Brookside was launched with Channel 4, and has pioneered new television practices and tackled a range of controversial social issues. This book marks the programme's first ten years, chronicling its background, the original aims of the series and its evolution. There is a month-by-month plot summary from the first episode, a detailed look at how the show is made, profiles of cast and characters, and a study of reaction from the Press, industry and public - including celebrity viewers.