Hollyoaks actor Louis Emerick, best known for his role as Mick Johnson in Brookside, has disclosed that he is battling stage four cancer. The 60-year-old performer, who currently plays Donny Clark in the Channel 4 soap, shared the news in an interview, expressing his determination to continue working despite the diagnosis.
Emerick, who originated from Toxteth in Liverpool, rose to fame as Mick Johnson in Brookside, a role he played for 12 years across 1,037 episodes. He initially joined the show for a single appearance but became a fan favourite, with his character evolving from a cab driver to a shopkeeper running local businesses.
After leaving Brookside in 2001, Emerick appeared in series including Benidorm, Waterloo Road, Casualty, and Last of the Summer Wine. He joined Hollyoaks in 2024 as Donny Clark, a character recently revealed to be Mick Johnson in a dramatic crossover storyline celebrating the soap's 30th anniversary.
Speaking about the crossover, Emerick said: 'All is not as it seems and we can safely say it's connected to the Brookside crossover. The house of cards is going to start collapsing.' He described his meeting with Hollyoaks' executive producer as 'an April fool' moment, adding that he was 'swept away' by the story.
Emerick is married to Maureen and is a father of five. He continues to film for Hollyoaks, which airs Monday to Wednesday on E4 at 7pm, with first-look episodes available on Channel 4 from 7am.
