Highbridge: The Beginning

A free digital short story from Highbridge author Phil Redmond, the creator of Brookside, Hollyoaks and Grange Hill.

Phil Redmond is best known for creating three of Britain's longest-running drama series Grange Hill, Brookside and Hollyoaks. Redmond came up with the concept for Grange Hill in 1978 and has written extensively for TV, radio and stage, running independent company Mersey Television for 25 years until 2005. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and was made a CBE in 2004. Since 2005, Redmond has chaired many public sector initiatives pro bono, including National Museums Liverpool and the Advisory Panel to UK City of Culture. Highbridge is his return to writing fiction.

A free digital short story from Highbridge author Phil Redmond, the creator of Brookside, Hollyoaks and Grange Hill. 
 
If launching a new soap, this would be the opening episode. 
 
Joey and Sean Nolan are planning their sister Janey’s funeral. 
 
Amongst the family politics and cast of characters, is their sister’s husband, Luke, now serving in the special forces. 
 
Once the funeral is over the brothers’ search will begin. For revenge. For justice. For whoever killed Janey. 
 
Doing right is not always doing right by the law. 
 
Highbridge is out in January 2016.

Mid-Term Report

A masterclass in media studies from the creator of Grange Hill, Brookside and Hollyoaks. Described in Parliament as 'excellent' by Ed Vaizey, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

a behind-camera legend gives a masterclass in media studies

Edward Vaizey, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

Phil Redmond CBE is a well-known television producer and screenwriter. He grew up in Huyton and attended St Kevin's Comprehensive School before gaining a Social Studies Degree from Liverpool University. He began writing scripts for the TV sitcoms such as The Squirrels before using his own experience of comprehensive schools to come up with the idea for Grange Hill. The programme was aired on BBC One from 1978 - 2008 and dealt with many of the challenges facing teenagers at high school. Redmond went on to create the soap Brookside, which was based around the lives of the residents of Brookside Close, Liverpool, and was aired on Channel 4 between 1982 and 2003. Redmond also developed the teen soap Hollyoaks which is now one of the most established soap operas on UK television. Redmond was awarded a CBE in 2004 in the Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to drama.

A masterclass in media studies from the creator of Grange Hill, Brookside and Hollyoaks. Described in Parliament as 'excellent' by Ed Vaizey, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
 
 
GRANGE HILL 
 
Swimming pool disasters. Drugs, and just say ‘no’. Flying sausages. School like you’d never seen it before. 
 
BROOKSIDE 
 
Lesbian kisses. Bodies under patios. Exploding shops. Suburban life like you’d never seen it before. 
 
HOLLYOAKS 
 
Bad boys on bikes. Loveable geeks. Leggy blondes. Students like you’d never seen them before. 
 
PHIL REDMOND 
 
Three classic TV programmes. One TV genius. This is the behind-the-scenes story of how a working-class lad from the Liverpool suburbs went from living on a housing estate to buying one, and from comprehensive school dinners to lunch with the Queen. Along the way he learned a lot of lessons, broke all the rules, and changed television for ever.

Phil Redmond

A high-octane journey through many touchstones of broken Britain ...  Highbridge sees Redmond repurposing those TV writing techniques. Each chapter is a melange of storylines building to an end of chapter cliffhanger that hooks the reader as firmly as Brookie’s go-to-ad-break jeopardy. Dialogue is freighted with sass and politics. There’s a splashy, violent denouement. We’re back in Redmondshire.

Gritty, pacy and populated with memorable characters.

True to form, this book has a plethora of viewpoints, punchy plotlines and twists before we get to the crunching finale… everyone packed into these pages is a real as if you’ve just passed them by on the street

The dramatic novel from the writer and creator of Brookside, Hollyoaks and Grange Hill. 
 
Three years ago, Janey Nolan was murdered in the centre of town. 
 
Today, no one knows who did it. 
 
Sick of waiting for the powers that be to rid the streets and school gates of dealers, druggies and parasites, Janey’s brothers want to avenge her death. While Sean decides to explore the routes and corridors of political power, Joey chooses more direct action in and among the alleys and pathways of the neighbourhood itself. 
 
But can the brothers find Janey’s killer without bringing more danger to their town? 
 
THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING. 
 
THIS IS HIGHBRIDGE.

Phil Redmond

Praise for Highbridge

A high-octane journey through many touchstones of broken Britain ... Highbridge sees Redmond repurposing those TV writing techniques. Each chapter is a melange of storylines building to an end of chapter cliffhange ...

Gritty, pacy and populated with memorable characters.

A state-of-the-nation novel.

A high-octane journey through many touchstones of broken Britain ... Highbridge sees Redmond repurposing those TV writing techniques. Each chapter is a melange of storylines building to an end of chapter cliffhange ...

Gritty, pacy and populated with memorable characters.

A state-of-the-nation novel.

A high-octane journey through many touchstones of broken Britain ... Highbridge sees Redmond repurposing those TV writing techniques. Each chapter is a melange of storylines building to an end of chapter cliffhange ...

Gritty, pacy and populated with memorable characters.

A state-of-the-nation novel.

Books by Phil Redmond

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