Season Nine Episode Guide

The storylines:

While Billy is back in employment surprisingly quickly, Paul is made redundant and decides to find new interests in retirement. Annabelle applies to be a magistrate, Gordon returns home, Harry tries to learn to drive, and Sandra crusades against unnecessary operations. Meanwhile, Heather marries Nick, not yet aware that he appears to be leading a curious double-life. But one event dominates this season, and would long be remembered. On her way home one evening, Sheila Grant is raped – with accusations, regrets, and further tragedy ensuing before the guilty party is brought to justice.

The dates:

There are only a few references to specific dates: in episode 367 it is May Day; in episode 373 Billy is doing the Australian pools; in episode 379 it is a year ago that Terry caught Michelle in bed with Albert Duff; in episode 382, it is 1986, European Road Safety Year; and in episodes 385 and 387 it is a year since Kate died.

Name-checks:

Margaret (367, 377) and Denis (377) Thatcher; Kenny Dalglish and Howard Kendall, footballers (367); Groucho Marx (367); Mack The Knife (370); Terry Wogan (375); Andy Williams (375);Boadicea (376); Arthur Negus (376); Dr Kildare (377, 380, 383); Confucious (377); Hitler (377); Sir Galahad (378 ); Lenin (378 ); Liddle, footballer (378 ); “Gone With The Wind” (378); Philby, Burgess and McLean (379); Lord Lucan (379); Ian St John (380); Princess Diana (381, 398 ); Julius Caesar (382); Prince Philip (384); Alain Prost (385); Rambo (386); Prince Andrew, marrying this year (390, 398 ); Casanova (391); Marjorie Proops (392); Frank Bruno (397); “Fergie” (398 ) and Samantha Fox (399).

Location:

All of the action in this season is set in Liverpool, apart from several scenes involving Bobby’s appearance before a disciplinary committee in London in episode 384. All of these, however, are indoors, and are unlikely to have been recorded in London.

Births:

None. It is Rod’s 18th birthday in episode 375, and Sandra’s birthday in episode 382. Paul is 62 (369, 372, 373); Mrs Allerton is 31 (369); Karen is 19 (373); Heather’s cousin Teddy is 19 (381), and Damon is 18 (385). According to Nick, Heather is “30-ish” (368 ), and Adam is under 11 (373). According to Heather, the age differences between her and Nick and between Paul and Annabelle are both 13 or 14 years (373). According to Ralph, Harry is 69 and a half (384); and, according to the radio report Teresa hears, the raped woman – Sheila – is a 44-year-old mother of four (394).

Marriages:

One – the second “Brookside” marriage takes place on July 1st (379) in episode 383, as Nicholas Steven Black marries Heather Haversham. Matty and Teresa have been married for 21 years, after courting for three-and-a-half (378); or 20 years (393). Sandra married four years ago (383), and Alun has previously been married (385). Bobby and Sheila have now been married for 30 years (390), and Andrea has been married to Bernie for 12 years (399).

Deaths:

One – believing that her husband Matty is a rapist, Teresa Nolan commits suicide by throwing herself off a ferry into the river Mersey in episode 394. Kathleen Monaghan also mentions in episode 376 that her son, Anthony, died after being knocked down by a motorist.

Toilet visits:

Just one – Ralph, in episode 378.

Characters not seen yet, but sure to turn up at some point:

Mr Howman (368, 395) and Bernie Parkin (399, 400).

Gone but not forgotten – seen previously and still mentioned occasionally, but not reappearing in this season:

Mike Henty (367, 388, 399); Keith Tench (367, 369, 379, 383); Tom Curzon (367, 368, 372, 373, 381, 388 ); James Fleming (368, 370); Richard Gill (368); Jackie [O’Shaughnessy] (369); Nigel Bannister (369, 370); Barbara (369, 373); [David] Hargreaves (371); Edna Cross (372, 386); Peter Montague (374, 376); Michelle (376, 379); Robin (376); Margaret (377, 378, 398 ) and her kids (377); Albert Duff (379); Janet Hanson (381); Roger (383); Ian (383); Neil (384); Joe (388, 390) / the Cleary brothers (386, 387, 391); Dougie (388 ); Ginnie (390); Carol (399); McArdle (400); and Andrew (400).

And those that are also mentioned, but are destined to remain unseen forever (in order of non-appearance):

Mrs Allerton’s son (369); Dr Harrison (370); Jack, on the gates at PetroChem (370); Mrs Neill, Julia’s friend in Southport (373); Owen, who Guy is thinking of sharing with (373); Monica, a friend of the Hutchisons who is a magistrate (373); Emma, Malcolm Hutchison’s daughter who is at a “difficult age” (373); Mur Kimuna from the Kihuyo tribe, who the Grants sponsor (378 ); Chris Freeman, speaker (378 ); Harry, the chef at Heather’s wedding, who trained with Jack at the Royal Hotel, Belfast (383); Jenny Marshall, caterer (383); Michael McTaggart, a sailing enthusiast friend of the Havershams in Northern Ireland (383); Bryan Charlton and Tommy Mann, District Committee members (384); Linda, a nurse who was sacked after spending the night with a doctor (385); Tina, Tracy’s friend (389, 390); Teresa’s mother (397); Lindsey’s daughter Lisa (398 ); Pauline nee Matthews, who married a councillor (398 ); Mr Williams, Guy’s landlord (399); Pierre, Cecile’s brother (399, 400); Kim, receptionist at Nick’s work (400); and Frank, Nick’s boss (400).

Goofs:

The registration number of Harry’s car is usually AWA 40X…….but in episodes 377, 378 and 385 it is YKA 168W !!

Trivia:

The Collins’ phone number is 2599921 (376). Annabelle was previously a schoolteacher (398 ). Gordon split up with Cecile’s brother Pierre a month ago (400). Lucy and Barry are now in Marseilles (399). The Hutchisons are both on their second marriage, with two children from each previous one (373).

Rod gets one B and four Cs in his “O” levels (398). Harry has invested Rod and Damon’s money in a Plutonium 90-day Saver, so that he can keep the interest earned (367). Lindsey used to be a model (398 ).

Sheila has been friends with Matthew Nolan (392) for 20 years (393). Matty lost his job three years ago (392). Mo has no children (380). Matty and Mo were seen together in Abercrombie Square by Karen (377). Guy, who was with her, was brought up in Kenya (372).

Heather is promoted (379) to Audit Manager (380). At Knowsley Registration District Register Office she marries Nick (383), who has two sons – Scott, who is doing “O” levels next June (374) and Adam, who collects for Greenpeace (395) and is hit by a car while trying to cross Dortmund Way (377, 397). Joyce has never been to Ireland (383).

Pat buys his booze at “Bridge Wines” (386), then goes on to “The Ocean Trader” (388 ), while Sheila is raped in Millers Lane (387) on a Wednesday evening (389). Tony Hurrell has spent ten years training (391). Terry has had no blackouts for over a year (400).

Flashbacks:

Extracts from episodes 366 and 156 are repeated in episode 370, as Paul remembers saying goodbye with Annabelle to Lucy and Barry, and Brian Palmer offering him the job which has just come to an end.

Brief extracts from the siege episodes involving Sandra, Pat, Kate and John are seen and heard in episode 379, as Sandra remembers the traumatic events of the previous year.

“Blink-and-you-miss-it” moment:

Perhaps this is more of a “pause your video recorder and carefully advance the frames” moment, but it is possible to make a positive identification of the rapist by carefully comparing his clothing with what all of the possible suspects are seen wearing earlier on in episode 386. Yes, it really is…….

The end-of-season cliffhanger:

Annabelle and Paul believe that, as Gordon has returned home from France in the company of Cecile Malraux, she is his girlfriend and he is no longer gay. However, the 400th episode of “Brookside” ends with them discovering that they are mistaken, as Cecile reveals that he has recently split up from his former lover – her brother, Pierre.