Just days after confirming her departure from Hollyoaks after 16 years as Diane Hutchinson, Alex Fletcher’s original soap alter-ego is returning to screens.
The powerhouse star, who is currently breaking all our hearts with her poignant work on Diane’s cancer storyline, originally rose to fame on Brookside, playing Jacqui Dixon.
Brookside, as fans will know, is being re-run courtesy of STV Player, which has been dropping five weekly offerings of the classic soap – right from the very beginning – for three years now.
With the timeline having reached October 1990, the online repeats are about to enter one of the long-running serial’s most famous eras as mobile greengrocer Ron Dixon (Vince Earl) moves into Brookside Close with his wife DD (Irene Marot) and children Mike (Paul Byatt), Jacqui (played by Alex) and Tony (Gerard Bostock).
In episodes which can now be streamed – and memorable scenes which longtime viewers might remember – Ron wastes little time in rubbing his new neighbours up the wrong way when Max Farnham (Steven Pinder) and wife Patricia (Gabrielle Glaister) arrive home to find that his van is in their driveway.
Cue that Brookside drama we all know and love.
Where and how can I watch Brookside?
Brookside is available to stream from the beginning on STV Player, with five new episodes dropping every Wednesday.
STV Player is available nationwide and can be used on laptops and computers, or via an app on mobile devices and Smart TVs, which you can download from your device’s respective app store.
The service can be found on all major platforms, including Sky Q, NOW, Virgin Media, Amazon Fire TV and Freeview Play and is free of charge, all you need to do is register for an account and then start streaming.
For Now TV and Sky customers, the soap should be available via the Boxset option on the planner.
The unique timing of the former Channel 4 soap reaching this point in the re-runs means that just as star Alex gears up to say goodbye to Hollyoaks, fans will be able to revisit her original stint in soap.
Discussing the repeat run, Alex said: ‘The reaction to the Brookside relaunch on STV Player has been incredible. The fact that the reruns are as popular now as the show was back then is fantastic, and the nostalgia they’ve brought back is something to be proud of.
‘Brookside was a huge part of everyone’s Saturday telly while getting ready to go out for the night. I’m looking forward to seeing a few perms and shell suits back on our screens with the arrival of Jacqui Dixon on STV Player.’
The Dixons were at the heart of Brookside for over a decade and remained so right up until the groundbreaking soap’s untimely conclusion in 2003.
The world of Brookside was recently revisited in Hollyoaks in October last year as part of the latter’s 30th anniversary, with a number of stars from the past reprising their legendary roles for the historic crossover.
Don't miss a Soaps scoop! Add us as a Preferred Source
As a loyal Metro Soaps reader, we want to make sure you never miss our articles when searching for stories. We have all the latest soaps news, spoilers, videos, and interviews, with a vibrant community of highly engaged readers.
Click the button below and tick Metro.co.uk to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search.
Jacqui Dixon was mentioned though she did not appear as actress Alex was still playing Diane at the time.
The star confirmed earlier this month that she was leaving Hollyoaks after 16 years, with Diane subsequently diagnosed with Stage 4 ovarian cancer.
Brookside is available to stream from the start on STV Player, with five new episodes added every Wednesday.
If you’ve got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@metro.co.uk – we’d love to hear from you.
Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage.