Former Brookside actor Dean Sullivan(Image: Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)

Funeral of Brookside legend Dean Sullivan to be held today

The actor died last month at the age of 68

by · Liverpool Echo

Funeral of Brookside legend Dean Sullivan to be held today

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The funeral of Brookside star Dean Sullivan will take place in Liverpool today.

Dean was best known for playing Jimmy Corkhill in the Merseyside TV soap Brookside. The actor died last month at the age of 68. A service is set to take place at Liverpool Parish Church at 1pm on Tuesday, followed by a private cremation.

A funeral notice, published in the ECHO, asked for donations, if desired, to be made to Prostate Cancer UK. Dean was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018 and spoke in 2019 about his treatment and diagnosis to the Mirror.

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A statement from Hamilton Management and Dean’s family shared last month said: “It is with deep sadness we must tell you that actor Dean Sullivan passed away on November 29, 2023 peacefully following a short illness.

“Dean is best remembered as the longest serving cast member of Channel 4’s groundbreaking Brookside playing the role of Jimmy Corkhill, making Dean a British Soap icon. To millions he was and very much still is remembered as Jimmy, to family and friends he was Dino.”

Brookside, the brainchild of Grange Hill creator Phil Redmond, launched in November 1982, with its houses situated in a real cul-de-sac – part of a housing estate in West Derby, Liverpool. Dean later joined in 1986 and soon became a series regular due to the popularity of his character.

The show also launched the careers of dozens of high-profile actors, including Amanda Burton, Claire Sweeney and Anna Friel. The last episode was filmed in September 2003 and aired in November of the same year – and it was Jimmy Corkhill’s face that last filled the screen.

Dean said at the time: “I will miss it but I won’t miss my life being completely controlled by my answer machine. It’s rather like being released from prison. Last week I started growing my sideburns and I’ve never been able to do that before.”

Friends and famous faces paid tribute to Dean following his death. Liverpool City Council described the news of Dean’s death as “very sad”, adding: “A passionate scouser & champion of our cultural scene, he’ll be greatly missed. Our sympathies to his family & friends.”

Screenwriter Jonathan Harvey hailed the actor’s Brookside character as “iconic”. Harvey, who is a writer for Coronation Street, tweeted: “I do love a soap icon, and they didn’t come more iconic than Jimmy Corkhill.”

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