Sir Phil Redmond has explained why he changed his mind to give the go-ahead for Brookside's return to TV.
Merseyside is once again gripped by Brookside fever after the original batch of episodes finally arrived on STV player. Fans have lapped up the opportunity to revisit the iconic soap as it has already broken records as the fastest show to reach 1m streams on the platform.
The programme's creator told the ECHO why he previously spurned countless opportunities to bring the show back to our screens. He said: "There was an understanding with me and Channel 4 that we wouldn't show these early episodes ever again because they were so chaotic."
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Brookside was never afraid to take risks and Sir Phil said they experienced some teething problems as they embraced new technology to give the show its distinctive gritty look. He added: "The first 20 or so weren't that great technically and didn't do a service to ourselves or the channel so there was an understanding we wouldn't show it."
However, the 73-year-old was finally convinced to change his mind when he was approached by friends of original cast members, Doreen Sloane and Jim Wiggins, at a charity breakfast. He told the ECHO: "They said it would just be great to see them alive again. That was a bit of a Damascus moment and I was going home from that thinking about the past with Brookie.
"A lot of young people who took part in those early days, it would be nice for their families to see what they did and I just decided I would no longer let my sensibilities get in the way of allowing people to enjoy that nostalgia."
Sir Phil said he was "nervous" as he tuned into the first episode as he was able to spot some technical issues with the sound. However, the renowned writer said the reaction has been "positive" as it is ultimately the content that audiences respond to.
He added: "I think in terms of pace against modern shows there's an interesting thing there. It feels quite slow but that's what wrong with a lot of modern shows, they try and cram too much in. "
Sir Phil explained how Brookside's willingness to pioneer and tackle current topics was why it struck a chord with audiences and changed television forever. He said: "It was about real people living real lives in real situations. EastEnders was originally going to be similar to Coronation Street, but after Brookie the guys making it reached out to me and decided they were going to make it more gritty.
"We were immediately talking about class, talking about politics and the big divisions in life. I don't know if people noticed in the first episode but it was quite deliberate the Grants, the trade unionists, and the Collins, the management class, both had exactly the same kitchens."
The political landscape Brookside was born into is strikingly similar to the current one as the UK is in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis under a Tory government. Sir Phil refused to rule out a reboot as he said there is a place for a show like Brookside now that shines a light on important issues.
He said: "It's almost criminal the broadcasters aren't doing it. The audience wants to be able to look at something and say 'that's us'. I think there needs to be a show like that but, whether I could do that, I don't know if the knees could stand up to the stress.
"Never say never but the lesson is that was of its time. By the time we'd finished it had almost been neutered by the regulation. You wouldn't want to pick it up where it was. You'd need to take Brookie's legacy and create a new show that fulfils all those principles."
Sir Phil's creative juices were flowing as he suggested a possible starting point for any potential reboot would be finding out where Jimmy Corkhill is living now. However, if the legendary showrunner was to chair any Brookside reboot he would need to overcome what he describes as his "creative PTSD", which has kept him away from the famous Close since the show ended in 2003.
He said: "We created that little piece of universe and that was of its time. It would be a break in the space time continuum if I went back to see what it is like now. I'm a great believer in never regret, never apologise, never go back."
Sir Phil is firmly looking forward to the future and spoke to the ECHO ahead of an evening of conversation at the Shakespeare North in Prescot. The Bloke from Down the Road will take place at 7.30pm February 16 and chart the revered writer's incredible story from his humble roots to being knighted in 2020.
He said: "From being that scally knocking around Page Moss to being Sir Phil Redmond CBE sitting at the Shakespeare North, I just wanted to to highlight to kids you can do it if you really want to."
Sir Phil hailed Merseyside as the "centre of the creative universe" and wants to remind people in the region they can follow in the footsteps of people who have been successful in all walks of life. He said: "I often joke that if anything is happening in the UK, no matter what it is, there will be a Scouser somewhere close to the centre of it."
You can find out more about The Bloke from Down the Road at the Shakespeare North here
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