Melissa Walton
Encyclopedia
Melissa Walton is a British actress best known for playing Loretta Jones
in Channel 4
soap opera Hollyoaks
.
in Coundon, Coventry, then took a BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts at Stratford-upon-Avon College
, which she passed with three distinctions. As an amateur actress, Walton appeared in pantomime at Belgrade Theatre
in Coventry, was a member of the Coventry youth group YOG and attended Three Spires Dance School. While at college, she appeared in the BBC
drama Filth alongside actress Julie Walters
. Walton completed her diploma in June 2008, and was cast in Hollyoaks that August. Walton initially appeared in the spin-off series Hollyoaks Later on a three-episode basis.
, had decided to introduce Walton into the main show. Allan said Walton had impressed her with her performance in Hollyoaks Later. To prepare for the role, Walton took pole-dancing classes and visited a lap dancing club
. After watching girls perform at the club, she carried out routines in her underwear. She also had a pole set up in her living room to carry on practicing. Speaking of her research Walton stated: "I loved it. It's really good exercise. It's really good for toning. They didn't ask me to, but I did... I went and I had pole dancing classes. I had a pole put up in my living room."
Walton had initially signed on for a three month stint. In 2009 Allan decided to renew her contract and keep her with the series until 2010. In early 2010, it was announced that Allan had stepped down from the position of executive producer
and that Paul Marquess had taken over the role. It was soon revealed that Marquess planned to give Hollyoaks a "shake up", changing the productions team and beginning a cast cull by axing three established characters. Stephanie Waring (who plays Cindy Hutchinson) then revealed that all remaining cast members feared their character would be axed. One month later, Marquess announced his plans to axe a further 11 characters, including Loretta at the end of Walton's contract. Walton departed alongside co-star Kevin Sacre
, who played her on-screen love interest Jake Dean
.
On 8 June 2010 Walton filmed her final scenes with the serial along with two fellow cast members, Scare and Gerard McCarthy
(who plays Kris Fisher
). She spoke of her upset over leaving her fellow cast members, but later said she was looking forward to pursuing other projects. Walton also confirmed that she was happy the door was left open for a potential return, stating she would consider reprising her role as Loretta in the future. Walton also said she understood why Marquess axed her because he didn't feel Loretta had anywhere left to go after her main storyline, in which her character was supposed to be revealed as a child killer, was axed following complaints from Denise Fergus, the mother of murdered child James Bulger
. However, she also felt like she did deserve another chance to prove herself.
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...
in 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...
.
Early life
Walton studied at Bablake SchoolBablake School
Bablake School is a co-educational Independent school located in Coventry, England and founded in 1344 by Queen Isabella, making it one of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom...
in Coundon, Coventry, then took a BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts at Stratford-upon-Avon College
Stratford-upon-Avon College
Stratford-upon-Avon College is a further education college in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England.It offers a wide variety of courses ranging from Pre-Entry Level to National Diplomas, A Levels and degree level courses.- History :...
, which she passed with three distinctions. As an amateur actress, Walton appeared in pantomime at Belgrade Theatre
Belgrade Theatre
The Belgrade Theatre is a live performance venue seating 858 and situated in Coventry, England. It was the first civic theatre to be built after the Second World War in Britain and as such was more than a place of entertainment...
in Coventry, was a member of the Coventry youth group YOG and attended Three Spires Dance School. While at college, she appeared in 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...
drama Filth alongside actress Julie Walters
Julie Walters
Julie Walters, CBE is an English actress and novelist. She came to international prominence in 1983 for Educating Rita, performing in the title role opposite Michael Caine. It was a role she had created on the West End stage and it won her BAFTA and Golden Globe awards for Best Actress...
. Walton completed her diploma in June 2008, and was cast in Hollyoaks that August. Walton initially appeared in the spin-off series Hollyoaks Later on a three-episode basis.
Career
In 2009, it was announced that Hollyoaks new producer, Lucy AllenLucy 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....
, had decided to introduce Walton into the main show. Allan said Walton had impressed her with her performance in Hollyoaks Later. To prepare for the role, Walton took pole-dancing classes and visited a lap dancing club
Strip club
A strip club is an adult entertainment venue in which striptease or other erotic or exotic dance is regularly performed. Strip clubs typically adopt a nightclub or bar style, but can also adopt a theatre or cabaret-style....
. After watching girls perform at the club, she carried out routines in her underwear. She also had a pole set up in her living room to carry on practicing. Speaking of her research Walton stated: "I loved it. It's really good exercise. It's really good for toning. They didn't ask me to, but I did... I went and I had pole dancing classes. I had a pole put up in my living room."
Walton had initially signed on for a three month stint. In 2009 Allan decided to renew her contract and keep her with the series until 2010. In early 2010, it was announced that Allan had stepped down from the position of executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
and that Paul Marquess had taken over the role. It was soon revealed that Marquess planned to give Hollyoaks a "shake up", changing the productions team and beginning a cast cull by axing three established characters. Stephanie Waring (who plays Cindy Hutchinson) then revealed that all remaining cast members feared their character would be axed. One month later, Marquess announced his plans to axe a further 11 characters, including Loretta at the end of Walton's contract. Walton departed alongside co-star 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:...
, who played her on-screen love interest 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...
.
On 8 June 2010 Walton filmed her final scenes with the serial along with two fellow cast members, Scare 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...
). She spoke of her upset over leaving her fellow cast members, but later said she was looking forward to pursuing other projects. Walton also confirmed that she was happy the door was left open for a potential return, stating she would consider reprising her role as Loretta in the future. Walton also said she understood why Marquess axed her because he didn't feel Loretta had anywhere left to go after her main storyline, in which her character was supposed to be revealed as a child killer, was axed following complaints from Denise Fergus, the mother of murdered child 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...
. However, she also felt like she did deserve another chance to prove herself.