Tom Cunningham
Encyclopedia
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.
(Bernard Latham) and Helen
(Kathryn George). After Helen and Gordon are killed in a car crash, Tom's older half sister Mandy Richardson
(Sarah Jayne Dunn
) becomes his legal guardian. Some time after, Mandy cannot cope looking after Tom, so gives custody Tom's half brother Max Cunningham
(Matt Littler
). Max and best friend Sam "OB" O'Brien (Darren Jeffries
) raise Tom in their flat. Tom runs away from home after overhearing Max tell OB he believes Tom will be better off in care. However, Mandy finds him by his parents grave.
Max starts a relationship with Clare Devine
(Gemma Bissix
). When Mandy's baby daughter Grace dies due to sudden infant death syndrome
, Tom looks for a mother figure in Clare. After Clare and Max marry, he soon begins to see through her. After Tom overhears her on the phone to her father, who she previously claimed was dead, Clare begins to manipulate Tom and makes Max believe Tom is lying. Clare draws on the walls of Max's flat and pours water on his bedsheets and blames Tom's misbehaviour. After Max tells Clare he wants to accompany her to a fertility clinic, Clare poisons Tom's food so he is ill and Max cannot come. Max has a heart attack and grows more ill when Clare stops giving him his medication. At Christmas, Clare takes Max and Tom to a lakeside, where Clare pretends Tom has fallen into the water. Max tries to save Tom and almost dies, but is revived by OB. Max finally sees the real Clare and apologises to OB and Tom. Weeks later, Clare tells Tom that he was the cause of his parent's death, and would eventually kill Max. Clare calls a social worker, who arrives just as Tom shouts he does not want to be near Max, and takes Tom into care. Tom refuses to see Max, but after Max threatens Clare, the brothers meet and Max explains that Clare was lying. Tom then moves back in with Max.
Max begins to get close to Steph Dean (Carley Stenson
), who Tom develops a crush on. Max and Steph eventually become a couple, despite Tom's jealousy. While OB takes Tom swimming, he flirts with Summer Shaw
(Summer Strallen
) and Tom nearly drowns, but is saved by lifeguard Simon Crosby (Simon Lawson). Gilly Roach
(Anthony Quinlan
) tells Max that Simon has images of Tom in his swimming costume on his computer, believing he may be a paedophile. When it is revealed that Simon is not a paedophile, Max and OB fall out. However, Tom makes them make up. Max tells Tom he is going to propose to Steph, which he does by putting the ring in a hot cross bun, which Tom eats. Steph and Max watch as Tom is given an x-ray. When Steph sees the ring, Max asks her to marry him, which she accepts. Steph and Max get married. As Max and OB carry a jukebox for Steph later that day, Tom plays on a road. Max notices Niall Rafferty
(Barry Sloane
) speeding towards Tom, so pushes him out of the way. However, he is hit by the car himself, and dies beside Steph, OB and Tom. Tom blames himself, but OB convinces him that he did not kill Max, and Clare was wrong. Mandy and OB discuss custody of Tom, with Mandy initially agreeing to take responsibility for her brother. OB however decides he wants to become Tom's guardian, but Tom tells OB that Steph needs him more. In Max's will reading, he leaves his estate, £500,000 and MOBs to Steph and Tom. Steph grows closer to Niall, but ends their romance when she catches him angrily grabbing Tom. Following this, Steph and Tom decide to begin a new start, so leave Hollyoaks. Tom and Steph return, having spent several weeks with Steph's sister. Steph is worried for her and Tom's safety after learning Niall killed Kieron Hobbs (Jake Hendriks
) and Tina McQueen
(Leah Hackett
) and tried to kill several others. Steph takes Tom on holiday to Scotland with her brother Craig Dean
(Guy Burnett). Unknown to Steph, Niall follows them to Scotland, where he kidnaps Tom. After Tom escapes, he alerts Steph and Craig. Steph tells Niall she does not love him in a confrontation on a cliff. Niall, seeing what he has caused, then kills himself. Steph and Tom return to Hollyoaks the next day.
Steph begins dance classes, which Tom and niece Holly Hutchinson
(Lydia Waters
) attend. There, they are bullied by Persephone Hart (Elizabeth Hadley). The situation is quickly resolved by Steph and Sarah Barnes
(Loui Batley
). Steph's stepbrother Darren Osborne
(Ashley Taylor Dawson
) takes Tom to The Dog on one occasion, which ends up with Tom getting drunk and having to have his stomach pumped. Tom befriends Gilly, who falls in love with Steph and proposes to her. Tom overhears Steph and Nancy Hayton
(Jessica Fox
) discussing Steph's cervical cancer, which upsets Tom as he again blames himself. Steph however, reassures Tom that she will be fine. Steph is later told her cancer is terminal, which again upsets Tom. He then sings at Steph's wedding to Gilly.
Mandy returns to Hollyoaks to see Steph about custody of Tom when she dies. She takes Tom to Relish for lunch when he sees Warren Fox
(Jamie Lomas
) at the window, despite Warren's death in 2009. Tom tells Mandy, who tries to convince him that he did not see him. However, Tom later confides in Frankie Osborne
(Helen Pearson
) about what happens to people after they die and he begins to believe that he is seeing Warren's ghost. Steph is killed in a fire at Il Gnosh. Tom stays strong to begin with but later begins crying over her death. Tom, Frankie, Jack Osborne
(James McKenna
) and Darren then watch a farewell video from Steph which she filmed weeks before.
In January 2011, Tom hears somebody in the kitchen, so warns Jack to investigate. When he does Jack gets a blow in the head by the intruder. The intruder starts to confront Jack, but Tom gets hold of a cricket bat and hits the intruder on the head unconscious. The intruder appears to be a woman when Jack removes the hood she is wearing and Tom fears that he might have killed her. The girl is revealed to be Frankie's grandaughter Esther and she eventually moves in with the family. Tom finds Esther's pressence hard to deal with, especially as he is going to court for his attack on her. However when he is cleared, he begins to accept Esther and the pair now get on well.
There was further truma for Tom when Gilly was arrested for raping Jacqui McQueen. Tom stood by Gilly and was relived when he was found innocent. Gilly later came to live with the Osborne's however Tom began getting bullied at school because of Gilly. Gilly decided it would be best if he moved out. In November 2011, Tom was devasted when Gilly left Hollyoaks after admitting that he had indeed raped Jacqui.
included Tom in one of her monthly columns featuring popular and unpopular soap opera characters. Criticising Tom she states: "For a little while, it seemed as though the Birdseye Botherer had disappeared from the planet, but no, he’s back to taunt us, this time with his UNDERAGE DRINKING and the overreaction to it. He’s been nine for about two years now, and still acts like a toddler. Still, I suppose he won’t need to grow up much given the general IQ of the male populace of Hollyoaks." The character was voted 'Soaps Greatest Ever Child' in a 2009 Inside Soap
poll and has been nominated for several awards at The British Soap Awards and Inside Soap Awards
.
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 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...
. Hollins has portrayed the character since his birth in 1999.
Storylines
Tom is born on Millennium Eve 1999 to parents GordonGordon Cunningham
Gordon Hilton Cunningham is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Bernard Latham. He first appeared as one of the original characters on the show when it started, he left in 2004 when the character died of a heart attack which he had after being...
(Bernard Latham) and Helen
Helen Cunningham
Helen Cunningham is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera, Hollyoaks, played by Kathryn George. George first appeared in the role in 1997 before the character was written out in 2004 when she was killed in a car accident...
(Kathryn George). After Helen and Gordon are killed in a car crash, Tom's older half sister Mandy Richardson
Mandy Richardson
Mandy Richardson is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Sarah Jayne Dunn...
(Sarah Jayne Dunn
Sarah Jayne Dunn
Sarah Jayne Dunn is an English actress best known for playing Mandy Richardson in Hollyoaks.-Biography:Dunn was born in Leigh, Lancashire and educated at Lowton High School, excelling in drama and performing arts, and a part time career as a model...
) becomes his legal guardian. Some time after, Mandy cannot cope looking after Tom, so gives custody Tom's half brother 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 :...
). Max and best friend Sam "OB" O'Brien (Darren Jeffries
Darren Jeffries
Darren Jeffries is a British actor best known for his portrayal of Sam "O.B." O'Brien in Channel 4 soap-opera Hollyoaks. In 2007, after ten years of playing O.B., Darren announced that he was leaving the soap...
) raise Tom in their flat. Tom runs away from home after overhearing Max tell OB he believes Tom will be better off in care. However, Mandy finds him by his parents grave.
Max starts a relationship with Clare Devine
Clare Devine
Clare Devine is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Gemma Bissix and Samantha Rowley. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 26 December 2005 and was introduced by series producer David Hanson as a new love interest for Max Cunningham...
(Gemma Bissix
Gemma Bissix
Gemma Bissix is an English actress. She has been acting since the age of 9. Her most prominent roles have been in soap operas, as Clare Bates in EastEnders and Clare Devine in Hollyoaks ; she was awarded with two British Soap Awards for the latter role...
). When Mandy's baby daughter Grace dies due to sudden infant death syndrome
Sudden infant death syndrome
Sudden infant death syndrome is marked by the sudden death of an infant that is unexpected by medical history, and remains unexplained after a thorough forensic autopsy and a detailed death scene investigation. An infant is at the highest risk for SIDS during sleep, which is why it is sometimes...
, Tom looks for a mother figure in Clare. After Clare and Max marry, he soon begins to see through her. After Tom overhears her on the phone to her father, who she previously claimed was dead, Clare begins to manipulate Tom and makes Max believe Tom is lying. Clare draws on the walls of Max's flat and pours water on his bedsheets and blames Tom's misbehaviour. After Max tells Clare he wants to accompany her to a fertility clinic, Clare poisons Tom's food so he is ill and Max cannot come. Max has a heart attack and grows more ill when Clare stops giving him his medication. At Christmas, Clare takes Max and Tom to a lakeside, where Clare pretends Tom has fallen into the water. Max tries to save Tom and almost dies, but is revived by OB. Max finally sees the real Clare and apologises to OB and Tom. Weeks later, Clare tells Tom that he was the cause of his parent's death, and would eventually kill Max. Clare calls a social worker, who arrives just as Tom shouts he does not want to be near Max, and takes Tom into care. Tom refuses to see Max, but after Max threatens Clare, the brothers meet and Max explains that Clare was lying. Tom then moves back in with Max.
Max begins to get close to Steph Dean (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...
), who Tom develops a crush on. Max and Steph eventually become a couple, despite Tom's jealousy. While OB takes Tom swimming, he flirts with 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...
) and Tom nearly drowns, but is saved by lifeguard Simon Crosby (Simon Lawson). 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...
) tells Max that Simon has images of Tom in his swimming costume on his computer, believing he may be a paedophile. When it is revealed that Simon is not a paedophile, Max and OB fall out. However, Tom makes them make up. Max tells Tom he is going to propose to Steph, which he does by putting the ring in a hot cross bun, which Tom eats. Steph and Max watch as Tom is given an x-ray. When Steph sees the ring, Max asks her to marry him, which she accepts. Steph and Max get married. As Max and OB carry a jukebox for Steph later that day, Tom plays on a road. Max notices 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...
) speeding towards Tom, so pushes him out of the way. However, he is hit by the car himself, and dies beside Steph, OB and Tom. Tom blames himself, but OB convinces him that he did not kill Max, and Clare was wrong. Mandy and OB discuss custody of Tom, with Mandy initially agreeing to take responsibility for her brother. OB however decides he wants to become Tom's guardian, but Tom tells OB that Steph needs him more. In Max's will reading, he leaves his estate, £500,000 and MOBs to Steph and Tom. Steph grows closer to Niall, but ends their romance when she catches him angrily grabbing Tom. Following this, Steph and Tom decide to begin a new start, so leave Hollyoaks. Tom and Steph return, having spent several weeks with Steph's sister. Steph is worried for her and Tom's safety after learning Niall killed Kieron Hobbs (Jake Hendriks
Jake Hendriks
Jake Hendriks Born 1981 is an English television actor, educated at Tiffin School, Kingston-upon-Thames.-Personal life:Jake Hendriks, born Jacob Hendrik Cuddihy in 1981 in Chessington, is the oldest of three children, with two younger brothers, Joshua and Caleb...
) and 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:...
) and tried to kill several others. Steph takes Tom on holiday to Scotland with her brother Craig Dean
Craig Dean
Craig Dean is a fictional character from the long-running British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Guy Burnet. Burnet has won many of Britain's most prestigious acting awards for this role...
(Guy Burnett). Unknown to Steph, Niall follows them to Scotland, where he kidnaps Tom. After Tom escapes, he alerts Steph and Craig. Steph tells Niall she does not love him in a confrontation on a cliff. Niall, seeing what he has caused, then kills himself. Steph and Tom return to Hollyoaks the next day.
Steph begins dance classes, which Tom and niece Holly Hutchinson
Holly Hutchinson
Holly Hutchinson is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Lydia Waters.-Casting:...
(Lydia Waters
Lydia Waters
Lydia Ellen Waters is an English actress best known for playing Holly Cunningham in the British soap opera Hollyoaks.-Hollyoaks:...
) attend. There, they are bullied by Persephone Hart (Elizabeth Hadley). The situation is quickly resolved by Steph and 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...
). Steph's stepbrother Darren Osborne
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,...
) takes Tom to The Dog on one occasion, which ends up with Tom getting drunk and having to have his stomach pumped. Tom befriends Gilly, who falls in love with Steph and proposes to her. Tom overhears Steph and Nancy Hayton
Nancy Hayton
Nancy Anne Hayton is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jessica Fox. The character first appeared on 6 July 2005. Since the character's inception she has been involved in many notable storylines such as a three-way open relationship, drug taking,...
(Jessica Fox
Jessica Fox
Jessica Fox is an English actress. She is most notable for playing young witch Enid Nightshade in the CITV show The Worst Witch, whom she began playing in the late 1990s...
) discussing Steph's cervical cancer, which upsets Tom as he again blames himself. Steph however, reassures Tom that she will be fine. Steph is later told her cancer is terminal, which again upsets Tom. He then sings at Steph's wedding to Gilly.
Mandy returns to Hollyoaks to see Steph about custody of Tom when she dies. She takes Tom to Relish for lunch when he sees 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....
) at the window, despite Warren's death in 2009. Tom tells Mandy, who tries to convince him that he did not see him. However, Tom later confides in Frankie Osborne
Frankie Osborne
Francine "Frankie" Osborne is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Helen Pearson. She made her first on-screen appearance on 9 October 2002...
(Helen Pearson
Helen Pearson
Helen Pearson is an English television actress, currently seen as Frankie Osborne in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks....
) about what happens to people after they die and he begins to believe that he is seeing Warren's ghost. Steph is killed in a fire at Il Gnosh. Tom stays strong to begin with but later begins crying over her death. Tom, Frankie, 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....
) and Darren then watch a farewell video from Steph which she filmed weeks before.
In January 2011, Tom hears somebody in the kitchen, so warns Jack to investigate. When he does Jack gets a blow in the head by the intruder. The intruder starts to confront Jack, but Tom gets hold of a cricket bat and hits the intruder on the head unconscious. The intruder appears to be a woman when Jack removes the hood she is wearing and Tom fears that he might have killed her. The girl is revealed to be Frankie's grandaughter Esther and she eventually moves in with the family. Tom finds Esther's pressence hard to deal with, especially as he is going to court for his attack on her. However when he is cleared, he begins to accept Esther and the pair now get on well.
There was further truma for Tom when Gilly was arrested for raping Jacqui McQueen. Tom stood by Gilly and was relived when he was found innocent. Gilly later came to live with the Osborne's however Tom began getting bullied at school because of Gilly. Gilly decided it would be best if he moved out. In November 2011, Tom was devasted when Gilly left Hollyoaks after admitting that he had indeed raped Jacqui.
Reception
Ruth Deller of entertainment website LowcultureLowculture
lowculture.co.uk is a UK television website founded in January 2003 by Paul Lang, who currently works as the art director of Doctor Who Adventures.-Purpose:...
included Tom in one of her monthly columns featuring popular and unpopular soap opera characters. Criticising Tom she states: "For a little while, it seemed as though the Birdseye Botherer had disappeared from the planet, but no, he’s back to taunt us, this time with his UNDERAGE DRINKING and the overreaction to it. He’s been nine for about two years now, and still acts like a toddler. Still, I suppose he won’t need to grow up much given the general IQ of the male populace of Hollyoaks." The character was voted 'Soaps Greatest Ever Child' in a 2009 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....
poll and has been nominated for several awards at The British Soap Awards and Inside Soap Awards
Inside Soap Awards
The Inside Soap Awards is a yearly award ceremony run by Inside Soap magazine since 1996. The awards celebrate the British and Australian soap operas and their actors. Until 2007, EastEnders had won the award for "Best Soap" on every occasion...
.
External links
- Character profile on the E4 website