Funeral of Brookside star Dean Sullivan to take place at Liverpool Parish Church

Corkhill died at the end of November aged 68 following a short illness. Credit: PA Images

The funeral of Brookside actor Dean Sullivan will take place in Liverpool later.

Sullivan died on 29 November aged 68 following a short illness. It was this year that the actor announced he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018.

The Liverpudlian actor and director from played Jimmy Corkhill in the Merseyside TV soap for over two decades, from 1986 to 2003 - the soap's longest serving character.

A service will take place at Liverpool Parish Church at 1pm on Tuesday 19 December.

Dean appeared on the soap for more than two decades. Credit: PA Images

In a statement last month, his management team, Hamilton Management, and Sullivan's family 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."

Grange Hill creator Phil Redmond, created Brookside which launched in November 1982, with its houses situated in a real cul-de-sac - part of a housing estate in West Derby, Liverpool.

Sullivan joined the soap four years later and soon became a series regular due to the popularity of his character.

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.

Sullivan 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."

Dean Sullivan was the longest serving actor on Brookside. Credit: PA Images

Friends and famous faces paid tribute to Sullivan following his death.

Liverpool City Council described the news of Sullivan's death as "very sad".

They added: "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, a writer for Coronation Street, tweeted: "I do love a soap icon, and they didn't come more iconic than Jimmy Corkhill."