Gilly Roach
Encyclopedia
Gilbert "Gilly" Roach is a fictional character
from the British Channel 4
soap opera Hollyoaks
, played by Anthony Quinlan
. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 4 October 2005. Gilly was created in 2005 by executive producer David Hanson. Gilly has often been portrayed as a push-over and has a double act partnership with fellow character Rhys Ashworth
. His main character traits have been his "nice attitude", with Quinlan branding Gilly in his first five years as a "push-over". He has been labelled a loser and unlucky in love after failed relationships with Jessica Harris
, Beth Clement
, Cheryl Brady
and Jem Costello
. In 2009, executive producer Lucy Alan
made changes to the character and reached a mutual agreement with Quinlan to shave off his hair, which has characterised Gilly during his early years.
In 2010 he was paired with Steph Cunningham
, who was later killed on-screen after Stenson quit her role. This resulted in a long-running storyline for Gilly in which he was seen taking a "dark journey" unable to cope with grief. Another big storyline for the character occurs in 2011 when Jacqui McQueen accuses him of rape; the storyline subsequently received media attention. A fictional jury consisting of viewers is to decide if he is guilty or innocent. Other storylines have involved the effects of binge drinking, which was portrayed during an online spin-off drama. Gilly has sometimes proved unpopular with television critics, with one branding him a "dampy drizzle of a character". Quinlan has also been nominated for minor awards for his portrayal. In 2011, it was anounced that Quinlan would be leaving the serial to persue other projects and would leave at the end of the rape storyline.
describe Gilly on their official website stating: "His most endearing quality is his honesty and despite his countless flaws, what you see is what you get. He's hardly a ladykiller but what he lacks in appearance he makes up for with charisma." E4 publicity describe Gilly as fun-loving and always trying to woo females but hardly manages to impress them and has also been described as unlucky-in-love after his failed relationships. Initially he failed to impress females and didn't have much in common with them. Gilly has been portrayed as a strong supporter of Manchester City F.C.
, it was this single thing that drew him and Beth Clement
(Sinéad Moynihan
) together. Gilly was later made a fool of by Beth and his best friend Rhys Ashworth
(Andrew Moss
) after they continued an affair despite the fact they were siblings, they split, Beth subsequently died and due to Gilly's forgiving personality he later forgave Rhys. Holy Soap
opined that this was a stand out moment of the character's duration. Another storyline showing his timid personality was when he was mugged by a group of teenagers and was left fearing for his safety and even let them pick on him on the streets. In a further twist Gilly was left feeling so ashamed of the attack he pretended it was adult attackers fearing what people would think of him.
, Gilly and Josh Ashworth
head to Manchester
. The series explored the dangers of bringe drinking and was funded by the Home Office
. This was the start of changes implemented to the character that would continue into the main series. During the spin-off he was portrayed having negative experiences with excessive alcohol consumption, of this Quinlan said: "Gilly and Josh had a little fight over Ruby (Nika McGuigan), so the character did change due to all the drink consumed. His mood changed further when he attempted to run after Josh after the scuffle, and fell down a set of stairs in the nightclub, losing some of his teeth. After the incident he couldn't wait to get back home to the village."He then stated that he wanted viewers to learn from his character's scenario and be responsible while drinking, stating: "It will make people think twice about binge drinking and make people aware of the consequences if you do." When the character lost his teeth it made the character's low confidence worsen, Quinlan made comment of this saying: "Gilly's confidence was always low really - self-confidence, self-belief. But having no teeth isn't good to look at - not a good look. It's going to draw attention to him and not do him any favours." To enable continuity the character was scripted a slight speech impediment
, behind the scenes Quinlan had a special palette fitted, it was a real one fitted by real life dentists and paid for by the show, it would black the character's front teeth and leave a chipped one at the side. Quinlan also revealed it was quite difficult to speak when wearing it, but praised it as being realistic to have some form of speech impediment having teeth knocked out. Talking of his character's changes and lessons learnt during the special episodes Quinlan said: "I think Gilly's learnt to chill out a little, not to follow the crowd and be a sheep. Everyone was drinking loads, he got caught up in it and he came out on the wrong side of it. So, I think there is a lesson learned there - Gilly will do his own thing and not drink as much."
(Carley Stenson
). After failing he acted out of character and struck up a scam date with Cheryl Brady
(Bronagh Waugh
) to make Steph jealous but it back-fired when his false tooth came loose in Cheryl's mouth. He later has relationships with Cheryl and Jem Costello
(Helen Russell-Clark). Another change implemented during this period was a dramatic change to the character's appearance after new series producer Lucy Allan
and Quinlan came to a mutual decision to transform his hairstyle by shaving it all off, a stark contrast as during his early years he was constantly seen with long hair.
After Gilly eventually starts a relationship with Steph, she is diagnosed with cervical cancer and initially keeps the news a secret from him. Stenson spoke of Steph's reasoning stating: "With Gilly, she's embarrassed and doesn't want him to look after her." Speaking of the storyline Quinlan stated during an interview with Inside Soap
: "I think Gilly's really gutted that he didn't get together with Steph sooner - he wasted so much time with Cheryl and Jem, when really he was in love with her." At one point Steph cancels her wedding to Gilly because he cannot accept she is dying, of this Quinlan states: "His denial is not helping her. She's tying to take this in her stride and wants to spend quality time with the people she loves before she goes. She tells him he has to accept she's going to die or the wedding is off. and she hands back her engagement ring." Quinlan has also stated he was eager for the pair to marry because of the "tear jerking" scenes it would create. Steph is killed off during a special week of episodes dubbed "fire week". The cast filmed many stunts themselves, and Quinlan filmed scenes in front of a burning set, and he stated he "was very manly about it" whilst filming a ladder rescue scene. Gilly's immediate grief resulted in the characters name trending on Twitter
, of this Quinlan stated: "So glad that the ep had the impact that was desired! Buzzing Gilly is trended again!" Gilly's grief is made worse because of Steph making the decision to die prematurely. Conversing this Quinlan said: "He's grieving - he just can't understand why she took her life like that." He added that Gilly's grief turns to anger because he cannot get the answers to his questions. Quinlan opined that he wanted Gilly to take a different root stating: "I'd like to see Gilly go down a bit of a different route because he’s been a bit of a push-over in the past. I'd like to see his character progress a bit more and I'd like to see a side of him that we haven't seen before." Gilly's grief then continued to get worse with Quinlan adding: "The poor guy's heading off on a very dark journey that I'm sure he'll live to regret." As Gilly is still so angry, at Steph's funeral, the director of the episode asked Quinlan not to cry at all during the ceremony. Quinlan added "It was all so heartfelt, though, that I broke down for real a few times - and I think that's going to come across in the final episode."
(Karen Hassan
), he initially fears he is moving on to soon. Whilst interviewed by Inside Soap
Quinlan describes the scenes in which they share their first kiss stating: "Gilly gets a new job at Look Sharpe as a personal trainer, and invites Lynsey for a free session, Lynsey's looking pretty good when she turns up, so Gilly gets a bit sweaty and hot under the collar - and she ends up hopping into the tub and dragging Gilly in fully clothed!" They later meet up and feel awkward because of Gilly's grief for Steph, of this Quinlan adds: "They're getting on well, but as soon as the word date is mentioned, it goes a bit wrong, nerves get the better of them and they have a huge row." Off-screen Quinlan was not happy with the fact Gilly is trying to move on quick, of this he states: "I thought it was a bit harsh, it feels like it's a little too soon, doesn't it? We'll just have to wait and see what the future holds for Gilly and Lynsey - but there's no comparison to Steph..."
In December 2010 Channel 4 released a press statement which revealed Jacqui McQueen (Claire Cooper
) would cheat on Rhys with Gilly and that the night's events would "change their lives forever". It was later announced that the storyline would see Jacqui accusing Gilly of raping her. The storyline received much coverage in various tabloid newspapers who also branded it as a "shock plot" for the serial. None of the cast members involved in the storyline knew if Jacqui had actually been raped, of this Cooper states: 'They're telling the same story but are looking at it from different angles. Just who to believe is a very grey area. It will split the village and the viewers. We don't know what happened that night, We've just been told that our characters each think they're telling the truth. [Anthony] and I have talked about it a lot. I even read his scripts to try to work it out. The outcome will be a surprise for both of us.'
The storyline began to play out on-screen in February 2011, describing how it starts to develop and the effects it has on Gilly, a spokesperson for the serial told Inside Soap: "She runs into Gilly who's also got relationship problems,. The drink starts to flow, and one thing leads to another... Gilly consumed with guilt over sleeping with his best friend's girlfriend, it doesn't help that Jacqui leaves Gilly's place while he's asleep - and runs into Rhys. But after Gilly wakes up, he knows he has to tell his mate what he's done. When Gilly confesses, Rhys is both furious and hurt, and lashes out violently. [...] Once he's confronted Gilly, he demands an explanation from Jacqui - and is stunned when she tells him she was actually raped, it's absolutely devastating." The storyline later takes another turn when Gilly confronts Jacqui in the village with everyone watching, leading everyone to doubt if he did commit the act or not.
It was later revealed that the details were left unclear because Lime Pictures had decided to leave the outcome of the rape trial to viewers. Viewers have been given the chance to apply for the fictional jury, consisting of a cross section of society, including non-Hollyoaks viewers. They will be shown evidence from the case and then decide whether Gilly is guilty or innocent. Chief executive of Lime Pictures, Carolyn Reynolds stated: "We wanted to open up the thorny issue of how hard it is to be a juror and whether the court room is the best place to resolve some of these questions about rape." The storyline was developed with the "St Mary's Sexual Assault Referral Centre" and other charities. DCI Ben Snuggs, leader of Don't Cross the Line campaign, explained: "This storyline represents an issue that we see all too often, involving whether consent is clear on the part of both parties involved in sexual activity, and particularly when alcohol and drugs are involved."
In late 2011, Quinlan announced his departure from Hollyoaks. The serial decided to write a conclusion to the rape storyline, airing in a special three-hander episode centered around Gilly, Jacqui and Rhys.
(Jennifer Biddall
) and assumes the role of her wannabe boyfriend. This leads to him pretending to be a philosophy student just to get close to her and finds a rival in Mark Jury
(Asier Newman), Jessica's real boyfriend. The two battled for affections but Jessica could not decide between them and ended both relationships. Neville
(Jim Millea
) buys Drive 'n' Buy and Gilly becomes an employee, mainly so he can become close to Sarah Barnes
(Loui Batley
). The pair start going on dates, however, Sarah loses interest. Any chance of a relationship ends when Gilly reveals Rhys slept with her mother, Kathy Barnes
(Sarah Jane Buckley
). Rhys becomes jealous over Gilly and Sarah and kicks him out of the home. Gilly moves into the student halls with ex-girlfriend, Jess. After Gilly defends Zak after he is accused of stealing Zoë's belongings, he and Rhys renew their friendship and he moves back into the Ashworths'. Gilly finds out Rhys is an escort and decides to be one himself, unaware the job involves nothing sexual.
Rhys discovers Zak and Gilly are planning a strip show at nightclub The Loft. Rhys agrees to join, however, is replaced by Calvin Valentine
(Ricky Whittle
). During the strip show, Rhys tries to chat up a girl, who is only interested in Gilly. Gilly meets a young woman named Molly Traverse (Kate Deakin), whom he is put off by when she mentions marriage. During her battle with anorexia, Hannah Ashworth
(Emma Rigby
) and friend, Melissa Hurst (Carla Chases
), begin being horrible to Gilly. Hannah hits him, however, after returning from hospital, she apologises. After finding out his girlfriend Beth is his half-sister, Rhys begins being jealous after she and Gilly grow close. Gilly and Beth grow closer and kiss. They start a relationship and agree to take it slowly. Gilly decides to become a lifeguard. Whilst cleaning up, Gilly sees boss, Simon Crosby (Simon Lawson), leaving a cubicle with a crying child. Gilly automatically assumes he is a paedophile. Gilly breaks into Simon's house and finds pictures of children in their swimwear, one of whom is Tom Cunningham
(Ellis Hollins
). He also finds a boy's room with a lock on the door. Gilly shows various residents the proof. Angry parents begin to gather outside Simon's home and vandalise it by smashing the windows. Realsing his reputation is ruined, Simon attempts suicide
. Simon's wife Gemma Grosby (Gemma Langford) shows Gilly a picture of their son, who died. Gilly realises Simon is innocent and feels guilty.
Gilly goes backpacking around Thailand
. At this time, Beth and Rhys rekindle their romance and start an affair. Guilty, Beth leaves with Gilly and they return later in 2008. Gilly proposes to Beth, who agrees to make Rhys, who is in a relationship with Mercedes McQueen
(Jennifer Metcalfe
), jealous. Michaela McQueen
(Hollie-Jay Bowes
) catches Rhys and Beth kissing and tells Gilly, who refuses to believe. Later, Michaela tells Gilly to go home in an attempt to make him see the truth. Gilly does so and catches Rhys and Beth sleeping together. He begins to beat up Rhys and calls the police. Realising they face a prison sentence for incest, Rhys and Beth leave Hollyoaks, however, they are involved in a car crash which results in Beth's death. After time away, Rhys returns and he and Gilly decide to make up.
Gilly meets Leila Roy
(Lena Kaur
) and the pair begin a relationship. The romance is short as Leila tells Gilly they cannot be together. Gilly is upset by the breakup. After a break of several months, Gilly returned. At the SU Bar, Gilly begins looking for a new girlfriend with Josh Ashworth
(Sonny Flood
). A drunken Hannah then throws herself at Gilly and tries to kiss him. Gilly tells her he sees her as a sister. She then apologises. In Hollyoaks: The Morning After the Night Before, Gilly goes to Manchester
to party with Josh. Josh and Gilly begin a fight which ends with Gilly losing his front teeth. After returning to the village, Gilly begins to develop feelings for Steph and is jealous towards her relationship with Fernando Fernandez (Jeronimo Best).
Whilst at a boot camp trip with Steph and Fernando, Steph believes Gilly has feelings for Sarah, and is unaware his feelings are for her. During the trip, after Steph, Fernando and Gilly leave, Sarah is killed in a tragic parachute jump. Gilly writes a poem for Steph, and in it, offends Fernando. When Steph reads it she is angry at Gilly, who tells her it is Rhys who has the feelings for her. Fernando punches Rhys as Gilly convinces Steph he had nothing to do with the poem. In order to make Steph jealous, Gilly kisses Cheryl who is trying to make Calvin jealous. Despite using him, Cheryl develops true feelings for Gilly. Frankie Osborne
(Helen Pearson
) works out that Gilly is in love with Steph. However, Gilly denies it, saying that he loves Cheryl. Cheryl catches Gilly looking at an engagement ring, which Fernando has bought for Steph. She assumes the ring is for her and tells everyone in The Dog in the Pond that she and Gilly are getting married. Gilly reluctantly goes along, not wanting to hurt her feelings. Cheryl notices the growing closeness between Gilly and Steph and confronts him. On discovering he is in love with Steph, she breaks off their engagement, at the same time Steph and Fernando break up. Gilly goes travelling with Zoe and Mike Barnes
(Tony Hirst
). Steph, after being told about Gilly's feelings for her, rushes after him to admit her love just as Gilly leaves. Gilly returns on 5 March with his girlfriend Jem. Steph is upset when he proposes to Jem. Steph admits her feelings to Gilly, but he decides to stay with Jem. Rhys tells Jem that Gilly still loves Steph causing them to split up. Gilly and Steph finally confess their true feelings to each other and begin a relationship.
Steph is diagnosed with cervical cancer
and does not tell Gilly, who later finds out from Cheryl. Gilly is angry at Steph for keeping this from him. Steph undergoes a hysterectomy to remove the cancer. However, doctors tell her and Gilly it failed. She is soon told her cancer is terminal. Gilly takes the news bad. The pair split up when Steph feels it is unfair on Gilly, but they get back together and start to plan their wedding. Gilly and Steph eventually get married beside the village river.
Gilly and Steph take a walk round the village on bonfire night where she finally admits she's scared of dying, they have a heart to heart conversation where she realises she's it is how she is going to die that scares her. When the pair see restaurant Il Gnosh on fire, Gilly rings for help whilst Steph runs into the burning building to save Amy Barnes
(Ashley Slanina-Davies
) and her children. Gilly stands on a ladder outside and begs her to come out, however she tells him she's ready to die and walks back into the flames. Gilly deals with his grief by becoming angry that Steph has 'left' him. After Rhys tries to comfort him, Gilly goes into Steph's room and trashes it after seeing that she has still kept her photo of her and Max Cunningham
(Matt Littler
) on their wedding day, placed on a table. Gilly argues with Steph's family as they blame him for not saving her and disagree on the funeral arrangements. Frankie then tells him that Steph had never loved him and that Max would have done anything to save Steph from the fire, making him further deeply upset and angry. He starts drinking heavily, causing trouble on many occasions.
Gilly starts to date Lynsey, he intially thinks it is too soon after Steph's death. He is shocked when she finds a lump and it halts their relationship. He sleeps with Jacqui when they get drunk, she tells Rhys he sexually assaulted her. She reports him to the police and Gilly faces trial. Steph's family support Gilly however many villagers do not.
During the trial it is shown Gilly and Jacqui remember the same events very differently. The jury find Gilly not guilty however the events ruin Gilly and Rhys' friendship as Rhys eventually believes Jacqui. Lynsey also takes Jacqui's side. Gilly then goes to spend some time away from the village. He returns in September and is given a job at Chez Chez by Cheryl leading Rhys to quit before punching him.
. He was also nominated in the category of "Best Serial Drama Performance" at the 2011 National Television Awards
. That same year he was nominated in the category of "Best Actor" at the British Soap Awards
. Ruth Deller of Lowculture
has criticised Gilly, branding him as a poor character. Commenting on Steph's death she stated: "No wonder that, gazing upon his face, she realised she was better off burning to death than enduring one more day staring at him." She praised Paul Marquess' cast cull of 2010, but stated that Gilly is "still hanging around like that bit of dog mess you can’t get out of the grooves in your trainers." She also opined: "A damp drizzle of a character, Gilly hasn’t worked as Rhys’s wide boy sidekick, hasn’t worked as a loved-up hippy, hasn’t worked as a doting husband, doesn’t work on any level." Also stating she wanted Hollyoaks serial killer Silas Blissett
(Jeff Rawle
) to kill him. Colin Robertson, writing for British tabloid newspaper The Sun brands Gilly a kind-hearted type character.
Roz Laws writing for the Sunday Mercury
felt there was "plenty of chemistry" present between Gilly and Steph. Their relationship was frequently commented on by the Daily Mail
Jaci Stephen in her weekly soap column. She expressed disinterest in Steph and Cheryl's rivalry over Gilly, and found it implausible that Jem and Steph would quarrel over him. When the two finally admitted their feelings for one another in May 2010, Stephen accurately predicted that their happiness would be short-lived. She bemoaned the lack of subtlety in the scripting of the lead-up to their wedding, observing: "Of course, you know that the moment she says that nothing is going to stop her marrying Gilly, the Grim Reaper will be pulling up in his hearse, shortly behind the wedding car."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the British Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
soap opera Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
, played by Anthony Quinlan
Anthony Quinlan
Anthony Quinlan is an English actor, known for his role as Gilly Roach in the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.-References:Quinlan was nominated for sexiest male at the 2010 Inside Soap Awards.[29] He was also nominated in the category of "Best Serial Drama Performance" at the 2011 National...
. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 4 October 2005. Gilly was created in 2005 by executive producer David Hanson. Gilly has often been portrayed as a push-over and has a double act partnership with fellow character Rhys Ashworth
Rhys Ashworth
Rhys Lesley Ashworth is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Andrew Moss. He made his first on-screen appearance on 4 October 2005.-Character creation and casting:...
. His main character traits have been his "nice attitude", with Quinlan branding Gilly in his first five years as a "push-over". He has been labelled a loser and unlucky in love after failed relationships with Jessica Harris
Jessica Harris
Jessica Florida Harris is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jennifer Biddall. She debuted on-screen during episodes airing in October 2005. Biddal decided to leave the serial in 2007, Jessica last appeared in 2008 and Biddall has since admitted she...
, Beth Clement
Beth Clement
Beth Clement is a fictional character from long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Sinéad Moynihan. Beth first appeared as a student at Hollyoaks Community College, studying for a nursing degree and was later involved in an incest storyline with half-brother, Rhys Ashworth...
, Cheryl Brady
Cheryl Brady
Cheryl Brady is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Bronagh Waugh. The character first appeared on-screen on 25 November 2008, during the first series of the Hollyoaks spin-off, Hollyoaks Later, as the former love interest of Malachy Fisher...
and Jem Costello
Jem Costello
Jem Costello is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Helen Russell-Clark. She made her first on-screen appearance on 5 March 2010.-Character creation and casting:...
. In 2009, executive producer Lucy Alan
Lucy Allan (producer)
Lucy Jane Allan is a British television producer, best known for her work on Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.Allan's other credited work include a script editor for Dream Team and assistant to director in Chica de Río....
made changes to the character and reached a mutual agreement with Quinlan to shave off his hair, which has characterised Gilly during his early years.
In 2010 he was paired with Steph Cunningham
Steph Cunningham
Stephanie "Steph" Roach is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Carley Stenson. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 8 March 2000 and is the second longest featured regular female character in the history of Hollyoaks...
, who was later killed on-screen after Stenson quit her role. This resulted in a long-running storyline for Gilly in which he was seen taking a "dark journey" unable to cope with grief. Another big storyline for the character occurs in 2011 when Jacqui McQueen accuses him of rape; the storyline subsequently received media attention. A fictional jury consisting of viewers is to decide if he is guilty or innocent. Other storylines have involved the effects of binge drinking, which was portrayed during an online spin-off drama. Gilly has sometimes proved unpopular with television critics, with one branding him a "dampy drizzle of a character". Quinlan has also been nominated for minor awards for his portrayal. In 2011, it was anounced that Quinlan would be leaving the serial to persue other projects and would leave at the end of the rape storyline.
Relationship with Beth Clement
BBC AmericaBBC America
BBC America is an American television network, owned and operated by BBC Worldwide, and available on both cable and satellite.-History:The channel launched on March 29, 1998, broadcasting comedy, drama and lifestyle programs from BBC Television and other British television broadcasters like ITV and...
describe Gilly on their official website stating: "His most endearing quality is his honesty and despite his countless flaws, what you see is what you get. He's hardly a ladykiller but what he lacks in appearance he makes up for with charisma." E4 publicity describe Gilly as fun-loving and always trying to woo females but hardly manages to impress them and has also been described as unlucky-in-love after his failed relationships. Initially he failed to impress females and didn't have much in common with them. Gilly has been portrayed as a strong supporter of Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
, it was this single thing that drew him and Beth Clement
Beth Clement
Beth Clement is a fictional character from long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Sinéad Moynihan. Beth first appeared as a student at Hollyoaks Community College, studying for a nursing degree and was later involved in an incest storyline with half-brother, Rhys Ashworth...
(Sinéad Moynihan
Sinead Moynihan
Sinéad Bernadette Moynihan is an English model and actress, best known for her roles as Ashley Webb in Drop Dead Gorgeous, Hollyoaks Beth Clement, and Abby Jones in How Not To Live Your Life....
) together. Gilly was later made a fool of by Beth and his best friend Rhys Ashworth
Rhys Ashworth
Rhys Lesley Ashworth is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Andrew Moss. He made his first on-screen appearance on 4 October 2005.-Character creation and casting:...
(Andrew Moss
Andrew Moss
Andrew "Andy" Moss is an English television actor. He is currently best known for playing Rhys Ashworth in the Channel 4 teenage soap opera Hollyoaks since 2005.-TV credits:...
) after they continued an affair despite the fact they were siblings, they split, Beth subsequently died and due to Gilly's forgiving personality he later forgave Rhys. Holy Soap
Holy Soap
Holy Soap is a UK television and entertainment website founded in June 2009 by the British television company Channel 5. The website is the official UK home of the Australian soap operas Home and Away and Neighbours, which are broadcast on the channel...
opined that this was a stand out moment of the character's duration. Another storyline showing his timid personality was when he was mugged by a group of teenagers and was left fearing for his safety and even let them pick on him on the streets. In a further twist Gilly was left feeling so ashamed of the attack he pretended it was adult attackers fearing what people would think of him.
Binge drinking
During a spin-off series titled Hollyoaks: The Morning After The Night BeforeHollyoaks: The Morning After the Night Before
Hollyoaks: The Morning After the Night Before was a British Internet Serial-Drama,which began airing on 6 July 2009. A spin-off from the established Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks, it was set in the city of Manchester a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester...
, Gilly and Josh Ashworth
Josh Ashworth
Joshua Josh Ashworth is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Sonny Flood. He dedbuted on-screen during the episode airing on 3 October 2005 and left on 14 July 2010, after his character was axed by executive producer Paul Marquess...
head to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. The series explored the dangers of bringe drinking and was funded by the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
. This was the start of changes implemented to the character that would continue into the main series. During the spin-off he was portrayed having negative experiences with excessive alcohol consumption, of this Quinlan said: "Gilly and Josh had a little fight over Ruby (Nika McGuigan), so the character did change due to all the drink consumed. His mood changed further when he attempted to run after Josh after the scuffle, and fell down a set of stairs in the nightclub, losing some of his teeth. After the incident he couldn't wait to get back home to the village."He then stated that he wanted viewers to learn from his character's scenario and be responsible while drinking, stating: "It will make people think twice about binge drinking and make people aware of the consequences if you do." When the character lost his teeth it made the character's low confidence worsen, Quinlan made comment of this saying: "Gilly's confidence was always low really - self-confidence, self-belief. But having no teeth isn't good to look at - not a good look. It's going to draw attention to him and not do him any favours." To enable continuity the character was scripted a slight speech impediment
Speech disorder
Speech disorders or speech impediments are a type of communication disorders where 'normal' speech is disrupted. This can mean stuttering, lisps, etc. Someone who is unable to speak due to a speech disorder is considered mute.-Classification:...
, behind the scenes Quinlan had a special palette fitted, it was a real one fitted by real life dentists and paid for by the show, it would black the character's front teeth and leave a chipped one at the side. Quinlan also revealed it was quite difficult to speak when wearing it, but praised it as being realistic to have some form of speech impediment having teeth knocked out. Talking of his character's changes and lessons learnt during the special episodes Quinlan said: "I think Gilly's learnt to chill out a little, not to follow the crowd and be a sheep. Everyone was drinking loads, he got caught up in it and he came out on the wrong side of it. So, I think there is a lesson learned there - Gilly will do his own thing and not drink as much."
Relationship with Steph Cunningham
Gilly was later seen using his new look in attempt to get the affections of Steph CunninghamSteph Cunningham
Stephanie "Steph" Roach is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Carley Stenson. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 8 March 2000 and is the second longest featured regular female character in the history of Hollyoaks...
(Carley Stenson
Carley Stenson
Carley Anne Stenson is an English actress and singer, best known for playing Steph Cunningham in the Channel 4 series Hollyoaks. She also appeared as a performer in Abbamania, and is a member of the all-female band Diamond...
). After failing he acted out of character and struck up a scam date with Cheryl Brady
Cheryl Brady
Cheryl Brady is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Bronagh Waugh. The character first appeared on-screen on 25 November 2008, during the first series of the Hollyoaks spin-off, Hollyoaks Later, as the former love interest of Malachy Fisher...
(Bronagh Waugh
Bronagh Waugh
Bronagh Waugh is a Northern Irish actress currently playing the character of Cheryl Brady in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks as well as appearing on T4 On The Beach as herself....
) to make Steph jealous but it back-fired when his false tooth came loose in Cheryl's mouth. He later has relationships with Cheryl and Jem Costello
Jem Costello
Jem Costello is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Helen Russell-Clark. She made her first on-screen appearance on 5 March 2010.-Character creation and casting:...
(Helen Russell-Clark). Another change implemented during this period was a dramatic change to the character's appearance after new series producer Lucy Allan
Lucy Allan
Lucy Allan is an Australian football player, who currently plays for Canberra United FC in the Australian W-League.-References:...
and Quinlan came to a mutual decision to transform his hairstyle by shaving it all off, a stark contrast as during his early years he was constantly seen with long hair.
After Gilly eventually starts a relationship with Steph, she is diagnosed with cervical cancer and initially keeps the news a secret from him. Stenson spoke of Steph's reasoning stating: "With Gilly, she's embarrassed and doesn't want him to look after her." Speaking of the storyline Quinlan stated during an interview with Inside Soap
Inside Soap
Inside Soap is a weekly UK magazine, released every Tuesday. It covers current and future storylines in soap operas shown in the United Kingdom....
: "I think Gilly's really gutted that he didn't get together with Steph sooner - he wasted so much time with Cheryl and Jem, when really he was in love with her." At one point Steph cancels her wedding to Gilly because he cannot accept she is dying, of this Quinlan states: "His denial is not helping her. She's tying to take this in her stride and wants to spend quality time with the people she loves before she goes. She tells him he has to accept she's going to die or the wedding is off. and she hands back her engagement ring." Quinlan has also stated he was eager for the pair to marry because of the "tear jerking" scenes it would create. Steph is killed off during a special week of episodes dubbed "fire week". The cast filmed many stunts themselves, and Quinlan filmed scenes in front of a burning set, and he stated he "was very manly about it" whilst filming a ladder rescue scene. Gilly's immediate grief resulted in the characters name trending on Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
, of this Quinlan stated: "So glad that the ep had the impact that was desired! Buzzing Gilly is trended again!" Gilly's grief is made worse because of Steph making the decision to die prematurely. Conversing this Quinlan said: "He's grieving - he just can't understand why she took her life like that." He added that Gilly's grief turns to anger because he cannot get the answers to his questions. Quinlan opined that he wanted Gilly to take a different root stating: "I'd like to see Gilly go down a bit of a different route because he’s been a bit of a push-over in the past. I'd like to see his character progress a bit more and I'd like to see a side of him that we haven't seen before." Gilly's grief then continued to get worse with Quinlan adding: "The poor guy's heading off on a very dark journey that I'm sure he'll live to regret." As Gilly is still so angry, at Steph's funeral, the director of the episode asked Quinlan not to cry at all during the ceremony. Quinlan added "It was all so heartfelt, though, that I broke down for real a few times - and I think that's going to come across in the final episode."
Sexual assault
Gilly later finds himself attracted to Lynsey NolanLynsey Nolan
Lynsey Nolan is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Karen Hassan. The character originally appeared in the first series of the Hollyoaks spin-off, Hollyoaks Later, as the former girlfriend of Kris Fisher...
(Karen Hassan
Karen Hassan
Karen Hassan is a British actress, born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Her work includes roles in Hollyoaks Later and Hunger. As of 2010 she is playing Lynsey Nolan in the main series of Hollyoaks.-Hollyoaks:...
), he initially fears he is moving on to soon. Whilst interviewed by Inside Soap
Inside Soap
Inside Soap is a weekly UK magazine, released every Tuesday. It covers current and future storylines in soap operas shown in the United Kingdom....
Quinlan describes the scenes in which they share their first kiss stating: "Gilly gets a new job at Look Sharpe as a personal trainer, and invites Lynsey for a free session, Lynsey's looking pretty good when she turns up, so Gilly gets a bit sweaty and hot under the collar - and she ends up hopping into the tub and dragging Gilly in fully clothed!" They later meet up and feel awkward because of Gilly's grief for Steph, of this Quinlan adds: "They're getting on well, but as soon as the word date is mentioned, it goes a bit wrong, nerves get the better of them and they have a huge row." Off-screen Quinlan was not happy with the fact Gilly is trying to move on quick, of this he states: "I thought it was a bit harsh, it feels like it's a little too soon, doesn't it? We'll just have to wait and see what the future holds for Gilly and Lynsey - but there's no comparison to Steph..."
In December 2010 Channel 4 released a press statement which revealed Jacqui McQueen (Claire Cooper
Claire Cooper
Claire Elizabeth Cooper is an English actress who currently plays Jacqui McQueen in British Channel 4 series Hollyoaks...
) would cheat on Rhys with Gilly and that the night's events would "change their lives forever". It was later announced that the storyline would see Jacqui accusing Gilly of raping her. The storyline received much coverage in various tabloid newspapers who also branded it as a "shock plot" for the serial. None of the cast members involved in the storyline knew if Jacqui had actually been raped, of this Cooper states: 'They're telling the same story but are looking at it from different angles. Just who to believe is a very grey area. It will split the village and the viewers. We don't know what happened that night, We've just been told that our characters each think they're telling the truth. [Anthony] and I have talked about it a lot. I even read his scripts to try to work it out. The outcome will be a surprise for both of us.'
The storyline began to play out on-screen in February 2011, describing how it starts to develop and the effects it has on Gilly, a spokesperson for the serial told Inside Soap: "She runs into Gilly who's also got relationship problems,. The drink starts to flow, and one thing leads to another... Gilly consumed with guilt over sleeping with his best friend's girlfriend, it doesn't help that Jacqui leaves Gilly's place while he's asleep - and runs into Rhys. But after Gilly wakes up, he knows he has to tell his mate what he's done. When Gilly confesses, Rhys is both furious and hurt, and lashes out violently. [...] Once he's confronted Gilly, he demands an explanation from Jacqui - and is stunned when she tells him she was actually raped, it's absolutely devastating." The storyline later takes another turn when Gilly confronts Jacqui in the village with everyone watching, leading everyone to doubt if he did commit the act or not.
It was later revealed that the details were left unclear because Lime Pictures had decided to leave the outcome of the rape trial to viewers. Viewers have been given the chance to apply for the fictional jury, consisting of a cross section of society, including non-Hollyoaks viewers. They will be shown evidence from the case and then decide whether Gilly is guilty or innocent. Chief executive of Lime Pictures, Carolyn Reynolds stated: "We wanted to open up the thorny issue of how hard it is to be a juror and whether the court room is the best place to resolve some of these questions about rape." The storyline was developed with the "St Mary's Sexual Assault Referral Centre" and other charities. DCI Ben Snuggs, leader of Don't Cross the Line campaign, explained: "This storyline represents an issue that we see all too often, involving whether consent is clear on the part of both parties involved in sexual activity, and particularly when alcohol and drugs are involved."
In late 2011, Quinlan announced his departure from Hollyoaks. The serial decided to write a conclusion to the rape storyline, airing in a special three-hander episode centered around Gilly, Jacqui and Rhys.
Storylines
Gilly is from Manchester. When the Ashworths move to Hollyoaks, Gilly decides to move with them. He sneaks into a Halloween party at HCC, Gilly kisses Jessica HarrisJessica Harris
Jessica Florida Harris is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jennifer Biddall. She debuted on-screen during episodes airing in October 2005. Biddal decided to leave the serial in 2007, Jessica last appeared in 2008 and Biddall has since admitted she...
(Jennifer Biddall
Jennifer Biddall
Jennifer Biddall is an English actress who played the part of Jessica Harris in Hollyoaks from 2005 to 2008.She was born in Bath, Somerset and grew up in Corsham, Wiltshire. Before studying at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, she travelled around the Greek islands...
) and assumes the role of her wannabe boyfriend. This leads to him pretending to be a philosophy student just to get close to her and finds a rival in Mark Jury
Mark Jury
Mark Jury is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Ash Newman. Mark debuted on-screen in 2005 and remained up until his depature the following year.-Casting:...
(Asier Newman), Jessica's real boyfriend. The two battled for affections but Jessica could not decide between them and ended both relationships. Neville
Neville Ashworth
Neville "Nev" Ashworth is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jim Millea. He debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 3 October 2005 and was created by David Hanson...
(Jim Millea
Jim Millea
Jim Millea is an English actor who plays small businessman and publican Neville Ashworth in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks....
) buys Drive 'n' Buy and Gilly becomes an employee, mainly so he can become close to Sarah Barnes
Sarah Barnes
Sarah Barnes is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Loui Batley. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 10 October 2005. Sarah was created by executive producer David Hanson as part of the Barnes family. In 2009 Batley quit the serial in...
(Loui Batley
Loui Batley
Louie Anne Batley is an English actress, singer and dancer best known for her role in Hollyoaks as Sarah Barnes...
). The pair start going on dates, however, Sarah loses interest. Any chance of a relationship ends when Gilly reveals Rhys slept with her mother, Kathy Barnes
Kathy Barnes
Katherine "Kathy" Barnes is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Sarah Jane Buckley. Kathy arrived in 2005 and in October 2007, it was announced that the character had been written out of the show...
(Sarah Jane Buckley
Sarah Jane Buckley
Sarah Jane Buckley is an actress and singer. She is also an ambassador for The Prince's Trust.She was well-known for playing Kathy Barnes in Hollyoaks from November 2005 to January 2008. These days, Sarah likes to teach acting, which she does so in workshops held for aspiring young amateur...
). Rhys becomes jealous over Gilly and Sarah and kicks him out of the home. Gilly moves into the student halls with ex-girlfriend, Jess. After Gilly defends Zak after he is accused of stealing Zoë's belongings, he and Rhys renew their friendship and he moves back into the Ashworths'. Gilly finds out Rhys is an escort and decides to be one himself, unaware the job involves nothing sexual.
Rhys discovers Zak and Gilly are planning a strip show at nightclub The Loft. Rhys agrees to join, however, is replaced by Calvin Valentine
Calvin Valentine
Calvin Valentine is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Ricky Whittle. He arrived in July 2006 as a police officer with his mother and younger siblings and made his final appearance on 21 May 2010 after he was murdered by Theresa McQueen. Whittle...
(Ricky Whittle
Ricky Whittle
Ricky Whittle is a British actor from Oldham, Greater Manchester.-Biography:The son of former Royal Air Force serviceman Harry Whittle, Whittle grew up travelling with his father's career around the world, with a home base at Burghfield Common near Reading, Berkshire.A keen sportsman, Whittle...
). During the strip show, Rhys tries to chat up a girl, who is only interested in Gilly. Gilly meets a young woman named Molly Traverse (Kate Deakin), whom he is put off by when she mentions marriage. During her battle with anorexia, Hannah Ashworth
Hannah Ashworth
Hannah Rose Ashworth is a fictional character from long-running Channel 4 soap opera, Hollyoaks, played by Emma Rigby. Hannah first appeared on-screen from October 3, 2005 until her exit on February 12, 2010....
(Emma Rigby
Emma Rigby
Emma Catherine Rigby , is an English actress, best known for her role in Hollyoaks as Hannah Ashworth.-Career:In February 2010 Emma Completed, with International Fashion Photographer Rory Lewis.-Television:...
) and friend, Melissa Hurst (Carla Chases
Carla Chases
Carla Chases Carla Chases Carla Chases (born in Buckinghamshire, England, is an English actress, best known for playing anorexic model Melissa Hurst in the Channel 4 teen soap opera Hollyoaks...
), begin being horrible to Gilly. Hannah hits him, however, after returning from hospital, she apologises. After finding out his girlfriend Beth is his half-sister, Rhys begins being jealous after she and Gilly grow close. Gilly and Beth grow closer and kiss. They start a relationship and agree to take it slowly. Gilly decides to become a lifeguard. Whilst cleaning up, Gilly sees boss, Simon Crosby (Simon Lawson), leaving a cubicle with a crying child. Gilly automatically assumes he is a paedophile. Gilly breaks into Simon's house and finds pictures of children in their swimwear, one of whom is Tom Cunningham
Tom Cunningham
Thomas "Tom" Cunningham is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Ellis Hollins. Hollins has portrayed the character since his birth in 1999.-Storylines:...
(Ellis Hollins
Ellis Hollins
Ellis Hollins is a British Soap Award winning child actor. He is most famous for playing the role Tom Cunningham in the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, which he has played since 1999...
). He also finds a boy's room with a lock on the door. Gilly shows various residents the proof. Angry parents begin to gather outside Simon's home and vandalise it by smashing the windows. Realsing his reputation is ruined, Simon attempts suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
. Simon's wife Gemma Grosby (Gemma Langford) shows Gilly a picture of their son, who died. Gilly realises Simon is innocent and feels guilty.
Gilly goes backpacking around Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. At this time, Beth and Rhys rekindle their romance and start an affair. Guilty, Beth leaves with Gilly and they return later in 2008. Gilly proposes to Beth, who agrees to make Rhys, who is in a relationship with Mercedes McQueen
Mercedes McQueen
Mercedes Fisher is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jennifer Metcalfe. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 19 June 2006 as the first character to be introduced to the serial by series producer, Bryan Kirkwood...
(Jennifer Metcalfe
Jennifer Metcalfe
Jennifer Joanne Metcalfe is an English actress and model. She joined the cast of soap opera Hollyoaks in June 2006, playing feisty Mercedes McQueen.-Personal life:...
), jealous. Michaela McQueen
Michaela McQueen
Michaela McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Hollie-Jay Bowes. Michaela was the first of the McQueen family to be seen on-screen in 2006, when she was credited as Michaela Jones. On 8 June 2010, Hollie-Jay Bowes announced that she had quit...
(Hollie-Jay Bowes
Hollie-Jay Bowes
Hollie-Jay Bowes is an English actress best known for her role as Michaela McQueen in Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. Her parents changed her name from Billie Jean to Hollie Jean as her father thought she would get bullied at school and be called 'Billie Bowes', and at 13, she changed her name to...
) catches Rhys and Beth kissing and tells Gilly, who refuses to believe. Later, Michaela tells Gilly to go home in an attempt to make him see the truth. Gilly does so and catches Rhys and Beth sleeping together. He begins to beat up Rhys and calls the police. Realising they face a prison sentence for incest, Rhys and Beth leave Hollyoaks, however, they are involved in a car crash which results in Beth's death. After time away, Rhys returns and he and Gilly decide to make up.
Gilly meets Leila Roy
Leila Roy
Leila Roy is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Lena Kaur. The character made her first appearance in June 2008. In November 2009, it was announced that Kaur had quit the role and would leave in January 2010.-Backstory:Leila was born in 1989 to...
(Lena Kaur
Lena Kaur
Lena Kaur is a London-based British actress, perhaps best known for her role as Leila Roy in Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks.-Career:...
) and the pair begin a relationship. The romance is short as Leila tells Gilly they cannot be together. Gilly is upset by the breakup. After a break of several months, Gilly returned. At the SU Bar, Gilly begins looking for a new girlfriend with Josh Ashworth
Josh Ashworth
Joshua Josh Ashworth is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Sonny Flood. He dedbuted on-screen during the episode airing on 3 October 2005 and left on 14 July 2010, after his character was axed by executive producer Paul Marquess...
(Sonny Flood
Sonny Flood
-Background:Born in Blackpool, Lancashire, Flood was educated at Rossall School, near Fleetwood. In 2006 Flood passed ten GCSE exams all at either A or A*. In 2007, he achieved 4 'A's at AS level, in English Literature, History, Media Studies and Philosophy, and in 2008 he achieved a grade 'A' in...
). A drunken Hannah then throws herself at Gilly and tries to kiss him. Gilly tells her he sees her as a sister. She then apologises. In Hollyoaks: The Morning After the Night Before, Gilly goes to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
to party with Josh. Josh and Gilly begin a fight which ends with Gilly losing his front teeth. After returning to the village, Gilly begins to develop feelings for Steph and is jealous towards her relationship with Fernando Fernandez (Jeronimo Best).
Whilst at a boot camp trip with Steph and Fernando, Steph believes Gilly has feelings for Sarah, and is unaware his feelings are for her. During the trip, after Steph, Fernando and Gilly leave, Sarah is killed in a tragic parachute jump. Gilly writes a poem for Steph, and in it, offends Fernando. When Steph reads it she is angry at Gilly, who tells her it is Rhys who has the feelings for her. Fernando punches Rhys as Gilly convinces Steph he had nothing to do with the poem. In order to make Steph jealous, Gilly kisses Cheryl who is trying to make Calvin jealous. Despite using him, Cheryl develops true feelings for Gilly. Frankie Osborne
Frankie Osborne
Francine "Frankie" Osborne is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Helen Pearson. She made her first on-screen appearance on 9 October 2002...
(Helen Pearson
Helen Pearson
Helen Pearson is an English television actress, currently seen as Frankie Osborne in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks....
) works out that Gilly is in love with Steph. However, Gilly denies it, saying that he loves Cheryl. Cheryl catches Gilly looking at an engagement ring, which Fernando has bought for Steph. She assumes the ring is for her and tells everyone in The Dog in the Pond that she and Gilly are getting married. Gilly reluctantly goes along, not wanting to hurt her feelings. Cheryl notices the growing closeness between Gilly and Steph and confronts him. On discovering he is in love with Steph, she breaks off their engagement, at the same time Steph and Fernando break up. Gilly goes travelling with Zoe and Mike Barnes
Mike Barnes (Hollyoaks)
Michael "Mike" Barnes is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Tony Hirst. He first appeared in 2006. In 2010, soap opera magazine Inside Soap reported that the character would leave in late January with love interest Zoe Carpenter...
(Tony Hirst
Tony Hirst
Tony Hirst is a British actor and theatre director, best known for playing Mike Barnes on the British soap opera Hollyoaks and currently stars in Coronation Street as the love interest of Eileen Grimshaw.- Filmography :...
). Steph, after being told about Gilly's feelings for her, rushes after him to admit her love just as Gilly leaves. Gilly returns on 5 March with his girlfriend Jem. Steph is upset when he proposes to Jem. Steph admits her feelings to Gilly, but he decides to stay with Jem. Rhys tells Jem that Gilly still loves Steph causing them to split up. Gilly and Steph finally confess their true feelings to each other and begin a relationship.
Steph is diagnosed with cervical cancer
Cervical cancer
Cervical cancer is malignant neoplasm of the cervix uteri or cervical area. One of the most common symptoms is abnormal vaginal bleeding, but in some cases there may be no obvious symptoms until the cancer is in its advanced stages...
and does not tell Gilly, who later finds out from Cheryl. Gilly is angry at Steph for keeping this from him. Steph undergoes a hysterectomy to remove the cancer. However, doctors tell her and Gilly it failed. She is soon told her cancer is terminal. Gilly takes the news bad. The pair split up when Steph feels it is unfair on Gilly, but they get back together and start to plan their wedding. Gilly and Steph eventually get married beside the village river.
Gilly and Steph take a walk round the village on bonfire night where she finally admits she's scared of dying, they have a heart to heart conversation where she realises she's it is how she is going to die that scares her. When the pair see restaurant Il Gnosh on fire, Gilly rings for help whilst Steph runs into the burning building to save Amy Barnes
Amy Barnes
Amy Barnes is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Ashley Slanina-Davies. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 14 November 2005. Amy was created by executive producer David Hanson and Slanina-Davies was offered the role whilst looking for...
(Ashley Slanina-Davies
Ashley Slanina-Davies
Ashley Slanina-Davies is an English actress born in Standish, near Wigan, who is notable for playing the role of Amy Barnes on Channel 4's teen soap, Hollyoaks...
) and her children. Gilly stands on a ladder outside and begs her to come out, however she tells him she's ready to die and walks back into the flames. Gilly deals with his grief by becoming angry that Steph has 'left' him. After Rhys tries to comfort him, Gilly goes into Steph's room and trashes it after seeing that she has still kept her photo of her and Max Cunningham
Max Cunningham
Max Cunningham is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Matt Littler. From 1995 to 1996, Max was portrayed by Ben Sheriff before Littler took over. In 2008, Max, along with Tony Hutchinson , was the longest running character in Hollyoaks...
(Matt Littler
Matt Littler
Matt Littler is a British actor and director born in Bury, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom. He is most famous for playing the role Max Cunningham from 1997 to 2008 in the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.- Career :...
) on their wedding day, placed on a table. Gilly argues with Steph's family as they blame him for not saving her and disagree on the funeral arrangements. Frankie then tells him that Steph had never loved him and that Max would have done anything to save Steph from the fire, making him further deeply upset and angry. He starts drinking heavily, causing trouble on many occasions.
Gilly starts to date Lynsey, he intially thinks it is too soon after Steph's death. He is shocked when she finds a lump and it halts their relationship. He sleeps with Jacqui when they get drunk, she tells Rhys he sexually assaulted her. She reports him to the police and Gilly faces trial. Steph's family support Gilly however many villagers do not.
During the trial it is shown Gilly and Jacqui remember the same events very differently. The jury find Gilly not guilty however the events ruin Gilly and Rhys' friendship as Rhys eventually believes Jacqui. Lynsey also takes Jacqui's side. Gilly then goes to spend some time away from the village. He returns in September and is given a job at Chez Chez by Cheryl leading Rhys to quit before punching him.
Reception
Quinlan was nominated for sexiest male at the 2010 Inside Soap AwardsInside Soap Awards
The Inside Soap Awards is a yearly award ceremony run by Inside Soap magazine since 1996. The awards celebrate the British and Australian soap operas and their actors. Until 2007, EastEnders had won the award for "Best Soap" on every occasion...
. He was also nominated in the category of "Best Serial Drama Performance" at the 2011 National Television Awards
National Television Awards
The National Television Awards is a British television awards ceremony, broadcast by the ITV network and initiated in 1995. The National Television Awards are the most prominent ceremony for which the results are voted on by the general public. Because of the way the awards are decided, winners are...
. That same year he was nominated in the category of "Best Actor" at the British Soap Awards
British Soap Awards
The British Soap Awards is an annual awards ceremony to honour the best of British soap operas.The first event took place in 1999 and takes place in May each year. Although it is an ITV production, the events were held at the BBC Television Centre, in London until 2010. The 2011 awards relocated to...
. Ruth Deller of Lowculture
Lowculture
lowculture.co.uk is a UK television website founded in January 2003 by Paul Lang, who currently works as the art director of Doctor Who Adventures.-Purpose:...
has criticised Gilly, branding him as a poor character. Commenting on Steph's death she stated: "No wonder that, gazing upon his face, she realised she was better off burning to death than enduring one more day staring at him." She praised Paul Marquess' cast cull of 2010, but stated that Gilly is "still hanging around like that bit of dog mess you can’t get out of the grooves in your trainers." She also opined: "A damp drizzle of a character, Gilly hasn’t worked as Rhys’s wide boy sidekick, hasn’t worked as a loved-up hippy, hasn’t worked as a doting husband, doesn’t work on any level." Also stating she wanted Hollyoaks serial killer Silas Blissett
Silas Blissett
Silas Blissett is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jeff Rawle. Rawle's casting was announced in December 2010 and it was revealed that he would portray a killer. Rawle was approached by Hollyoaks and met with series producer, Paul Marquess, who...
(Jeff Rawle
Jeff Rawle
Jeff Rawle is a British actor, perhaps best known for playing the long-suffering George in the news-gathering sitcom Drop the Dead Donkey...
) to kill him. Colin Robertson, writing for British tabloid newspaper The Sun brands Gilly a kind-hearted type character.
Roz Laws writing for the Sunday Mercury
Sunday Mercury
Sunday Mercury is a Sunday tabloid published in Birmingham, UK, and owned by Trinity Mirror.The first editor was John Turner Fearon , who left the Dublin-based Freeman's Journal to take up the position...
felt there was "plenty of chemistry" present between Gilly and Steph. Their relationship was frequently commented on by the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
Jaci Stephen in her weekly soap column. She expressed disinterest in Steph and Cheryl's rivalry over Gilly, and found it implausible that Jem and Steph would quarrel over him. When the two finally admitted their feelings for one another in May 2010, Stephen accurately predicted that their happiness would be short-lived. She bemoaned the lack of subtlety in the scripting of the lead-up to their wedding, observing: "Of course, you know that the moment she says that nothing is going to stop her marrying Gilly, the Grim Reaper will be pulling up in his hearse, shortly behind the wedding car."
External links
- Character profile at E4
- Character profile at Holy SoapHoly SoapHoly Soap is a UK television and entertainment website founded in June 2009 by the British television company Channel 5. The website is the official UK home of the Australian soap operas Home and Away and Neighbours, which are broadcast on the channel...
- Character profiles at BBC AmericaBBC AmericaBBC America is an American television network, owned and operated by BBC Worldwide, and available on both cable and satellite.-History:The channel launched on March 29, 1998, broadcasting comedy, drama and lifestyle programs from BBC Television and other British television broadcasters like ITV and...