A number of Brookside storylines predicted the future, according to two of the soap's stars.
Claire Sweeney, who played Lindsey Corkhill, and Mick Johnson actor Louis Emerick appeared on ITV's Lorraine on Tuesday as the soap returns to our screens for the first time in 20 years.
Set in a Liverpool cul-de-sac, the soap was created by Phil Redmond, who was also one of the people behind Grange Hill and Hollyoaks. Brookside drew audiences of nine million viewers at its peak. Now, all the original episodes of Brookside will finally return to screens – on free streaming service, STV Player.
READ MORE: Man played iconic Brookside character and nobody even knows it
The show became renowned for tackling social issues, with bosses never afraid to push boundaries and truly represent real lives. And now some of its actors say its storylines were a sign of what was to come.
The programme has some of soap's most intense plots, including a helicopter being gunned down onto a petrol station and even an incestuous romantic relationship. And one story even saw Brookside residents being put into "lockdown" as a killer virus began to spread.
Back in 1995, some of those who lived on Brookside Close were left dead, while others did not adhere to social distancing, resulting in chaos.
Speaking to Lorraine Kelly, Louis said: "When you think about it now, we've got the strikes going on now. When you think about, as well, the sort of 'plague'... we hated that storyline". Claire added: "We thought it was mental, didn't we?"
Louis said: "It was the covid of 25 years ago". Claire said: "Phil had this brilliant instinct. There'd be a story in the script, and a week later it'd be in the news."
Lorraine airs weekdays at 9am on ITV and ITVX
Receive newsletters with the biggest and breaking TV and showbiz news by signing up here
READ NEXT:
Amanda Holden strips down to underwear as BGT auditions get underway following David Walliams exit
Turkey travel warning as Foreign Office releases new guidance for UK visitors
Iceland fans 'clearing freezers' over 'unreal' new snack
I tried a £40 Aldi SpecialBuy and it's honestly worth three times the money
Woman stunned after mum demands she give up plane seat for her 6ft 4in son
