Fans of Brookside are paying tribute following the death of actor Alan Rothwell, who has died aged 89 after a short illness.
Rothwell appeared in Brookside between 1985 and 1986 as Nicholas Black, the troubled husband of Heather Haversham and father of Scott, Ruth and Adam Black. The character became involved in one of the soap’s early hard-hitting storylines surrounding heroin addiction, a subject that Brookside was praised for tackling realistically during the 1980s.
Nicholas Black made his first appearance in November 1985 and remained on the programme for 56 episodes. His storyline ended in tragic fashion in December 1986 when Nicholas died from a heroin overdose and hypothermia after being thrown out by Heather.
Although Brookside fans will remember him for the role of Nicholas Black, Alan Rothwell enjoyed a television career spanning more than 70 years. He was perhaps best known nationally as one of the original cast members of Coronation Street, playing David Barlow, brother of Ken Barlow, in the programme’s very first episode in 1960.
Away from soap operas, Rothwell also became a familiar face to generations of viewers through children’s television programmes including Picture Box and Hickory House, while later appearances included roles in Emmerdale, Casualty, Doctors and The Musketeers.
In a statement released by his family, they said Alan “died peacefully in hospital following a short illness” and would be “fondly remembered and deeply missed.”
Tributes have continued to pour in from fans and former colleagues, with many remembering Rothwell as one of British television’s familiar and dependable character actors whose career stretched across several generations of classic television drama.
Image: Channel 4 / Brookside