Sue Johnston to appear in Brookside return
Sue Johnston is to reprise her role as Sheila Grant for the return of Channel 4 soap Brookside in a special crossover episode with Hollyoaks to mark the latter's 30th anniversary.
Sue Johnston will reprise her role as Sheila Grant for the return of Brookside.
The Channel 4 soap will make a special one-off return to screens to mark the 30th anniversary of fellow soap Hollyoaks later this year and it has been confirmed that the 81-year-old actress will once again play the Liverpudlian matriarch.
Sue said: "It'll be so lovely to go back and be Sheila for a day as it was such a big, enjoyable part of my life."
The Royle Family actress is the first cast member confirmed for the Brookside revival and it will see her take on a part she played from 1982 to 1990.
Viewers of the gritty soap saw Sheila battle her family finances and her husband Bobby - played by her The Royle Family co-star Ricky Tomlinson.
Sheila was attacked by a taxi driver in 1986 and her marriage to Bobby fell apart as she found herself pregnant, whilst the character also saw her youngest son Damon stabbed to death in London the following year.
Johnston's alter ego found love again with Billy Corkhill (John McCardle) and the couple left Brookside for Basingstoke together in 1990.
The crossover episode will also see the return of other beloved Brookside characters, although they are yet to be announced.
Brookside came to an end in 2003 after 21 years on screen but will be retuning for the Hollyoaks crossover episode in homage to Sir Phil Redmond - who created both programmes.
Hollyoaks Executive Producer Hannah Cheers said: "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.
"This special feels like both a moving and fitting tribute to our origin story and a chance for fans to revisit much-loved Brookside
"These iconic Brookside characters are soap archetypes that helped define British TV; soap archetypes that new generations are still discovering now through Hollyoaks.
"As a lifelong soap fan who grew up watching with my mum, I was passionate about revisiting Brookside for the anniversary. With Sir Phil’s blessing — after I had the privilege of pitching the idea to him — and the support of Channel 4, we’re able to make it happen."
