Jimmy Corkhill
Encyclopedia
James 'Jimmy' Corkhill is a fictional character
from the British Channel 4
soap opera
Brookside
, played by Dean Sullivan
. He joined the series in 1986, originally arriving in a recurring basis appearing along side his on-screen brother, Billy Corkhill
, he then became a regular, remaining in the show until its demise 17 years later. He is also cited as one of the show's most popular characters and was the longest featured character. Jimmy has often been cited as a lovable rogue by the media.
in his pizza takeaway, a cleaner in a school and ultimately a history teacher at his local school. In November 1993, his cocaine addiction seriously affected his driving and he caused neighbour Frank Rogers to swerve off a road and crash. Frank, who had just married Lyn Matthews, was badly injured and died just after arriving in hospital. His passenger, fourteen-year-old Tony Dixon, suffered a fractured skull and spent three months in a coma before dying.
A short time after, his son "Little Jimmy" became a heroin addict; later being murdered by drug dealers. Jimmy started taking ecstasy tablets in 1994, and actor Dean Sullivan urged Brookside producers to kill off his character in a bid to warn youngsters about the dangers of taking drugs. But he was not killed off.
In January 1995, Jimmy and Eddie Banks found the body of Childbeater Trevor Jordache
(Bryan Murray
), who had been killed two years earlier, by his wife Mandy Jordache, and his daughter Beth Jordache then buried him under the patio - the storyline was called 'The Body Under The Patio' plot, and was one of Brookside's most moving storyline. A tragedy struck the Corkhills in November 1996 when Little Jimmy was murdered by drug dealers. There was a brief respite for Jimmy and Jackie in July 1997 when, both in their forties, they had a third child William. More bad news was to come for Corkhill as he was eventually rumbled at his job at the school for falsifying certificates, which he had enlisted the help neighbour Danny Simpson to do so. He developed manic-depression (bipolar disorder
) and was eventually removed from his job. This precipitated a severe bi-polar episode culminating in him losing the will to live and experiencing hallucinations. He also suffered delusions. On occasion - convinced he was still a teacher - he arrived at school to teach a lesson clad in odd shoes. This culminated in him locking his pupils in his classroom where he shook tables and starting ranting and screaming. A boy in his class protested about this and called him a "weirdo". This led to the boy having a bloody nose as Corkhill grabbed him and smacked his face on a table. Consumed with guilt he ran out the class and went up to the roof where he was ready to commit suicide
. His daughter Lindsey Corkhill
and a neighbour Ray Hilton heard about this and tried to convince him not to kill himself. The police were also informed and rushed to the scene, two policemen went up to the roof and were standing behind Corkhill. Corkhill jumped off the roof but was saved just in time by one of the policemen. After this he was advised to go to his GP and he was put on anti-depressants.
In 2001, his marriage to Jackie
ended in separation after many years. After the siege neighbour Nikki Shadwick
began to see Jimmy as a father figure, however her feelings turned to infatuation and the two slept together in 2002. Jimmy Corkhill remained in the series until the show ended in 2003. He starred in the show's final scenes which included him painting "Game Over" on his house and adding a "D" to the street-sign so it read "Brookside Closed." He then went to live with his son-in-law, Barry Grant
and daughter in their mansion in Blaydon
, Tyne and Wear
. The final scene of Brookside saw Jimmy winking at the camera.
. He was then nominated in the category of "Best Actor" at the 2002 award ceremony. In 2003 Dean Sullivan
received the Special Achievement Award at the British Soap Awards for his portrayal of the character. Virgin Media
included Jimmy in their "80's finest" segment and stated: "Jimmy Corkhill arrived on Brookside Close as a wheeler-dealer, but over his 17 years on the show he also showed us the horrors of drugs, and showcased a lot of scary-faced mental illness acting." Newspaper The Press
branded him as one of the serial's most popular characters. Jimmy became noted for wearing a trademark denim shirt, the shirt was won in a competition after the serial stopped airing. Rachel Murphy of the Daily Mirror branded Jimmy a "lovable nutter" and also stated: "Jimmy has ducked and dived through a hilarious and heart-breaking catalogue of crime, drug abuse, mental illness and tragedy". In 2004 Northwest Regional Development Agency
branded Jimmy a "lovable rogue" type, a label which Click Liverpool also attributed to the character. In addition the BBC
have stated he is a "much-loved rogue".
The Northern Echo
praised the character stating: "In criminal and activist Jimmy Corkhill, Dean Sullivan has created one of the soap's most memorable characters. He remains one of the few links with the Brookie heyday when it was regularly in the news. After nearly 20 years he's closely identified by the public with the character, which was originally only scheduled to appear in six episodes."
where he was played by Vic Reeves
.
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 Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
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,...
Brookside
Brookside
Brookside is a defunct 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...
, played by Dean Sullivan
Dean Sullivan
Dean Sullivan is an English actor. He is best known for playing Jimmy Corkhill in Channel 4's soap opera Brookside....
. He joined the series in 1986, originally arriving in a recurring basis appearing along side his on-screen brother, Billy Corkhill
Billy Corkhill
William "Billy" Corkhill is a fictional character in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside played by John McArdle from 1985 to 1990.-Arrival:The Corkhills family arrive at No.10 in 1985 replacing the Jackson family...
, he then became a regular, remaining in the show until its demise 17 years later. He is also cited as one of the show's most popular characters and was the longest featured character. Jimmy has often been cited as a lovable rogue by the media.
Casting
Jimmy is played by actor Dean Sullivan. He later became the longest serving cast member in the serial's history. Sullivan was initially only contracted to appear in six episodes as a recurring character, however due to his popularity he was taken on full time and remained for seventeen years. When the serial was axed Sullivan stated he felt bereaved and it was like losing an old friend.Characterisation
Jimmy is often described as a rogue. He is also described a the "bad boy" character.Storylines
In the early 1990s, Jimmy suffered from a drug addiction which nearly destroyed his relationship with Jackie Corkhill. He had numerous jobs including a barman and bouncer at "Bar Brookie", working for Mick JohnsonMick Johnson
Michael 'Mick' Johnson is a fictional character in the defunct Channel 4 soap opera Brookside. He was portrayed by Louis Emerick from 1989 until 2001.-Storylines:Mick first appears as a friend of Terry Sullivan and they go into partnership as taxi drivers...
in his pizza takeaway, a cleaner in a school and ultimately a history teacher at his local school. In November 1993, his cocaine addiction seriously affected his driving and he caused neighbour Frank Rogers to swerve off a road and crash. Frank, who had just married Lyn Matthews, was badly injured and died just after arriving in hospital. His passenger, fourteen-year-old Tony Dixon, suffered a fractured skull and spent three months in a coma before dying.
A short time after, his son "Little Jimmy" became a heroin addict; later being murdered by drug dealers. Jimmy started taking ecstasy tablets in 1994, and actor Dean Sullivan urged Brookside producers to kill off his character in a bid to warn youngsters about the dangers of taking drugs. But he was not killed off.
In January 1995, Jimmy and Eddie Banks found the body of Childbeater Trevor Jordache
Trevor Jordache
Trevor Jordache is a character played by Bryan Murray in Brookside. The character only appeared in the soap briefly in 1993, but was a feature in the programme until his body was discovered in 1995.-Background:...
(Bryan Murray
Bryan Murray (actor)
Bryan Murray is an Irish actor.As a stage actor he began his career in Dublin at The Abbey Theatre where, as a member of The Abbey Company, he appeared in over 50 productions. He has appeared many times at the Gate Theatre in Dublin most recently in Celebration by Harold Pinter for the 2010 Dublin...
), who had been killed two years earlier, by his wife Mandy Jordache, and his daughter Beth Jordache then buried him under the patio - the storyline was called 'The Body Under The Patio' plot, and was one of Brookside's most moving storyline. A tragedy struck the Corkhills in November 1996 when Little Jimmy was murdered by drug dealers. There was a brief respite for Jimmy and Jackie in July 1997 when, both in their forties, they had a third child William. More bad news was to come for Corkhill as he was eventually rumbled at his job at the school for falsifying certificates, which he had enlisted the help neighbour Danny Simpson to do so. He developed manic-depression (bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
) and was eventually removed from his job. This precipitated a severe bi-polar episode culminating in him losing the will to live and experiencing hallucinations. He also suffered delusions. On occasion - convinced he was still a teacher - he arrived at school to teach a lesson clad in odd shoes. This culminated in him locking his pupils in his classroom where he shook tables and starting ranting and screaming. A boy in his class protested about this and called him a "weirdo". This led to the boy having a bloody nose as Corkhill grabbed him and smacked his face on a table. Consumed with guilt he ran out the class and went up to the roof where he was ready to commit suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
. His daughter Lindsey Corkhill
Lindsey Corkhill
Lindsey Corkhill is a character in Channel 4 soap opera Brookside. She was played by Claire Sweeney from 1991 to 2001 and then again in 2003..-Character:...
and a neighbour Ray Hilton heard about this and tried to convince him not to kill himself. The police were also informed and rushed to the scene, two policemen went up to the roof and were standing behind Corkhill. Corkhill jumped off the roof but was saved just in time by one of the policemen. After this he was advised to go to his GP and he was put on anti-depressants.
In 2001, his marriage to Jackie
Jackie Corkhill
Jackie Corkhill is a character in Channel 4 soap Brookside played by Sue Jenkins from 1991 to 2001.-Introduction:Jackie was introduced as the long-suffering estranged wife of Jimmy Corkhill in 1991...
ended in separation after many years. After the siege neighbour Nikki Shadwick
Nikki Shadwick
Nikki Shadwick is a character in Channel 4 soap Brookside played by Suzanne Collins from 1998 until the programme's final episode on 4 November 2003.-Introduction:...
began to see Jimmy as a father figure, however her feelings turned to infatuation and the two slept together in 2002. Jimmy Corkhill remained in the series until the show ended in 2003. He starred in the show's final scenes which included him painting "Game Over" on his house and adding a "D" to the street-sign so it read "Brookside Closed." He then went to live with his son-in-law, Barry Grant
Barry Grant
Barry Grant is a fictional character in the defunct Channel 4 soap opera Brookside. He was portrayed by Paul Usher and was in the series from episode one in 1982 until 1995 with several sporadic guest appearances in 1997, 1998 and the final episode in 2003....
and daughter in their mansion in Blaydon
Blaydon
Blaydon-on-Tyne is a town in the North East of England in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. The former urban district, however, extends much further, its fourteen and a half square miles constituting the largest administrative district, after Newcastle, on Tyneside...
, Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
. The final scene of Brookside saw Jimmy winking at the camera.
Reception
In 2000, Jimmy and Jackie Corkhill received the best on-screen partnership award at the British Soap AwardsBritish Soap Awards
The British Soap Awards is an annual awards ceremony to honour the best of British soap operas.The first event took place in 1999 and takes place in May each year. Although it is an ITV production, the events were held at the BBC Television Centre, in London until 2010. The 2011 awards relocated to...
. He was then nominated in the category of "Best Actor" at the 2002 award ceremony. In 2003 Dean Sullivan
Dean Sullivan
Dean Sullivan is an English actor. He is best known for playing Jimmy Corkhill in Channel 4's soap opera Brookside....
received the Special Achievement Award at the British Soap Awards for his portrayal of the character. Virgin Media
Virgin Media
Virgin Media Inc. is a company which provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and broadband internet services to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom...
included Jimmy in their "80's finest" segment and stated: "Jimmy Corkhill arrived on Brookside Close as a wheeler-dealer, but over his 17 years on the show he also showed us the horrors of drugs, and showcased a lot of scary-faced mental illness acting." Newspaper The Press
The Press (York)
The Press is the local daily paper for a substantial area of North and East Yorkshire, based on the city of York. It is printed by the Newsquest Ltd, a subsidiary of the Newsquest Media Group....
branded him as one of the serial's most popular characters. Jimmy became noted for wearing a trademark denim shirt, the shirt was won in a competition after the serial stopped airing. Rachel Murphy of the Daily Mirror branded Jimmy a "lovable nutter" and also stated: "Jimmy has ducked and dived through a hilarious and heart-breaking catalogue of crime, drug abuse, mental illness and tragedy". In 2004 Northwest Regional Development Agency
Northwest Regional Development Agency
The Northwest Regional Development Agency is the regional development agency for the North West England region and is a non-departmental public body.....
branded Jimmy a "lovable rogue" type, a label which Click Liverpool also attributed to the character. In addition the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
have stated he is a "much-loved rogue".
The Northern Echo
The Northern Echo
The Northern Echo is a leading daily regional morning newspaper, serving the North East of England. The paper is based in Priestgate, Darlington. Its covers national as well as regional news. It is one of the UK's most famous provincial newspaper titles....
praised the character stating: "In criminal and activist Jimmy Corkhill, Dean Sullivan has created one of the soap's most memorable characters. He remains one of the few links with the Brookie heyday when it was regularly in the news. After nearly 20 years he's closely identified by the public with the character, which was originally only scheduled to appear in six episodes."
In popular culture
Jimmy was parodied in a segment of Shooting StarsShooting Stars
Shooting Stars is a British television comedy panel game broadcast on BBC Two as a pilot in 1993, then as 3 full series from 1995 to 1997, then on BBC Choice from January to December 2002 with 2 series before returning to BBC Two for another 3 series from 2008 until its axing in 2011...
where he was played by Vic Reeves
Vic Reeves
James Roderick Moir , better known by the stage name Vic Reeves, is an English comedian, best known for his double act with Bob Mortimer . He is known for his surreal and non sequitur sense of humour....
.