“Liverpool belongs to Jimmy Corkhill.”
It was the iconic Brookside scene widely shared across social media in tribute to Dean Sullivan after the soap star died last month aged 68. In his final interview with the ECHO, Dean spoke of how proud he was of his Merseyside roots and his love for the city was ever present as he was laid to rest in an emotional funeral at Liverpool Parish Church today.
Scouse culture was a theme of the moving service as Dean’s close friend and fellow Brookie legend, Sue Johnston, delivered a spoken word rendition of In My Life by The Beatles and the coffin was carried out as the Sing Me Merseyside choir performed You’ll Never Walk Alone. Many of Dean’s co-stars attended the service on Tuesday and Sue Jenkins, renowned for her role as Jackie Corkhill in the Merseyside soap, said it was the perfect send off for the legendary Liverpudlian.
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She said: “It was an incredible tribute and the family did him really proud. The words that were spoken and the music that was played, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
“What a send off and well deserved. He loved Liverpool and Liverpool loved him.”
Claire Sweeney, who played Lindsey Corkhill in Brookside, was also in attendance to pay respect to her onscreen dad. The Coronation Street star told the ECHO how special it was to be reunited with Dean at the British Soap Awards this year and said his legacy will always be remembered.
She said: “Everyone loved Dean. When he walked out at the Soap Awards, there was a gasp. There’s Jimmy Corkhill. He was a legendary character. The final shot at the very last episode was on Dean. He was the epitome of Brookside and he was wonderful.”
Louis Emerick, who played Mick Johnson, lived nearby to Dean and he also hailed the positive impact he had on people. He said: “I find it hard because we started off the year doing all the press for Brookie coming back. I saw him about four weeks before he got really ill.
“In this world, you’ve only got time to make your mark and he certainly did. Unlike Jimmy, Dean enjoyed the finer things in life. He liked a glass of wine and he enjoyed life.”
Dean was born in Speke but eventually settled on the other side of the Mersey in Wallasey. Sue Johnston was in stitches during her chat with the ECHO as she recalled what it was like to be with Dean as his iconic portrayal of Jimmy Corkhill meant he was still stopped by people on a daily basis.
His sister, Joy Boyce, delivered a moving eulogy at the service and spoke about how much he enjoyed interacting with fans. She said: “He was a Liverpool character and even 20 years after the show he’d be recognised wherever he went.”
Showrunner Phil Redmond told the ECHO the soap star had managed to outgrow his iconic onscreen counterpart and agreed if Liverpool belonged to Jimmy Corkhill, then Merseyside belonged to Dean Sullivan.
He said: “What you saw on screen was Dean the actor, but the man was caring, considerate and passionate about what he did. He was extremely professional and thoughtful about life.”
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James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
