History of Hollyoaks
Encyclopedia
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...
began airing on 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...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on 23 October 1995. The target audience was that of teenagers and it initially dramatised the lives of seven of that age group who lived in the Hollyoaks, a fictional suburb in the city of Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Originally broadcast as one episode per week, in 2011 it is being shown five times weekly. Audience numbers have varied over its lifespan, with viewing figures well below one million being contrasted with highs of four million.
The series has always focused on rites of passage
Rite of passage
A rite of passage is a ritual event that marks a person's progress from one status to another. It is a universal phenomenon which can show anthropologists what social hierarchies, values and beliefs are important in specific cultures....
and has an element of comedy. Comments made by television critics early in its run regarding their view that there was too much emphasis on humour caused the programme's creator and executive producer. Phil Redmond
Phil Redmond
Phil Redmond CBE is an English television producer and screenwriter.He is well-known for creating several popular television series such as Grange Hill , Brookside and Hollyoaks...
, to introduce issue-led storylines which highlighted the taboo issues faced by teenagers. Jo Hallows, who took over from Redmond, continued this strategy by using plots such as male rape and self harm. She was replaced briefly by David Hanson
David Hanson
David Hanson may refer to:* David Hanson * David Hanson , ice hockey player, most famous for his role in Slap Shot* David Hanson , guitarist with progressive rock band GoodThunder...
and then Bryan Kirkwood
Bryan Kirkwood (producer)
Bryan Kirkwood is a Scottish-born British television producer. He was the producer of teen Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks from 2006 until 2009 and has been the executive producer of the BBC soap EastEnders since 2010.- Personal life :...
was appointed to the role. Kirkwood made substantial changes to the cast and the programme looked at issues such as homosexuality, HIV and domestic violence. During this period Hollyoaks began to receive higher viewing figures, won a higher number of awards and received praise from those who had previously criticised the show for its acting and storylines.
Kirkwood's deputy, Lucy Allan
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....
, replaced him and continued many of the themes as well as using devices such as a non-linear week of episodes which saw the episodes shown out of chronological order so as to keep viewers guessing how the events came to happen, a flash forward episode which saw the events of six months the future shown, a baby-snatch story and a child murder plot. She left her position when the viewing figures declined, being replaced in 2010 by Paul Marquess
Paul Marquess
Paul Marquess is a Northern Irish-born British television producer.-Television career:His credits include Brookside, The Bill and Family Affairs. He also originated the idea for the series Footballers' Wives...
, who began with a shake-up of the production team, the biggest cast cull since the show began and the introduction of over twenty new characters. Marquess stepped down from the role after one year and Gareth Philips
Gareth Philips
Gareth Philips is a British television producer. He is currently the producer of Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.-Radio and Television Presenter:Philips began his career, working on Radio Clatterbridge between 1995 and 1997...
took his position.
1990s
Suggestions for a serialised television drama that would explore the lives of late-teenage characters were put to producer Phil Redmond in the 1980s by viewers of his Grange HillGrange Hill
Grange Hill is a British television drama series originally made by the BBC. The show began in 1978 on BBC1 and was one of the longest running programmes on British television...
school-based drama series. The suggestions came from Grange Hill viewers but Redmond was unable to pursue the idea at the time due to his production commitments with another successful television drama serial, Brookside
Brookside
Brookside is a defunct British soap opera set in Liverpool, England. The series began on the launch night of Channel 4 on 2 November 1982, and ran for 21 years until 4 November 2003...
.
In the early 1990s UK television broadcaster 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...
sought ideas from independent production companies for a serial to be aimed at a teenage audience. At this point Redmond explored the earlier suggestions made to him, developed the theme and pitched it to the broadcaster as The Teenage Soap. He felt that there was a need for a home-grown British counterpart to the imported serials then being aired by other UK broadcasters and which targeted the teenage audience, such as Home and Away
Home and Away
Home and Away is an Australian soap opera that has been produced in Sydney since July 1987 and is airing on the Seven Network since 17 January 1988. It is the second-longest-running drama and most popular soap opera on Australian television...
, Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
and Beverley Hills 90210. Channel 4 chose Redmond's plans from the pitches presented to it and within months production had begun.
The premise of the serial at its inception was to focus on seven teenagers living in the city of Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
, and in particular to deal with teenage rites of passage
Rite of passage
A rite of passage is a ritual event that marks a person's progress from one status to another. It is a universal phenomenon which can show anthropologists what social hierarchies, values and beliefs are important in specific cultures....
. The first episode aired on 23 October 1995 and achieved an audience of three million in the UK. The seven principal characters were Natasha Andersen (played by Shebah Ronay), Kurt Benson
Kurt Benson
Kurt Benson is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jeremy Edwards. He debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 23 October 1995. He was created by Phil Redmond as one of the serial's original characters....
(Jeremy Edwards
Jeremy Edwards
Jeremy Edwards is an English actor and television presenter, who has appeared in the TV shows Hollyoaks and Holby City...
), Jambo Bolton
Jambo Bolton
James "Jambo" Bolton is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Will Mellor. He first appeared as an original character in 1995, before leaving in 1998...
(Will Mellor
Will Mellor
William "Will" Mellor is an English actor. He is known for his roles as Jambo Bolton in Hollyoaks, Gaz Wilkinson in comedy, Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps...
), Maddie Parker
Maddie Parker
Madeline "Maddie" Parker is a fictional character from the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, a long-running serial drama about life in a fictional suburb of Chester. She was played by actress Yasmin Bannerman between 1995 and 1997. Maddie was created by screenwriter Phil Redmond as one of Hollyoaks'...
(Yasmin Bannerman
Yasmin Bannerman
Yasmin Bannerman is an English actress. Bannerman was born and brought up in Gloucestershire and attended the Rose Bruford College in London until 1993...
), Dawn Cunningham
Dawn Cunningham
Dawn Cunningham is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Lisa Williamson. Williamson was cast as one of the original characters on Hollyoaks in 1995, however she left in 1997 when the character died....
(Lisa Williamson), Louise Taylor (Brett O'Brien) and Tony Hutchinson
Tony Hutchinson
Anthony "Tony" Hutchinson is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Nick Pickard. Tony first appeared on-screen on 23 October 1995, the first episode of the series, and is the only original character still on the show to the present day...
(Nick Pickard
Nick Pickard
Nicholas "Nick" Pickard is an English actor, best known for his role as Tony Hutchinson on soap opera Hollyoaks.He is currently the longest serving cast member and appeared in the very first episode in 1995...
).
The series, which aired once per week, was initially panned by television critics and was subject to adverse press attention, However it proved popular with the teenage audience at which it was aimed. In 1996 a second weekly episode was commissioned. Redmond did have to adjust the style of the series somewhat as audience opinion was found to be that in fact the programme concentrated too much on humour and not enough on serious storylines. An early example of the change in style to issue-focussed storylines was seen when Redmond wrote out the character of Natasha, killing her off with a spiked
Spiked
Spiked can mean:* Spiked , a British Internet-based magazine* Spiked , hairstyles featuring spikes* Spiked!, a Hardy Boys novel- See also :* Spike * Spicata, a Latin word with the same meaning...
drink.
Later in the 1990s a further two weekly episodes were commissioned to bring the total output to four episodes per week. Audiences rose to four million.
2000s
By March 2000, Redmond had handed over his production responsibilities to Jo Hallows and in that year a series of open auditions were held around the country using the title On The Pull. The number of attendees was far in excess of anticipations - indeed, there were thousands - but it is claimed that all were seen and the most promising of them were called to further auditions in LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. As a consequence of this process, several new cast members were engaged:
- Marcus PatrickMarcus PatrickMarcus Patrick is a British actor who has been based in the United States for several years.-Acting career:...
and Andrew Somerville were cast as Ben DaviesBen Davies (Hollyoaks)Benjamin "Ben" Davies is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Marcus Patric. He first appeared in 2000 and, after departing from the main show in 2005, made further appearances in spin-offs, Hollyoaks: Let Loose and Hollyoaks: In the City, which...
and Theo SankofaTheo SankofaTheo Sankofa is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Andrew Somerville from 2001 to 2002.-Character creation:...
, respectively, having attended the initial auditions in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... - Elize du ToitElize Du ToitElize du Toit is a South African born actress best known for playing the role of Izzy Davies in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks from 2000 to 2004, with a brief return in 2007.-Biography:...
attended the EdinburghEdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
auditions and was cast as Izzy Cornwell - The BelfastBelfastBelfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
auditions produced Lesley Johnston to take the role of Laura BurnsLaura Burns (Hollyoaks)Laura Burns is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Lesley Crawford between 2000-2002.-Character creation:...
In 2002, Johnston left the programme to become a midwife. On 21 April 2003, Hollyoaks celebrated its 1000th episode which saw the unmasking of serial killer Toby Mills
Toby Mills
Tobias "Toby" Alexander Mills is a fictional character from the long-running British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Henry Luxemburg.-Storylines:...
. The serial was broadcast by TVNZ in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and was such a success that in 2004 the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Eastenders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
was axed there in order to accommodate it in the schedules.
The same year saw Mikyla Dodd leave her role of Chloe Bruce
Chloe Bruce
Chloe Bruce is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Mikyla Dodd. The character first appeared onscreen in 2000. The character is noted for her storylines involving self image issues and acting as the 'agony aunt role' within the series.-Character...
after four years in order to pursue other projects. Helen Noble
Helen Noble
Helen Noble is a Wigan-born British actress best known for her role as Abby Davies on the British soap Hollyoaks from 2000 to 2004, with a brief return in 2005....
also left but agreed to return for four more episodes in 2005 and has claimed that the possibility of returning again remains open. A similar claim was made by Sarah Jayne Dunn
Sarah Jayne Dunn
Sarah Jayne Dunn is an English actress best known for playing Mandy Richardson in Hollyoaks.-Biography:Dunn was born in Leigh, Lancashire and educated at Lowton High School, excelling in drama and performing arts, and a part time career as a model...
, whose departure in 2006 to pursue other projects left Mandy Richardson
Mandy Richardson
Mandy Richardson is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Sarah Jayne Dunn...
as the longest featured female character in 2006.
The departure of Alex Carter and Gemma Atkinson, who played siblings Lee
Lee Hunter (Hollyoaks)
Lee Hunter is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Alex Carter. The youngest son of Les and Sally Hunter , he made his first on-screen appearance on 13 May 2001. The character was described as "wayward", a "cheeky chap" and a "wheeler dealer"...
and Lisa Hunter
Lisa Hunter
Lisa Hunter is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Gemma Atkinson. The character is noted for her storylines including bullying and self-harming...
in 2005 caused producer David Hanson, who had taken over from Hallows in January that year, to write out the characters' parents Les
Les Hunter (Hollyoaks)
Leslie "Les" Hunter is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by John Graham Davies.-Storylines:...
(John Graham Davies
John Graham Davies
John Graham-Davies is a British actor most famous for playing Les Hunter in the soap-opera Hollyoaks from 2001 to 2005.During his early career, Davies was a member of the original cast of John Godber's 1977 play Bouncers. He has also appeared in Coronation Street in 1989 and 2000, Heartbeat in 1999...
) and Sally
Sally Hunter
Sally Hunter is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Katherine Dow Blyton.-Storylines:Mother of Ellie, Dan, Lee and Lisa as well as the wife of Les. She began working at the local Chemist in Hollyoaks, before becoming a secondary school science teacher at...
(Katherine Dow Blyton).
At the same time Du Toit left for an acting career in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Bryan Kirkwood replaced Hanson as producer on 16 January 2006. His task was to rejuvenate the series and change a perception that because the cast were good-looking they were therefore unable to act.
Kirkwood introduced the new character of 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...
, played by 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:...
. He also recast the role of Clare Devine
Clare Devine
Clare Devine is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Gemma Bissix and Samantha Rowley. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 26 December 2005 and was introduced by series producer David Hanson as a new love interest for Max Cunningham...
from Samantha Rowley
Samantha Rowley
Samantha Rowley is a British actress and model born on 30 January 1988.She appeared on the first series of the reality TV show and model search Make Me A Supermodel on Five in March 2005, in which she came fourth...
to Gemma Bissix
Gemma Bissix
Gemma Bissix is an English actress. She has been acting since the age of 9. Her most prominent roles have been in soap operas, as Clare Bates in EastEnders and Clare Devine in Hollyoaks ; she was awarded with two British Soap Awards for the latter role...
and removed several characters including Jeremy Peterson
Jeremy Peterson
Jeremy "Jez" Peterson was a fictional character on the long-running Channel 4 British television soap opera Hollyoaks.He was played by actor Simon Cole between 2005-2006...
(Simon Cole), Joe Spencer
Joe Spencer (Hollyoaks)
Joseph "Joe" Spencer is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Matt Milburn. He debuted on-screen during episodes airing in 2003 and left in 2006 after his character was axed by Bryan Kirkwood.-Storylines:...
(Matt Milburn), Olivia Johnson
Olivia Johnson
Olivia Johnson is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Rochelle Gadd. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 22 December 2005...
(Rochelle Gadd
Rochelle Gadd
Rochelle Gadd is a British actress. She played Olivia Johnson in Hollyoaks until the character of Olivia was killed off, and played Delia "Dill" Lodge in Grange Hill between 1994 and 2000...
), Mel Burton
Mel Burton
Melanie "Mel" Burton is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by actress Cassie Powney. She first appeared in 2003 with her family, which included her twin sister Sophie, played by Powney's real life twin Connie Powney.-Character Description:Mel was an...
(Cassie Powney
Cassie Powney
- Personal life :Powney has a twin sister Connie, who is her elder twin by two minutes.- Career :She played the role of Mel Burton in the soap opera Hollyoaks alongside her sister Connie, who played the role of Sophie Burton....
), Sophie Burton
Sophie Burton
Sophie Burton is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by actress Connie Powney. She first appeared in 2003 with on-screen family, the Burtons, including twin sister Mel, who was played by Powney's real life twin Cassie Powney.-Character...
(Connie Powney
Connie Powney
- Personal life :Powney has a twin sister Cassie, who is her younger twin by two minutes.- Career :She played the role of Sophie Burton in the soap opera Hollyoaks, alongside Cassie ....
), Sam Owen
Sam Owen
Samuel Liam "Sam" Owen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Louis Tamone. He first appeared in 2004, before the character was killed off in 2006 in the well-known fire at The Dog.-Storylines:...
(Louis Tamone), Rob Owen
Rob Owen (Hollyoaks)
Robert "Rob" Owen is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by David Prosho between 2004 and 2006....
(David Prosho
David Prosho
Dave Prosho is an English television actor. Dave grew up in Leicestershire, England where he lived for much of his childhood before relocating to Leeds, England where he now resides...
), Carrie Owen
Carrie Owen
Carrie Owen is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jaq Croft.-Personality and identity:...
(Jaq Croft), Nicole Owen
Nicole Owen
Nicole Owen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Ciara Janson. First appearing in 2004, Janson left the soap in 2006, making a brief return in 2007.-Storylines:...
(Ciara Janson
Ciara Janson
Ciara Janson is an English actress best known for her role in Hollyoaks as Nicole Owen.The character of Nicole Owen was Ciara Janson's first major television work. Previous parts include the role of Heidi for a BBC radio drama...
), Bill Ashworth (John Jardine) and Foz (Benjamin Hart
Benjamin Hart
Benjamin Hart is an English actor best known for his roles as Foz in British soap Hollyoaks, and as Adam Rhodes in Australian soap opera Neighbours.-Early career:...
). Sam Owen, Olivia Johnson, Joe Spencer, Sophie Burton and Mel Burton were subsequently killed off in an explosion at The Dog in the Pond.
The issue of carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide , also called carbonous oxide, is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is slightly lighter than air. It is highly toxic to humans and animals in higher quantities, although it is also produced in normal animal metabolism in low quantities, and is thought to have some normal...
poisoning was addressed by the programme in 2007. It emerged subsequently that the storyline had help to save the life of a viewer who was actually suffering from such poisoning at the very time of watching the broadcast. Beth Cordingly, the viewer, said that "The only respite I had in the middle of all my pain was Hollyoaks. I can't believe I owe my life to it."
2007 also saw Kirkwood sack relative newcomer Devon Anderson
Devon Anderson
Devon Carlo Anderson is an English actor who has been acting since an early age and became a CBBC presenter on BBC One and the CBBC Channel...
, who had played Sonny Valentine
Sonny Valentine
Sonny Valentine is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Devon Anderson, who played the character between 2006 and 2007 before he was sacked for "time-keeping issues".-Character description:...
, because of timekeeping issues while Guy Burnet
Guy Burnet
Guy Burnet , a British film and television actor. He is best known for his work on the show Hollyoaks, but in recent years has also completed a number of roles in feature films.-Personal:...
quit the role of Craig Dean
Craig Dean
Craig Dean is a fictional character from the long-running British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Guy Burnet. Burnet has won many of Britain's most prestigious acting awards for this role...
after five years. 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...
filmed her final scenes as 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...
in the same year and left in a "bonkers storyline" in which she started harassing the fictional Ashworth family, At the same time 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...
, who had played Jennifer Bidall, was also written out as she decided to concentrate on theatre roles. On the incoming side, Kirkwood introduced Hannah Tointon
Hannah Tointon
Hannah Marie Tointon is an English actress. She is best known for playing Katy Fox in the long running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, and Tara in British sitcom The Inbetweeners.-Early life:...
to play the character of Katy Fox
Katy Fox
Katy Fox is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by actress Hannah Tointon, who was in the serial for just under a year. Katy was central to storylines, including Clare Devine's revenge....
, but she left a year later
In May 2008, the returns of Cindy Cunningham
Cindy Cunningham
Cindy Longford is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Stephanie Waring...
(Stephanie Waring
Stephanie Waring
Stephanie Waring Stephanie Waring Stephanie Waring (born 19 February 1978; Urmston, Greater Manchester, England is an English actress, best known for portraying Cindy Cunningham in the early evening soap opera Hollyoaks.-Personal life:...
) and Mandy Richardson were announced due to the departures of long-term characters 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 :...
) and Sam "O.B." O'Brien (Darren Jeffries
Darren Jeffries
Darren Jeffries is a British actor best known for his portrayal of Sam "O.B." O'Brien in Channel 4 soap-opera Hollyoaks. In 2007, after ten years of playing O.B., Darren announced that he was leaving the soap...
). James Sutton
James Sutton (actor)
James Sutton is an English television actor, best known for playing the parts of John Paul McQueen in the British Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks and Ryan Lamb in the ITV soap Emmerdale.-Personal life:...
then quit his role as John Paul McQueen
John Paul McQueen
John Paul McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by James Sutton. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 6 September 2006; his storylines have significantly revolved around his sexuality, evolving from the initial denial of his...
. Around the same time the character's on-screen boyfriend Kieron Hobbs was written out, seeing actor Jake Hendriks
Jake Hendriks
Jake Hendriks Born 1981 is an English television actor, educated at Tiffin School, Kingston-upon-Thames.-Personal life:Jake Hendriks, born Jacob Hendrik Cuddihy in 1981 in Chessington, is the oldest of three children, with two younger brothers, Joshua and Caleb...
last appear, however the announcement came after mass online petitions were set up try and change the producers mind on axing the character. In November the established sibling characters of Ravi
Ravi Roy
Ravi Roy is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Stephen Uppal. He first appeared in an episode airing on 20 May 2008, introduced by series producer Bryan Kirkwood. Since then he has been central to a bisexuality storyline and living with an aneurysm...
(Stephen Uppal
Stephen Uppal
Stephen Uppal is an English actor of Asian descent from Ormesby in Middlesbrough. He is known for playing Ravi Roy in the long-running British soap Hollyoaks, the 2009 film Freight, and also for playing characters in The History Boys at Wyndham's Theatre.Uppal gained a qualification in English at...
) and 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:...
) were joined by their fictional family of Govinda (Anthony Bunsee), Bel (Nila Aalia), Anita
Anita Roy
Anita Roy is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Saira Choudhry. Choudhry was cast in 2008 as part of the new Roy family and arrived in November and stayed in the serial for 2 years before she left Hollyoaks on 20 January 2011...
(Saira Choudhry
Saira Choudhry
Saira Choudhry is an English actress, most notable for her role as Anita Roy in the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks .-Television:-External links:...
) and Ash (Junade Khan).
In October 2008 it was announced that Kirkwood had decided to quit and that his deputy, Lucy Allan
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....
, would take over the role, although it was not until 1 June 2009 that she was credited as executive producer on screen because of filming lead times. In the same month as Kirkwood's announcement Roxanne McKee
Roxanne McKee
-Biography:After completing a BA degree in 2001 in Social Policy & Political Studies at Royal Holloway, University of London, McKee rose to fame by winning Hollyoaks On The Pull, a Channel 4 initiative to discover new talent for the popular British soap Hollyoaks...
left her role as Louise Summers after three years in the serial.
November 2008 saw Emma Rigby, who had won Best Actress at an awards ceremony in 2008, announce that she was to leave the show in order to pursue other projects. However, she then extended her contract by a further six months after Allan convinced her to stay. Her character of Hannah Ashworth was last seen on screen soon after.
Allan's first signings were Loretta Jones
Loretta Jones
Loretta Jones is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap operas Hollyoaks and Hollyoaks Later. The character is played by Melissa Walton and first appeared on-screen on 26 November 2008 during the first series of the Hollyoaks spin-off Hollyoaks Later as a new love interest for the...
(Melissa Walton
Melissa Walton
Melissa Walton is a British actress best known for playing Loretta Jones in Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.-Early life:...
) and 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....
), both of whom had previously featured in the spin-off series Hollyoaks Later
Hollyoaks Later (series 1)
The first series of Hollyoaks Later was a British television spin-off that ran for one week beginning November 24, 2008. It is a spin-off of the Channel 4 television series Hollyoaks...
.
In April 2009, Stuart Manning
Stuart Manning
Stuart Bernard Manning is an English actor and model.He is best known for the role of Russ Owen in the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, which he played from 2004 until 2009....
quit his role of Russ Owen
Russ Owen
Russell Charles "Russ" Owen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Stuart Manning. He first appeared in August 2004 with his on-screen family and has been involved in storylines including being diagnosed with testicular cancer and kidnapping his son. It...
in order to try new projects.
In June 2009 Zoe Lister
Zoë Lister
Zoë Lister is an English actress from Stoke Prior, Worcestershire, best known for playing Zoe Carpenter in British soap Hollyoaks. She grew up in Callow Hill near Redditch. where she has lived for most of her life. She trained at the Starlight School of Dance in Winyates, Redditch. Previous to...
quit her role of Zoe Carpenter
Zoe Carpenter
Zoe Carpenter is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Zoë Lister. The character first appeared on-screen on 1 September 2006, as one of three new students at Hollyoaks Community College. It was announced in 2009 that Lister had quit her role in order to...
. and Loui Batley
Loui Batley
Louie Anne Batley is an English actress, singer and dancer best known for her role in Hollyoaks as Sarah Barnes...
also left. Batley's character, 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...
, died in a skydiving accident caused by Lydia Hart
Lydia Hart
Lydia Hart is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, a long-running serial drama about life in a fictional suburb of Chester. The character is no longer part of current storylines. She was played by actress Lydia Kelly between 2009 and 2010. Lydia was created by...
(Lydia Kelly). The storyline was a first for British soap opera and the scenes went on to win the category of "Spectacular Scene Of The Year" at the British Soap Awards. The scenes also earned nominations at the 2010 Inside Soap Awards
Inside 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...
in the categories of "Best Exit" and "Best Stunt".
In July 2009 three members of the recently introduced Roy family - Ash, Bel and Govinda - left the programme.
In October 2009 the series came under the media spotlight for airing scenes that involved Rae Wilson
Rae Wilson
Rae Wilson is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Alice Barlow. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 5 October 2009. Barlow was cast into the role, which fulfilled her dream of starring in a soap opera. Fellow cast member Helen...
(Alice Barlow) and Barry Newton (Nico Mirallegro) attempting to commit suicide by jumping from a bridge into water below. The storyline came into the media spotlight after two young girls in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
jumped from the Erskine Bridge
Erskine Bridge
The Erskine Bridge is a cable-stayed box girder bridge spanning the River Clyde in west central Scotland, connecting West Dunbartonshire with Renfrewshire....
bridge into the River Clyde
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
, subsequently dying in their suicide pact. The serial's broadcaster decided to go ahead and air the scenes, citing that any similarities were entirely coincidental and they had carefully thought out the decision. The real-life care home in which the two girls were housed issued a statement criticising the broadcaster for airing the scenes, stating: "The decision to air this show is likely to cause further distress." Allan later revealed they were her favourite scenes of 2009.
In November 2009, the character of Loretta Jones became the centre of controversy when various media outlets revealed that Loretta would be part of a child murder storyline. The controversy began when tabloid newspaper The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
compared the storyline to the real-life murder of James Bulger
Murder of James Bulger
James Patrick Bulger was a boy from Kirkby, England, who was murdered on 12 February 1993, when aged two. He was abducted, tortured and murdered by two ten-year-old boys, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables .Bulger disappeared from the New Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, near Liverpool, while...
. Bulger had been murdered when he was two years old by two young children. Being just ten years of age, they were handed small sentences to serve and were later released with new identities. Bulger's mother, Denise Fergus, condemned the storyline and when interviewed by Click Liverpool, she criticised the decision to air a plot without consulting her first. 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...
released a statement defending the plot, but it was abandoned soon afterwards.
In December 2009, Hollyoaks became the first British soap opera to air a 'flash forward' episode whereby the storyline looked six months into the future. The episode focused on the second wedding of 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...
) and Carmel McQueen
Carmel McQueen
Carmel Valentine is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Gemma Merna. She debuted on-screen during episodes airing in August 2006 and was introduced by series producer Bryan Kirkwood as part of the McQueen family...
(Gemma Merna
Gemma Merna
Gemma Ann Merna is an English actress. She is known for playing Carmel Valentine in Hollyoaks.-Awards:...
). It also saw Calvin's murder, starting a six-month long whodunnit. 2009 also saw the first time in the history of Hollyoaks that it received praise from reputable broadsheet
Broadsheet
Broadsheet is the largest of the various newspaper formats and is characterized by long vertical pages . The term derives from types of popular prints usually just of a single sheet, sold on the streets and containing various types of material, from ballads to political satire. The first broadsheet...
newspapers, being The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
and The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
who claimed the soap had become compelling viewing.
2010s
Leila Roy was written out after Kaur decided she wanted to work elsewhere from serial drama. Mike BarnesMike 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...
left after 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 :...
decided he wanted to try producing plays. It was announced on 15 January 2010 that Paul Marquess
Paul Marquess
Paul Marquess is a Northern Irish-born British television producer.-Television career:His credits include Brookside, The Bill and Family Affairs. He also originated the idea for the series Footballers' Wives...
would succeed Lucy Allan
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....
as the series producer. His first episode was broadcast on 5 July 2010. Marquess then announced he wanted to take the serial back to its roots and change the way its stories are told. In February 2010 he axed three characters, 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...
), Suzanne Ashworth
Suzanne Ashworth
Suzanne Ashworth is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Suzanne Hall. She made her first on-screen appearance on 3 October 2005. Suzanne was introduced by series producer David Hanson as part of the Ashworth family. In February 2010, Suzanne was axed...
(Suzanne Hall
Suzanne Hall
Suzanne Hall .Before attending her first high school, Worden Sports College in Leyland, she went to Hayward School in Bolton and, at that time lived in Great Lever, but currently lives in Smithills...
) and Neville Ashworth
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....
) as well as replacing three of the soap's leading producers including, Henry Swindell, Caroline Roby and Rachel Hall who were replaced by Trina Fraser and Claire Fryer. In the same month it was announced that former Emmerdale
Emmerdale
Emmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...
actress Sheree Murphy
Sheree Murphy
Sheree Murphy is an English actress and television presenter. A former student of the prestigious Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, Murphy placed second on the fifth series of the Reality TV show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!...
would join the cast as Eva Strong
Eva Strong
Tania Evette "Eva" Strong is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Sheree Murphy. She made her first on-screen appearance on 23 April 2010.-Character creation and casting:...
, the biological mother of Anita Roy
Anita Roy
Anita Roy is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Saira Choudhry. Choudhry was cast in 2008 as part of the new Roy family and arrived in November and stayed in the serial for 2 years before she left Hollyoaks on 20 January 2011...
(Saira Choudhry
Saira Choudhry
Saira Choudhry is an English actress, most notable for her role as Anita Roy in the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks .-Television:-External links:...
). This was his first signing since becoming series producer. Stephanie Waring (who plays Cindy Hutchinson) then revealed that all remaining cast members feared their character would be axed. In March, Marquess axed further characters, including Sasha Valentine
Sasha Valentine
Sasha Valentine is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Nathalie Emmanuel. The character first appeared on-screen on 17 July 2006 as part of the newly introduced Valentine family...
(Nathalie Emmanuel
Nathalie Emmanuel
Nathalie Joanne Emmanuel is a British actress best known for her role in the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks as Sasha Valentine, which she played from 2006 to 2010....
), Lauren Valentine
Lauren Valentine
Lauren Valentine is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Dominique Jackson. First appearing in 2007, Lauren was written out of the show in 2010 along with the rest of the Valentine family as part of series producer Paul Marquess's overhaul of the...
(Dominique Jackson
Dominique Jackson
Dominique Hannah Jackson is a British actress from Oldham, Greater Manchester, who has starred in various TV roles. She is best known for her roles as Becky in the Children's TV series Becky and Barnaby Bear and Lauren Valentine on Channel 4 soap, Hollyoaks...
), Leo Valentine
Leo Valentine
Leo Valentine is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Brian Bovell. Despite being on the show for over three years, Leo has not been involved in any major storylines, however does serve as a comedic character. In March 2010, it was announced that...
(Brian Bovell
Brian Bovell
Brian Bovell is an English actor.He has appeared regularly on television since 1980, as well as featuring in the cult film Babylon released the same year. He has also appeared in the play Where There Is Darkness in 1981, winning the 1982 London Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Best Supporting...
), Zak Ramsey
Zak Ramsey
Zak Timothy Ramsey is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Kent Riley. Zak first appeared in 2004, when he was credited as 'Zak Barnes'. After only four months, Riley was dropped from the programme. The character received a revival 18 months later...
(Kent Riley
Kent Riley
Kentigan Peter "Kent" Riley is an English actor, born in Fazakerley, Liverpool, & brought up in Lydiate, where he attended St Gregory's Junior School, where he caught the bug for acting, starring in many of the schools performing arts projects...
), Spencer Gray (Darren John Langford
Darren John Langford
Darren John Langford is a British actor who is best notable for playing the mentally disabled character Spencer Gray in the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. Apart from Hollyoaks, Langford has not had any major television roles...
), Archie Carpenter (Stephen Beard), Jake Dean
Jake Dean
Jake Dean is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Kevin Sacre. Sacre portrayed the character between 2002 and 2008, before making a return on 5 October 2009. In March 2010, Sacre was axed from the series by Paul Marquess during his major revamp and cast...
(Kevin Sacre
Kevin Sacre
Kevin Sacre is a British actor. He is most famous for his performance as Jake Dean in the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, a role he played from 2002 to 2010.-Early life:...
), Dave Colburn
Dave Colburn
David "Dave" Colburn is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Elliot James Langridge. He first appeared in Hollyoaks online spin-off, Hollyoaks: The Morning After the Night Before, which explored the dangers of binge drinking...
(Elliot James Langridge) and Des Townsend (Kris Deedigan
Kris Deedigan
Kris Deedigan is a British actor best known for his portrayal of Des Townsend in the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.-Career:...
). Nico Mirallegro
Nico Mirallegro
Nico Cristian Mirallegro is a British actor who played the role of Barry "Newt" Newton in the British soap opera Hollyoaks between 22 October 2007 and 25 June 2010....
who plays Barry Newton and Gerard McCarthy
Gerard McCarthy
Gerard McCarthy is an actor, best known to television viewers for his award-winning performance as Kris Fisher on the British soap opera Hollyoaks from 2006 to 2010, to theatres-goers for his performances on the West End and at Shakespeare's Globe, and to film geeks for his role in Belonging to...
who plays Kris Fisher
Kris Fisher
Francis "Kris" Fisher is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Gerard McCarthy. The character first appeared on-screen in September 2006 and left in August 2010 after McCarthy quit the show...
, both quit to pursue other roles. Marquess decided to write Loretta Jones out after he felt there was nowhere left to take her as a result of her child murder plot being rewritten. It was also revealed that Marquess would introduce a new family to the soap. In the same month it was announced Marquess would reintroduce Lee Hunter
Lee Hunter (Hollyoaks)
Lee Hunter is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Alex Carter. The youngest son of Les and Sally Hunter , he made his first on-screen appearance on 13 May 2001. The character was described as "wayward", a "cheeky chap" and a "wheeler dealer"...
(Alex Carter
Alex Carter (British actor)
Alex Carter is an English actor and radio presenter.Carter got his TV break in 1999 when he was cast as Craig Harrison in 9 episodes of the Sunday evening drama Where the Heart Is. He then had a small walk on role in Coronation Street...
). It was also announced that Footballers Wives actress Phina Oruche
Phina Oruche
Phina Oruche is a British actress, radio presenter and former model best known for her performances as Liberty Baker in ITV's Footballers' Wives, for which she won a Screen Nations Award for Favourite TV Star....
would join the cast as the mother of the soap's new four-member mixed race family.
In April 2010, it was announced that Marquess would introduce a raft of new characters to the serial as part of its major revamp. The characters announced were, the Costello family consisting of mother Heidi
Heidi Costello
Heidi Costello is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Kim Tiddy. She made her first on-screen appearance on 20 July 2010 and made her final appearance in the series on 1 November 2011, after the character was accidentally murdered by her father, Silas...
(Kim Tiddy
Kim Tiddy
Kim Tiddy , is an English actress, is known for playing the part of PC Honey Harman, in the ITV soap opera The Bill, and Heidi Costello in the British Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks.-Personal life:...
), father Carl
Carl Costello
Carl Costello, is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Paul Opacic. The character was introduced by executive producer Paul Marquess and debuted onscreen during the episode airing on 19 July 2010. He came to the village as the new owner of The Dog in the...
(Paul Opacic), sons Riley
Riley Costello
Riley Costello is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Rob Norbury. Riley was introduced in July 2010 with his on-screen family by series producer Paul Marquess as part of a cast overhaul of the series....
(Rob Norbury) and Seth
Seth Costello
Seth Costello is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Miles Higson. He made his first on-screen appearance on 20 July 2010. His first major storyline was in 2011 when he was the centre of a Steroids plot...
(Miles Higson)and daughter Jasmine
Jasmine Costello
Jason Costello is a fictional character from the English Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Victoria Atkin. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 2 August 2010 and was introduced by series producer Paul Marquess as a member of the yet to be established Costello family...
(Victoria Atkin), the Sharpe family consisting of mother Gabby
Gabby Sharpe
Gabriella "Gabby" Sharpe is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Phina Oruche. She made her first on-screen appearance on 18 June 2010.-Character creation and casting:...
(Phina Oruche), father Phil (Andonis Anthony), son Taylor (Shaun Blackstock) and daughter Amber
Amber Sharpe
Amber Sharpe is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Lydia Lloyd-Henry. The character was introduced as a member of the new Sharpe family, as part of series producer Paul Marquess' rejuvenation of the serial in 2010. She made her first on-screen...
(Lydia Lloyd-Henry). As well as Heidi's cousin Mitzeee Minniver
Mitzeee Minniver
Ann "Mitzeee" Minniver is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Rachel Shenton. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 23 July 2010. Mitzeee was created by series producer Paul Marquess for a different television series which was...
(Rachel Shenton
Rachel Shenton
Rachel Shenton, , is an English actress, who has appeared in a number of British television series, commercials, films and has also done voice overs. She is currently portraying Mitzeee on Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.-Career:Shenton was born in Stoke-on-Trent on the 6 November 1987 and has lived...
). It was later announced that Marquess would introduce a new family member for established family the McQueen
McQueen family
The McQueen family are a fictional family in the long-running Channel 4 soap-opera Hollyoaks. The family first appeared in 2006 and have been involved in a number of the shows main storylines since then, most notably John Paul's affair with Craig Dean and Niall's revenge on his...
's.
It was announced in April that Channel 4 had commissioned a third series of Hollyoaks late night spin-off Hollyoaks Later and that the series would be headed up by Marquess. Confirmed regular characters slated to be involved were also revealed, Mercedes (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:...
) and Malachy Fisher
Malachy Fisher
Malachy "Mal" Fisher is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Glen Wallace. Malachy first appeared in 2007 on a recurring basis and became a permanent character in 2008. The character has been noted for being at the centre of a HIV plot...
(Glen Wallace
Glen Wallace
Glen Wallace is an Northern Irish actor, born in Ballymena, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland.He is most notable for playing Malachy Fisher on popular Channel 4 teen soap opera, Hollyoaks from 2007 onwards. He also played Mr Michaels in Wire in the Blood in 2006. He appeared in Casualty, playing Bill...
), Michaela
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...
) and Theresa McQueen
Theresa McQueen
Theresa McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jorgie Porter. She made her first appearance in November 2008. The character was introduced as an extension of already established McQueen family...
(Jorgie Porter
Jorgie Porter
Jorgina Alexandra "Jorgie" Porter, is an English actress, notable for her role as Theresa McQueen in the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks...
) as well as newcomers Carl, Riley and Seth Costello and Mitzeee. In June it was announced UFC fighter Michael Bisping
Michael Bisping
Michael Gavin Joseph Bisping is an English mixed martial artist born in Cyprus but living in Clitheroe, Lancashire. He currently fights as a middleweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and is the former Cage Warriors Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion, former Cage Rage light...
had been cast in Hollyoaks Later as an underworld gangster called Nathan. In the same month it was revealed that Hollie-Jay Bowes who plays Michaela McQueen had been sacked by Marquess due to her behaviour as well as being dropped from spin-off Hollyoaks Later.
In early June it was announced that Marquess would introduce Kevin Smith (Cameron Crighton
Cameron Crighton
Cameron Crighton is a British actor, he has had small guest parts on various television shows and is currently portraying Kevin Smith on Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.-Career:...
) who would befriend Elliot Bevan
Elliot Bevan
Elliot Bevan is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Garnon Davies. He first appeared on 9 January 2007 as a new student. In July 2010, it was announced that Davies would be leaving the show. He made his final appearance on 15 November 2010...
(Garnon Davies), in a new sci-fi alien storyline. In April, Marquess announced the introduction of a third family to the soap. In June the family were unveiled as the O'Connors consisting of stepmother Diane
Diane O'Connor
Diane O'Connor is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Alex Fletcher. In 2010, Hollyoaks series producer, Paul Marquess, embarked on the show's rejuvenation and axed a number of cast members. To compensate for the departures, the character of Diane and...
(Alexandra Fletcher
Alexandra Fletcher
Alexandra Fletcher sometimes credited as Alex Fletcher is a British actress best known for her role as Jacqui Farnham in the now defunct soap Brookside.-Career:...
), father Rob (Gary Cargill), daughter Sinead
Sinead O'Connor (Hollyoaks)
Sinead O'Connor is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Stephanie Davis. The character first appeared on 1 September 2010 as a member of the new O'Connor family, introduced as part of the show's overhaul by series producer Paul Marquess.-Casting:Details...
(Stephanie Davis) and son Finn
Finn O'Connor (Hollyoaks)
Finn O'Connor is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Connor Wilkinson. The character was introduced during a "shake-up" of the show by new series producer Paul Marquess during 2010 as a member of the O'Connor family, and has since been at the centre of...
(Connor Wilkinson). In the same month Marquess revealed the introduction of a new title sequence and theme tune. Marquess also announced more new cast later in the month, including 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...
's (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....
) half-brother Brendan Brady
Brendan Brady
Brendan Brady is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Emmett J. Scanlan. The character was introduced in 2010 by series producer Paul Marquess during part of the show's overhaul the character has become incredibly popular and liked.He is the older half...
(Emmett J. Scanlan), Cheryl's best friend Lynsey Nolan
Lynsey 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:...
) who previously appeared in the first series of spin-off Hollyoaks Later and McQueen cousin Bart McQueen
Bart McQueen
Bartholomew "Bart" McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jonny Clarke. He first appeared onscreen at his stepmother's funeral in August 2010, introduced by producer Paul Marquess as a member of the McQueen family...
(Jonny Clarke
Jonny Clarke
Jonny Clarke, is an English actor. He is best known for playing the character of Bart McQueen in the channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.-Career:...
). In July it was announced Marquess would introduce Seth Costello's twin Jasmine
Jasmine Costello
Jason Costello is a fictional character from the English Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Victoria Atkin. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 2 August 2010 and was introduced by series producer Paul Marquess as a member of the yet to be established Costello family...
(Victoria Atkin). In the same month it was announced that he would reintroduce India Longford
India Longford
India Longford is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Beth Kingston. She made her first on-screen appearance on 21 September 2009 and was introduced by series producer Lucy Allan as a new student at Hollyoaks Community College...
's (Beth Kingston) sister Texas Longford
Texas Longford
Texas "Tex" Longford is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Bianca Hendrickse-Spendlove. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 17 May 2010. Texas was introduced by producer Paul Marquess as the on-screen sister of established character India...
(Bianca Hendrickse-Spendlove) who previously appeared in the soap for a short stint in May 2010. It was also announced that Marquess would introduce three new students to the series, consisting of Jamil Fadel (Sikander Malik), Doug Carter
Doug Carter
Doug Carter is a fictional character from the British soap opera Hollyoaks, played by PJ Brennan. He initially appeared in the programme's online spin-off series Hollyoaks: Freshers, before debuting in the main series in the episode airing 13 September 2010. He left on 17 September before returning...
(PJ Brennan) and Leanne Holiday
Leanne Holiday
Leanne Holiday is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks and its Internet spin-off Hollyoaks: Freshers, played by Jessica Forrest. Forrest's casting was announced in July 2010 and she began filming her scenes in June. The actress originally commuted from Manchester to...
(Jessica Forrest) who would also appear in new internet spin-off Hollyoaks: Freshers. Due to the temporary exit of Cindy Hutchinson, because of Waring's impending maternity leave, it was announced that Marquess would introduce Alistair Longford (Terence Harvey) the grandfather of India and Texas Longford who would develop a romance with Cindy.
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...
became the longest serving female cast member, being a part of the serial for ten years, but then announced her decision to quit. Paul Marqess brought forward Allan's previous plans to tackle the issue of cervical cancer using the character of Steph to portray it. Stephen Uppal who played Ravi Roy then quit. On 9 July 2010 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...
, Glen Wallace
Glen Wallace
Glen Wallace is an Northern Irish actor, born in Ballymena, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland.He is most notable for playing Malachy Fisher on popular Channel 4 teen soap opera, Hollyoaks from 2007 onwards. He also played Mr Michaels in Wire in the Blood in 2006. He appeared in Casualty, playing Bill...
, John Pickard
John Pickard (British actor)
John Pickard is a British actor who is currently best known for appearing in Channel 4's Hollyoaks playing Dominic Reilly from 2005-2010. He is the brother of fellow Hollyoaks star Nick Pickard, who plays Tony Hutchinson, Dom's half-brother, in the soap...
and Garnon Davies all announced their decision to leave their roles of 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...
, Malachy Fisher
Malachy Fisher
Malachy "Mal" Fisher is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Glen Wallace. Malachy first appeared in 2007 on a recurring basis and became a permanent character in 2008. The character has been noted for being at the centre of a HIV plot...
, Dominic Reilly
Dominic Reilly
Dominic "Dom" Reilly is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by John Pickard. Dom made his first appearance on 13 September 2005 as the estranged half-brother of Tony Hutchinson, whose portrayer, Nick Pickard, is John Pickard's brother...
and Elliot Bevan retrospectively. Ricky Campbell
Ricky Campbell
Richard "Ricky" Campbell is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Ashley Margolis. He made his first on-screen appearance on 16 June 2009. Ricky was created by executive producer Lucy Allan. Margolis took a period of leave in 2010 to complete his real life...
was quietly written out of the serial for six months after Ashley Margolis
Ashley Margolis
Ashley Howard Margolis is an English actor.-Career:He is best known for playing Ricky Campbell in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. He has played the role of Ricky since June 2009. His main storyline revolved around his father Martin Campbell having Multiple Sclerosis...
decided to concentrate on his GCSE's.
In August 2010 it was announced that Sheree Murphy had decided not to renew her contract with the serial because she planned to move abroad with her family. An exit storyline was devised for Eva. Her plans later changed and she decided to stay in the UK, Marquess decided to bring Eva back after a short on-screen hiatus, of which he stated: "Sheree will be taking a little break on screen because of her family commitments, but we're already thinking about how we'll bring her back." Marquess later cast disabled actor Peter Mitchell in a new regular role.
2010 also saw the viewing figures for Hollyoaks drop below one million. This caused speculation over the serial's future but Marquess dismissed rumours that the show might be dropped by the broadcaster and stated that in fact he thought the show would become stronger. Marquess later stated that he planned on making the serial more commercial to compete to with the other UK soap operas. Marquess then signed another former The Bill
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
actor, Scott Neal
Scott Neal
- Career :He entered the Anna Scher Theatre School in 1989. He debuted in The Listening on Channel Four. He has participated in other TV shows such as EastEnders, Bramwell, Prime Suspect, and London's Burning. He later became a regular appearance on the British television police drama The Bill,...
, into a regular role and repositioned Cheryl as a central character.
An interview on This Morning
This Morning (TV series)
This Morning is a British daytime television programme broadcast on ITV. As of September 2011, its main presenters are Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, with various other presenters standing in for illness or contributing to sections of the programme.The...
, an ITV television programme, in September 2010 saw actor Kieron Richardson
Kieron Richardson
Kieron Mark Richardson is an English actor best known for playing the role of Ste Hay in Hollyoaks.-Career:...
come out as homosexual and also reveal that a new storyline was being developed in which the character he played, Ste Hay
Ste Hay
Stephen "Ste" Hay is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Kieron Richardson. He debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 17 February 2006. Ste was created by David Hanson and was originally intended to be a short-term character for seven episodes...
, would embark on a homosexual relationship with Brandan Brady. These events created media coverage for the serial, character and actor alike. The same month also saw a considerable amount of cast changes. Popular actress Georgina Hale
Georgina Hale
Georgina Hale is an award-winning English actress notable for many stage, film and television appearances; often in the works of director Ken Russell and writer Simon Gray...
guested as Blanche Longford and Rachel Doherty joined as Eileen Brady Travis Yates
Travis Yates
Travis Hamilton Yates is a British actor. He is best known for portraying the title role of Billy in the London production of Billy Elliot the Musical from 2005 to 2007.He was in born Manchester and lives in Middleton, Greater Manchester...
also joined the cast in a regular role of Arlo. Irish actor Drew Dillon also joined the cast. Charlotte Lau
Charlotte Lau
Charlotte Lau is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Amy Yamazaki. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 9 June 2009 and was introduced by series producer Lucy Allan as the ex-girlfriend of Lydia Hart...
played by Amy Yamazaki
Amy Yamazaki
Amy Yamazaki is a British actress best known for her portrayal of Charlotte Lau in the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.-Career:...
was unexpectedly written out, after her departure the serial confirmed her final scenes had already aired. Beth Kingston was also revealed to depart as India Longford and short term regular Jem Costello was confirmed to depart after Helen Russel-Clarke finished filming at the end of her contract. On-screen Cindy also left whilst Waring was already on maternity leave.
That month another storyline was unveiled which saw Hollyoaks, team up with Channel 4 Education's Battlefront, to explore an underage sex storyline involving twelve year-old characters Finn O'Connor and Amber Sharpe, which would lead to Amber's pregnancy. Explaining the storyline, Paul Marquess said: "Hollyoaks has long been credited for tackling difficult issues that affect young people in a sensitive and intelligent way [...] there will be no fairytale ending for Amber; she is faced with the most difficult situation she could ever imagine." In September 2010 it was announced that actor Darren Day
Darren Day
Darren Day , is an English actor, singer and television presenter, well known for his West End theatre starring roles.-Early life:His paternal grandfather was a support and warm-up act for George Formby...
had been cast as new character Danny Houston, described as a gangster who would "spell trouble for Jacqui".
On the 23 October 2010 Hollyoaks celebrated 15 years of broadcasting, Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
wished them happy birthday, as did The Guardian. It was later announced that Marquess was implenting a dramatic fire plot which would kill of a host of characters. Channel 4 promoted the storyline with a trailer broadcast during October 2010 to advertise the show's "fire week", and it was revealed that episodes would feature different characters in each episode set around the events of Guy Fawkes Night
Guy Fawkes Night
Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Day, Bonfire Night and Firework Night, is an annual commemoration observed on 5 November, primarily in England. Its history begins with the events of 5 November 1605, when Guy Fawkes, a member of the Gunpowder Plot, was arrested while guarding...
, in which an arsonist would set fire to Il Gnosh. India was killed off in a storyline highlighting the dangers of online dating. Marquess then decided to rewrite previous storyline and bring back character Warren Fox from the dead. Mandy was also reintroduced after Dunn agreed to return. Marquess was also unhappy with the quality of the episodes so began to refilm certain episodes just before they were due to transmit.
It was announced in January 2011 that Marquess would leave his role as series producer and would be succeeded by Hollyoaks production team member Gareth Philips. Discussing the news, Philips said: "I have really enjoyed working in the script team at Hollyoaks and it will be a huge honour to take the reins of Channel 4's flagship youth drama. I am very excited about taking the show even further this year with more compelling and brave stories." The new year saw the return of characters such as Suzanne, Amy, Doug and Gaz. Anna Shaffer joined the cast as Ruby Button. Anita Roy was then written out following the return of Gaz.
External links
- Hollyoaks at E4.com
- Hollyoaks at Lime Pictures
- Hollyoaks at Digital SpyDigital SpyDigital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....