Tracy Corkhill

Tracy Corkhill
Brookside character
Portrayed by	Justine Kerrigan
Duration	1985–1992, 2003
First appearance	10 September 1985
Last appearance	4 January 2003
Classification	Former; regular
Created by	Phil Redmond
Spin-off appearances	South (1988)
In-universe information Occupation Student Hairdresser Father Billy Corkhill Mother Doreen Corkhill Stepmother Sheila Grant Brothers Rod Corkhill Grandfathers Frank Corkhill Albert Brogan Grandmothers Margaret Corkhill Julia Brogan Uncles Jimmy Corkhill Frankie Corkhill First cousins Jimmy Corkhill Jr. William Corkhill Lindsey Corkhill Other relatives Don Corkhill Joan Brogan

Tracy Corkhill is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Brookside, played by Justine Kerrigan. The character debuted on-screen during the episode broadcast on 10 September 1985. Tracy was introduced as part of a new family, the Corkhills, which also includes her brother Rod Corkhill (Jason Hope) and their parents Doreen Corkhill (Kate Fitzgerald) and Billy Corkhill (John McArdle). Kerrigan had previously appeared as a guest character, Pat in 1984. She auditioned for the role after her grandfather and actor Peter Kerrigan encouraged her. Kerrigan was aged fourteen and still attending school when she took on the role. Tracy is characterised as brash and headstrong. She has aspirations of becoming a model but settles for a hairdressing career. Kerrigan disliked Tracy's style and early persona. Tracy transformed into a more adult character over time and Kerrigan admired her newfound attitude.

Writers often created controversial storylines for the character. The first notable instance was Tracy being sexually abused by her geography teacher Peter Montague (Mark Draper). Her later relationship with Jamie Henderson (Sean McKee) proved equally as controversial. Writers included a scene in which Billy discovers Tracy and Jamie's contraceptives, which conveyed the pair were practising safe sex. Brookside's producer Phil Redmond was forced to defend the show against complaints raised by the British regulatory body, Independent Broadcasting Authority. They accused the show of showing the product for too long but Redmond convinced them it was educatory content. Thames Television commissioned a spin-off series titled South, which focused on Tracy and Jamie's attempts to live in London. It was broadcast in March 1988 and lasted two episodes. In 1989, writers used Tracy to explore the issue of work place sexual harassment.

Tracy's later involvement with her step-mother Sheila Grant (Sue Johnston) and her relationship with Barry Grant (Paul Usher) were some of Kerrigan's favourite stories. She relished working with Johnston and Usher, which in her opinion created her best acting performances. Writers continued to give Kerrigan dramatic stories. In 1990, Tracy meets Liam Riley (Adam Sunderland) who becomes besotted with her, eventually committing suicide when she rejects him. Kerrigan assessed that the story helped Tracy grow up and become likeable. Another issue lead plot featured Mark Potter (Paul Crosby) attempting to rape Tracy. In 1992, the character was written out of Brookside and Kerrigan was upset because writers failed to create a prominent departure story. Kerrigan later reprised the role during the episode broadcast on 4 January 2003.