Corrie's Sue Jenkins 'heartbroken' after Julie Goodyear's dementia diagnosis
While it may not be a very long list, it is certainly a distinguished one. Being a Corrie barmaid means you become part of the national consciousness, something former soap star Sue Jenkins knows all too well.
“It’s a big thing to go behind the bar in the Rovers,” she says. “I only went in for two episodes and ended up staying for nearly four years.”
Her time as Gloria Todd, working in the Rovers Return in the mid to late 80s, saw her pulling pints alongside two of the legends of the cast, Julie Goodyear and Betty Driver.
Memorably she was Bet Lynch’s bridesmaid when she married Alec Gilroy and she is clearly still very fond of her former co-stars, which is why the news earlier this year that 81-year-old Julie had been diagnosed with dementia came as a shock.
Sue appeared on Coronation Street alongside Julie for four years (ITV/REX/Shutterstock)“Julie was wonderful. I have such great memories working with her. We have touched base over the years but not recently,” she says.
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“It’s the saddest thing, but unfortunately, it just seems so common now,” Sue says. “It’s heartbreaking how many people are suffering - we really have got to get to the bottom of why and fight it. There are so many theories out there on what causes dementia; it’s frightening, it seems out of our control.”
Julie wasn’t the only great Sue worked with in Weatherfield, she also starred alongside the late Jean Alexander as well as Eileen Derbyshire and Barbara Knox who recently celebrated her 90th birthday.
And her memories of those years are still fresh.
“Julie and Betty Driver were so sweet and welcoming,” the 64-year-old says. “I remember being utterly terrified before my first scene in The Rovers. I grew up watching it. My parents loved it. They couldn’t believe I was going to be in it! It was nerve-wracking.”
Sue also had a stint on Emmerdale (S Meddle/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)Those years on Coronation Street weren’t Sue’s only foray into soapland, a stint in Emmerdale followed, but for millions she will always be known as Brookside’s Jackie Corkhill.
Part of one of the most popular soap families of all time, Jackie, Jimmy and daughter Lindsay Corkhill were reunited on screen recently for the first time in twenty years as Sue was joined on stage ar this year’s National Soap Awards by Claire Sweeney and Dean Sullivan.
The trio presented the award for Best Soap Family to Coronation Street’s The Platts.
With her long blonde tousled hair and on-trend ruffled shirt teamed with trousers, Sue looked worlds away from the double denim, hair scraped back long-suffering but always feisty Jackie we all loved so much.
Sue laughs: “I guess seeing actors looking different to how you remember them is a surprise - especially on a night out! My vanity went through the window to play Jackie - as it should have- she was not meant to be glamorous or fashionable.”
Sue was 33 when she began playing Jackie, only 12 years older than Claire who has said that the veteran really did feel like a second mum during filming.
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The series was axed 20 years ago, but Sue is regularly stopped in the street by fans. “They always say oh we loved Jackie. We miss Brookside,” Sue reveals.
However, fans can now indulge in Brookie nostalgia by watching all the old episodes on STV Player.
Since launching on free UK-wide streaming service STV Player in February, Brookside has been streamed over 8 million times and is the platform’s most-streamed acquisition ever. It took just one week for the show to reach 1 million streams, making it the fastest show to ever reach that milestone on STV Player
“A lot of people are watching it, which is lovely and so gratifying. There was nothing like Brookside at that time. It was so innovative and so groundbreaking in the stories it told. “
Conceived by Grange Hill creator, Sir Philip Redmond and produced by his company, the soap in its heyday drew up to nine millions viewers.
And the Corkhills were the heart of the show - as well as being at the centre of the action.
Storylines included husband Jimmy’s ecstasy and cocaine addiction, and daughter Lindsey’s transformation from struggling single mum and unwitting drugs mule to a gun-toting gangster.
Through it all, Jackie was their fiercest protector - whether throwing punches in the middle of the street at busybody neighbours or flushing Jimmy’s gear down the toilet in a desperate bid to save the man she loved.
She adds; “Jackie was very loyal, very maternal, a great nurturer - someone whose family meant the absolute world to her. She had a lot of faith in the people she loved - no matter what. She always tried to put them first and do what was best for the family. I think a lot of women relate to that.”
Sue is best known for playing Jackie CorkhillThe Liverpudlian actress lives with her husband fellow actor and theatre director David Fleeshman in Staffordshire and have three children - also in the family business - Emily, 36, Richard 34, and Rosie 30.
Son Richard is as famous as his mum - after following her footsteps into Weatherfield - playing troubled teen Craig Harris on the soap in 2006, he’s gone on to have a hugely successful West End career.
Sue reveals: “When I left Coronation Street I was pregnant with Richard so I was very proud when he got the role and do so well. And since then it’s been a whirlwind! One minute he’s on Broadway, the next he’s nominated for an Oliver Award, and now he’s filming in Serbia.”
While Richard is shooting scenes for the second season of US Syfy drama The Ark, sister Rosie is preparing to work on the TV adaptation of her award-winning play Narcissist In The Mirror - directed by Sue. Netflix is reportedly in talks to bring the play to the small screen - but Jackie is keeping mum.
Sue however has swapped screen for stage for her latest project, starring in a new play, Cuckoo, where her role as a struggling mother and gran Doreen, will have her looking as frazzled as possible.
Sue's son Richard (left) also appeared in Coronation Street (FilmMagic)“The hair will be scraped back, no makeup - just like Jackie, and I can’t wait! It does feel very much like playing Jackie Corkhill again on stage. The characters are very similar. It’s part of why I agreed to do the play, I miss Jackie a lot.”
And the heart of any family is the matriarch holding things together adds Sue.
“In soaps more than anywhere else they are celebrated. Before Coronation Street, EastEnders, Brookside, there were very few good parts for women. It was so male-dominated.”
She has seen many changes over the years but, as she approaches her 65th birthday later this month, the passing of time is not something Sue thinks about: “Age is just a number. 50’s the new 35, 60’s the new 45, and so it goes on. If you’re healthy, you can feel the same as you did when were 20 years younger.
“I do whatever is in my control to feel good. I don’t go to the gym, but I try to cut out bread from my diet, drink lots of water and always moisturise!”
Any plans to return to the cobbles to join Claire?
The actress laughs but adds: “In this industry, you never know what’s around the corner. That’s what makes it interesting. I would never dismiss anything.”
“You look at the offer first, the opportunity and then decide. I’m grateful I am able to do that thanks to Brookside. I owe a lot to Jackie Corkhill.”
Cuckoo runs at the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Downstairs until Saturday, August 19 2023, before transferring to Liverpool Everyman from Wednesday, September 6 to Saturday, September 23 2023.
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