Brookside legend Louis Emerick slams soap snobbery as he lashes out at critics
BROOKSIDE legend Louis Emerick has slammed the "stigma" surrounding soaps.
The telly star - who also has featured in rival shows Hollyoaks, Doctors and Coronation Street - insisted soap actors across the board are "underestimated."
Louis, 64, who looked unrecognisable as he returned to the Hollyoaks set this year - has spoken out to defend his trade.
The actor, who played Mick Johnson for 223 episodes of Brookside's history, hasn't held back in his views.
Louis, who starred in the Liverpool soap between 1989 and 2001, bluntly told the : "Soap actors are underestimated.
"There is still a stigma around them.
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"But some of the scenes you get on soap wouldn’t look out of place on a drama.
"Look at the stuff they are doing now.
"If some of those storylines were on a drama, people would be saying, ‘That’s fantastic’.
"But because they’re on soaps, people don’t make enough of a fuss."
He then insisted: "When soaps do things well, it’s as good and as powerful and as relevant as anything that’s on other shows.
"I mean, when I was at Brookside we had Sue Johnstone and Ricky Tomlinson in the cast.
"It doesn’t get better than that."
Louis opened up on a career which most recently saw him play Donny Clark in Hollyoaks.
He has also taken on the roles of both Mike Thornberry and a van man in Coronation Street as well as two separate characters in Doctors.
Soap characters who've been recast
Soap operas are staple viewing for many people, but even some of the most famous characters have been played by different actors. Here are some examples from over the years.
- Tracy Barlow: Kate Ford took on the role of Corrie legend Tracy Barlow in 2002. Before Kate, three other actresses had played Tracy - most notably Dawn Acton from 1988 to 1999.
- Nick Tilsley: Ben Price has been playing Gail's oldest child in 2009, but the former Footballers' Wives star is the third actor to take on the part.
- Sarah Platt: Although Tina O'Brien debuted as Sarah Platt in 1999, she is the third actress who has played the iconic role of Sarah Platt.
- David Platt: Completing the line-up of Gail's children, David was initially played by Thomas Ormson for a decade before Jack P. Shepherd took over.
- Daniel Osbourne: For almost a decade, the role of Ken Barlow's son Daniel has been portrayed by actor Rob Mallard. Before Rob joined, two other actors had previously played Daniel.
- Bethany Platt: Fans know Lucy Fallon as Bethany nowadays but before her, three other actresses had stepped into the character's shoes.
- Kirk Sutherland: Before Andy Whyment took on the role of Kirk, he played by an uncredited actor in his very first appearance.
- Todd Grimshaw: Gareth Pierce stepped into the role of Todd back in 2020, becoming the second performer to play this part.
- Summer Spellman: Harriet Bibby became the second actress to play Summer, taking over the role from Matilda Freeman in 2020.
- Ryan Connor: Ryan Prescott currently plays the long-running character, but Ben Thompson and Sol Heras had earlier portrayed the role.
- Martin Fowler: Although Martin was the first baby born on-screen in EastEnders, he hasn't always been played by the same person. His current portrayer, James Bye, is the third actor to star as the character.
- Peter Beale: Seven actors have portrayed Ian Beale's elder son, with the current actor, Thomas Law, in his second stint as the character.
- Ben Mitchell: Ben has been played by a total of six actors - with Max Bowden bowing out of the role in March 2024.
- Bobby Beale: Before Clay Milner Russell, Ian's younger son had been played by four other actors.
- Freddie Slater: Bobby's best mate, Freddie Slater, had been previously played by twins Alex and Tom Kilby before Bobby Brazier took over in 2022.
- Chelsea Fox: Former Coronation Street actress Zaraah Abrahams took over the role of Chelsea in 2020. The character had been first played by Tiana Benjamin from 2006 to 2010.
- Lauren Branning: Jacqueline Jossa took on the role of Lauren in 2010, succeeding Madeline Duggan who'd played her from 2006 to 2010.
- Johnny Carter: Johnny has been played by three actors since debuting in 2013 - most recently, Charlie Suff has taken on the role.
Taking of his future career projects, he added to the publication: "I want to find something that keeps the creative juices flowing and makes me want to go to work in the morning.
"Soaps tick that box and I’ve been fortunate to be in so many of them."
Earlier this year, Louis reunited with his Brookside best mate Michael Starke.
As they shot their first scene together for the soap in April, Louis took a photo to mark the moment.
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In the snapshot, he planted a playful kiss on Michael's head, while Michael grinned from ear to ear.
Michael portrayed Thomas 'Sinbad' Sweeney in Brookside, before the show was cancelled in 2003.