Gillian Kearney's career as Damon and Debbie returns to screens after 38 years

Brookside's Damon and Debbie is set to return to screens 38 years after the iconic show first aired - starring Gillian Kearney, who's had an impressive career on-screen

Brookside spin-off series, Damon and Debbie, is set to return to our screens, 38 years after its original airing.

STV Player has announced plans to rerun the three-part drama, sparking excitement among fans who remember the first episode which aired back in 1987. The special series is scheduled to be available from New Year's Day (January 1, 2025).

The mini-series will revisit teenage sweethearts Damon Grant (played by Simon O'Brien) and Debbie McGrath (portrayed by Gillian Kearney), as they run away to York, escaping their parents' disapproval of their relationship due to class differences.

News of the iconic show's impending return brings to mind Gillian Kearney's illustrious soap career, with the actress even switching things up in recent years and taking on a very different role behind the camera instead. Here we explore the career of Liverpool star Gillian Kearney, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Emmerdale

Emmerdale fans will remember Gillian for her role as the infamous Emma Barton, who was introduced to the show after being found by her son Finn in 2015, many years after she had abandoned her family.

Gillian portrayed the mother of Pete, Ross, and Finn Barton and the estranged wife of James Barton. She murdered her ex-husband James, and by the next year, her crimes started catching up with her, triggering a breakdown that ultimately led to her demise.

In an attempt to escape the village, she accidentally shot her son Finn dead, before meeting her own end.

Emma Barton's death

Emmerdale fans were left stunned by the haunting scene in October 2017, when Emma was pushed from a viaduct by none other than Moira Dingle. While it was Moira who committed the deed, her son, Adam Barton took the fall for his mother's sin.

In spite of Moira confessing to the coppers that she "snapped" during an argument with Emma, whom she blamed for her daughter Holly Barton's harrowing drug-related death in 2016, the police weren't convinced, suspecting her of trying to shield Adam.

Post Emmerdale

Since leaving Emmerdale, Gillian has turned her hand to directing, taking the helm of Clink, the much-anticipated drama. She also directed a segment of Moving On for the BBC in 2020.

Nevertheless, Gillian hasn't hung up her acting boots yet, having made an appearance on ITV's Vera as Deborah McSwain, acting opposite Shaun Dooley.

Gillian's notable roles extend beyond her time in Emmerdale. She gained critical acclaim as Debbie McGrath in Brookside and its spin-off Damon and Debbie, captivated audiences as Jessica Harrison in Casualty, and featured in Silent Witness, Shameless, and Suspects.

Life away from the camera

Off-screen, Gillian is a mum to John Gerard Foo, the son she shares with her hubbie Eddie Foo since 2009. You're likely to catch her treading the boards at Liverpool Everyman Theatre, embracing roles in classics like Macbeth, Alice in Wonderland, and Othello.

Gillian is set to return to screens in a new production written by acclaimed writer Frank Cottrell-Boyce, which reunites her with her former on-screen partner Simon O'Brien as Damon Grant and her character Debbie. On reprising her role as Debbie, Gillian said: "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."

She also recalled: "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."

Gillian added: "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."

The first hour-long instalment of Damon and Debbie on Wednesday, January 1, with the next two episodes airing the following Wednesday, January 8. Additionally, STV Player released five bonus episodes of Brookside on Christmas Day.