Brookside’s Corkhill family now – health battle, career U-turn and quitting fame

The Corkhill family were one of legendary soap Brookside’s most memorable families.

First arriving on our screens back in the 1980s, the Corkhills first consisted of Billy, wife Doreen and their teenage kids Rod and Tracy. Soon after they first moved to the Close, other family members including Jimmy came into view, adding to the Liverpool-based soap drama.

Actors John McArdle, Kate Fitzgerald, Jason Hope, Justine Kerrigan, Dean Sullivan and Claire Sweeney portrayed the family members. And some of them have gone on to have huge careers.

READ MORE: Brookside child star looks very different as he lands huge role 20 years on

READ MORE: Want more showbiz? Daily Star has just the thing for you!

Brookside, affectionately nicknamed “Brookie”, ended its almost 3000-episode run in 2003 when the soap ended, but episodes are now being made available to delve back into the show’s previous storylines. Now, as Brookside nears its 41st birthday, Daily Star looks at what the actors who played one of Brookie’s biggest families are up to now.

Billy Corkhill – John McArdle

Billy immediately became a core part of the show when he rocked up to Brookside Close back in the 1980s. Played by John McArdle, Billy struggled to make ends meet, which culminated in him faking a burglary of his own home; he later went on to suffer with his mental health.

McArdle left the series in 1990, but continued to appear on TV, starring in various shows including The Bill, Holby City and Casualty. John also made it big on stage, as he was seen in runs of the likes of Our Country’s Good at the Liverpool Playhouse.

In 2016, John made his return to the soap world when he joined Emmerdale playing the role of plumber Ronnie Hale. He starred in the show until 2017, when he had to tend to his on-screen brother.

Doreen Corkhill – Kate Fitzgerald

Mother figure Doreen was a staple on the show, but she dramatically left the soap when her marriage ended and she abandoned her children. She would then return to the show, but was heartbroken when hubby Billy had moved on with Sheila Grant.

Played by Kate Fitzgerald, Doreen never returned to the show again after finding out about Billy’s new lover. But Kate would return to the soap world, playing the role of Nancy Tinker on ITV’s Coronation Street.

As well as this, Kate has landed roles on Casualty, The Bill and Benidorm, where she played Loretta on the ITV comedy drama since 2017.

Rod Corkhill – Jason Hope

Teenage son Rod was played by actor Jason Hope throughout his time on the show. During his time on the show, Rod earned the nickname Rod the Plod after he opted to join the police.

While on the show, Rod’s main storyline revolved around his fledgling relationship with Diana, as well as switching on the Liverpool Christmas lights with co-stars Danny McCall, Jenny Hesketh and Sunetra Sarker.

But after leaving the show, Jason opted for a completely different career, trading the soap for the barbers as he became a hairdresser in 2001. Soon after this, Jason featured on an ITV series called After They Were Famous.

Tracy Corkhill – Justine Kerrigan

Tracy Corkhill was played by Justine Kerrigan, and together with on-screen boyfriend Jamie Henderson – played by the late Sean McKee – the pair became the breakout stars of the soap.

Earning themselves a spin-off series entitled South, Tracy and Jamie left Brookside behind as they tried to make a go of life together in London. The series aired in 1988, but after Brookie ended, Justine kept in touch with her co-stars and reunited publicly on several occasions.

After her stint on the show, Justine went back to normal life, going on to work in the NHS for 22 years. But she continues to relive her Brookie days – appearing in 2019 to celebrate 30 years of the Scouse soap.

Jimmy Corkhill – Dean Sullivan

Dean Sullivan made his debut on Brookside playing Billy’s brother Jimmy in 1986. Jimmy also became a central part of the cast, starring in several of the show’s storylines.

Dean appeared on the series from his introduction until the soap ended in 2003, becoming the longest-featured character on the soap. After his time at Brookside Close, Dean remained committed to the show – reportedly wanting to buy 13 of the houses on the road itself in 2008. He expressed interest in reviving the show again 2011, or to join other soaps as his iconic character.

In 2019, Dean revealed that he had been diagnosed with and successfully beat prostate cancer. Fans wished him well, and he continues to work in the acting industry.

Lindsay Corkhill – Claire Sweeney

Claire Sweeney starred as Lindsay Corkhill for a decade before leaving the show to star on Celebrity Big Brother and in the West End run of the musical Chicago. Since then, Claire’s career has gone from strength to strength – working on the likes of Loose Women and Strictly Come Dancing.

Sweeney has gone onto become a star of the stage, starring in UK tours of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5. She currently is working back in the soap world as she joined Coronation Street earlier this year.

Outside of acting, Claire has worked closely with the LGBTQ+ community, and has been nominated for the Rainbow Honours awards. She also provided BBC Merseyside’s commentary of Eurovision in May whilst the show was in her native Liverpool.

“Little” Jimmy Corkhill – George Christopher

Rising to fame at the tender age of 15, George Christopher immediately became one of the most sought after young actors on British television. George – real name George Wilson – played the role of “Little” Jimmy Corkhill on the soap, as well as Ziggy Greaves in Grange Hill.

Soon after the show ended, George stayed present on the acting scene, starring in productions regarding the tragic Hillsborough disaster. He also appeared on BBC’s Pointless Celebrities, raising money for charity.

George has also been incredibly open and vulnerable about his mental health struggles after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder when he was aged 40. Speaking to the Liverpool Echo in 2019, he admitted his struggles nearly caused him to take his own life, but pulled his life together after emigrating to Spain for five months before he was offered the part on Brookie.

Jackie Corkhill – Sue Jenkins

Sue Jenkins already had extensive experience in soap stardom when she joined The Close in 1991. She had already played the role of Gloria Todd on Coronation Street.

Joining the soap as Jimmy’s ex-wife Jackie, Jenkins’ character had been mentioned several times on the soap before she had arrived on the set. Jackie stayed on the show for years before eventually leaving in 2001.

Since her time on the show, Sue has stayed true to her acting roots – performing in theatre and television shows galore including Heartbeat and Midsomer Murders. She also had a streak presenting Loose Women in the 2000s as well as starring in other soaps including Doctors.

Sue is also married to actor David Fleeshman, who rose to fame as part of the Boys From The Blackstuff. The pair have three kids together including soapstar Richard Fleeshman, known for playing Crag Harris for four years on Coronation Street.

For more of the latest showbiz and TV news from the Daily Star, make sure you sign up for one of our newsletters here

Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk