Dean Sullivan: Brookside star who played Jimmy Corkhill in Channel 4 soap dies aged 68

Brookside actor Dean Sullivan has died at the age of 68, his agent has confirmed. Sullivan was once one of the best-known faces on British TV, portraying the character of Jimmy Corkhill in the hugely popular Channel 4 soap. The soap legend from Liverpool first joined the show in 1986, with the character going on to become one of the most beloved of the cast and picking up major storylines.

One memorable moment saw Sullivan's Jimmy discovering the body of soap baddie Trevor Jordache and his dog under a patio, two years after his murder. Sullivan stayed with the show until its cancellation in 2003, picking up two British Soap Awards including a Special Recognition gong.

His agent said that his passing on Wednesday (November 29) came after he battled a short illness. Sullivan's agency Hamilton Management paid tribute to him in a newly released statement, saying: "To millions he was and very much still is remembered as 'Jimmy', to family and friends he was 'Dino'. Dean's family wants to thank Arrowe Park Hospital for their unwavering and consistent support. We ask that you respect their privacy in their time of grief."

The actor also starred in other project beyond his time in Brookside. Sullivan, who worked as a teacher before his big break in the soap, would go onto appear in shows such as Doctors on BBC, The Royal on ITV and appeared in the Netflix film Wings in 2022 alongside Emmerdale actor Tom Lister.