Rae Wilson
Encyclopedia
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 Russell-Clark, who plays Jem Costello
, originally auditioned for the role. Producer Lucy Allan
said Barlow was her favourite addition to the cast during 2009. Rae is initially portrayed as an imaginary character in a schizophrenia storyline involving fellow character Newt (Nico Mirallegro
). It is later revealed that Rae is real and arrives to study in Hollyoaks.
The character has been central to a controversial suicide storyline and has been part of a love-triangle with Ste Hay
(Kieron Richardson
) and Brendan Brady
(Emmett J. Scanlan
). Through the latter, she becomes pregnant with Ste's child and subsequently miscarries while arguing with Brendan over his affair with Ste. Rae subsequently feuds with Brendan and Barlow has praised her character for being one of the few that dare stand up to the Hollyoaks villain. She was initially characterised as a chav
with a feisty persona, though she later undergoes a transformation which sees her become a DJ and attempt to embrace domestic life with Ste. Barlow decided to leave the serial in 2011 and was written out in the fourth series of Hollyoaks Later
when Rae is murdered by serial killer Silas Blissett
(Jeff Rawle
). As Rae's exit aired during late night episodes, the cast were able to portray her murder in an explicit manner. Barlow said she wanted Rae to be remembered as a strong female and her exit to go down in "Hollyoaks history".
In 2011 Barlow won an All About Soap
award for Rae's love trinagle storyline. AfterElton have criticised Hollyoaks for appearing to show no interest in developing Rae. They, along with the Sunday Mercury
have bemoaned the realism of Rae chosing to stay with Ste, knowing about his homosexuality. While readers of soap opera magazine Inside Soap
indicated that they did not want Silas to murder Rae.
announced that there would be a 'big stunt' involving existing character, schizophrenic student Newt (Nico Mirallegro
) in October the same year. In September 2009, it was announced that a new character, Rae would join the serial as part of a "shock suicide plot" involving Newt, which would see the two characters jump off a bridge.
In October 2009 it was revealed that Alice Barlow
had successfully auditioned for the part of Rae. Of her casting Barlow stated: "I am absolutely on top of the world, I can’t believe I’m on Hollyoaks. When I was little I had two dreams, one to sing in front of a live audience, which I have done, and the other to have a part on a soap, which I am doing now!" It was also revealed that Helen Russell-Clark who plays Jem Costello
in the serial had also auditioned for Rae, getting to the final stages of casting.
Series producer Allan stated that Cheryl Brady
(Bronagh Waugh
) and Rae was her favourite additions to the cast in 2009, of Rae and Barlow she stated: "The actor who I'm really proud of - in terms of character and performance - is Alice Barlow as Rae. To introduce a character as somebody and then to completely change the character six weeks later, while still delivering the performances that Alice does, is a testament to a young actress."
In early 2011 Barlow decided to leave Hollyoaks to pursue other projects. Her departure was kept a secret until her exit scenes aired. Barlow described her time with the programme as "the perfect end" to her teenage years and could not ask for anything better.
" compared to how Newt imagined her. Of her persona Barlow stated: "It is quite hard work [...] I'm nothing like the character at all so it takes a lot of acting!" Barlow has said she would like Rae to be remembered as a "strong-willed person". Rae always gets her "opinion across, no matter what". Rae goes through a "transitional period" in her duration. While she was still portrayed as the strong female, viewers saw "a weaker side due to some of the knocks that she's had." Though because of her feisty persona "everyone knew that you don't mess with Rae."
she stated: "The team did a brilliant job at constructing a 45ft tower at Stanley Dock for the main stunt. We had stunt doubles there if the actors felt they did not want to do it. But they are a tenacious bunch and they wanted to do it all themselves. She also added: "They even stayed underwater for three or four minutes for the big underwater sequence."
The storyline came into the media spotlight just days before the suicide scenes were due to air after two young girls in Scotland
jumped from the Erskine Bridge
bridge into the River Clyde
, 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 their decision. Also adding: "The audience will be familiar with the character of Newt and this plotline, which has been both trailed and promoted, has been developing over a number of weeks. Hollyoaks has a strong track record of dealing with sensitive issues, and the transmission will be followed by a programme support announcement directing viewers to a 24-hour helpline." 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."
Whilst interviewed by entertainment website Digital Spy
, producer Allan admitted the suicide scenes were her overall favourite from 2009, commenting: "The underwater sequence with Newt, Rae, Eli and Jack the hero! It was a beautiful moment on screen and it was the moment that the audience realised that Newt was trying to kill himself. For me, that moment of realisation made that scene so powerful." When the suicide storyline had finished, it was revealed that Rae was, in fact, a real character in the series.
(Kieron Richardson
) and Brendan Brady
(Emmett J. Scanlan
) pays Veronica (Lynsey McLaren) to attempt to split them up. Brendan later gives Ste money to stay away from Rae. Scanlan said Brendan is "all about power and manipulation" in the storyline. Rae finds out Ste has slept with Brendan but gives him another chance. Ste and Brendan begin a full affair behind Rae's back. In January 2011, it was announced that Rae would discover she is pregnant with Ste's child. Rae is "knocked sideways" when she finds out and she "is not sure how she feels with the prospect of becoming a teen mum." Brendan and Ste decide to end their affair for Rae's sake. However, they a resume their relationship. Richardson revealed Rae would find out about their affair, adding "She's shocked and angry. She'd believed Ste when he assured her he wasn't gay and now she knows he was lying to her."
Barlow told Inside Soap
that Mitzeee (Rachel Shenton
) thinks Rae has the right to know about Ste's affair. However when she finds them together "the whole thing leaves her more torn than ever." Rae had no idea Ste and Brendan were still together and finds it "a big shock - she's hurt". It also leaves her feeling "unsure" and considers having a termination. This prompts Brendan to reveal that he lost a child of his own and attempts to talk Rae out of it. Barlow said it "She's never seen Brendan be this genuine with anybody - it's really heartfelt stuff." Ste does not "see the problem" with Rae keeping the child as he considers himself a good father already. Barlow said it is "a bigger deal" for Rae. She really loves Ste and "she's been through a lot with him since arriving" which has creates a "special connection" between the pair. It then transpires that Brendan's chat manages to convince Rae to keep the baby.
Barlow later revealed that Ste would attempt to get back with Rae. At which point Rae makes a decision, "she doesn't want him anymore" and will not stick by him. Rae reasoning is that "there really isn't any going back" once you find out your partner is gay. Despite this Rae is "determined to keep the baby" because she wants to prove "she can be a good mum on her own." However during an argument with Brendan, Rae suffers a miscarriage. Barlow said she found acting out Rae losing her baby hard to film.
Barlow said that Rae and Ste would remain friends. As the characters have been through a lot together, Rae decides to "be there for him if it gets tough with Brendan." This leads to a feud between Rae and Brendan. Barlow exlained that Rae has "a handle" on Brendan and is "one of the few characters that can actually stand up to Brendan." Barlow herself said she loved to portray their dynamic where Rae has been able to gain control of Brendan. As Rae has always known the truth over Brendan's sexuality, she "always felt like she had the upper hand". Though she pushes Brendan too far and he starts threatening her.
(Abi Phillips
) and Theresa McQueen
(Jorgie Porter
). The storyline was played out so that viewers were not aware that Rae was seeing Ethan. However, they did know Ethan is cheating on Theresa and Liberty with a third "mystery woman". Porter said Theresa "cannot believe it" when she sees Ethan kissing Rae. Once the three females discover the truth about Ethan's infidelity, they decide "the best revenge is humiliation". They expose his lies and pour gunge over him infront of the entire village. Vye said the storyline would see Ethan end up alone because "he's clearly not ready to settle down." He added that the storyline has a "classic case of wanting what you can't have."
Porter later revealed that everyone involved in the storyline made an effort to play it with a comedic tone. This was done to stop the plot seeming "quite so serious". She also said that it reflected real life because there are men in society that behave like does. Barlow herself said she was surpirsed at the twist because she did not expect Rae to be involved. The storyline also proved popular with viewers. Both Barlow and Porter said they received a high volume of messages via social network website Twitter
, stating that they too were surprised by Rae's involvement. Digital Spy chose Rae being exposed as Ethan's lover and her subsequent revenge plot in their "Pic of the day" feature.
(Jeff Rawle
). Barlow had to attempt to discredit the rumours and firmly denied speculation that she was leaving Hollyoaks. She did this because she wanted viewers to be "surprised and shocked" by her exit.
Hollyoaks leaked a video containing footage of Silas preparing to attack Theresa at a rave. This lead viewers to believe that Thersa would become his next victim. It was then confirmed that Thesera would become Silas' next target in the fourth series of Hollyoaks Later
. Porter said that it was "scary and worrying", however, would not confirm whether Silas kills her character. The programme's producer Emma Smithwick confirmed that the late night episodes would feature the death of a regular character.
When the episodes aired, a dark storyline twist plays out. Rae tells Silas his enemy Brendan has threatened to kill her. She annoys Silas by telling him she plans to use men for flings after being hurt too many times. Silas realises he has an opportunity to frame Brendan. Silas brutally beats Rae and strangles her to death in an allyway, all of which was shown on-screen. Barlow said the fact that Rae's death aired in late night episodes of the serial made an opportunity to be creative with the content. There were "no limits" and they could "do whatever they wanted with it." She described Rae's death scene as "absolutely incredible" and loved the chance to work with accredited actor Rawle. Barlow said Rae's death had been kept a secret to shock viewers, in the same way the death of fellow character Sarah Barnes
(Loui Batley
) did previously. Barlow said she was happy and grateful with the nature of her exit storyline. The opportunity to "go out with a bang" was better than Rae leaving quietly in a taxi. She hoped that Rae's murder would "go down in Hollyoaks history" as one of their best exits. Brendan is arrested for Rae's murder, when Silas places evidence on him. Barlow stated that other characters blame Brendan because he made Rae fear for her life when he threatened her. Ste believes he did it because knows what the "relationship between Rae and Brendan has been like and all the problems they've had."
) meet while he is living rough and she teaches him how to live on the streets, however she is not liked by his schizophrenic persona Eli (Marc Silcock
). The pair shar a kiss and sleep together. After Newt admits to having schizophrenia, Eli takes over his mind and tries to kill Rae, however Newt manages to stop himself. They decide to escape their problems by commit suicide together by jumping off a beam into water. As they head to the top of a warehouse to jump, Newt's ex-girlfriend Lauren Valentine
(Dominique Jackson
) and his foster father Jack Osborne
(Jimmy McKenna) rush to stop him. It is then revealed that Rae is another persona of Newt's, like Eli. Newt pushes Eli into the canal as Rae jumps. Newt then followed and Jack rescues him.
After Newt goes to apologise to Lily (Meryl Hampton), the woman he had mugged whilst on the run, he informs her that her granddaughter Rae is dead. However Rae turns up, revealing that she is real, although she has a different hair style and is wearing a different style of clothes. She has no idea who Newt is. Newt then takes her to the warehouse where he realises he had created a persona of Rae around a picture he saw of her from her grandmother's purse. During a merger with Rae's school Abbey Hill and Hollyoaks High School, Newt tries to talk to Rae, who later gets her friend Sinclair to threaten him. Rae attempts to get a job in Il Gnosh. However, she is declined. She finds employment by Ste in the diner called "Relish", where she discovers her co-worker is Newt. Rae becomes paranoid and tries to get Newt sacked. However, she later accepts that they have to work together. Lauren locks her in a cupboard, Rae reveals she is claustrophobic and is "cursed". She tells Newt that both of her sisters died before their 18th birthdays and she believes the same will happen to her.
Rae eventually overcomes her fear of the curse with Newt's help and agrees to go with him when he plans to move to Scotland with his birth mother, Shelly Newton (Beverly Denim) and baby brother Jensen. However, her grandmother has a stroke at the last minute, so Rae decides to stay in Hollyoaks to look after her. Newt left with his mother, and Rae moves out of Darren's
(Ashley Taylor Dawson
) flat to go and stay with her grandmother.
Rae later returns and Ste tries to get her a job as DJ at Chez Chez, after she decides that she wants to pursue it as her career once more, Brendan tells her she is rubbish at the job and doesn't want to take her on. Rae and Ste grow close again, they begin to date. Jealous Brendan uses Veronica to get in between their chances of happiness, she kisses Ste and Brendan makes sure Rae witnesses the kiss. When Brendan and Ste start a relationship, Brendan makes Ste go out with Rae. Ste and Rae sleep together but are interrupted by Brendan telling them Ste's ex, Amy Barnes
(Ashley Slanina-Davies
), has been involved in a fire. Ste becomes convinced Brendan started the fire. Rae only learns of their relationship when she tells Macca (Drew Dillon) she loves Ste, and Macca ends up telling her everything. Thinking she's helping, Rae tells Brendan's sister Cheryl that Brendan is gay, but Brendan manages to convince Cheryl otherwise.
Rae then finds out she's pregnant and confides in Amy about the situation, however Rae is unaware that Ste is actually sleeping with Brendan behind her back. Rae tells Ste, and he tells her he will stand by her; but she is not sure she wants the baby. After confiding in Cheryl, Rae decides to have an abortion. However, Cheryl lets slip to Brendan and he and Ste go after Rae to try and stop her. Rae keeps the baby, and then whilst Ste and Brendan continue their affair in the Chez Chez club office, Mitzeee (who knows about Ste and Brendan's affair) sees the keys to the office on the bar, and steals them. Rae is then talking to Mitzeee, and Mitzeee tells her that what she is about to do is for her own good, and unlocks the office door, catching Brendan and Ste kissing. The next day Rae tells Ste that she is going to bring up the baby on her own. Rae then moves out of Ste & Amy's flat to move into Noah Baxter's (Law Thompson) flat. After a vicious row with Brendan she suffers a miscarriage.
Rae causes trouble for Brendan when he tries to regain control of Ste. She threatens to tell everyone he is gay, so Brendan decides to set Rae up. Doug Carter
(PJ Brenan) recruits Rae to sell drugs, not realising Brendan has set everything up. Rae is arrested for dealing, only to be released without charge after Warren Fox
(Jamie Lomas
) tampered with the substance. Amy throws Rae out of the flat. She later gets a job working behind the bar at the Dog. She initially gets on with her boss Heidi Costello
(Kim Tiddy
), until she finds out about her affair with Gaz Bennett
(Joel Goonan
). Gaz then tries to get her sacked, so she causes their affair to be exposed and leaves her job. Rae is revealed to be the third girl that was cheating on Theresa and Liberty with. When they find out they plot to gain revenge. Rae tells him she has an STD
, Theresa tells him she is pregnant and Liberty pretends to set a wedding date. They humiliate Ethan with the truth and throw gunge over him infront of the locals. Rae becomes friendly with Will Savage (James Atherton) and notices that Theresa fancies him. She tries to help them get together, though Theresa accuses her of liking Will.
Rae later arranges a rave with the help of Will. Brendan convinces Ste to look after Lynsey Nolan
(Karen Hassan
), Rae confronts Ste for letting Brendan use him. She accidentally reveals Brendan is gay infront of his son Declan Brady (Jay Duffy). Brendan is furious with Rae and threatens to kill her infront of Texas Longford
(Bianca Hendrickse-Spendlove), Lee Hunter
(Alex Carter
), and Leanne Holiday
(Jessica Forrest). At the rave Rae pushes Will and Theresa together, despite having feelings for Will herself. Serial killer Silas Blissett
(Jeff Rawle
) talks to Rae while she takes a break from her DJ spot. She tells him Brendan has threatened to kill her. She also reveals that she is tired of men treating her bad and vows to use them in future. Silas steals Theresa's phone and texts Rae asking to meet her outside the rave. Silas repeatedly punches Rae, then strangles her in an allyway. While she breathes her final breath she watches Theresa and Will kiss in the distance. Having killed Rae, Silas hugs her and tells her it is "all done". Silas uses Rae's body to frame Brendan, when he places her in the boot of Brendan's car. While the whole village blame Brendan for Rae's death - Ste arranges a memorial for her in the village.
Bubble Awards Rae, Ste and Brendan won the award for "Best Love Triangle". Holy Soap
describe Rae's "memorable moment" as being locked in cupboard and subsequently revealing she is cursed. Anthony D. Langford of AfterElton said Hollyoaks had no interest in Rae as a character and held no desire to "make her a real fleshed out person". He also opined that she had no common sense because in his opinion "no woman would regularly leave her man alone for long periods of time with the guy she knows he had an affair with." He added Rae should have known that Ste and Brendan's affair had resumed. Roz Laws of the Sunday Mercury
said "it's a mystery" to why Rae wanted to go out with Ste in the first place. She noted his violent history and homosexuality as reasons to avoid him.
Jaci Stephen of the Daily Mail
criticised Hollyoaks for playing out too many drug storylines. On Rae's storyline she praised the element of humour when she was charged in possession of icing sugar, however, said it was "hardly the Marx Brothers
". Inside Soap conducted a poll to find out which Hollyoaks character they most wanted to be murdered by Silas. Rae and Theresa were voted as favourites to survive Silas' reign of terror, while Leanne and Ruby Button (Anna Shaffer) were voted to be his next victims. AfterElton's D. Langford, said that Rae was murdered in "a rather gruesome and shocking fashion". However, while he thought it was "compelling drama", he opined that Rae's murder and Brendan being blamed was "pretty predictable".
Character (arts)
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
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,...
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 Alice Barlow
Alice Barlow
Alice Barlow , is a British actress and singer, best known for her role in Hollyoaks as Rae Wilson.-Career:While a teenager Barlow won a national talent search Festival4Stars. In 2008, Barlow took part 'The Stobart Factor' a talent competition, which was judged by The X Factor judge Louis Walsh...
. 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 Russell-Clark, who plays 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:...
, originally auditioned for the role. 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:...
said Barlow was her favourite addition to the cast during 2009. Rae is initially portrayed as an imaginary character in a schizophrenia storyline involving fellow character Newt (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....
). It is later revealed that Rae is real and arrives to study in Hollyoaks.
The character has been central to a controversial suicide storyline and has been part of a love-triangle with 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...
(Kieron Richardson
Kieron Richardson
Kieron Mark Richardson is an English actor best known for playing the role of Ste Hay in Hollyoaks.-Career:...
) and 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
Emmett J. Scanlan
Emmett J. Scanlan is an Irish actor from Dublin.In 2008 and 2009, Scanlan appeared in the Justin Timberlake-produced MTV series The Phone, as "The Operator"...
). Through the latter, she becomes pregnant with Ste's child and subsequently miscarries while arguing with Brendan over his affair with Ste. Rae subsequently feuds with Brendan and Barlow has praised her character for being one of the few that dare stand up to the Hollyoaks villain. She was initially characterised as a chav
Chav
A chav is a term that is used in the United Kingdom to describe a stereotype of teenagers and young adults from an underclass background.-Etymology:...
with a feisty persona, though she later undergoes a transformation which sees her become a DJ and attempt to embrace domestic life with Ste. Barlow decided to leave the serial in 2011 and was written out in the fourth series of Hollyoaks Later
Hollyoaks Later (series 4)
The fourth series of Hollyoaks Later is a British television series and late night spin-off of Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. The series is due to air in September 2011 at 10pm. As of June 2011 filming has begun...
when Rae is murdered by 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...
). As Rae's exit aired during late night episodes, the cast were able to portray her murder in an explicit manner. Barlow said she wanted Rae to be remembered as a strong female and her exit to go down in "Hollyoaks history".
In 2011 Barlow won an All About Soap
All About Soap
All About Soap is a fortnightly UK magazine, released on Tuesday. Storylines of the shows it covers are from soap operas shown in the United Kingdom and from Australia....
award for Rae's love trinagle storyline. AfterElton have criticised Hollyoaks for appearing to show no interest in developing Rae. They, along with 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...
have bemoaned the realism of Rae chosing to stay with Ste, knowing about his homosexuality. While readers of soap opera magazine 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....
indicated that they did not want Silas to murder Rae.
Character creation and casting
In July 2009, at the Hollyoaks press day, series producer Lucy AllanLucy 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....
announced that there would be a 'big stunt' involving existing character, schizophrenic student Newt (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....
) in October the same year. In September 2009, it was announced that a new character, Rae would join the serial as part of a "shock suicide plot" involving Newt, which would see the two characters jump off a bridge.
In October 2009 it was revealed that Alice Barlow
Alice Barlow
Alice Barlow , is a British actress and singer, best known for her role in Hollyoaks as Rae Wilson.-Career:While a teenager Barlow won a national talent search Festival4Stars. In 2008, Barlow took part 'The Stobart Factor' a talent competition, which was judged by The X Factor judge Louis Walsh...
had successfully auditioned for the part of Rae. Of her casting Barlow stated: "I am absolutely on top of the world, I can’t believe I’m on Hollyoaks. When I was little I had two dreams, one to sing in front of a live audience, which I have done, and the other to have a part on a soap, which I am doing now!" It was also revealed that Helen Russell-Clark who plays 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 the serial had also auditioned for Rae, getting to the final stages of casting.
Series producer Allan stated that 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....
) and Rae was her favourite additions to the cast in 2009, of Rae and Barlow she stated: "The actor who I'm really proud of - in terms of character and performance - is Alice Barlow as Rae. To introduce a character as somebody and then to completely change the character six weeks later, while still delivering the performances that Alice does, is a testament to a young actress."
In early 2011 Barlow decided to leave Hollyoaks to pursue other projects. Her departure was kept a secret until her exit scenes aired. Barlow described her time with the programme as "the perfect end" to her teenage years and could not ask for anything better.
Characterisation
Rae has been described as "a right chavChav
A chav is a term that is used in the United Kingdom to describe a stereotype of teenagers and young adults from an underclass background.-Etymology:...
" compared to how Newt imagined her. Of her persona Barlow stated: "It is quite hard work [...] I'm nothing like the character at all so it takes a lot of acting!" Barlow has said she would like Rae to be remembered as a "strong-willed person". Rae always gets her "opinion across, no matter what". Rae goes through a "transitional period" in her duration. While she was still portrayed as the strong female, viewers saw "a weaker side due to some of the knocks that she's had." Though because of her feisty persona "everyone knew that you don't mess with Rae."
Suicide pact
Rae's first storyline was when she was introduced as an imaginary friend of Newt. The storyline progressed into Rae and Newt making a suicide pact, where they jump off a bridge into deep water. Behind the scenes filming took place at Stanley Dock in Liverpool where they had to act out the stunts. Allan praised Barlow and Mirallegro for their willingness to perform their own stunts, during an interview with Liverpool Daily PostLiverpool Daily Post
The Liverpool Daily Post is a newspaper published by Trinity Mirror in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is published Monday to Friday and is published in Merseyside, Cheshire, and North Wales editions, and is a morning paper...
she stated: "The team did a brilliant job at constructing a 45ft tower at Stanley Dock for the main stunt. We had stunt doubles there if the actors felt they did not want to do it. But they are a tenacious bunch and they wanted to do it all themselves. She also added: "They even stayed underwater for three or four minutes for the big underwater sequence."
The storyline came into the media spotlight just days before the suicide scenes were due to air 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 their decision. Also adding: "The audience will be familiar with the character of Newt and this plotline, which has been both trailed and promoted, has been developing over a number of weeks. Hollyoaks has a strong track record of dealing with sensitive issues, and the transmission will be followed by a programme support announcement directing viewers to a 24-hour helpline." 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."
Whilst interviewed by entertainment website 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....
, producer Allan admitted the suicide scenes were her overall favourite from 2009, commenting: "The underwater sequence with Newt, Rae, Eli and Jack the hero! It was a beautiful moment on screen and it was the moment that the audience realised that Newt was trying to kill himself. For me, that moment of realisation made that scene so powerful." When the suicide storyline had finished, it was revealed that Rae was, in fact, a real character in the series.
Rae, Ste and Brendan
Rae starts dating Ste HaySte 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...
(Kieron Richardson
Kieron Richardson
Kieron Mark Richardson is an English actor best known for playing the role of Ste Hay in Hollyoaks.-Career:...
) and 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
Emmett J. Scanlan
Emmett J. Scanlan is an Irish actor from Dublin.In 2008 and 2009, Scanlan appeared in the Justin Timberlake-produced MTV series The Phone, as "The Operator"...
) pays Veronica (Lynsey McLaren) to attempt to split them up. Brendan later gives Ste money to stay away from Rae. Scanlan said Brendan is "all about power and manipulation" in the storyline. Rae finds out Ste has slept with Brendan but gives him another chance. Ste and Brendan begin a full affair behind Rae's back. In January 2011, it was announced that Rae would discover she is pregnant with Ste's child. Rae is "knocked sideways" when she finds out and she "is not sure how she feels with the prospect of becoming a teen mum." Brendan and Ste decide to end their affair for Rae's sake. However, they a resume their relationship. Richardson revealed Rae would find out about their affair, adding "She's shocked and angry. She'd believed Ste when he assured her he wasn't gay and now she knows he was lying to her."
Barlow told 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....
that Mitzeee (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...
) thinks Rae has the right to know about Ste's affair. However when she finds them together "the whole thing leaves her more torn than ever." Rae had no idea Ste and Brendan were still together and finds it "a big shock - she's hurt". It also leaves her feeling "unsure" and considers having a termination. This prompts Brendan to reveal that he lost a child of his own and attempts to talk Rae out of it. Barlow said it "She's never seen Brendan be this genuine with anybody - it's really heartfelt stuff." Ste does not "see the problem" with Rae keeping the child as he considers himself a good father already. Barlow said it is "a bigger deal" for Rae. She really loves Ste and "she's been through a lot with him since arriving" which has creates a "special connection" between the pair. It then transpires that Brendan's chat manages to convince Rae to keep the baby.
Barlow later revealed that Ste would attempt to get back with Rae. At which point Rae makes a decision, "she doesn't want him anymore" and will not stick by him. Rae reasoning is that "there really isn't any going back" once you find out your partner is gay. Despite this Rae is "determined to keep the baby" because she wants to prove "she can be a good mum on her own." However during an argument with Brendan, Rae suffers a miscarriage. Barlow said she found acting out Rae losing her baby hard to film.
Barlow said that Rae and Ste would remain friends. As the characters have been through a lot together, Rae decides to "be there for him if it gets tough with Brendan." This leads to a feud between Rae and Brendan. Barlow exlained that Rae has "a handle" on Brendan and is "one of the few characters that can actually stand up to Brendan." Barlow herself said she loved to portray their dynamic where Rae has been able to gain control of Brendan. As Rae has always known the truth over Brendan's sexuality, she "always felt like she had the upper hand". Though she pushes Brendan too far and he starts threatening her.
Rae and Ethan
Rae is involved in a relationship storyline with Ethan Scott (Craig Vye). However, Ethan is already romancing both Liberty SavageLiberty Savage
Liberty Savage is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by actress and singer-songwriter Abi Phillips. She made her first on-screen appearance on 10 December 2010. Phillips was approached by Hollyoaks producers after she submitted one of her songs...
(Abi Phillips
Abi Phillips
Abi Phillips is an English actress, singer and songwriter. She is best known for playing Liberty Savage in Channel 4 British soap-opera Hollyoaks.-Career:...
) 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...
). The storyline was played out so that viewers were not aware that Rae was seeing Ethan. However, they did know Ethan is cheating on Theresa and Liberty with a third "mystery woman". Porter said Theresa "cannot believe it" when she sees Ethan kissing Rae. Once the three females discover the truth about Ethan's infidelity, they decide "the best revenge is humiliation". They expose his lies and pour gunge over him infront of the entire village. Vye said the storyline would see Ethan end up alone because "he's clearly not ready to settle down." He added that the storyline has a "classic case of wanting what you can't have."
Porter later revealed that everyone involved in the storyline made an effort to play it with a comedic tone. This was done to stop the plot seeming "quite so serious". She also said that it reflected real life because there are men in society that behave like does. Barlow herself said she was surpirsed at the twist because she did not expect Rae to be involved. The storyline also proved popular with viewers. Both Barlow and Porter said they received a high volume of messages via social network website 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...
, stating that they too were surprised by Rae's involvement. Digital Spy chose Rae being exposed as Ethan's lover and her subsequent revenge plot in their "Pic of the day" feature.
Exit and murder
Barlow decided to leave Hollyoaks in early 2011, because she felt it was the right time to say goodbye to Rae. Barlow said that she had given "all she could" to the character. This prompted producers to devise a "memorable" exit storyline for Rae. Barlow was informed on how they planned to write Rae out in March 2011. Producers did not inform viewers that Barlow was leaving and kept storyline details a secret. In the months leading up to her exit, viewers began to speculate that Rae would become the next victim of serial killer Silas BlissettSilas 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...
). Barlow had to attempt to discredit the rumours and firmly denied speculation that she was leaving Hollyoaks. She did this because she wanted viewers to be "surprised and shocked" by her exit.
Hollyoaks leaked a video containing footage of Silas preparing to attack Theresa at a rave. This lead viewers to believe that Thersa would become his next victim. It was then confirmed that Thesera would become Silas' next target in the fourth series of Hollyoaks Later
Hollyoaks Later (series 4)
The fourth series of Hollyoaks Later is a British television series and late night spin-off of Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. The series is due to air in September 2011 at 10pm. As of June 2011 filming has begun...
. Porter said that it was "scary and worrying", however, would not confirm whether Silas kills her character. The programme's producer Emma Smithwick confirmed that the late night episodes would feature the death of a regular character.
When the episodes aired, a dark storyline twist plays out. Rae tells Silas his enemy Brendan has threatened to kill her. She annoys Silas by telling him she plans to use men for flings after being hurt too many times. Silas realises he has an opportunity to frame Brendan. Silas brutally beats Rae and strangles her to death in an allyway, all of which was shown on-screen. Barlow said the fact that Rae's death aired in late night episodes of the serial made an opportunity to be creative with the content. There were "no limits" and they could "do whatever they wanted with it." She described Rae's death scene as "absolutely incredible" and loved the chance to work with accredited actor Rawle. Barlow said Rae's death had been kept a secret to shock viewers, in the same way the death of fellow 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...
(Loui Batley
Loui Batley
Louie Anne Batley is an English actress, singer and dancer best known for her role in Hollyoaks as Sarah Barnes...
) did previously. Barlow said she was happy and grateful with the nature of her exit storyline. The opportunity to "go out with a bang" was better than Rae leaving quietly in a taxi. She hoped that Rae's murder would "go down in Hollyoaks history" as one of their best exits. Brendan is arrested for Rae's murder, when Silas places evidence on him. Barlow stated that other characters blame Brendan because he made Rae fear for her life when he threatened her. Ste believes he did it because knows what the "relationship between Rae and Brendan has been like and all the problems they've had."
Storylines
Rae and Newt (Nico MirallegroNico 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....
) meet while he is living rough and she teaches him how to live on the streets, however she is not liked by his schizophrenic persona Eli (Marc Silcock
Marc Silcock
Marco "Marc" Silcock is an English actor, best known for his portrayal of Jackson Walsh in the British soap opera Emmerdale.-Career:Silcock studied acting at City College, Manchester and has a Diploma in Performing Arts....
). The pair shar a kiss and sleep together. After Newt admits to having schizophrenia, Eli takes over his mind and tries to kill Rae, however Newt manages to stop himself. They decide to escape their problems by commit suicide together by jumping off a beam into water. As they head to the top of a warehouse to jump, Newt's ex-girlfriend 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...
) and his foster father Jack Osborne
Jack Osborne
Jack William Osborne is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jimmy McKenna. He first appeared on 18 November 1996 and is the second longest serving character although Cindy Longford and Mandy Richardson both appeared before him both have taken...
(Jimmy McKenna) rush to stop him. It is then revealed that Rae is another persona of Newt's, like Eli. Newt pushes Eli into the canal as Rae jumps. Newt then followed and Jack rescues him.
After Newt goes to apologise to Lily (Meryl Hampton), the woman he had mugged whilst on the run, he informs her that her granddaughter Rae is dead. However Rae turns up, revealing that she is real, although she has a different hair style and is wearing a different style of clothes. She has no idea who Newt is. Newt then takes her to the warehouse where he realises he had created a persona of Rae around a picture he saw of her from her grandmother's purse. During a merger with Rae's school Abbey Hill and Hollyoaks High School, Newt tries to talk to Rae, who later gets her friend Sinclair to threaten him. Rae attempts to get a job in Il Gnosh. However, she is declined. She finds employment by Ste in the diner called "Relish", where she discovers her co-worker is Newt. Rae becomes paranoid and tries to get Newt sacked. However, she later accepts that they have to work together. Lauren locks her in a cupboard, Rae reveals she is claustrophobic and is "cursed". She tells Newt that both of her sisters died before their 18th birthdays and she believes the same will happen to her.
Rae eventually overcomes her fear of the curse with Newt's help and agrees to go with him when he plans to move to Scotland with his birth mother, Shelly Newton (Beverly Denim) and baby brother Jensen. However, her grandmother has a stroke at the last minute, so Rae decides to stay in Hollyoaks to look after her. Newt left with his mother, and Rae moves out of Darren's
Darren Osborne
Darren Osborne is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. Darren was introduced by executive producer Phil Redmond as part of the Osborne family. Darren made his first on-screen appearance on 18 November 1996 and was initially played by Adam Booth, before the Booth...
(Ashley Taylor Dawson
Ashley Taylor Dawson
Ashley Taylor Dawson is an English actor and singer. He is best known for his role as Darren Osborne in the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, in which he is one of the longest serving cast members and as being a member of UK pop band allSTARS*.-Personal life:Ashley Dawson was born Wilmslow,...
) flat to go and stay with her grandmother.
Rae later returns and Ste tries to get her a job as DJ at Chez Chez, after she decides that she wants to pursue it as her career once more, Brendan tells her she is rubbish at the job and doesn't want to take her on. Rae and Ste grow close again, they begin to date. Jealous Brendan uses Veronica to get in between their chances of happiness, she kisses Ste and Brendan makes sure Rae witnesses the kiss. When Brendan and Ste start a relationship, Brendan makes Ste go out with Rae. Ste and Rae sleep together but are interrupted by Brendan telling them Ste's ex, 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...
), has been involved in a fire. Ste becomes convinced Brendan started the fire. Rae only learns of their relationship when she tells Macca (Drew Dillon) she loves Ste, and Macca ends up telling her everything. Thinking she's helping, Rae tells Brendan's sister Cheryl that Brendan is gay, but Brendan manages to convince Cheryl otherwise.
Rae then finds out she's pregnant and confides in Amy about the situation, however Rae is unaware that Ste is actually sleeping with Brendan behind her back. Rae tells Ste, and he tells her he will stand by her; but she is not sure she wants the baby. After confiding in Cheryl, Rae decides to have an abortion. However, Cheryl lets slip to Brendan and he and Ste go after Rae to try and stop her. Rae keeps the baby, and then whilst Ste and Brendan continue their affair in the Chez Chez club office, Mitzeee (who knows about Ste and Brendan's affair) sees the keys to the office on the bar, and steals them. Rae is then talking to Mitzeee, and Mitzeee tells her that what she is about to do is for her own good, and unlocks the office door, catching Brendan and Ste kissing. The next day Rae tells Ste that she is going to bring up the baby on her own. Rae then moves out of Ste & Amy's flat to move into Noah Baxter's (Law Thompson) flat. After a vicious row with Brendan she suffers a miscarriage.
Rae causes trouble for Brendan when he tries to regain control of Ste. She threatens to tell everyone he is gay, so Brendan decides to set Rae up. 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 Brenan) recruits Rae to sell drugs, not realising Brendan has set everything up. Rae is arrested for dealing, only to be released without charge after Warren Fox
Warren Fox
Warren Fox is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jamie Lomas. He first arrived in 2006 as an old acquaintance of Sean Kennedy and quickly became known as the show's main villain...
(Jamie Lomas
Jamie Lomas
Jamie Lomas is an English actor best known for his role as bad boy Warren Fox on the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks....
) tampered with the substance. Amy throws Rae out of the flat. She later gets a job working behind the bar at the Dog. She initially gets on with her boss Heidi Costello
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:...
), until she finds out about her affair with Gaz Bennett
Gaz Bennett
Gary "Gaz" Bennett is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Joel Goonan. He debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 25 November 2008. Goonan took a break from filming during 2010, and returned on-screen on 19 January 2011. Goonan announced his...
(Joel Goonan
Joel Goonan
Joel Benjamin Goonan is an English actor best known for his role as the villainous Garry "Gaz" Bennett in Hollyoaks....
). Gaz then tries to get her sacked, so she causes their affair to be exposed and leaves her job. Rae is revealed to be the third girl that was cheating on Theresa and Liberty with. When they find out they plot to gain revenge. Rae tells him she has an STD
Sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease , also known as a sexually transmitted infection or venereal disease , is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of human sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex...
, Theresa tells him she is pregnant and Liberty pretends to set a wedding date. They humiliate Ethan with the truth and throw gunge over him infront of the locals. Rae becomes friendly with Will Savage (James Atherton) and notices that Theresa fancies him. She tries to help them get together, though Theresa accuses her of liking Will.
Rae later arranges a rave with the help of Will. Brendan convinces Ste to look after 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:...
), Rae confronts Ste for letting Brendan use him. She accidentally reveals Brendan is gay infront of his son Declan Brady (Jay Duffy). Brendan is furious with Rae and threatens to kill her infront of 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), Lee Hunter
Lee Hunter
Lee Hunter was an automotive engineer.His inventions include the "Kwikurent" device for the rapid charging of a car battery, and a machine to balance car wheels while they spin. He founded Hunter Engineering Company in 1946...
(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...
), 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). At the rave Rae pushes Will and Theresa together, despite having feelings for Will herself. 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...
) talks to Rae while she takes a break from her DJ spot. She tells him Brendan has threatened to kill her. She also reveals that she is tired of men treating her bad and vows to use them in future. Silas steals Theresa's phone and texts Rae asking to meet her outside the rave. Silas repeatedly punches Rae, then strangles her in an allyway. While she breathes her final breath she watches Theresa and Will kiss in the distance. Having killed Rae, Silas hugs her and tells her it is "all done". Silas uses Rae's body to frame Brendan, when he places her in the boot of Brendan's car. While the whole village blame Brendan for Rae's death - Ste arranges a memorial for her in the village.
Reception
In 2011, at the All About SoapAll About Soap
All About Soap is a fortnightly UK magazine, released on Tuesday. Storylines of the shows it covers are from soap operas shown in the United Kingdom and from Australia....
Bubble Awards Rae, Ste and Brendan won the award for "Best Love Triangle". 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...
describe Rae's "memorable moment" as being locked in cupboard and subsequently revealing she is cursed. Anthony D. Langford of AfterElton said Hollyoaks had no interest in Rae as a character and held no desire to "make her a real fleshed out person". He also opined that she had no common sense because in his opinion "no woman would regularly leave her man alone for long periods of time with the guy she knows he had an affair with." He added Rae should have known that Ste and Brendan's affair had resumed. Roz Laws of 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...
said "it's a mystery" to why Rae wanted to go out with Ste in the first place. She noted his violent history and homosexuality as reasons to avoid him.
Jaci Stephen of 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...
criticised Hollyoaks for playing out too many drug storylines. On Rae's storyline she praised the element of humour when she was charged in possession of icing sugar, however, said it was "hardly the Marx Brothers
Marx Brothers
The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in Vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
". Inside Soap conducted a poll to find out which Hollyoaks character they most wanted to be murdered by Silas. Rae and Theresa were voted as favourites to survive Silas' reign of terror, while Leanne and Ruby Button (Anna Shaffer) were voted to be his next victims. AfterElton's D. Langford, said that Rae was murdered in "a rather gruesome and shocking fashion". However, while he thought it was "compelling drama", he opined that Rae's murder and Brendan being blamed was "pretty predictable".
External links
- Character profile at E4.com
- 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...