Brookside is one of the most legendary productions to come out of Liverpool, with never-seen-before-storylines and huge viewing figures in the 1980s and 1990s.
The idea of Grange Hill and Hollyoaks creator Sir Philip Redmond, the series followed the lives of families in a suburban neighbourhood in Liverpool and definitely wasn’t lacking shocking twists and dramatic exits. Though Brookside ended in 2003 - after 21 years on Channel 4 - it paved the way for soap operas to cover controversial topics.
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Featuring local actors, the soap kickstarted the careers of many now well-known faces whose success still continues today. While some of show’s the well-loved actors are sadly no longer with us, others continue to feature on our TV screens.
In honour of International Soap Week, we have taken a look back at the stars of Brookside, who truly helped the series shine.
Below are 17 famous faces who starred in Brookside back in the day. Some are famed for their roles in the hit soap area, while others may surprise you. How many did you know?
1. Jack McMullen
Jack McMullen is best known for his role in Waterloo Road but made his television debut as Josh McLoughlin/Dixon in Brookside from 2002 to 2003. Aged just 12-years-old, He won two British Soap Awards for his performance. He has since featured in Grange Hill, Little Boy Blue and - most recently - hit series such as Time and This City is Ours. | BBC
2. Suzanne Packer
You probably recognise Suzanne Packer from her role in Casualty, but she first featured as Josie Johnson/Brooks in Brookside. | Getty Images Photo: Getty Images
3. Anna Friel
Anna Friel is best known for her Emmy award-winning performance in Marcella and iconic role in Pushing Daisies - which landed her a Golden Globe nomination. But, she initially rose to fame for her role as Beth Jordache in Brookside. Playing the character for two years, she was part of the first ever pre-watershed lesbian kiss in British TV history. She won the NTA's Most Popular Actress award for the role in 1995. | Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images Photo: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
4. Ray Quinn
While many people know Ray Quinn for his X-Factor success - placing second in the contest in 2006 - he had already appeared on our TV screens. Quinn portrayed Anthony Murray in the soap, between 2000 and 2005, first appearing when he was just 12-years-old. He has since performed in a number of musicals and played right-wing extremist Jonny Baxter in Hollyoaks. | Ian Gavan/Getty Images Photo: Ian Gavan/Getty Images