Brookside was a British soap opera set in Liverpool, England. The
series began on the launch night of Channel 4 on 2 November 1982 and
ran for 21 years until 4 November 2003. Originally intended to be
called Meadowcroft, the series was produced by Mersey Television (now
renamed as Lime Pictures) and was conceived by Grange Hill and
Hollyoaks creator Phil Redmond.Brookside became very successful and
was often Channel 4's highest rated programme for a number of years in
the mid-1980s, with audiences regularly in excess of nine million
viewers. It is notable for its realistic and socially challenging
storylines. From the mid-1990s, it began raising more controversial
subjects under the guidance of new producers such as Mal Young and
Paul Marquess. It is especially well known for broadcasting the first
pre-watershed lesbian kiss on British television in 1994, as well as a
powerful domestic abuse storyline resulting in murder. It also had the
first openly gay character on a British TV series, who was outed in a
1985 storyline. In 1996, the series experienced an extreme backlash
from viewers when it featured a hugely controversial storyline
focusing on an incestuous sexual relationship between two
siblings.Although the series had a long and successful run, its
viewing figures were in terminal decline by 2000, and low ratings
eventually led to its cancellation in June 2003. The final episode was
broadcast on 4 November 2003 and was watched by around two million
viewers.
series began on the launch night of Channel 4 on 2 November 1982 and
ran for 21 years until 4 November 2003. Originally intended to be
called Meadowcroft, the series was produced by Mersey Television (now
renamed as Lime Pictures) and was conceived by Grange Hill and
Hollyoaks creator Phil Redmond.Brookside became very successful and
was often Channel 4's highest rated programme for a number of years in
the mid-1980s, with audiences regularly in excess of nine million
viewers. It is notable for its realistic and socially challenging
storylines. From the mid-1990s, it began raising more controversial
subjects under the guidance of new producers such as Mal Young and
Paul Marquess. It is especially well known for broadcasting the first
pre-watershed lesbian kiss on British television in 1994, as well as a
powerful domestic abuse storyline resulting in murder. It also had the
first openly gay character on a British TV series, who was outed in a
1985 storyline. In 1996, the series experienced an extreme backlash
from viewers when it featured a hugely controversial storyline
focusing on an incestuous sexual relationship between two
siblings.Although the series had a long and successful run, its
viewing figures were in terminal decline by 2000, and low ratings
eventually led to its cancellation in June 2003. The final episode was
broadcast on 4 November 2003 and was watched by around two million
viewers.
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