Sue Johnston is reprising her breakout role as Sheila Grant, 35 years after leaving Brookside.
The BAFTA-nominated actress, one of Britain’s most celebrated talents thanks to her role in Caroline Aherne’s The Royle Family, is returning to her roots in a hugely unexpected twist—she’ll play her cherished character Sheila once again in a special Brookside–Hollyoaks crossover this autumn.
She enthused: ‘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.’
Johnston is the first name confirmed for the landmark special episode, which will see the two Liverpudlian soaps come together to celebrate 30 years of Hollyoaks.
Brookside ended in 2003, with Hollyoaks subsequently taking over as Channel 4’s flagship continuing drama.
Executive Producer Hannah Cheers said of the crossover: ‘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 characters in honour of that legacy. These iconic Brookside characters are soap archetypes that helped define British TV—archetypes that new generations are still discovering now through Hollyoaks.’
Sheila was one of the most beloved characters in Brookside and remains one of the most innovative and important figures in soap history.
The Grant family launched Brookside in 1982 and quickly became an audience favourite. Ricky Tomlinson starred as Sheila’s husband, Bobby, with the actors famously reuniting as Jim and Barbara Royle in The Royle Family in 1998.
Sheila was a survivor whose storylines deeply resonated with viewers.
Her most famous arc came in 1986, when she was attacked, raped, and beaten by an unknown assailant after getting out of a taxi. Many Brookside residents were suspected, but the attacker was ultimately revealed to be the taxi driver.
The special will mark the first new Brookside episode since 2003.
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