Classic 80s UK soap operator Brookside Player has become the fastest show ever to reach 1 million streams on STV Player, the free streaming service from Scottish commercial broadcaster STV.
One of the launch programmes when UK broadcaster Channel 4 began operation in 1982, the Liverpool-based soap operator broke ground with a focus on hard-hitting realism covering contemporary issues such as mass unemployment, industrial relations, sexual politics, feminism and gay issues never before covered overtly in British soaps. It firmly established itself within the UK’s creative community and its launch actors - such as Ricky Tomlinson, Sue Johnston and Amanda Burton – subsequently became leading lights of British television.
The first ten episodes of the programme from November 1982 began streaming n STV Player on 1 February 2023. Since then, the show has been streamed over 1 million times, with more than 130,000 users having watched one full episode or more. The previous record was held by psychological mystery series Blood, starring Line of Duty’s Adrian Dunbar, which launched on STV Player in August 2022.
Almost two-thirds of all Brookside streams have come from outside the STV broadcast channel’s central/northern Scotland broadcast region, reflecting said the broadcaster its move to become a standalone, UK-wide streaming service following its UK rollout in 2020.
In response to the popularity of the series so far, STV Player has added ten new episodes effective immediately, meaning the first 20 episodes of Brookside are now available to stream.
STV Player acquired the Lime Pictures-produced show after striking a major deal with distributor, All3Media International.
“We brought Brookside back to screens because we knew there was still a deep affection for the series from viewers across the country, but we’ve been overwhelmed by the extent of the response since relaunching the show last week,” remarked STV managing director of digital Richard Williams. “It’s testament to the immense talents of the writers and actors involved that viewers are still flocking to the show in their droves, four decades after it originally started. With streams on the up across our catalogue, we’re delighted that Brookie is also helping thousands of new viewers discover all the fantastic free drama available on STV Player.”
Reflecting on the success of Brookside’s return on STV Player, Alex Fletcher, who played Jacqui Dixon on the show for 13 years, added: “It doesn’t surprise me at all. I’m delighted and proud as punch that viewers’ loyalty and love for the show still remains after all these years. People grew up watching Brookie, and that’s why it’s so nostalgic. It was real life and it told real stories, all of which were – and still are – so relatable.”
The first ten episodes of the programme from November 1982 began streaming n STV Player on 1 February 2023. Since then, the show has been streamed over 1 million times, with more than 130,000 users having watched one full episode or more. The previous record was held by psychological mystery series Blood, starring Line of Duty’s Adrian Dunbar, which launched on STV Player in August 2022.
Almost two-thirds of all Brookside streams have come from outside the STV broadcast channel’s central/northern Scotland broadcast region, reflecting said the broadcaster its move to become a standalone, UK-wide streaming service following its UK rollout in 2020.
In response to the popularity of the series so far, STV Player has added ten new episodes effective immediately, meaning the first 20 episodes of Brookside are now available to stream.
STV Player acquired the Lime Pictures-produced show after striking a major deal with distributor, All3Media International.
“We brought Brookside back to screens because we knew there was still a deep affection for the series from viewers across the country, but we’ve been overwhelmed by the extent of the response since relaunching the show last week,” remarked STV managing director of digital Richard Williams. “It’s testament to the immense talents of the writers and actors involved that viewers are still flocking to the show in their droves, four decades after it originally started. With streams on the up across our catalogue, we’re delighted that Brookie is also helping thousands of new viewers discover all the fantastic free drama available on STV Player.”
Reflecting on the success of Brookside’s return on STV Player, Alex Fletcher, who played Jacqui Dixon on the show for 13 years, added: “It doesn’t surprise me at all. I’m delighted and proud as punch that viewers’ loyalty and love for the show still remains after all these years. People grew up watching Brookie, and that’s why it’s so nostalgic. It was real life and it told real stories, all of which were – and still are – so relatable.”
