Jackson Walsh
Encyclopedia
Jackson Walsh is a fictional character
from the British
soap opera
Emmerdale
, played by Marc Silcock
. He made his first on-screen appearance on 22 March 2010. The character was introduced as a love interest for the established Aaron Livesy
and Jackson became central to Aaron's coming out
storyline. Jackson also began interacting with other characters and events in the village and his family were introduced. Jackson was given his own storyline in October 2010 and it saw him become a Quadriplegic following a train accident. Jackson subsequently struggles with his situation and he asks Aaron and his mother to end his life
.
announced that former Hollyoaks
actor Silcock had joined the cast of Emmerdale as Jackson Walsh, a potential love interest for Aaron Livesy
(Danny Miller
). Emmerdale series producer Gavin Blyth said Jackson is a "very contemporary gay character" and not a stereotype. Of his casting, Silcock said "I've always been a fan of Emmerdale, so I'm thrilled to be joining the cast. Jackson will play a big part in Aaron's journey and I'm so pleased to be involved in this story." Jackson is Silcock's second role with Emmerdale having previously appeared as Josh Hope.
Six months after joining the show, Silcock had his contract extended until early 2011. The actor revealed that he had not expected to be asked back as he thought he would just be helping out with Aaron's storyline and leaving.
In May 2010 it was announced that established actress Pauline Quirke
had been cast as Jackson's mother, Hazel Rhodes. Hazel's arrival was to coincide with a "major storyline" for Jackson. Michael J. Jackson
was later cast to play his father, Jerry. Silcock said it was "a big key to understanding why Jackson is like he is." Jerry's interaction with Hazel also gave viewers an insight to Jackson's backstory. It also helped show why he was so understanding towards Aaron.
Aaron and Hazel later arrange a surprise challenge to help Jackson feel more motivated about life. When he finds out it is a skydive, Jackson decides to take part. Silcock performed the skydive for real and opted out of using a stunt double. He had previously never wanted to skydive, but wanted to stay true to his character. He knew the scenes would look more authentic and important for the storyline "to show Jackson how good life could be." The fact Jackson is tetraplegic meant there were potential logistic challenges during filming. A tetraplegic person would not be strapped into the same harness as an able-bodied person, so the team had to think of a way in to harness him to prevent body movement. Describing the scenes Silcock stated: "All the emotion you see on screen at the landing from me, Pauline Quirke and Danny Miller was genuine." This way because upon landing the aftermath scenes were shot straight away. Silcock said he found it interesting landing and immediately having to remember his lines. On-screen the event only boosts his quality of life for a short while, until he becomes depressed again.
(Dominic Brunt
) and gives Aaron his number. Aaron sees Jackson again and they agree to meet for a drink, but Aaron stands him up. Jackson tries to encourage Aaron to come out and they go on a date and share their first kiss. Whilst in The Woolpack, Aaron believes Jackson is going to out him and he punches him. Aaron is arrested and Jackson presses charges. Adam Barton
(Adam Thomas
) tells Jackson that Aaron attempted suicide and Jackson goes to his court case. Aaron then admits that he is gay. Jackson makes it clear that he is not interested in Aaron anymore and he gets a building job with Declan Macey
(Jason Merrells
). Jackson witnesses Aaron being threatened by Wayne Dobson (Gary Hanks) and he sticks up for Aaron. After talking things through, Aaron and Jackson begin a relationship.
Jackson's mother Hazel arrives and after she floods Jackson's flat, he is evicted. Paddy suggests that they both move in with him. Jackson decides to move in with Andy Sugden
(Kelvin Fletcher
) instead. After a fight, Jackson tells Aaron that he loves him. Aaron is not comfortable with this and they stop speaking to each other for a few days. Aaron decides to make it up to Jackson by arranging a night out. Paddy and Marlon Dingle
(Mark Charnock
) join them and Jackson and Aaron try to sort out their issues. Jackson is hurt when Aaron does not admit he loves him too and drives off. Jackson loses control of his van after trying to answer his phone and he crashes onto a railway line. A train then hits the van. Jackson is taken to hospital and placed on life support. He eventually wakes up and is told he has broken two bones in his neck, causing him to be permanently paralysed from the shoulders down. Jackson blames Aaron for the crash and they break up. Aaron and Jackson get back together and when Aaron realises he loves Jackson, he is able to tell him.
Hazel hires Joe Chappell (Scott Taylor
) to help care for Jackson. Jackson's father, Jerry, asks him to be godfather to his son, Josh (Benjamin Murphy), but Jackson refuses. Jackson begins a video diary and reveals that he does not want to live anymore. Aaron later confesses to Jackson that he watched his diary and knows that he wants to die. Aaron tries to convince Jackson that he still has a life to live. Just as they are about to go and see a comedy gig, Jackson starts to choke and he is taken to hospital. He is told that he has a chest infection and will continue to have them, as he cannot clear his lungs. Jackson admits that he wants to die as he cannot continue living the way he is. In an attempt to show Jackson that his life is worth living, Hazel and Aaron take him to the seaside and he goes skydiving. However, he does not change his mind and Hazel and Aaron agree to help him end his life. Jackson has a party for his friends and family in The Woolpack. The next day, Hazel brings Jackson some pills to take and Jackson tells his mother and Aaron how grateful he is for their support. Hazel cannot give Jackson the pills, even when he begs, so Aaron takes the cup and gives it to Jackson. Jackson then dies.
. The following year, he was nominated for "Most Popular Newcomer" at the National Television Awards
. The crash that left Jackson paralysed received a nomination for "Spectacular Scene Of The Year" at the The British Soap Awards. Silcock earned a nomination for "Best Soap Actor" from the TV Choice Awards in May 2011.
Holy Soap said Jackson's most memorable moment was "The horrific car crash that left him paralysed." Kris Green writing for Digital Spy, chose Jackson and Aaron's first kiss as their picture of the day in April 2010.
Mark Perigard writing for the Boston Herald
praised Silcock observing him as giving "one gripping performance after another". He also applauded the realism of Jackson being quadriplegic, stating that if it were an American soap opera he would have "fully recovered and been back to building shelves in two months".
Perigard of the Boston Herald praised Silcock for the parachute jump and called it a "great sequence." He gave credit to the actor for remaining still throughout and opined that no U.S. actor would have done the stunt for real. According to Perigard the scenes were a "welcome respite for fans" in the wake of a dramatic storyline. He also said Emmerdale were making a mistake in letting Silcock leave because he had demonstrated "once again his talent for finding the heart of every scene." What's on TV
opined that "The tandem skydive initially worked wonders for the tetraplegic's attitude to life", but noted he soon slipped back into depression. Whilst Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy chose the scene as his "Picture of the day" and said the scenes were heartwarming to watch.
Following Jackson's death by assisted suicide, The Sun
revealed that viewers had complained via social networking site Twitter
about the scenes being aired hours before the watershed
. The storyline was also criticised "for being hurtful to people with paralysis." Media regulator Ofcom
announced that it would be looking into the controversial scenes after receiving complaints overnight. Spinal injury charity, Aspire, also voiced its criticism of the scenes in a statement on their website. They revealed that when they learnt of the storyline, they voiced their concerns and asked the producers to move away from it and show Jackson's "journey back to independence in a positive light." Aspire's director of services, Alex Rankin, added "This storyline had the potential to be ground-breaking in its approach to disability, and to challenge misguided opinions on spinal cord injury. Instead, too often, the script has opted for poor stereotypes or sensational misrepresentation. I sincerely hope that the 1,200 people who will be paralysed by spinal cord injuries this year, and their families, do not find themselves believing that Jackson's story represents their future."
Boston Herald writer Perigard praised the acting by Silcock, Miller and Quirke during the storyline. Of the scenes in which Jackson died, Perigard said "The tragedy unfolding in one home is contrasted with scenes of gentle domesticity around the village. This is drama at its most wrenching and yet so realistic it transcends the genre." Perigard called the storyline "brilliant", but was not happy that it led to Silcock's exit.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the British
British television
Public television broadcasting started in the United Kingdom in 1936, and now has a collection of free and subscription services over a variety of distribution media, through which there are over 480 channelsTaking the base Sky EPG TV Channels. A breakdown is impossible due to a) the number of...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Emmerdale
Emmerdale
Emmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...
, played by Marc Silcock
Marc Silcock
Marco "Marc" Silcock is an English actor, best known for his portrayal of Jackson Walsh in the British soap opera Emmerdale.-Career:Silcock studied acting at City College, Manchester and has a Diploma in Performing Arts....
. He made his first on-screen appearance on 22 March 2010. The character was introduced as a love interest for the established Aaron Livesy
Aaron Livesy
Aaron Livesy is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale, played by Danny Miller, who took over the role from Danny Webb in 2008. He made his first on-screen appearance on 24 December 2003. Aaron is the son of Chastity Dingle and Gordon Livesy...
and Jackson became central to Aaron's coming out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
storyline. Jackson also began interacting with other characters and events in the village and his family were introduced. Jackson was given his own storyline in October 2010 and it saw him become a Quadriplegic following a train accident. Jackson subsequently struggles with his situation and he asks Aaron and his mother to end his life
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
.
Casting
In March 2010, Digital SpyDigital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
announced that former Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
actor Silcock had joined the cast of Emmerdale as Jackson Walsh, a potential love interest for Aaron Livesy
Aaron Livesy
Aaron Livesy is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale, played by Danny Miller, who took over the role from Danny Webb in 2008. He made his first on-screen appearance on 24 December 2003. Aaron is the son of Chastity Dingle and Gordon Livesy...
(Danny Miller
Danny Miller
Danny Miller may refer to:* Danny Miller , co-executive producer of Fresh Air* Danny Miller , fictional character, played by Mitch Hewer, in the British musical drama Britannia High...
). Emmerdale series producer Gavin Blyth said Jackson is a "very contemporary gay character" and not a stereotype. Of his casting, Silcock said "I've always been a fan of Emmerdale, so I'm thrilled to be joining the cast. Jackson will play a big part in Aaron's journey and I'm so pleased to be involved in this story." Jackson is Silcock's second role with Emmerdale having previously appeared as Josh Hope.
Six months after joining the show, Silcock had his contract extended until early 2011. The actor revealed that he had not expected to be asked back as he thought he would just be helping out with Aaron's storyline and leaving.
Development
Jackson was described as existing in his own right and not letting his sexuality define him. The serial's official website describe him as a confident gay man who dislikes unnecessary violence.In May 2010 it was announced that established actress Pauline Quirke
Pauline Quirke
Pauline Perpetua Quirke is a British actress. She is best known for her role as Sharon in the comedy series Birds of a Feather, alongside her lifelong friend and frequent acting partner Linda Robson...
had been cast as Jackson's mother, Hazel Rhodes. Hazel's arrival was to coincide with a "major storyline" for Jackson. Michael J. Jackson
Michael J. Jackson (actor)
Michael J. Jackson is an English actor.-Early career:Jackson studied at the University of London and then joined repertory theatre in Sheffield, followed by Coventry, Birmingham and Edinburgh...
was later cast to play his father, Jerry. Silcock said it was "a big key to understanding why Jackson is like he is." Jerry's interaction with Hazel also gave viewers an insight to Jackson's backstory. It also helped show why he was so understanding towards Aaron.
Aaron and Hazel later arrange a surprise challenge to help Jackson feel more motivated about life. When he finds out it is a skydive, Jackson decides to take part. Silcock performed the skydive for real and opted out of using a stunt double. He had previously never wanted to skydive, but wanted to stay true to his character. He knew the scenes would look more authentic and important for the storyline "to show Jackson how good life could be." The fact Jackson is tetraplegic meant there were potential logistic challenges during filming. A tetraplegic person would not be strapped into the same harness as an able-bodied person, so the team had to think of a way in to harness him to prevent body movement. Describing the scenes Silcock stated: "All the emotion you see on screen at the landing from me, Pauline Quirke and Danny Miller was genuine." This way because upon landing the aftermath scenes were shot straight away. Silcock said he found it interesting landing and immediately having to remember his lines. On-screen the event only boosts his quality of life for a short while, until he becomes depressed again.
Storylines
Jackson meets Aaron in a gay bar in Hotten. After Aaron leaves, Jackson finds his mobile phone and he comes to Emmerdale to return it. He speaks to Paddy KirkPaddy Kirk
Patrick Frederick "Paddy" Kirk is a fictional character in the British soap opera Emmerdale played by Dominic Brunt. Paddy demonstrates the dedication of the soap's writers towards maintaining a comedic tone in plotlines. While he has appeared at the centre of some grave storylines, Paddy is often...
(Dominic Brunt
Dominic Brunt
Dominic Brunt is an English actor known for his part in ITV's Emmerdale as vet Paddy Kirk. He was educated at Accrington Moorhead Sports College....
) and gives Aaron his number. Aaron sees Jackson again and they agree to meet for a drink, but Aaron stands him up. Jackson tries to encourage Aaron to come out and they go on a date and share their first kiss. Whilst in The Woolpack, Aaron believes Jackson is going to out him and he punches him. Aaron is arrested and Jackson presses charges. Adam Barton
Adam Barton (Emmerdale)
For the English footballer see Adam BartonAdam Barton is a fictional character from the British soap opera Emmerdale, played by Adam Thomas. He made his first on-screen appearance on 17 July 2009...
(Adam Thomas
Adam Thomas
For the Welsh rugby union player see Adam Thomas Adam Thomas is a British actor, currently starring in British ITV soap opera Emmerdale as Adam Barton well known for his role in BBC drama Waterloo Road as Donte Charles-Career:It was in 2002, at the age of 15, that Adam started his television career...
) tells Jackson that Aaron attempted suicide and Jackson goes to his court case. Aaron then admits that he is gay. Jackson makes it clear that he is not interested in Aaron anymore and he gets a building job with Declan Macey
Declan Macey
Declan Macey is a fictional character in the British soap opera Emmerdale, introduced in an episode that aired on the 15 April 2010. He is portrayed by Jason Merrells.-Creation:...
(Jason Merrells
Jason Merrells
Jason Merrells is an English actor, who received his big break when he starred in Casualty for three years as receptionist Matt Hawley...
). Jackson witnesses Aaron being threatened by Wayne Dobson (Gary Hanks) and he sticks up for Aaron. After talking things through, Aaron and Jackson begin a relationship.
Jackson's mother Hazel arrives and after she floods Jackson's flat, he is evicted. Paddy suggests that they both move in with him. Jackson decides to move in with Andy Sugden
Andy Sugden
Andrew "Andy" Sugden is a fictional character in the British soap opera Emmerdale played by Kelvin Fletcher.-1996–2007:...
(Kelvin Fletcher
Kelvin Fletcher
Kelvin Warren Fletcher is an English actor and model who has played Andy Sugden in the long-running television soap opera Emmerdale since 1996....
) instead. After a fight, Jackson tells Aaron that he loves him. Aaron is not comfortable with this and they stop speaking to each other for a few days. Aaron decides to make it up to Jackson by arranging a night out. Paddy and Marlon Dingle
Marlon Dingle
Marlon Sebastian Dingle is a fictional character in the British soap opera Emmerdale played by Mark Charnock. -1996–:...
(Mark Charnock
Mark Charnock
Mark Charnock is an English actor best known for his part in ITV's Emmerdale as lanky chef Marlon Dingle.-Biography:...
) join them and Jackson and Aaron try to sort out their issues. Jackson is hurt when Aaron does not admit he loves him too and drives off. Jackson loses control of his van after trying to answer his phone and he crashes onto a railway line. A train then hits the van. Jackson is taken to hospital and placed on life support. He eventually wakes up and is told he has broken two bones in his neck, causing him to be permanently paralysed from the shoulders down. Jackson blames Aaron for the crash and they break up. Aaron and Jackson get back together and when Aaron realises he loves Jackson, he is able to tell him.
Hazel hires Joe Chappell (Scott Taylor
Scott Taylor (actor)
Scott Anthony Taylor is an English actor.-Acting career:Taylor's acting career started at the age of 17 with a role in the 2000 Christmas special of ITV1's Heartbeat of which The Royal is a spin-off...
) to help care for Jackson. Jackson's father, Jerry, asks him to be godfather to his son, Josh (Benjamin Murphy), but Jackson refuses. Jackson begins a video diary and reveals that he does not want to live anymore. Aaron later confesses to Jackson that he watched his diary and knows that he wants to die. Aaron tries to convince Jackson that he still has a life to live. Just as they are about to go and see a comedy gig, Jackson starts to choke and he is taken to hospital. He is told that he has a chest infection and will continue to have them, as he cannot clear his lungs. Jackson admits that he wants to die as he cannot continue living the way he is. In an attempt to show Jackson that his life is worth living, Hazel and Aaron take him to the seaside and he goes skydiving. However, he does not change his mind and Hazel and Aaron agree to help him end his life. Jackson has a party for his friends and family in The Woolpack. The next day, Hazel brings Jackson some pills to take and Jackson tells his mother and Aaron how grateful he is for their support. Hazel cannot give Jackson the pills, even when he begs, so Aaron takes the cup and gives it to Jackson. Jackson then dies.
Reception
Silcock has earned various nominations for his portrayal of Jackson. In July 2010, Silcock was nominated for "Best Newcomer" at the Inside Soap AwardsInside Soap Awards
The Inside Soap Awards is a yearly award ceremony run by Inside Soap magazine since 1996. The awards celebrate the British and Australian soap operas and their actors. Until 2007, EastEnders had won the award for "Best Soap" on every occasion...
. The following year, he was nominated for "Most Popular Newcomer" at the National Television Awards
National Television Awards
The National Television Awards is a British television awards ceremony, broadcast by the ITV network and initiated in 1995. The National Television Awards are the most prominent ceremony for which the results are voted on by the general public. Because of the way the awards are decided, winners are...
. The crash that left Jackson paralysed received a nomination for "Spectacular Scene Of The Year" at the The British Soap Awards. Silcock earned a nomination for "Best Soap Actor" from the TV Choice Awards in May 2011.
Holy Soap said Jackson's most memorable moment was "The horrific car crash that left him paralysed." Kris Green writing for Digital Spy, chose Jackson and Aaron's first kiss as their picture of the day in April 2010.
Mark Perigard writing for the Boston Herald
Boston Herald
The Boston Herald is a daily newspaper that serves Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and its surrounding area. It was started in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States...
praised Silcock observing him as giving "one gripping performance after another". He also applauded the realism of Jackson being quadriplegic, stating that if it were an American soap opera he would have "fully recovered and been back to building shelves in two months".
Perigard of the Boston Herald praised Silcock for the parachute jump and called it a "great sequence." He gave credit to the actor for remaining still throughout and opined that no U.S. actor would have done the stunt for real. According to Perigard the scenes were a "welcome respite for fans" in the wake of a dramatic storyline. He also said Emmerdale were making a mistake in letting Silcock leave because he had demonstrated "once again his talent for finding the heart of every scene." What's on TV
What's On TV
What's on TV is a weekly television listings magazine published by IPC Media, a Time Warner subsidiary.-Overview:What's on TV is a weekly UK television magazine. It publishes features, TV listings, news and gossip from soap operas, as well as puzzles and competitions...
opined that "The tandem skydive initially worked wonders for the tetraplegic's attitude to life", but noted he soon slipped back into depression. Whilst Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy chose the scene as his "Picture of the day" and said the scenes were heartwarming to watch.
Following Jackson's death by assisted suicide, The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
revealed that viewers had complained via social networking site Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
about the scenes being aired hours before the watershed
Watershed (television)
In television, the term watershed denotes the time period in a television schedule during which programs with adult content can air....
. The storyline was also criticised "for being hurtful to people with paralysis." Media regulator Ofcom
Ofcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
announced that it would be looking into the controversial scenes after receiving complaints overnight. Spinal injury charity, Aspire, also voiced its criticism of the scenes in a statement on their website. They revealed that when they learnt of the storyline, they voiced their concerns and asked the producers to move away from it and show Jackson's "journey back to independence in a positive light." Aspire's director of services, Alex Rankin, added "This storyline had the potential to be ground-breaking in its approach to disability, and to challenge misguided opinions on spinal cord injury. Instead, too often, the script has opted for poor stereotypes or sensational misrepresentation. I sincerely hope that the 1,200 people who will be paralysed by spinal cord injuries this year, and their families, do not find themselves believing that Jackson's story represents their future."
Boston Herald writer Perigard praised the acting by Silcock, Miller and Quirke during the storyline. Of the scenes in which Jackson died, Perigard said "The tragedy unfolding in one home is contrasted with scenes of gentle domesticity around the village. This is drama at its most wrenching and yet so realistic it transcends the genre." Perigard called the storyline "brilliant", but was not happy that it led to Silcock's exit.
External links
- Character profile at itv.comItv.comitv.com is the main website of ITV plc, the UK's largest commercial television broadcaster which operates 11 out of 15 regions on the ITV network under the ITV1 brand. The website offers on-line streaming, ITV archive, news, sport, entertainment, games, soaps, lifestyle, drama and an interactive TV...
- Character profile at Holy SoapHoly SoapHoly Soap is a UK television and entertainment website founded in June 2009 by the British television company Channel 5. The website is the official UK home of the Australian soap operas Home and Away and Neighbours, which are broadcast on the channel...