Dean Sullivan, 68 years old, has passed away, according to confirmation from his family. From 1986 to 2003, Sullivan’s most recognizable role was that of Jimmy Corkhill on the Channel 4 serial opera Brookside.
In 2018, the actor received a prostate cancer diagnosis. The family of Andrew Sullivan issued the following statement: “With profound sorrow, we inform you that the actor passed away peacefully after a brief illness.”
“Dean Sullivan became a British soap opera icon with his portrayal as Jimmy Corkhill on Channel 4’s groundbreaking Brookside, for which he served as the longest-tenured cast member.
“To millions he was and very much still is remembered as ‘Jimmy’, to family and friends he was ‘Dino’.”
The statement continued:
“Dean’s family wants to thank Arrowe Park Hospital for their unwavering and consistent support.”
“We ask that you respect their privacy in their time of grief.”
Dean Sullivan, who was born and raised in Liverpool, rose to prominence with his performance in Brookside, which routinely attracted eight million viewers.
Dean Sullivan was honored with the British Soap Award for Outstanding Achievement in 2003 for his seventeen-year tenure as Jimmy on the Mersey TV soap opera.
Brookside, an estate in West Derby, Liverpool, was established in November 1982 and featured residences in a genuine cul-de-sac. It was the brainchild of Grange Hill creator Phil Redmond.
O’Sullivan’s character was a participant in one of the most renowned plotlines of the soap opera.
Jimmy Corkhill and Eddie Banks were observed uncovering the remains of Trevor Jordache beneath a patio. Jordache had been assassinated by his ex-wife Mandy (portrayed by Sandra Maitland), who had been abusive to her and their daughter Beth (portrayed by Anna Friel) for years.
Two months after the final episode was filmed in September 2003 and debuted, Jimmy Corkhill’s visage was the last to appear on-screen.
An “organic actor”
On social media, playwright Jonathan Harvey was among those who paid tribute to Sullivan. Harvey wrote on X/Twitter,
“I do adore a soap icon, and they don’t come more iconic than Jimmy Corkhill.”
“What deeply unfortunate news. My thoughts and feelings are with his large circle of friends and family.
George Christopher, who portrayed Ziggy in Grange Hill, and Little Jimmy, the troubled son of Jimmy Corkhill, remarked,
“My portrayal as Jimmy’s troubled son was extremely demanding; I learned so much from him in every scene.
“He excelled precisely when it came in Brookside; he was a natural actor.” Simply put, Jimmy is irrelevant to Brookside; without him, Brookside would not exist. Respectful condolences. Honoring Deano.”
Tricia Penrose, who recently filmed Celebrity Antiques Roadtrip with Andrew Sullivan and portrayed a police officer in Brookside during the late 1980s and early 1990s, and who previously appeared in Heartbeat, added: “I am devastated to hear this dreadful news. An actor from the serial opera and a legend of Brookside.”
Jimmy was the longest-serving character on Brookside; of all the actors who appeared in episodes, Sullivan filmed the most.
Other acting credits for Sullivan include Doctors and The Royal, both on ITV and the BBC, and he appeared in the Netflix short film Wings opposite Tom Lister from Emmerdale last year.
His own flourishing theatre production company he also managed while being a prolific stage actor and director.
Dean Sullivan appeared in the critically acclaimed North West theatre tour of Alan Bennett’s one-man monologue Chip in the Sugar and starred in Stand Up! The Musical opposite Lionel Blair.
For numerous years, Sullivan served as the host of The Sullivan Show, a daily hour-long live radio talk program on Citytalk that was broadcast in Merseyside. Sullivan also appeared as a guest presenter on ITV’s This Morning.
Over the years, he also participated in several pantomime productions, such as Dick Whittington, Aladdin, Peter Pan, and Cinderella.
Dean Sullivan discussed his cancer diagnosis and urged the public to undergo screening for the disease in an interview with the Liverpool Echo earlier this year.
He stated that he visited the doctor because “the strength of my flow was diminished when I used to use the lavatory to urinate.”
“When I first visited the doctor’s office, he advised that we should simply monitor your condition and assess your progress.” A few weeks later, I became immediately aware that something was amiss.
“When I returned, I visited a physician who specialized in prostate treatment,” he continued. Two weeks after undergoing a brief examination by him, I was at the hospital engaging in conversation with the consultant.
“Had I followed the advice of the initial physician, the outcome might have been different; therefore, you should always follow your intuition. On eleven out of ten occasions, you are correct… As is the case with numerous types of cancer, early detection and treatment are feasible.
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