# Gemma Johnson
**Gemma Johnson** is a fictional character appearing in the [Channel 4](https://www.edgepedia.org/channel-4) soap operas *Brookside* and *Hollyoaks*. She was introduced in *Brookside* in 1990 as the young daughter of Mick Johnson, left the show in 2000, and was revived in 2025 for *Hollyoaks* as an adult, played by [Tisha Merry](https://www.edgepedia.org/tisha-merry), as part of a crossover between the two series.[1](https://uksoaps.fandom.com/wiki/Gemma_Johnson)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Shows | *Brookside* (1990–2000, with a 2001 return) and *Hollyoaks* (2025–present)[2](https://brookside.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_Characters) |
| Actresses | Naomi Kamanga (1990–1998), Carla Jarrett (1998–2000, 2001), Tisha Merry (2025–present)[2](https://brookside.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_Characters) |
| Family | Daughter of Mick Johnson, who in *Hollyoaks* lives under the identity Donny Clark; mother Josie Johnson; brother Leo Johnson[3](https://hollyoaks.fandom.com/wiki/Gemma_Johnson) |
| Occupation in *Hollyoaks* | Doctor at Dee Valley University Hospital[3](https://hollyoaks.fandom.com/wiki/Gemma_Johnson) |
| Episode count | 62 *Hollyoaks* episodes as of late 2026: 61 in the main show and 1 spin-off[4](https://hollyoaks.fandom.com/wiki/Gemma_Johnson_(List_of_appearances)) |
## Brookside (1990–2001)
Gemma Johnson first appeared in *Brookside*, the Liverpool-set soap created by Sir Phil Redmond, on 26 March 1990, played by Naomi Kamanga.[2](https://brookside.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_Characters) She was the daughter of Mick Johnson (Louis Emerick), a long-running character on the show between 1989 and 2001.[5](https://tollbit.radiotimes.com/tv/soaps/hollyoaks/hollyoaks-tisha-merry-brookside-crossovers-anniversary-episodes-exclusive-newsupdate/) Kamanga played the role until 1998, after which Carla Jarrett took over; Jarrett played Gemma from September 1998 to February 2000 and returned for a single appearance on 16 February 2001.[2](https://brookside.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_Characters)
## Return in Hollyoaks (2025–present)
*Brookside* ended on 4 November 2003, and *Hollyoaks*, produced by the same company from the same Liverpool studios, took over as Channel 4's flagship continuing drama.[6](https://www.channel4.com/press/news/channel-4s-iconic-brookside-return-special-soap-crossover-celebrate-hollyoaks-30th) For *Hollyoaks*'s 30th anniversary in October 2025, producers staged a crossover with *Brookside*, and Gemma was reintroduced as an adult, now described as a gangster's daughter, with Tisha Merry taking on the role.[5](https://tollbit.radiotimes.com/tv/soaps/hollyoaks/hollyoaks-tisha-merry-brookside-crossovers-anniversary-episodes-exclusive-newsupdate/)
The revival built on a family revelation: *Hollyoaks* regular Donny Clark, played by Louis Emerick, was revealed to be Mick Johnson, who had staged his own death. According to the *Hollyoaks* fan wiki's character profile, Mick apparently died in a house fire around 2005, after which Gemma lived at 2 Brookside Close with Sheila and Billy Corkhill; in the present-day storyline she discovered her father was alive under the name Donny Clark, while Donny discovered that Gemma was dating [Warren Fox](https://www.edgepedia.org/warren-fox).[3](https://hollyoaks.fandom.com/wiki/Gemma_Johnson) The same profile gives her occupation as a doctor at Dee Valley University Hospital and a birth date of 1986.[3](https://hollyoaks.fandom.com/wiki/Gemma_Johnson)
She has since become a regular, with storylines involving Warren Fox and [Mercedes McQueen](https://www.edgepedia.org/mercedes-mcqueen); in one 2025–26 plot, Mercedes suggests that she and Gemma share their ex Warren, with both dating him on different days.[7](https://www.aol.com/articles/hollyoaks-star-tisha-merry-nearly-164800788.html)
## Portrayal
Three actresses have played the character across her two shows. In *Brookside*, Naomi Kamanga held the role for most of the 1990s and Carla Jarrett closed it out; in *Hollyoaks*, the adult Gemma is played by Tisha Merry, who earlier spent four years playing Steph Britton in *Coronation Street* and had auditioned for the role of Phoebe McQueen in *Hollyoaks* about 15 years before joining the show.[2](https://brookside.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_Characters) • [7](https://www.aol.com/articles/hollyoaks-star-tisha-merry-nearly-164800788.html) Merry said at the Inside Soap Awards that playing a character previously portrayed by another actress was "just amazing" and described filming on the actual Brookside Close set as a "massive moment".[5](https://tollbit.radiotimes.com/tv/soaps/hollyoaks/hollyoaks-tisha-merry-brookside-crossovers-anniversary-episodes-exclusive-newsupdate/)
## References
1. [Gemma Johnson, Soaps Wiki (Fandom)](https://uksoaps.fandom.com/wiki/Gemma_Johnson)
2. [List of Characters, Brookside Wiki (Fandom)](https://brookside.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_Characters)
3. [Gemma Johnson, Hollyoaks Wiki (Fandom)](https://hollyoaks.fandom.com/wiki/Gemma_Johnson)
4. [Gemma Johnson (List of appearances), Hollyoaks Wiki (Fandom)](https://hollyoaks.fandom.com/wiki/Gemma_Johnson_(List_of_appearances))
5. [Hollyoaks favourite reveals hopes for more Brookside crossovers following popular anniversary episodes, Radio Times](https://tollbit.radiotimes.com/tv/soaps/hollyoaks/hollyoaks-tisha-merry-brookside-crossovers-anniversary-episodes-exclusive-newsupdate/)
6. [Channel 4's iconic Brookside to return for a special soap crossover to celebrate Hollyoaks 30th birthday, Channel 4 press](https://www.channel4.com/press/news/channel-4s-iconic-brookside-return-special-soap-crossover-celebrate-hollyoaks-30th)
7. [Hollyoaks star Tisha Merry nearly played a McQueen, AOL/Digital Spy](https://www.aol.com/articles/hollyoaks-star-tisha-merry-nearly-164800788.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Soap operas and continuing serials › British and Australasian soaps and characters › Soap character lists and crossover characters*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license