The successful reissue of Brookside continues for STV Player as it prepares for the return of Damon and Debbie.
The spin-off series, which first aired in 1987, was written by Children’s Laureate, Frank Cottrell-Boyce.
The 3-parter follows teen sweethearts Damon Grant (Simon O’Brien) and Debbie McGrath (Gillian Kearney) as they escape their disapproving parents on Brookside Close and head to York.
“I’m so chuffed that Damon and Debbie has been found, dusted off and is now going to be aired on STV Player,” said O’Brien.
“It was an absolutely groundbreaking format, being the original ‘soap bubble’, and I fondly remember wandering around the north of England with the lovely Gillian Kearney and the rest of the talented team. The nation can get their hankies ready once more for the airing of this rediscovered seminal moment in TV history.”
The soap bubble is a narrative device used to ensure that the multi-stranded plot of the main soap can continue during standard episodes, while some characters also co-exist in a separate production. It’s since been widely used by the likes of EastEnders, Coronation Street and Hollyoaks.
“Being asked at the age of 14 to join a soap as groundbreaking as Brookside was a dream come true for me, and I was delighted when we were told that the wonderful Frank Cottrell-Boyce was writing a ‘soap bubble’ involving Damon and Debbie eloping from Brookside Close on a romantic adventure,” added Kearney.
“We shot for six weeks in Leeds, Bradford and York, and I will always remember our producer, Colin McKeown, taking the time to visit my school and reassure my teachers that I would continue my studies regardless of the shoot! We were like a family, and the atmosphere on set was always full of fun and laughter – largely because of cheeky chappy, Simon O’Brien! I think we all knew we were making something very special, and I will forever be grateful to Mersey TV [now Lime Pictures] for such an amazing opportunity 37 years ago.”
STV Player has acquired Damon and Debbie as part of a continuation of its deal with distributor, All3Media International. The first hour-long episode lands on Wednesday 1 January, with the remaining two following on Wednesday 8 January.
“Soap fans have never forgotten Damon and Debbie – a thrilling and heartbreaking Romeo and Juliet story with Scouse accents and a backdrop of Thatcher’s Britain,” said Richard Williams, Managing Director of Digital, STV.
“It was event TV when it first aired in 1987, and despite many believing it had been consigned to the history books, we’re delighted to be giving it a new home alongside its older sibling on STV Player.
“Ever since we announced our Brookside relaunch, fans have been asking us for Damon and Debbie – so we hope they enjoy spending the early weeks of 2025 with one of soapland’s most memorable teen pairings.”
