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Brookside (television Program)
''Brookside'' is a British television soap opera, set in Liverpool, England, which began on the launch night of Channel 4, 2 November 1982. It ran for 21 years until 4 November 2003. It was produced by Mersey Television and conceived by ''Grange Hill'' and ''Hollyoaks'' creator Phil Redmond. ''Brookside'' was Channel 4's highest rated programme from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s, with audiences regularly in excess of seven million. Initially notable for its realistic and socially challenging storylines, from the mid-1990s the show began raising more controversial subjects under 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 domestic abuse storyline resulting in murder. It also had the first 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 hugel ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Soap Opera
A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored by soap manufacturers.Bowles, p. 118. The term was preceded by ''horse opera'', a derogatory term for low-budget Western (genre), Westerns. According to some dictionaries, for something to be adequately described as a soap opera, it need not be long-running; but some authors define the word in a way that excludes short-running serial dramas from their definition. BBC Radio's ''The Archers'', first Broadcasting, broadcast in 1950, is the world's longest-running soap opera. The longest-running television soap opera is ''Coronation Street'', which was first broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV in 1960. According to Albert Moran, one of the defining features that make a television program a soap ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
All 4
Channel 4 (previously 4oD and All 4) is a video on demand service from Channel Four Television Corporation, free of charge for most content and funded by advertising. The service is available in the UK and Ireland; viewers are not required to have a TV licence—required for live viewing and the BBC iPlayer on-demand service—when watching on-demand services. The service offers a variety of programmes recently shown on Channel 4, E4, More4, Film4 and E4 Extra and shorts, alongside exclusive content such as programming from Adult Swim. However some programmes and movies are not available due to rights issues. The service was originally available without registration, but free registration was later required. The service is available without advertising (except for live viewing) on payment of a subscription, under the name Channel 4+ (previously All 4+). The service launched on 16 November 2006 as 4oD (for "4 on Demand"). All 4 generated around 215 million long-form video ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Council Estate
Public housing in the United Kingdom, also known as council housing or social housing, provided the majority of rented accommodation until 2011, when the number of households in private rental housing surpassed the number in social housing. Dwellings built for public housing, public or social housing use are built by or for Municipality, local authorities and known as council houses. Since the 1980s, non-profit housing associations (HA) became more important and subsequently the term "social housing" became widely used — as technically, council housing only refers to properties owned by a local authority — as this embraces both council and HA properties, though the terms are largely used interchangeably. Before 1865, housing for the poor was provided solely by the private sector. Council houses were then built on council estates — known as schemes in Scotland — where other amenities, like schools and shops, were often also provided. From the 1950s, alongside large deve ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Middle-class
The middle class refers to a class of people in the middle of a social hierarchy, often defined by occupation, income, education, or social status. The term has historically been associated with modernity, capitalism and political debate. Common definitions for the middle class range from the middle fifth of individuals on a nation's income ladder, to everyone but the poorest and wealthiest 20%. Theories like "Paradox of Interest" use decile groups and wealth distribution data to determine the size and wealth share of the middle class. Terminology differs in the United States, where the term ''middle class'' describes people who in other countries would be described as working class. There has been significant global middle-class growth over time. In February 2009, ''The Economist'' asserted that over half of the world's population belonged to the middle class, as a result of rapid growth in emerging countries. It characterized the middle class as having a reasonable amount o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ricky Tomlinson
Eric "Ricky" Tomlinson (born 26 September 1939) is an English actor. He is best known for his television roles as Bobby Grant in the soap opera '' Brookside'' (1982–1988), DCI Charlie Wise in '' Cracker'' (1993–2006) and Jim Royle in '' The Royle Family'' (1998–2012). He also played the titular character in the 2001 football mockumentary '' Mike Bassett: England Manager''. Early life Eric Tomlinson was born on 26 September 1939 at Burleigh House in Bispham, Blackpool, Lancashire, and has lived in Liverpool nearly all his life. His father was a baker and he was born in Bispham because, just after the outbreak of World War II, his mother Peggy was evacuated there over concerns that Liverpool would be bombed. He attended Walton Technical College in Walton, after passing an exam when he was just 13. His favourite subject was English. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Tomlinson played banjo in bands known as the Guitanjos, Hobo Rick & The City Slickers, and Hobo Rick a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bobby Grant (Brookside)
Bobby Grant is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera '' Brookside'', played by Ricky Tomlinson. One of the show's original characters, Bobby debuted on-screen during the show's first episode broadcast on 2 November 1982. Tomlinson attended a series of auditions in Liverpool after being invited by his friend Tony Scoggo. Various actors were invited back and auditioned in different groups to observe who worked well together. Bobby was cast by show creator and executive producer Phil Redmond and production team member Janet Goddard. The latter expressed her interest in Redmond meeting Tomlinson, as she believed him best suited to the role aesthetically. Tomlinson performed an improvised monologue in front of them to secure the role. Bobby is portrayed as a staunch socialist and trade unionist. He is the patriarch of the Grant family, which originally consisted of Bobby, his wife Sheila Grant ( Sue Johnston) and their children Barry Grant ( Paul Usher), D ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sue Johnston
Sue Johnston (born Susan Wright; 7 December 1943) is an English actress. She is known for portraying Sheila Grant in the Channel 4 soap opera '' Brookside'' (1982–1990), Barbara Royle in the BBC comedy '' The Royle Family'' (1998–2012), Grace Foley in the BBC drama '' Waking the Dead'' (2000–2011), Gloria Price in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' (2012–2014), and Miss Denker in the ITV drama ''Downton Abbey'' (2014–2015). In 2000, for her work on ''The Royle Family'', Johnston won the British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Actress and was nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Comedy Performance. In 2025, she was nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actress for her work on '' Truelove''. Early life Johnston was born on 7 December 1943 in Warrington and grew up in Prescot, both then in Lancashire. She is the daughter of Fred and Margaret Jane Wright (née Cowan). After working in the glass industr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sheila Grant
Sheila Corkhill (also Grant) is a fictional character from British soap opera ''Brookside (TV series), Brookside'', played by Sue Johnston. Sheila appeared in Brookside from the first episode in 1982 until the character's departure in 1990. Her most famous storyline was in 1986, when the character was attacked, raped and beaten by an unknown assailant. Everyone was a suspect, including family friend Matty Nolan (Tony Scoggo). It was later revealed that the taxi driver raped Sheila. Characterisation The Grant family consisted of Bobby Grant (Brookside), Bobby (Ricky Tomlinson), Sheila, Barry Grant, Barry (Paul Usher), Karen Grant, Karen (Shelagh O'Hara) and Damon Grant, Damon (Simon O'Brien). The Grants appeared in the first episode (although Karen's appearance was fleeting and uncredited) and were the first to move into the new houses on Brookside Close. Prior to moving onto Brookside Close, the Grant family were from a run-down inner-city council estate, however through Bobby a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
