Steph Cunningham
Encyclopedia
Stephanie "Steph" Roach (née Dean; previously Cunningham) is a fictional character
from the British Channel 4
soap opera
Hollyoaks
, played by Carley Stenson
. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 8 March 2000 and is the second longest featured regular female character in the history of Hollyoaks. Steph was introduced into the serial by executive producer Jo Hallows. In 2009 Stenson decided to quit, but the then producer Lucy Allan
convinced her to stay to play out a dramatic storyline. The announcement of her departure was made public in June 2010. Stenson's fellow cast members have described her as a "Hollyoaks legend" because of her lengthy duration.
Steph has been described as having a highly confident persona, a trait Stenson enjoyed portraying throughout. Steph is also played as "fame hungry". She is noted for a number of high profile storylines such as the portrayal of bullying in a school environment, the portrayal of epilepsy
, which Stenson felt had been a 'taboo subject' for too long. Other stories include becoming a widow and her involvement in Niall's revenge plot and her constant desire for fame. One of Steph's final storylines was the portrayal of cervical cancer
, which Stenson conducted extensive research into. The character was subsequently killed off in a special block of episodes branded by the media as "fire week". She made her final appearance to date on 30 March 2011 in a video message she left to her husband Gilly. Some critics described her final storylines as "upsetting" and "surprising". Steph's relationship with Gilly Roach
was viewed unfavourable by most. Stenson has been nominated for several different awards for her portrayal of Steph.
(Colin Wells
). She has two brothers, Craig
(Guy Burnett) and Jake
(Kevin Sacre
), and a sister, Debbie
(Jodi Albert
). She is not close to her siblings, and has a strained relationship with her mother, who prefers to involve herself in Craig and Jake's lives and boast about Debbie's professional singing prowess. In contrast, Steph has a very close relationship with her father, Johnno.
(Gemma Atkinson
), driving her to attempt suicide. When Steph's friends react disapprovingly, she apologises and promises to change. She cultivates a promiscuous reputation, having brief relationships with Brian and footballer Scott. Steph eventually becomes friends with Lisa, but accidentally ruins her hair while attempting to dye it. Believing that she did so on purpose, her other friends shun her. Distracted by the quarrel, Steph does not notice that she is being stalked by serial killer Toby Mills
(Henry Luxemburg). He attacks her, hitting her in the head with a spanner and leaving her to die. Steph is comatose for a week, and is diagnosed with epilepsy when she regains consciousness. Upon learning that Toby is Lisa's brother-in-law, Steph resumes her bullying. Her father eventually catches her physically attacking Lisa, and orders her to leave her alone. The two go on to attend university together, where Steph apologises for her cruelty and they are able to reconcile.
In the aftermath of her epilepsy diagnosis, Steph is initially unable to deal with her condition. Her father supports her, but ends up abandoning his family following the revelation that he has a secret son. Steph's mother remarries, and she comes to see her new stepfather, Jack Osborne
(James McKenna
), as a father figure. Steph largely reforms following her diagnosis, becoming more sensitive to the needs of others. She comes to terms with how dangerous her condition could be uncontrolled, and in time her epileptic episodes become less frequent. Steph fails her college exams and is forced to retake them. Fuelled by jealousy of her sister's West End success, she attempts to embark on a celebrity career. She appears in the fictional television show Bid Crazy TV, and auditions for a girl band, X-Pose, which transpires to be a money-making scam. She then sells a kiss and tell story on celebrity Joe Jones, who she meets after a failed audition to become one of his backing singers. When Steph's notoriety peters out, her stepbrother and agent Darren arranges for her to have sex with a footballer. After their liaison, Steph discovers that he is actually just the team's mascot. Humiliated, she abandons her pursuit of fame.
In a comedy storyline, Steph's great-aunt Reenie leaves her an inheritance, said to be a "small fortune", on the condition that Steph performs a charitable act. She fulfils the requirement by saving Leo Valentine
(Brian Bovell
) from choking, however discovers that Small Fortune is, in fact, a donkey. Steph sends it to live at a donkey sanctuary.
Steph becomes a babysitter to Tom, and later begins a relationship with his older brother, Max. They get engaged, but have an on-off relationship fraught with frequent arguments. Steph's friend Niall falls in love with her and attempts to come between them. She and Max eventually marry, but on their wedding day, Niall accidentally runs Max over, killing him. After a period of intense grief, Steph has sex with Niall. He is revealed to be a villain, holding his family hostage and killing his sister, Tina McQueen
(Leah Hackett
). A frightened Steph goes to stay with her brother Craig in Scotland. Niall follows her, and takes Steph, Tom and Craig hostage. After a stand-off in which Craig makes Niall acknowledge the hurt he has caused, Niall throws himself off a cliff to his death.
After a long holiday with Tom, Steph returns and begins to put her life back together. She falls for dance teacher Fernando Fernandez (Jeronimo Best), inspiring jealousy in Gilly, who has feelings for Steph. She and Fernando become engaged, as do Gilly and Cheryl Brady
(Bronagh Waugh
), Steph's employee. Realising that she loves Gilly, Steph breaks up with Fernando, but due to loyalty to Cheryl, refuses to date Gilly when he breaks up with her. Gilly briefly becomes engaged to Jem Costello
(Helen Russell-Clarke), but ultimately leaves her to be with Steph.
Steph discovers she has cervical cancer, and has a hysterectomy. In the aftermath, she decides to pursue a singing career and applies for The X Factor
. Despite using her cancer as a sob story, she is rejected at her audition. Her cancer spreads, and though Steph has chemotherapy, she is later told that her condition is terminal. Gilly struggles to cope with her diagnosis, almost causing Steph to cancel their wedding. It goes ahead, however, and after their honeymoon, Steph begins to make plans for her impending death. When Il Gnosh, a local Italian restaurant catches fire, Steph saves Amy Barnes and her children, but chooses to remain inside and die. After Steph's funeral, her family and friends watch video messages she recorded for them prior to her death. On 11 March, Cindy returns and Darren tells her about Steph and plays her the goodbye message.
(Kelly Greenwood
). Although unsuccessful, the Hollyoaks casting team later asked her to apply for the new role of Steph Cunningham, and placed her straight into the final stage of auditions. She was delighted to subsequently be given the part, which was her first major television role. Stenson joined the cast straight after leaving high school, aged seventeen. She made her first appearance in March 2000, and by 2007 had become the longest-serving female cast member remaining.
Steph was introduced as a friend of Zara's, who was initially "quite naive" and easily led. Within two years, her personality had altered greatly. Steph became a bully, and "a bit of a bitch". Stenson enjoyed this transformation into a villain, as she believed it made Steph a more memorable character. She also felt she could "really go somewhere" with Steph's bitchiness in her acting, but in contrast struggled to portray her more genuine moments. She commented that Steph is the type of character only to cry over things she "really cares about". Stenson found this difficult to relate to, and struggled to "find a balance between pushing it too far and far enough". She ultimately preferred to play her as a bitch, though one "more comical rather than just out-and-out nasty."
Stenson assessed that Steph "really isn't all bad, more of a lovable rogue who just likes making mischief for attention." She deemed her character "very unpredictable", with a great deal of confidence. The LINC Online called her a "beautiful blonde wild child with a penchant for arrogance and displays of egotism". Sarah Moolla of The People
branded her "superficial", the Daily Record
Merle Brown referred to her as "a true red-blooded female, and Emma Johnson of the Liverpool Echo
assessed that she had a "couldn't-care-less" attitude. BBC America
described Steph as a two-sided character. They observed that as well as a bitch, she could be "dishonest, vain, jealous and small-minded", and wrote "She causes trouble when she wants to and will happily lie and gossip to get her own way." Conversely, they noted that for those on her good side, "She can be your best friend, a confidante and sweet natured girl".
As Steph developed, she was revealed to have a "softer side". Beneath her tough façade was a "deeply insecure little girl who crave[d] love and affection." An "artistic and creative" streak lead her to attend performing arts college, and attain a degree in drama. This inspired a rivalry with fellow actor Summer Shaw
(Summer Strallen
), which saw Steph "determined to keep the limelight on her." Nadia Mendoza of The Sun described Steph as Hollyoaks "resident drama queen", explaining that Steph's dislike of Summer stemmed from the fact she had previously been the only actress in the village. Stenson downplayed her vocal ability, and opined that Steph is "hardly the world's best singer".
, who plays mother Frankie Dean, assessed that they were "really supportive of each other", and "quite solid, like an old-fashioned family unit", despite their lack of finances which required them to undertake "various scams to keep body and soul together." As time went on, the Deans were affected by affairs and parental separation, more typical of the soap's other families.
Steph had several romances throughout her time in the series. In her early years, Stenson played her as a flirt, who acted out for the attention of boys. Her first lovers included Christian virgin Brian Drake (Jonathan Le Billon
) and football playing "lothario" Scott Anderson
(Daniel Hyde
). Her later relationship with Cameron Clark
(Ben Gerrard) had "ups and downs" due to his obsessive-compulsive disorder
. To boost his confidence she forced him to join a rock band. Her actions were successful, and Stenson said Steph was "proud" of this. She sacrificed their relationship so Cameron could leave and tour Europe. Sarah Ellis of Inside Soap
praised Steph for being so supportive, despite Cameron's "erratic behaviour".
Steph appeared to "finally [find] happiness" when she fell in love with Max Cunningham
(Matt Littler
). Although attracted to her, Max initially resisted Steph as he believed her to be a "ditzy, air-headed blonde", only interested in "bad boys." When his younger brother Tom
(Ellis Hollins
) developed a crush on her, the "kind, sensitive way" Steph handled it altered his impression. Littler explained, "Max begins to realise there's more to her than her looks. He begins to think she's actually really nice and they become friends." Littler quit the series in 2008, and producers planned his exit around Max's wedding to Steph. He was killed off on their wedding day, as he pulled Tom out of the path of a car. Before she filmed the aftermath of Max's death, Stenson listened to depressing music to reach her character's bereaved mindset. Stenson believed it was a mistake to kill Max off, and "such an awful thing to happen to Steph", until she received "amazing feedback" about the storyline. In the aftermath, Tom asked Steph to be his mother, in a scene that then-executive producer Bryan Kirkwood
deemed his favourite of the year. The interaction between the two was intended to represent "what Hollyoaks is all about - lots of heart, relationships, friendships, love and loss." Kirkwood praised Stenson's performance throughout the storyline, particularly during in that scene.
Steph has a brief fling with Niall Rafferty
(Barry Sloane
). The actors were required to film "steamy scenes". Stenson felt it a "hard challenge" to portray, she had to convince the audience that Steph would genuinely get together with her husband's killer. Some viewers, including all the staff of Inside Soap believed their chemistry to be greater. Stenson ultimately decided Steph was "better suited" to Max. She hoped that Steph would have even "more drama around the corner" along with "a bit of comic relief".
. Feeling a responsibility to members of the viewing public who have the disorder, the actress researched it extensively, assisted by Mersey Television
. As well as reading about it, she visited several organisations, and spent a day on set with a teenage girl—close in age to Steph—who has the condition, and who shared insights on the experiences she had been through. The actress felt trepidation about acting out seizures, but for her first one was assisted by the episode's director, who had witnessed seizures first-hand, having once worked in a hospital. Stenson felt privileged to be chosen for the storyline, particularly as epilepsy is typically a taboo subject which had not featured prominently in a soap opera before.
Barbara Pinder of Epilepsy Action
praised the serial for taking on the subject matter. Hollyoaks researchers contacted the charity when developing the storyline, and Pinder felt that the show succeeded in communicating the impact of Steph's diagnosis. She stated, "It is great to see a soap opera, specially one that is watched mainly by young people, look at the issue of epilepsy as it often gets ignored." Stenson was pleased the storyline was "reaching out to people", and stated that she had received many letters from fans thanking her for highlighting an under-exposed subject, as well as positive feedback on the Hollyoaks website.
Steph initially reacted angrily towards her diagnosis, which Pinder confirmed was not uncommon, explaining: "The character is going through stages that someone with epilepsy is likely to go through. Teenagers can have terrible trouble coming to terms with epilepsy at a time when they have a lot of other difficult things to deal with. It can also be quite a blow to their independence." Writing for the Sunday Mail
, Steve Hendry assessed that the plot would serve to "bring the arrogant and often spiteful Steph down a peg or two", humbling her. Stenson agreed that Steph's epilepsy would make her "more understanding", inspiring thoughtfulness towards others, as opposed to her former rejection of those different to her. However, she observed that the condition may also serve to worsen her behaviour towards "a chosen few." The character's epilepsy was further explored in the Hollyoaks spin-off In Too Deep, in which Steph has a seizure and believes she is possessed by a spirit, almost causing her to drown.
and underwent a hysterectomy. The plot was said to echo the true story of former Big Brother
contestant Jade Goody
, who died of cervical cancer in 2009. It was devised prior to the appointment of Paul Marquess
as executive producer. He chose to continue with it, deciding that it would be interesting to give Steph another serious storyline, and have a character that viewers "know and love going through a really hard time." In preparation for the storyline, Stenson studied the illness to give her a time-line of the experiences Steph would undergo. She chose not to speak with any cancer patients about coping with cancer, believing that everyone handles it in their own personal way. Additionally, she aimed to make Steph's realisation of her cancer as believable as possible, explaining that: "Steph wouldn't have any prior knowledge about what to expect, and I wanted to see it fresh through her eyes". She was flattered to be trusted with the storyline, and found it particularly important to get her portrayal right as, during the previous year, she had fronted the Arm Against Cervical Cancer campaign.
The producers aimed to send a message of early detection to the series' young audience, and had Steph initially ignore her symptoms. Stenson hoped to raise awareness of cervical cancer, and educate women about the importance of regular smear tests. She stated that Steph was confident about beating her illness, as "the alternative [wa]sn't worth thinking about." The character was originally reluctant to tell her family about the cancer for fear of hurting them, and was embarrassed to tell her love interest Gilly Roach
(Anthony Quinlan
), not wanting him to have to look after her. As the storyline developed, Steph cancelled her wedding to Gilly due to his refusal to accept that her condition was terminal. Quinlan explained that his character impeded her ability to deal with the situation, with his disbelief contrasting Steph's attempt to "take this in her stride and [...] spend quality time with the people she loves before she goes."
Marquess deemed the storyline as a whole one which could only be depicted the way it was in Hollyoaks, aiming to tell a "tragic story" with a "sweet and humorous tone"." A comedy element of the storyline had Steph use her cancer as a sob story to enter a talent show, recruiting orphan Tom to take to the stage with her, giving her story further emotional impact. Stenson commented, "Deep down she knows she's not a fantastic singer, but she thought the judges would feel sorry for her and put her through." According to Quinlan, viewer feedback on the storyline was "brilliant". He stated that viewers were upset by Steph's illness, and that it had even brought his own mother to tears.
to play out a long exit storyline, which concluded filming in September 2010. Before filming her final scenes, Stenson secured her first West End
role. Though she had previously felt ready to leave the series, when the time came, she was upset because she felt the reality of it. She called her final scenes "really sad and emotional", and stated that while she had not had any input in Steph's exit, she was happy with it.
Hollyoaks devised an arson plot to begin on Guy Fawkes Night
2010, as a result of which some characters would die. The production team intended to keep details of who would die secret until transmission. Prior to broadcast, Stenson revealed that Steph would risk her own life to save Amy Barnes
(Ashley Slanina-Davies
), Leah Barnes (Jessica Croft-Lane) and Lucas Hay. The actress explained that "She stares death in the face every day because of her cancer, so thinks she really has nothing to lose now." Stenson performed one of her own stunts during filming, with the rest undertaken by a stunt double
. A promotional trailer for the episodes aired across the Channel 4 network, featuring Steph on fire. In the event, Steph rescued Amy and her children from a burning building but refused to leave herself, saying she was ready to die. Her exit received a positive reaction from fans on the social networking website Twitter
, with Stenson stating that she was "honoured" by the response. Steph's legacy continued following her death, with her husband, family and friends left to come to terms with their grief. On 29 November 2011 it was confirmed Stenson was to reprise the role for a one off guest appearance as Steph.
, and for "Best Dramatic Performance" in 2009. She received a long-list nomination for the "Best Actress" accolade at the 2005 National Television Awards
. In 2008, Stenson was nominated for the "Sexiest Female" Inside Soap Award
, which she found flattering. A further nomination in the same category followed in 2010, accompanied by nominations for "Best Actress", and "Best Dramatic Performance" for Steph learning she had cancer.
Following her departure, her co-stars commented favourably on the actress and character, with Jorgie Porter
deeming her an "ultimate original", Gemma Merna
stating that she "was Hollyoaks", and Ricky Whittle
admitting that he cried during the airing of her final scenes. Television and entertainment website Holy Soap
did not see Steph's fire death coming, calling her actions brave and her ten year duration "mammoth". They described her most memorable moment as telling Niall she did not love him and then watching him commit suicide. Inside Soap said if there was an award for "the unluckiest character in soap", Steph would certainly win. In his column for The Guardian
, television critic Jim Shelley
stated that it was time for Steph to go, having "suffered enough" during her tenure. Humorously recapping her ten years in Hollyoaks, Shelley wrote:
Sarah Welsh of the South Wales Echo
gave the stalking storyline a negative review. She called both plot and acting "ridiculous" and commented that while she often felt sorry for the serial being snubbed at the National Soap Awards, "This is not the way to raise the game."
Steph's relationships were a focal point of many reviews. The Daily Mirror Nicola Methven and Polly Hudson found a 2004 love triangle
between Steph, her sister Debbie and love interest Dan Hunter (Andrew McNair
) "surprising compelling". Grace Dent
of The Guardian observed of her failed engagement to Fernando: "With the best will in the world, I don't feel that marriage was ever going to last". Dent had previously named Steph singing The Sugababes' "About You Now
" at Max's funeral one of her four favourite soap moments of 2008. Roz Laws of the Sunday Mercury
felt there was "plenty of chemistry" between Steph and Gilly. Their relationship was frequently commented on by the Daily Mail
Jaci Stephen in her weekly soap column. She expressed disinterest in Steph and Cheryl's rivalry over Gilly, and found it implausible that she and Jem would quarrel over him. When the two finally admitted their feelings for one another in May 2010, Stephen accurately predicted that their happiness would be short-lived. She highlighted a lack of subtlety in the scripting of the lead-up to their wedding, observing: "Of course, you know that the moment she says that nothing is going to stop her marrying Gilly, the Grim Reaper will be pulling up in his hearse, shortly behind the wedding car."
Stephen derided Steph's singing ambition during her X Factor plot line, deeming her voice "average" and writing that she did not need to use her cancer for the sympathy vote, as her singing alone would be enough for that. She later questioned when Steph would accept that she was not intended to be a singer, commenting that her "ambition could not be made of sterner stuff", but that Simon Cowell
and the remainder of the population would breathe "a major sigh of relief" at the abandonment of her showbiz dreams. More positively, Stephen wrote that she loved the bravery in "both the humour and pathos that Steph's manipulation of her cancer brings."
Reviewing the Steph-centric spin-off In Too Deep for The Times
, Tim Teeman commented that while late-night Hollyoaks episodes had previously been amusing, "sexed-up" versions of the main show, with In Too Deep it became "less shagathon, more What Lies Beneath
". The episode was selected as recommended viewing by Laws of the Sunday Mercury. The launch of Hollyoaks Later series one
, in which Niall returns to target Steph, was named a "Satellite Pick of the Day" by the Daily Record
. Christopher Howse, writing "Tatworld" for The Daily Telegraph
—a column chronicling tabloid culture—named Steph and her family joint tenth in a list of Top Ten Deans, which included entrants such as Dean Koontz
, Dean Gaffney
and Richard Dean Anderson
.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the British Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
soap opera
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 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...
. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 8 March 2000 and is the second longest featured regular female character in the history of Hollyoaks. Steph was introduced into the serial by executive producer Jo Hallows. In 2009 Stenson decided to quit, but the then producer 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....
convinced her to stay to play out a dramatic storyline. The announcement of her departure was made public in June 2010. Stenson's fellow cast members have described her as a "Hollyoaks legend" because of her lengthy duration.
Steph has been described as having a highly confident persona, a trait Stenson enjoyed portraying throughout. Steph is also played as "fame hungry". She is noted for a number of high profile storylines such as the portrayal of bullying in a school environment, the portrayal of epilepsy
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
, which Stenson felt had been a 'taboo subject' for too long. Other stories include becoming a widow and her involvement in Niall's revenge plot and her constant desire for fame. One of Steph's final storylines was the portrayal of cervical cancer
Cervical cancer
Cervical cancer is malignant neoplasm of the cervix uteri or cervical area. One of the most common symptoms is abnormal vaginal bleeding, but in some cases there may be no obvious symptoms until the cancer is in its advanced stages...
, which Stenson conducted extensive research into. The character was subsequently killed off in a special block of episodes branded by the media as "fire week". She made her final appearance to date on 30 March 2011 in a video message she left to her husband Gilly. Some critics described her final storylines as "upsetting" and "surprising". Steph's relationship with Gilly Roach
Gilly Roach
Gilbert "Gilly" Roach is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Anthony Quinlan. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 4 October 2005. Gilly was created in 2005 by executive producer David Hanson. Gilly has often been portrayed as a...
was viewed unfavourable by most. Stenson has been nominated for several different awards for her portrayal of Steph.
Backstory
Steph is the daughter of Frankie and Johnno DeanJohnno Dean
John "Johnno" Dean is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 British television soap opera Hollyoaks, played originally by Mark Powley. He first appeared in October 2002, and from April 2003 was replaced by Colin Wells until his exit in July 2005.-Storylines:The Deans were a very...
(Colin Wells
Colin Wells (actor)
Colin Wells, born 11 September 1963, is an English actor best known for his role as Johnno Dean in the long-running television drama series, Hollyoaks....
). She has two brothers, Craig
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...
(Guy Burnett) and Jake
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:...
), and a sister, Debbie
Debbie Dean
Debra "Debbie" Dean is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jodi Albert. She first appeared in 2002, before Albert quit the role in 2004, She made her final appearance during 2005, before making a brief return in 2006.-Casting:In October 2004 Albert...
(Jodi Albert
Jodi Albert
Jodi Mary Albert is an English actress and singer, best known for playing Debbie Dean in the British soap opera Hollyoaks on Channel 4 from 2002 to 2004, returning for guest appearances in 2005 & 2006, and her inclusion as one fifth of Irish girl group Wonderland.-Biography:Albert attended the...
). She is not close to her siblings, and has a strained relationship with her mother, who prefers to involve herself in Craig and Jake's lives and boast about Debbie's professional singing prowess. In contrast, Steph has a very close relationship with her father, Johnno.
2000-2010
Steph is introduced as a new student at Hollyoaks High, with early storylines focussing on her school life and best friend Zara Morgan. She frequently bullies fellow pupil Lisa HunterLisa 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...
(Gemma Atkinson
Gemma Atkinson
Gemma Louise Atkinson is an English actress, television personality and glamour and lingerie model.-Personal life:...
), driving her to attempt suicide. When Steph's friends react disapprovingly, she apologises and promises to change. She cultivates a promiscuous reputation, having brief relationships with Brian and footballer Scott. Steph eventually becomes friends with Lisa, but accidentally ruins her hair while attempting to dye it. Believing that she did so on purpose, her other friends shun her. Distracted by the quarrel, Steph does not notice that she is being stalked by 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:...
(Henry Luxemburg). He attacks her, hitting her in the head with a spanner and leaving her to die. Steph is comatose for a week, and is diagnosed with epilepsy when she regains consciousness. Upon learning that Toby is Lisa's brother-in-law, Steph resumes her bullying. Her father eventually catches her physically attacking Lisa, and orders her to leave her alone. The two go on to attend university together, where Steph apologises for her cruelty and they are able to reconcile.
In the aftermath of her epilepsy diagnosis, Steph is initially unable to deal with her condition. Her father supports her, but ends up abandoning his family following the revelation that he has a secret son. Steph's mother remarries, and she comes to see her new stepfather, 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...
(James McKenna
James McKenna
James Stephen "Jimmy" McKenna is a Scottish actor. He has appeared on such television programmes as Hollyoaks, in which he has played the character of Jack Osborne since 1996, and A Touch of Frost....
), as a father figure. Steph largely reforms following her diagnosis, becoming more sensitive to the needs of others. She comes to terms with how dangerous her condition could be uncontrolled, and in time her epileptic episodes become less frequent. Steph fails her college exams and is forced to retake them. Fuelled by jealousy of her sister's West End success, she attempts to embark on a celebrity career. She appears in the fictional television show Bid Crazy TV, and auditions for a girl band, X-Pose, which transpires to be a money-making scam. She then sells a kiss and tell story on celebrity Joe Jones, who she meets after a failed audition to become one of his backing singers. When Steph's notoriety peters out, her stepbrother and agent Darren arranges for her to have sex with a footballer. After their liaison, Steph discovers that he is actually just the team's mascot. Humiliated, she abandons her pursuit of fame.
In a comedy storyline, Steph's great-aunt Reenie leaves her an inheritance, said to be a "small fortune", on the condition that Steph performs a charitable act. She fulfils the requirement by saving 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...
) from choking, however discovers that Small Fortune is, in fact, a donkey. Steph sends it to live at a donkey sanctuary.
Steph becomes a babysitter to Tom, and later begins a relationship with his older brother, Max. They get engaged, but have an on-off relationship fraught with frequent arguments. Steph's friend Niall falls in love with her and attempts to come between them. She and Max eventually marry, but on their wedding day, Niall accidentally runs Max over, killing him. After a period of intense grief, Steph has sex with Niall. He is revealed to be a villain, holding his family hostage and killing his sister, Tina McQueen
Tina McQueen
Tina Chastity Reilly is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Leah Hackett. Since making her first appearance in August 2006 as part of the McQueen family, Tina has been involved in storylines including sexual harassment and surrogacy.-Character...
(Leah Hackett
Leah Hackett
Leah Hackett , is an English actress, most notable for her role as Tina Reilly in Hollyoaks.-Background and personal life:...
). A frightened Steph goes to stay with her brother Craig in Scotland. Niall follows her, and takes Steph, Tom and Craig hostage. After a stand-off in which Craig makes Niall acknowledge the hurt he has caused, Niall throws himself off a cliff to his death.
After a long holiday with Tom, Steph returns and begins to put her life back together. She falls for dance teacher Fernando Fernandez (Jeronimo Best), inspiring jealousy in Gilly, who has feelings for Steph. She and Fernando become engaged, as do Gilly 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....
), Steph's employee. Realising that she loves Gilly, Steph breaks up with Fernando, but due to loyalty to Cheryl, refuses to date Gilly when he breaks up with her. Gilly briefly becomes engaged to Jem Costello
Jem Costello
Jem Costello is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Helen Russell-Clark. She made her first on-screen appearance on 5 March 2010.-Character creation and casting:...
(Helen Russell-Clarke), but ultimately leaves her to be with Steph.
Steph discovers she has cervical cancer, and has a hysterectomy. In the aftermath, she decides to pursue a singing career and applies for The X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
. Despite using her cancer as a sob story, she is rejected at her audition. Her cancer spreads, and though Steph has chemotherapy, she is later told that her condition is terminal. Gilly struggles to cope with her diagnosis, almost causing Steph to cancel their wedding. It goes ahead, however, and after their honeymoon, Steph begins to make plans for her impending death. When Il Gnosh, a local Italian restaurant catches fire, Steph saves Amy Barnes and her children, but chooses to remain inside and die. After Steph's funeral, her family and friends watch video messages she recorded for them prior to her death. On 11 March, Cindy returns and Darren tells her about Steph and plays her the goodbye message.
Casting and characterisation
Stenson originally auditioned to play a friend of the established character Zara MorganZara Morgan
Zara Morgan is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Kelly Greenwood between 1999-2005.-Character history:...
(Kelly Greenwood
Kelly Greenwood
Kelly Greenwood, is a British actress and is known by the name Kelly Condron. She is perhaps best known for her 6 year role in Channel 4's weeknight soap opera Hollyoaks, portraying the popular character of Zara Morgan from 1999-2005.- Career :After 6 years playing the troubled character of Zara,...
). Although unsuccessful, the Hollyoaks casting team later asked her to apply for the new role of Steph Cunningham, and placed her straight into the final stage of auditions. She was delighted to subsequently be given the part, which was her first major television role. Stenson joined the cast straight after leaving high school, aged seventeen. She made her first appearance in March 2000, and by 2007 had become the longest-serving female cast member remaining.
Steph was introduced as a friend of Zara's, who was initially "quite naive" and easily led. Within two years, her personality had altered greatly. Steph became a bully, and "a bit of a bitch". Stenson enjoyed this transformation into a villain, as she believed it made Steph a more memorable character. She also felt she could "really go somewhere" with Steph's bitchiness in her acting, but in contrast struggled to portray her more genuine moments. She commented that Steph is the type of character only to cry over things she "really cares about". Stenson found this difficult to relate to, and struggled to "find a balance between pushing it too far and far enough". She ultimately preferred to play her as a bitch, though one "more comical rather than just out-and-out nasty."
Stenson assessed that Steph "really isn't all bad, more of a lovable rogue who just likes making mischief for attention." She deemed her character "very unpredictable", with a great deal of confidence. The LINC Online called her a "beautiful blonde wild child with a penchant for arrogance and displays of egotism". Sarah Moolla of The People
The People
The People, previously known as the Sunday People, is a British tabloid Sunday-only newspaper. The paper was founded on 16 October 1881.It is published by the Trinity Mirror Group.In July 2011 it had an average daily circulation of 806,544....
branded her "superficial", the Daily Record
Daily Record (Scotland)
The Daily Record is a Scottish tabloid newspaper based in Glasgow. It had been the best-selling daily paper in Scotland for many years with a paid circulation in August 2011 of 307,794 . It is now outsold by its arch-rival the Scottish Sun which in September 2010 had a circulation of 339,586 in...
Merle Brown referred to her as "a true red-blooded female, and Emma Johnson of the Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
The Liverpool Echo is a newspaper published by Trinity Mirror in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is published Monday to Saturday, and is Liverpool's evening newspaper while its sister paper, the Liverpool Daily Post, is the morning paper...
assessed that she had a "couldn't-care-less" attitude. BBC America
BBC America
BBC America is an American television network, owned and operated by BBC Worldwide, and available on both cable and satellite.-History:The channel launched on March 29, 1998, broadcasting comedy, drama and lifestyle programs from BBC Television and other British television broadcasters like ITV and...
described Steph as a two-sided character. They observed that as well as a bitch, she could be "dishonest, vain, jealous and small-minded", and wrote "She causes trouble when she wants to and will happily lie and gossip to get her own way." Conversely, they noted that for those on her good side, "She can be your best friend, a confidante and sweet natured girl".
As Steph developed, she was revealed to have a "softer side". Beneath her tough façade was a "deeply insecure little girl who crave[d] love and affection." An "artistic and creative" streak lead her to attend performing arts college, and attain a degree in drama. This inspired a rivalry with fellow actor Summer Shaw
Summer Shaw
Summer Shaw is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Summer Strallen. The character is most notable for being 'planted' in the show as publicity for an Andrew Lloyd Webber produced stage production of The Sound of Music...
(Summer Strallen
Summer Strallen
Summer Peta Vaigncourt-Strallen is an English actress who has performed various roles on stage and screen. Her most notable theatre credits include Meg Giry in the West End production of Love Never Dies and Maria Von Trapp in Andrew Lloyd Webber's revival of The Sound of Music at the London...
), which saw Steph "determined to keep the limelight on her." Nadia Mendoza of The Sun described Steph as Hollyoaks "resident drama queen", explaining that Steph's dislike of Summer stemmed from the fact she had previously been the only actress in the village. Stenson downplayed her vocal ability, and opined that Steph is "hardly the world's best singer".
Family and relationships
In late-2002, more than two years after Steph's arrival, her family were introduced to the series. The dynamics of the Dean family evolved with time. They were initially a dysfunctional unit, but in a different way to other Hollyoaks families, as they tended to disrupt the lives of others whilst being happy amongst themselves. Upon their arrival, actress Helen PearsonHelen Pearson
Helen Pearson is an English television actress, currently seen as Frankie Osborne in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks....
, who plays mother Frankie Dean, assessed that they were "really supportive of each other", and "quite solid, like an old-fashioned family unit", despite their lack of finances which required them to undertake "various scams to keep body and soul together." As time went on, the Deans were affected by affairs and parental separation, more typical of the soap's other families.
Steph had several romances throughout her time in the series. In her early years, Stenson played her as a flirt, who acted out for the attention of boys. Her first lovers included Christian virgin Brian Drake (Jonathan Le Billon
Jonathan Le Billon
Jonathan Keith Le Billon is a British actor known for working in feature films, television shows and performing with classical theatre companies.-Background:...
) and football playing "lothario" Scott Anderson
Scott Anderson (Hollyoaks)
Scott Anderson is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Daniel Hyde.-Storylines:Ambitious and possessive, Scott had a mean streak that can quickly offend, but when need be he can easily turn on the charm...
(Daniel Hyde
Daniel Hyde
Daniel Hyde is a British actor most notable for his roles as Scott Anderson in Hollyoaks and Jason Wilding in Family Affairs....
). Her later relationship with Cameron Clark
Cameron Clark
Cameron Clark is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Ben Gerrard between 2002-2006.-Storylines:...
(Ben Gerrard) had "ups and downs" due to his obsessive-compulsive disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Obsessive–compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts that produce uneasiness, apprehension, fear, or worry, by repetitive behaviors aimed at reducing the associated anxiety, or by a combination of such obsessions and compulsions...
. To boost his confidence she forced him to join a rock band. Her actions were successful, and Stenson said Steph was "proud" of this. She sacrificed their relationship so Cameron could leave and tour Europe. Sarah Ellis of 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....
praised Steph for being so supportive, despite Cameron's "erratic behaviour".
Steph appeared to "finally [find] happiness" when she fell in love with 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 :...
). Although attracted to her, Max initially resisted Steph as he believed her to be a "ditzy, air-headed blonde", only interested in "bad boys." When his younger brother Tom
Tom Cunningham
Thomas "Tom" Cunningham is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Ellis Hollins. Hollins has portrayed the character since his birth in 1999.-Storylines:...
(Ellis Hollins
Ellis Hollins
Ellis Hollins is a British Soap Award winning child actor. He is most famous for playing the role Tom Cunningham in the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, which he has played since 1999...
) developed a crush on her, the "kind, sensitive way" Steph handled it altered his impression. Littler explained, "Max begins to realise there's more to her than her looks. He begins to think she's actually really nice and they become friends." Littler quit the series in 2008, and producers planned his exit around Max's wedding to Steph. He was killed off on their wedding day, as he pulled Tom out of the path of a car. Before she filmed the aftermath of Max's death, Stenson listened to depressing music to reach her character's bereaved mindset. Stenson believed it was a mistake to kill Max off, and "such an awful thing to happen to Steph", until she received "amazing feedback" about the storyline. In the aftermath, Tom asked Steph to be his mother, in a scene that then-executive producer 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 :...
deemed his favourite of the year. The interaction between the two was intended to represent "what Hollyoaks is all about - lots of heart, relationships, friendships, love and loss." Kirkwood praised Stenson's performance throughout the storyline, particularly during in that scene.
Steph has a brief fling with Niall Rafferty
Niall Rafferty
Niall Rafferty is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Barry Sloane. He first appeared during an episode broadcast on 3 December 2007. Former Brookside actor Sloane was cast as the "mysterious" hairdresser Niall and was introduced by the series' producer...
(Barry Sloane
Barry Sloane
Barry Paul Sloane is an English actor. He trained as a musician and actor before landing his first professional acting role in the film In his Life: The John Lennon Story. He has appeared in numerous TV shows, notably the BAFTA award-winning dramas Pleasureland and The Mark of Cain...
). The actors were required to film "steamy scenes". Stenson felt it a "hard challenge" to portray, she had to convince the audience that Steph would genuinely get together with her husband's killer. Some viewers, including all the staff of Inside Soap believed their chemistry to be greater. Stenson ultimately decided Steph was "better suited" to Max. She hoped that Steph would have even "more drama around the corner" along with "a bit of comic relief".
Epilepsy
In a storyline which Stenson found challenging to portray, Steph was diagnosed with epilepsyEpilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
. Feeling a responsibility to members of the viewing public who have the disorder, the actress researched it extensively, assisted by Mersey Television
Mersey Television
Lime Pictures, formerly known as Mersey Television, is a British television production company, founded by producer and writer Phil Redmond in the early 1980s....
. As well as reading about it, she visited several organisations, and spent a day on set with a teenage girl—close in age to Steph—who has the condition, and who shared insights on the experiences she had been through. The actress felt trepidation about acting out seizures, but for her first one was assisted by the episode's director, who had witnessed seizures first-hand, having once worked in a hospital. Stenson felt privileged to be chosen for the storyline, particularly as epilepsy is typically a taboo subject which had not featured prominently in a soap opera before.
Barbara Pinder of Epilepsy Action
Epilepsy Action
Epilepsy Action is a UK based charity providing information, advice and support for people with epilepsy.The organisation was founded in 1950 as the British Epilepsy Association and adopted Epilepsy Action as its working name in 2002....
praised the serial for taking on the subject matter. Hollyoaks researchers contacted the charity when developing the storyline, and Pinder felt that the show succeeded in communicating the impact of Steph's diagnosis. She stated, "It is great to see a soap opera, specially one that is watched mainly by young people, look at the issue of epilepsy as it often gets ignored." Stenson was pleased the storyline was "reaching out to people", and stated that she had received many letters from fans thanking her for highlighting an under-exposed subject, as well as positive feedback on the Hollyoaks website.
Steph initially reacted angrily towards her diagnosis, which Pinder confirmed was not uncommon, explaining: "The character is going through stages that someone with epilepsy is likely to go through. Teenagers can have terrible trouble coming to terms with epilepsy at a time when they have a lot of other difficult things to deal with. It can also be quite a blow to their independence." Writing for the Sunday Mail
Sunday Mail (Scotland)
The Sunday Mail is a Scottish tabloid newspaper published every Sunday. It is the sister paper of the Daily Record and is owned by Trinity Mirror and as such has a left-wing outlook which in turn tends to guide Scottish political debate in that direction.The Sunday Mail is read by over one million...
, Steve Hendry assessed that the plot would serve to "bring the arrogant and often spiteful Steph down a peg or two", humbling her. Stenson agreed that Steph's epilepsy would make her "more understanding", inspiring thoughtfulness towards others, as opposed to her former rejection of those different to her. However, she observed that the condition may also serve to worsen her behaviour towards "a chosen few." The character's epilepsy was further explored in the Hollyoaks spin-off In Too Deep, in which Steph has a seizure and believes she is possessed by a spirit, almost causing her to drown.
Cervical cancer
In 2010, Steph was diagnosed with cervical cancerCervical cancer
Cervical cancer is malignant neoplasm of the cervix uteri or cervical area. One of the most common symptoms is abnormal vaginal bleeding, but in some cases there may be no obvious symptoms until the cancer is in its advanced stages...
and underwent a hysterectomy. The plot was said to echo the true story of former Big Brother
Big Brother (UK)
Big Brother UK is the British version of the Dutch Big Brother television format, which takes its name from the character in George Orwell's 1948 novel Nineteen Eighty-Four...
contestant Jade Goody
Jade Goody
Jade Cerisa Lorraine Goody was an English celebrity. She came into the public spotlight while appearing on the third series of the Channel 4 reality TV programme Big Brother in 2002, an appearance which led to her own television programmes and the launch of her own products after her eviction from...
, who died of cervical cancer in 2009. It was devised prior to the appointment of 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...
as executive producer. He chose to continue with it, deciding that it would be interesting to give Steph another serious storyline, and have a character that viewers "know and love going through a really hard time." In preparation for the storyline, Stenson studied the illness to give her a time-line of the experiences Steph would undergo. She chose not to speak with any cancer patients about coping with cancer, believing that everyone handles it in their own personal way. Additionally, she aimed to make Steph's realisation of her cancer as believable as possible, explaining that: "Steph wouldn't have any prior knowledge about what to expect, and I wanted to see it fresh through her eyes". She was flattered to be trusted with the storyline, and found it particularly important to get her portrayal right as, during the previous year, she had fronted the Arm Against Cervical Cancer campaign.
The producers aimed to send a message of early detection to the series' young audience, and had Steph initially ignore her symptoms. Stenson hoped to raise awareness of cervical cancer, and educate women about the importance of regular smear tests. She stated that Steph was confident about beating her illness, as "the alternative [wa]sn't worth thinking about." The character was originally reluctant to tell her family about the cancer for fear of hurting them, and was embarrassed to tell her love interest Gilly Roach
Gilly Roach
Gilbert "Gilly" Roach is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Anthony Quinlan. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 4 October 2005. Gilly was created in 2005 by executive producer David Hanson. Gilly has often been portrayed as a...
(Anthony Quinlan
Anthony Quinlan
Anthony Quinlan is an English actor, known for his role as Gilly Roach in the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.-References:Quinlan was nominated for sexiest male at the 2010 Inside Soap Awards.[29] He was also nominated in the category of "Best Serial Drama Performance" at the 2011 National...
), not wanting him to have to look after her. As the storyline developed, Steph cancelled her wedding to Gilly due to his refusal to accept that her condition was terminal. Quinlan explained that his character impeded her ability to deal with the situation, with his disbelief contrasting Steph's attempt to "take this in her stride and [...] spend quality time with the people she loves before she goes."
Marquess deemed the storyline as a whole one which could only be depicted the way it was in Hollyoaks, aiming to tell a "tragic story" with a "sweet and humorous tone"." A comedy element of the storyline had Steph use her cancer as a sob story to enter a talent show, recruiting orphan Tom to take to the stage with her, giving her story further emotional impact. Stenson commented, "Deep down she knows she's not a fantastic singer, but she thought the judges would feel sorry for her and put her through." According to Quinlan, viewer feedback on the storyline was "brilliant". He stated that viewers were upset by Steph's illness, and that it had even brought his own mother to tears.
Departure
In 2010, it was announced that Stenson had decided to quit the serial to pursue a career in musical theatre. She deemed it "one of the most difficult decisions [she had] ever made", stating that Hollyoaks had been her "dream job" and that she would miss her friends in the cast and crew. She made the decision to resign around June 2009, but was convinced by then-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....
to play out a long exit storyline, which concluded filming in September 2010. Before filming her final scenes, Stenson secured her first West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
role. Though she had previously felt ready to leave the series, when the time came, she was upset because she felt the reality of it. She called her final scenes "really sad and emotional", and stated that while she had not had any input in Steph's exit, she was happy with it.
Hollyoaks devised an arson plot to begin on 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...
2010, as a result of which some characters would die. The production team intended to keep details of who would die secret until transmission. Prior to broadcast, Stenson revealed that Steph would risk her own life to save Amy Barnes
Amy Barnes
Amy Barnes is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Ashley Slanina-Davies. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 14 November 2005. Amy was created by executive producer David Hanson and Slanina-Davies was offered the role whilst looking for...
(Ashley Slanina-Davies
Ashley Slanina-Davies
Ashley Slanina-Davies is an English actress born in Standish, near Wigan, who is notable for playing the role of Amy Barnes on Channel 4's teen soap, Hollyoaks...
), Leah Barnes (Jessica Croft-Lane) and Lucas Hay. The actress explained that "She stares death in the face every day because of her cancer, so thinks she really has nothing to lose now." Stenson performed one of her own stunts during filming, with the rest undertaken by a stunt double
Stunt double
A stunt double is a type of body double, specifically a skilled replacement used for dangerous film or video sequences, in movies and television , and for other sophisticated stunts...
. A promotional trailer for the episodes aired across the Channel 4 network, featuring Steph on fire. In the event, Steph rescued Amy and her children from a burning building but refused to leave herself, saying she was ready to die. Her exit received a positive reaction from fans on the social networking 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...
, with Stenson stating that she was "honoured" by the response. Steph's legacy continued following her death, with her husband, family and friends left to come to terms with their grief. On 29 November 2011 it was confirmed Stenson was to reprise the role for a one off guest appearance as Steph.
Reception
Stenson received several award nominations for her portrayal of Steph. She was nominated in the "Best Comedy Performance" category at the 2005 and 2006 British Soap AwardsBritish Soap Awards
The British Soap Awards is an annual awards ceremony to honour the best of British soap operas.The first event took place in 1999 and takes place in May each year. Although it is an ITV production, the events were held at the BBC Television Centre, in London until 2010. The 2011 awards relocated to...
, and for "Best Dramatic Performance" in 2009. She received a long-list nomination for the "Best Actress" accolade at the 2005 National Television Awards
National Television Awards
The National Television Awards is a British television awards ceremony, broadcast by the ITV network and initiated in 1995. The National Television Awards are the most prominent ceremony for which the results are voted on by the general public. Because of the way the awards are decided, winners are...
. In 2008, Stenson was nominated for the "Sexiest Female" Inside Soap Award
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...
, which she found flattering. A further nomination in the same category followed in 2010, accompanied by nominations for "Best Actress", and "Best Dramatic Performance" for Steph learning she had cancer.
Following her departure, her co-stars commented favourably on the actress and character, with 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...
deeming her an "ultimate original", Gemma Merna
Gemma Merna
Gemma Ann Merna is an English actress. She is known for playing Carmel Valentine in Hollyoaks.-Awards:...
stating that she "was Hollyoaks", and 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...
admitting that he cried during the airing of her final scenes. Television and entertainment website 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...
did not see Steph's fire death coming, calling her actions brave and her ten year duration "mammoth". They described her most memorable moment as telling Niall she did not love him and then watching him commit suicide. Inside Soap said if there was an award for "the unluckiest character in soap", Steph would certainly win. In his column for The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, television critic Jim Shelley
Jim Shelley (TV critic)
Jim Shelley is a British television critic who writes a column for the Daily Mirror each Monday titled Shelleyvision. Prior to writing for the Daily Mirror he wrote for The Guardian and his collection of reviews "Interference: Tapehead vs. Television" was published by Atlantic Books...
stated that it was time for Steph to go, having "suffered enough" during her tenure. Humorously recapping her ten years in Hollyoaks, Shelley wrote:
Sarah Welsh of the South Wales Echo
South Wales Echo
The South Wales Echo is a daily tabloid newspaper published in Cardiff, Wales and distributed throughout the surrounding area.The newspaper was founded in 1884 and was based in Thomson House, Cardiff city centre. It is published by Media Wales Ltd , part of the Trinity Mirror group...
gave the stalking storyline a negative review. She called both plot and acting "ridiculous" and commented that while she often felt sorry for the serial being snubbed at the National Soap Awards, "This is not the way to raise the game."
Steph's relationships were a focal point of many reviews. The Daily Mirror Nicola Methven and Polly Hudson found a 2004 love triangle
Love triangle
A love triangle is usually a romantic relationship involving three people. While it can refer to two people independently romantically linked with a third, it usually implies that each of the three people has some kind of relationship to the other two...
between Steph, her sister Debbie and love interest Dan Hunter (Andrew McNair
Andrew McNair (actor)
Andrew "Andy" McNair , is a British actor, probably best known for his role on Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.-Career:...
) "surprising compelling". Grace Dent
Grace Dent
Grace Dent is an English journalist, author, and broadcaster. Dent writes mainly for The Guardian, where she has a weekly column on television, 'Grace Dent's TV-OD'. She also writes for magazines such as Tatler and Marie Claire. She writes a restaurant review column for the London Evening...
of The Guardian observed of her failed engagement to Fernando: "With the best will in the world, I don't feel that marriage was ever going to last". Dent had previously named Steph singing The Sugababes' "About You Now
About You Now
"About You Now" is a 2007 single by English girl group Sugababes, written by Cathy Dennis and producer Dr. Luke for the group's fifth studio album, Change...
" at Max's funeral one of her four favourite soap moments of 2008. 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...
felt there was "plenty of chemistry" between Steph and Gilly. Their relationship was frequently commented on by the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
Jaci Stephen in her weekly soap column. She expressed disinterest in Steph and Cheryl's rivalry over Gilly, and found it implausible that she and Jem would quarrel over him. When the two finally admitted their feelings for one another in May 2010, Stephen accurately predicted that their happiness would be short-lived. She highlighted a lack of subtlety in the scripting of the lead-up to their wedding, observing: "Of course, you know that the moment she says that nothing is going to stop her marrying Gilly, the Grim Reaper will be pulling up in his hearse, shortly behind the wedding car."
Stephen derided Steph's singing ambition during her X Factor plot line, deeming her voice "average" and writing that she did not need to use her cancer for the sympathy vote, as her singing alone would be enough for that. She later questioned when Steph would accept that she was not intended to be a singer, commenting that her "ambition could not be made of sterner stuff", but that Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...
and the remainder of the population would breathe "a major sigh of relief" at the abandonment of her showbiz dreams. More positively, Stephen wrote that she loved the bravery in "both the humour and pathos that Steph's manipulation of her cancer brings."
Reviewing the Steph-centric spin-off In Too Deep for 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...
, Tim Teeman commented that while late-night Hollyoaks episodes had previously been amusing, "sexed-up" versions of the main show, with In Too Deep it became "less shagathon, more What Lies Beneath
What Lies Beneath
What Lies Beneath is a 2000 American supernatural horror-thriller film directed by Robert Zemeckis. It stars veteran actors Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer as a well-to-do couple who experience a strange haunting that uncovers secrets about their past....
". The episode was selected as recommended viewing by Laws of the Sunday Mercury. The launch of Hollyoaks Later series one
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 which Niall returns to target Steph, was named a "Satellite Pick of the Day" by the Daily Record
Daily Record (Scotland)
The Daily Record is a Scottish tabloid newspaper based in Glasgow. It had been the best-selling daily paper in Scotland for many years with a paid circulation in August 2011 of 307,794 . It is now outsold by its arch-rival the Scottish Sun which in September 2010 had a circulation of 339,586 in...
. Christopher Howse, writing "Tatworld" for The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
—a column chronicling tabloid culture—named Steph and her family joint tenth in a list of Top Ten Deans, which included entrants such as Dean Koontz
Dean Koontz
Dean Ray Koontz is a prolific American author best known for his novels which could be described broadly as suspense thrillers. He also frequently incorporates elements of horror, science fiction, mystery, and satire. A number of his books have appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List, with...
, Dean Gaffney
Dean Gaffney
Dean Martin Gaffney is an English actor most notable for his role as Robbie Jackson on the BBC1 soap opera Eastenders from 1993 to 2003, when his character was axed. He has since made guest appearances in the soap in 2004 and 2010. Gaffney went on to appear in various reality television shows,...
and Richard Dean Anderson
Richard Dean Anderson
Richard Dean Anderson is an American television and film actor, producer and composer. He began his television career in 1976 as Dr. Jeff Webber in the American soap opera series General Hospital, then rose to prominence as the lead actor in the television series MacGyver...
.
External links
- Character profile on the E4 website
- Character profile on the Holy Soap website