crew and, of course, some of our cast.'
Brookside originally aired on the first day that Channel 4 was broadcast on November 2 in 1982 and proved an instant hit with viewers.
Fan favourites included Bobby and Sheila and Grant, played by Ricky Tomlinson and Sue Johnston.
The show launched the careers of many industry heavyweights including Anna Friel, Amanda Burton and Claire Sweeney.
At its peak, the show drew in audiences of nine million viewers before it came to a close on November 4 2003.
Across its run, the show took on issues such as LGBT+ and hard hitting storylines like rape, bullying and incest.
In 1985, teenage character Gordon Collins came out to his family as gay on the soap.
The character, played by both Mark Burgess and Nigel Crowley, became the first ever openly gay character in a British TV series when the episode aired.
Brookside also had the first pre-watershed lesbian kiss in British history between characters Beth Jordache, played by Anna Friel, and Margaret Clemence, who was portrayed by future Emmerdale actress Nicola Stephenson.
Anna's career has taken her to America where she has appeared in the comedy series Pushing Daisies, opposite Susan Sarandon in country music drama Monarch and alongside Bradley Cooper in the film Limitless.
Silent Witness actress Amanda, Hollyoaks actress Alex Fletcher, and West End musical star Claire Sweeney also began their careers on the soap.
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