Brookside stars Philip Olivier and Jennifer Ellison have reunited 15 years after the soap was axed.
The two actors, who played Tim and Emily O’Leary respectively until the show was cancelled in 2003, reunited on Loose Women with panellists Andrea McLean, Linda Robson, Nadia Sawalha and Stacey Solomon to discuss their past soap lives.
Speaking on the show, Olivier, who started on the soap aged 15, said: ‘It’s crazy, it feels like an eternity ago like a different life. It’s so missed and a massive part of our lives.
‘If someone would have told me at the age of 15 that I’d still be getting called Tinhead when I’m approaching 40… it still happens.’
Jennifer started on the soap aged 12, and explained how it was the best preparation for her career.
‘It was dramatic but it was the best time ever,’ Jennifer said.
‘As an actress learning, I started when I was 12 in Brookside, I learned everything from it. It’s given me the biggest and best training ever.’
After stating how he’d return to a soap ‘in a heartbeat’, Olivier spoke about his best friend Ryan Thomas – who has faced accusations of assault from Roxanne Pallett in the Celebrity Big Brother house, which she’s later retracted.
‘He’s my best friend so it’s heartbreaking to see him,’ Olivier said. ‘He was apprehensive about going in because he was thinking… but times have changed now and I said to Ryan “are you joking, you’re going to win this.”
‘The guy I know he is, thankfully, the whole nation’s seen it. I can’t wait for Ryan to come out because he doesn’t even realise at the minute how big a story it is, and I don’t think there’s another person in the world who could have handled it the way he’s done. He’s been an absolute superstar.’
Addressing Roxanne’s actions, Olivier added: ‘She was just hungry to win the competition and she just wanted to get rid of Ryan because he was the favourite.
‘If she would have come out and said that, great, but karma has come back and she’s had all this now and I think it should end with her, she’s gone through enough turmoil herself. Leave that behind and let Ryan come out and get the praise that he deserves.’
You can catch Loose Women weekdays on ITV at 12.30pm.
Share this with