Brookside star Louis Emerick hits out at 'stigma' surrounding soap actors: 'They're underestimated'

Louis Emerick thinks there is a "stigma" surrounding soap actors.

The 64-year-old star made his name playing Mick Johnson on Channel 4's now-defunct serial 'Brookside' and went on to appear in the likes of 'Coronation Street' and 'Doctors' over the years but has hit out at critics of the genre as he claimed that continuing dramas do not always get the praise they deserve.

He told The Daily Star Sunday newspaper: "Soap actors are underestimated. There is still a stigma.

"But some of the scenes you get on a soap wouldn't look out of place on a drama. Look at the stuff they are doing now. If some of those storylines were on a drama, people would be saying, 'That's fantastic'. But because they're on soaps, people don't make enough fuss."

The former 'Last of the Summer Wine' star worked alongside esteemed performers Ricky Tomlinson and Sue Johnston - who would later go on to appear as Jim and Barbara Royle in the BBC sitcom 'The Royle Family' - on 'Brookside' and insisted that things "don't get better" than that sort of talent.

He said: "When soaps do things well it's as good and as powerful and as relevant as anything that's on other shows.

"When I was at 'Brookside' we had Sue Johnston and Ricky Tomlinson in the cast. It doesn't get better than that."

Louis has also appeared in 'Casualty' and 'Holby City' over the years and believes that the only two he has yet to conquer are ITV's Yorkshire-based 'Emmerdale' and the BBC flagship 'EastEnders'.

He said: "I think the only soaps I haven't been in are Emmerdale and EastEnders. Being in so many of them isn't something I planned.

"First and foremost I'm an actor for hire. I want to be working and I want to be in something that's good.

"I want to find something that keeps the creative juices flowing and makes me want to go to work in the morning. Soaps tick that box and I've been fortunate enough to be in so many of them."