Hollyoaks is a long-running British television
soap operaA 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,...
, first broadcast on
Channel 4Channel 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...
on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by
Phil RedmondPhil Redmond CBE is an English television producer and screenwriter.He is well-known for creating several popular television series such as Grange Hill , Brookside and Hollyoaks...
, who has also devised shows including
BrooksideBrookside is a defunct British soap opera set in Liverpool, England. The series began on the launch night of Channel 4 on 2 November 1982, and ran for 21 years until 4 November 2003...
and
Grange HillGrange Hill is a British television drama series originally made by the BBC. The show began in 1978 on BBC1 and was one of the longest running programmes on British television...
. The programme is set in a fictional suburb of
ChesterChester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
called Hollyoaks and is centred around a local higher college called Hollyoaks Community College, with the characters generally being in their late teens or early twenties. Since 1995, the cast has expanded from just seven major characters to approximately 50 cast members. Since the long-serving producer
Bryan KirkwoodBryan 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 :...
quit in 2009, the role of series producer has seen several changes. Kirkwood's successor
Lucy AllanLucy 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....
stepped down from her position in 2010 after just twelve months, and her replacement, former
The BillThe Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
producer
Paul MarquessPaul 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...
took control later that year. Like his predecessor, Marquess left the series after a year and
Gareth PhilipsGareth Philips is a British television producer. He is currently the producer of Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.-Radio and Television Presenter:Philips began his career, working on Radio Clatterbridge between 1995 and 1997...
was appointed as series producer.
In the 2000s,
Hollyoaks became more popular than it was in its first five years, when it was a newcomer to the British soap scene. By the turn of the millennium, it had a substantial fan base and was seen as a vibrant, modern and young person's soap. In 2002, creator Phil Redmond considered withdrawing his programme from airing on Channel 4, after the network axed his other soap opera
BrooksideBrookside is a defunct British soap opera set in Liverpool, England. The series began on the launch night of Channel 4 on 2 November 1982, and ran for 21 years until 4 November 2003...
. However,
Hollyoaks continued to air on the channel. In 2009, the soap opera became the centre of many headlines because of planned storylines for
Melissa WaltonMelissa Walton is a British actress best known for playing Loretta Jones in Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.-Early life:...
's character
Loretta JonesLoretta Jones is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap operas Hollyoaks and Hollyoaks Later. The character is played by Melissa Walton and first appeared on-screen on 26 November 2008 during the first series of the Hollyoaks spin-off Hollyoaks Later as a new love interest for the...
, which resulted in a public debate. Marquess' changes in 2010 included a shake-up of the production team, a cull of over fifteen characters and the introduction of over thirty new characters.
Production and broadcasting
Hollyoaks is produced by Lime Pictures and filmed mainly at studios in Childwall,
LiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. The show currently broadcasts at 18:30 each weekday on
Channel 4Channel 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...
, with an
omnibusAn omnibus is a compilation of daily television or radio episodes that is re-broadcast during the following weekend. The term has been most frequently used in the United Kingdom, though it has also been used in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa...
edition on Sunday morning, usually at 9.50 am but this time often varies. At 19:00 each weekday, one of Channel 4's digital sister stations
E4E4 is a channel on British digital television, launched as a pay-TV companion to Channel 4 on 18 January 2001. The "E" stands for entertainment, and the channel is mainly aimed at the lucrative 15–35 age group...
airs a 'First Look' feature, in which viewers are able to watch the next episode to be shown on Channel 4 the following day. In addition, E4 also shows the omnibus on Saturday and daily repeats each weekday at 14.35. The Welsh-language fourth channel,
S4CS4C , currently branded as S4/C, is a Welsh television channel broadcast from the capital, Cardiff. The first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speaking audience, it is the fifth oldest British television channel .The channel - initially broadcast on...
, broadcasts the Sunday omnibus only. National UK television channel,
Channel 4Channel 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...
aired its first episode of
Hollyoaks in
high definitionHigh-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
on 2 June 2008. The series would begin to officially broadcast on YouTube, after
GoogleGoogle Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
reached a three-year deal with
Channel 4Channel 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...
.
The show initially aired weekly in 1995. In July 1996, Mersey TV opted to recommission the show and increase its output to twice a week, that autumn. A third episode was introduced in September 1999 and a fourth in 2001. In November 2003, the show increased its output with a fifth episode, which has remained to this date.
Hollyoaks is also broadcast in other countries, including Canada (
BBC KidsBBC Kids is a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel owned by Knowledge Network Corporation and BBC Worldwide. It's a commercial-free channel that airs programming aimed at youth ranging from pre-schoolers to teens.-Overview:...
channel), Norway (
TV2 ZebraTV 2 Zebra is a Norwegian television channel showing entertainment programmes, interactive programmes and live sport. The channel started as TV 2 Xtra in 2004. TV 2 Zebra is the sixth largest television channel in Norway....
), Serbia (
Studio BRTV Studio B, more often called Studio B , is a radio and television broadcaster in Belgrade, Serbia, which was the first broadcast station outside the national electronic media system.-Background:...
), Bosnia and Herzegovina (RTRS),Sweden (TV400), Finland (
SubSub is a Finnish TV channel owned by Bonnier. The previous owner Alma Media sold Sub and its sister channels to Swedish Bonnier and Proventus in 2005.-Programs and audience:...
), Iceland (Stöð 2 extra, Stöð 2) South Africa (
MNET SeriesMNET Series is a television channel which is part of the popular South African satellite television network, DStv. This channel broadcasts television series 24 hours a day to viewers in Africa. Most of the programmes broadcast are unique to MNET Series but some are re-broadcasts of episodes...
), the United States of America (
BBC AmericaBBC 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...
, from June to November 2007 (episodes continued to be available on the BBC America website before being discontinued in June 2008), Turkey (
e2e2 is a Turkish television channel that often broadcasts American series. It is owned by the Doğuş Group.-Entertainment programmes:The following is an incomplete list of shows which have aired and/or are currently airing on e2:* 24...
) and parts of Eastern Europe. Episodes from September 2006 through August 2007 were also available on
JoostJoost is an Internet TV service, created by Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis . During 2007-8 Joost used peer-to-peer TV technology to distribute content to their Mozilla-based desktop player; in late 2008 this was migrated to use a Flash-based Web player instead.Joost began development in 2006...
. It had also aired for a number of months on
TV3TV3 is a free-to-air commercial television network in the Republic of Ireland. Launched on 20 September 1998 it was Ireland's first commercial broadcaster. The channel is owned by TV3 Group a subsidiary of Doughty Hanson & Co.-The TV3 Group:...
in Ireland, but was discontinued due to lack of viewers. In New Zealand on TVNZ and (C4), where it regularly beat London-based soap opera
EastEndersEastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
in the ratings. In Australia as from 18 October 2010 the digital multichannel
7Two7TWO is an Australian free-to-air standard definition digital television channel which was launched by the Seven Network on Sunday 1 November 2009 at 12pm....
is broadcasting double episodes of Hollyoaks from circa September 2009 episodes. Australia will catch up to the UK at a fast rate as
7Two7TWO is an Australian free-to-air standard definition digital television channel which was launched by the Seven Network on Sunday 1 November 2009 at 12pm....
is showing double episodes 5 times a week Monday – Friday and the channel is known for showing its soaps on holidays (Christmas, Boxing Day and Easter).
In 2010, series producer
Lucy AllanLucy Jane Allan is a British television producer, best known for her work on Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.Allan's other credited work include a script editor for Dream Team and assistant to director in Chica de Río....
announced she was to step down from the series after only a year, being replaced by
Paul MarquessPaul 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...
. Speaking of her decision, Allan stated: "I am very proud to have been part of the
Hollyoaks team. I've had a fantastic time working on this show but am now equally excited about what the future will hold." On his upcoming role of series producer, Marquess said: "Taking up this position at Lime Pictures feels like I'm going home, as I began my career working with both Carolyn [Reynolds] and Tony [Wood] at Granada and my first major project was
Brookside at Mersey Television. I'm a huge soap fan so to be handed the reins of Channel 4's flagship teen drama is not only a huge challenge but also a massive honour." Lime Pictures creative director and
Hollyoaks executive producer Tony Wood added: "I'd like to thank Lucy Allan for making such a contribution to
Hollyoaks over the years and wish her well for the future. It's very exciting to be working with Paul Marquess again. He's one of the best showrunners in the business. This is a brilliant appointment for
Hollyoaks."
Only one day after being announced as the new producer, Marquess began work on the soap opera. A Channel 4 spokesperson stated: "It's all been a very quick turnaround at the top. There'll be a short handover period, but Paul officially takes the helm on Monday and he's really looking forward to the challenge."
In November 2010, a special scene was filmed for an episode airing on 19 November 2010 featuring
Myra McQueenMyra McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Nicole Barber-Lane. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 19 June 2006 and was introduced by series producer Bryan Kirkwood as part of the McQueen family.-Character development:The...
(
Nicole Barber-LaneNicole Barber-Lane is an English actress best known for playing Myra McQueen in the long-running teen soap Hollyoaks.Before working in Hollyoaks, Barber-Lane appeared in Emmerdale, Bodies, The Cops, and in a Yorkshire Building Society commercial. She has featured in Woman, Red and NOW magazines...
) reference to the engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton. A spokesperson for the show said, "
Hollyoaks has always strived to be a soap that is relevant to its audience and so bosses decided that it was only fitting to reflect this national talking point on screen."
It was announced in January 2011 that Marquess would leave his role as series producer and would be succeeded by
Hollyoaks production team member
Gareth PhilipsGareth Philips is a British television producer. He is currently the producer of Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.-Radio and Television Presenter:Philips began his career, working on Radio Clatterbridge between 1995 and 1997...
. Discussing the news, Philips said: "I have really enjoyed working in the script team at
Hollyoaks and it will be a huge honour to take the reins of Channel 4's flagship youth drama. I am very excited about taking the show even further this year with more compelling and brave stories."
Characters
Although
Hollyoaks mainly focuses on students, there has always been families like other soap-operas, e.g. the
CunninghamThe Cunningham family are a fictional family in the long-running Channel 4 soap opera, Hollyoaks. The family were one of the original families introduced in 1995, debuting on the first ever episode of Hollyoaks...
,
OsborneThe Osborne family are a fictional family in the long-running Channel 4 soap opera, Hollyoaks. Introduced to the show in 1996, The family moved to Hollyoaks village in 1996, although Ruth Osborne had previously lived in the Village...
,
McQueenThe McQueen family are a fictional family in the long-running Channel 4 soap-opera Hollyoaks. The family first appeared in 2006 and have been involved in a number of the shows main storylines since then, most notably John Paul's affair with Craig Dean and Niall's revenge on his...
and
AshworthThe Ashworth family are a fictional family in the long-running Channel 4 soap opera, Hollyoaks. Introduced to the show in 2005, The family derives from Manchester and moved to Hollyoaks village in 2005...
families.
Since the revamp in 2010, the Sharpe, Costello and O'Connor families have been introduced by new executive producer Paul Marquess. More recently he has introduced the Savage family.
Hollyoaks has mainly been considered as a 'teen soap', as it was originally aimed, as the "fourth British soap-opera". In 2008,
Gemma MernaGemma Ann Merna is an English actress. She is known for playing Carmel Valentine in Hollyoaks.-Awards:...
, who plays Carmel, admitted she felt the show is underrated: "We are completely underrated as a show, which is so frustrating," Gemma told the
Daily Star. "People just think we are gorgeous models who have nothing else to offer. But the truth is we have some seriously talented actors and we're fed up with being the little sister to
Corrie,
EastEnders and
Emmerdale. We're fighters and we're so passionate about what we do. We have the balls and just go for it. And I think we should get credit for that!".
Ricky WhittleRicky 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...
, who plays
Calvin ValentineCalvin Valentine is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Ricky Whittle. He arrived in July 2006 as a police officer with his mother and younger siblings and made his final appearance on 21 May 2010 after he was murdered by Theresa McQueen. Whittle...
, explained that the time and effort required to produce
Hollyoaks, often goes unnoticed. He also said: "There's an idea that we're the party soap, the happy soap, the soap that has loads of fun, but people don't realise how hard we work". He went on, "Everyone thinks it's all glamour, premieres and parties but they need to realise that we do put it in. We are working hard for a living as well and it's not as easy as it sounds. At the minute, especially with the late night stuff, we're doing 12-hour days, sometimes six or seven days a week."
The show has had many types of characters, including its "troubled teens" such as
Sol PatrickSol Patrick is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Paul Danan.-Storylines:Sol arrived in Hollyoaks with his mother Jill Patrick , and sisters Kate and Gina...
,
Justin BurtonJustin Burton is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Chris Fountain. The character arrived in 2003 and departed on 3 June 2009. Justin arrived in a family of six, however by September 2006, his entire family had left the show...
,
Ste HayStephen "Ste" Hay is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Kieron Richardson. He debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 17 February 2006. Ste was created by David Hanson and was originally intended to be a short-term character for seven episodes...
,
Michaela McQueenMichaela McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Hollie-Jay Bowes. Michaela was the first of the McQueen family to be seen on-screen in 2006, when she was credited as Michaela Jones. On 8 June 2010, Hollie-Jay Bowes announced that she had quit...
,
Amy BarnesAmy 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...
, villains such as
Rob HawthorneRobert "Rob" Hawthorne is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Warren De Rosa.-Character history:...
,
Toby MillsTobias "Toby" Alexander Mills is a fictional character from the long-running British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Henry Luxemburg.-Storylines:...
, Andy Holt,
Niall RaffertyNiall 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...
,
Brendan BradyBrendan Brady is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Emmett J. Scanlan. The character was introduced in 2010 by series producer Paul Marquess during part of the show's overhaul the character has become incredibly popular and liked.He is the older half...
, 'bad boy' club owners
Scott AndersonScott 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...
and
Warren FoxWarren 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...
, vixens such as
Cindy CunninghamCindy Longford is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Stephanie Waring...
,
Clare DevineClare 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...
and Louise Summers, businessmen such as
Tony HutchinsonAnthony "Tony" Hutchinson is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Nick Pickard. Tony first appeared on-screen on 23 October 1995, the first episode of the series, and is the only original character still on the show to the present day...
,
Gordon CunninghamGordon 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...
and
Neville AshworthNeville "Nev" Ashworth is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jim Millea. He debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 3 October 2005 and was created by David Hanson...
and sweethearts such as
Mandy RichardsonMandy Richardson is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Sarah Jayne Dunn...
, Carmel Valentine and
Hannah AshworthHannah Rose Ashworth is a fictional character from long-running Channel 4 soap opera, Hollyoaks, played by Emma Rigby. Hannah first appeared on-screen from October 3, 2005 until her exit on February 12, 2010....
.
Hollyoaks is also known for its "sexy" characters including Calvin Valentine, Mercedes Fisher, Carmel Valentine and Sarah BarnesSarah 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...
.
Hollyoaks has been known to feature a 'comedy double-act', Max Cunningham and Sam "OB" O'Brien proved very popular with fans, however as of 2008, both characters departed the show. David "Bombhead" Burke and
Lee HunterLee Hunter is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Alex Carter. The youngest son of Les and Sally Hunter , he made his first on-screen appearance on 13 May 2001. The character was described as "wayward", a "cheeky chap" and a "wheeler dealer"...
also formed a bond on-screen.
Rhys AshworthRhys Lesley Ashworth is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Andrew Moss. He made his first on-screen appearance on 4 October 2005.-Character creation and casting:...
and
Gilly RoachGilbert "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...
as well as
Josh AshworthJoshua Josh Ashworth is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Sonny Flood. He dedbuted on-screen during the episode airing on 3 October 2005 and left on 14 July 2010, after his character was axed by executive producer Paul Marquess...
and Jamie "Fletch" Fletcher were later examples of the double-act with the current characters filling the role being
Ricky CampbellRichard "Ricky" Campbell is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Ashley Margolis. He made his first on-screen appearance on 16 June 2009. Ricky was created by executive producer Lucy Allan. Margolis took a period of leave in 2010 to complete his real life...
and
Duncan ButtonDuncan Button is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Dean Aspen. He debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 2 November 2009. Duncan was originally credited as Duncan Smith until he was credited with Button...
. The show also features "comedic characters" such as stereotypical "dumb blonde" Carmel Valentine,
Darren OsborneDarren 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...
and Rhys Ashworth.
Apart from the "young cast", Hollyoaks has featured some notable "older" characters.
Gordon CunninghamGordon 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...
and
Jack OsborneJack 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...
were the first main older characters. In more recent years, the characters of
Frankie OsborneFrancine "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...
and
Myra McQueenMyra McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Nicole Barber-Lane. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 19 June 2006 and was introduced by series producer Bryan Kirkwood as part of the McQueen family.-Character development:The...
have been featured more regularly like that of the younger cast. The show has shown few children and babies,
Tom CunninghamThomas "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:...
being the most featured. The character was voted 'Soaps Greatest Ever Child' in a 2009
Inside SoapInside 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 AwardsThe 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...
.
As of 2009,
Nick PickardNicholas "Nick" Pickard is an English actor, best known for his role as Tony Hutchinson on soap opera Hollyoaks.He is currently the longest serving cast member and appeared in the very first episode in 1995...
who portrays Tony Hutchinson, is the only cast member to have appeared consecutively from the show's inception. Presently the longest serving female character is long term character
Mandy RichardsonMandy Richardson is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Sarah Jayne Dunn...
played by
Sarah Jayne DunnSarah 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...
having returned in October 2010. Sarah played Mandy from 1996 to 2006, making a short visit in 2007, a six month period in 2008 and returning full time in 2010, replacing Carley Stenson who played
Steph CunninghamStephanie "Steph" Roach 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...
as the longest serving female cast member having joined the cast in 2000 before leaving in 2010. Other long term character include
James McKennaJames 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
Ashley Taylor DawsonAshley 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,...
who play Jack and Darren Osborne respectively and
Stephanie WaringStephanie Waring Stephanie Waring Stephanie Waring (born 19 February 1978; Urmston, Greater Manchester, England is an English actress, best known for portraying Cindy Cunningham in the early evening soap opera Hollyoaks.-Personal life:...
portraying
Cindy CunninghamCindy Longford is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Stephanie Waring...
, whom first appeared in 1996, however the actress made several exits before returning to the role on a permanent basis in 2008, she left temporarily in September 2010 due to maternity leave.
In March 2010, Paul Marquess announced that 11 characters are to depart the show:
Sasha ValentineSasha Valentine is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Nathalie Emmanuel. The character first appeared on-screen on 17 July 2006 as part of the newly introduced Valentine family...
,
Lauren ValentineLauren Valentine is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Dominique Jackson. First appearing in 2007, Lauren was written out of the show in 2010 along with the rest of the Valentine family as part of series producer Paul Marquess's overhaul of the...
,
Leo ValentineLeo 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...
, Calvin Valentine,
Zak RamseyZak Timothy Ramsey is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Kent Riley. Zak first appeared in 2004, when he was credited as 'Zak Barnes'. After only four months, Riley was dropped from the programme. The character received a revival 18 months later...
, Spencer Gray,
Jake DeanJake 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...
,
Loretta JonesLoretta Jones is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap operas Hollyoaks and Hollyoaks Later. The character is played by Melissa Walton and first appeared on-screen on 26 November 2008 during the first series of the Hollyoaks spin-off Hollyoaks Later as a new love interest for the...
, Barry "Newt" Newton,
Dave ColburnDavid "Dave" Colburn is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Elliot James Langridge. He first appeared in Hollyoaks online spin-off, Hollyoaks: The Morning After the Night Before, which explored the dangers of binge drinking...
, Des Townsend,
Kris FisherFrancis "Kris" Fisher is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Gerard McCarthy. The character first appeared on-screen in September 2006 and left in August 2010 after McCarthy quit the show...
.
Title and advert sequences
On 26 February 2007, the programme launched a revamped title sequence with a faster version of the theme tune. This new sequence regularly underwent minor changes, usually caused by characters leaving or joining the programme.
The original style of this sequence has changed on many occasions. March 2008 saw an updated "style" to the titles, with a purple background and new character segments; 26 December 2008 saw the background changed from purple to black (similar to that of the Hollyoaks Later series one titles); and then a change on 1 June 2009 saw the pink and blue lettering changed to monochrome, and the characters shown in full colour before and after the advert segments.
It was announced on 19 June 2010 that new titles with a new theme tune, which was reportedly "slowed right down", would be used in new series producer Paul Marquess' first episode, which aired on 5 July 2010. However, on 2 July, the titles were delayed for one week. The titles were then delayed for a second time due to "technical difficulties". On 10 September 2010, Channel 4 confirmed the new Hollyoaks
titles and theme music would air from 13 September. However, the titles were different to pictures of filming of the original credits, suggesting a reshoot was the reason for the delay. Marquess commented: "We're very excited about the new titles that the viewers will see on Channel 4 on Monday. They're glossy, contemporary and very Hollyoaks." He then apologised for the delay, saying: "We're sorry to the fans who have been waiting to see them, but they've taken a while to perfect. I'm very happy with them and I hope that the fans like the new-look show."
The title sequence was updated once again on 30th June 2011, with the addition of Dodger, Ethan,
CindyCindy Longford is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Stephanie Waring...
, Ruby,
DougDoug Carter is a fictional character from the British soap opera Hollyoaks, played by PJ Brennan. He initially appeared in the programme's online spin-off series Hollyoaks: Freshers, before debuting in the main series in the episode airing 13 September 2010. He left on 17 September before returning...
,
LibertyLiberty Savage is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by actress and singer-songwriter Abi Phillips. She made her first on-screen appearance on 10 December 2010. Phillips was approached by Hollyoaks producers after she submitted one of her songs...
,
MandyMandy Richardson is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Sarah Jayne Dunn...
, Pete, Esther, and Will.
Music
Hollyoaks is the only British soap to make use of
incidental musicIncidental music is music in a play, television program, radio program, video game, film or some other form not primarily musical. The term is less frequently applied to film music, with such music being referred to instead as the "film score" or "soundtrack"....
, usually a variation of the show's theme music. It is used either as a transition between scenes or as part of a dream-like sequence. These have included bands such as
Ocean Colour SceneOcean Colour Scene are an English Britpop band formed in Moseley, Birmingham in 1989. They have had five Top 10 albums and six Top 10 singles to date.-Early days :...
with the song "Hundred Mile High City",
The Pigeon DetectivesThe Pigeon Detectives are an English indie rock band from Rothwell, West Yorkshire, who formed in 2004. They have been championed by such well known DJs as Steve Lamacq and Jo Whiley, and performed at the Reading and Leeds Festivals in 2006, where they were tagged "the band most likely to leap to...
,
RadioheadRadiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
,
30 Seconds to Mars30 Seconds to Mars is an American rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1998. Since 2007, the band has consisted of actor Jared Leto , Shannon Leto and Tomo Miličević...
,
U2U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
,
Scissor SistersScissor Sisters are an American band "spawned by the scuzzy, gay nightlife scene of New York" who took their name from a sexual position between two women also known as tribadism...
,
Franz FerdinandFranz Ferdinand are a Scottish post-punk revival band formed in Glasgow in 2002. The band is composed of Alex Kapranos , Bob Hardy , Nick McCarthy , and Paul Thomson .The band first experienced chart success when their second single, "Take Me Out", reached #3 in...
,
Kaiser ChiefsKaiser Chiefs are an English indie rock band from Leeds who formed in 1996. They were named after the South African football club Kaizer Chiefs....
,
The LibertinesThe Libertines were an English rock band, formed in London in 1997 by frontmen Carl Barât and Pete Doherty . The band, centred on the song-writing partnership of Barat and Doherty, also included John Hassall and Gary Powell for most of its recording career...
,
The KooksThe Kooks are an English indie rock band formed in Brighton, East Sussex, in 2001. Formed by Luke Pritchard , Hugh Harris , Paul Garred , and Max Rafferty , the lineup of the band remained constant until 2008 and the departure of Rafferty...
,
Arctic MonkeysArctic Monkeys are an English indie rock band. Formed in 2002 in High Green, a suburb of Sheffield, the band currently consists of Alex Turner , Jamie Cook , Nick O'Malley and Matt Helders...
,
MorrisseySteven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
,
The FratellisThe Fratellis were an indie rock band from Glasgow, Scotland. The band consisted of lead vocalist and guitarist Jon Fratelli , bass guitarist Barry Fratelli , and drummer and backing vocalist Mince Fratelli .The band released 2 albums during their career, Costello Music in 2006 and Here We Stand in...
,
ParamoreParamore is an American rock band from Franklin, Tennessee, formed in 2004. The band consists of lead vocalist Hayley Williams, bassist Jeremy Davis, and guitarist Taylor York...
,
Ben HowardBen W. Howard is an American poet, essayist, and critic. He is the author of eight books, including a collection of essays on Zen practice, five collections of poems, a verse novella, and a critical study of modern Irish writing...
, The Darkness and the
Maroon 5Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. While they were in high school, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Adam Levine, keyboardist Jesse Carmichael, bass guitarist Mickey Madden, and drummer Ryan Dusick formed a garage band called Kara's Flowers and released one album...
song "She Will Be Loved" was repeatedly played in early 2005. Current chart songs are not used in the international version of the show; instead library music and a selection of purposely-composed songs are used. The main theme was written and performed by Steve Wright, who has also produced music and themes for
BrooksideBrookside is a defunct British soap opera set in Liverpool, England. The series began on the launch night of Channel 4 on 2 November 1982, and ran for 21 years until 4 November 2003...
, Grange HillGrange Hill is a British television drama series originally made by the BBC. The show began in 1978 on BBC1 and was one of the longest running programmes on British television...
and other Mersey TV / Lime Pictures productions. The theme tune is based on a Bo DiddleyEllas Otha Bates , known by his stage name Bo Diddley, was an American rhythm and blues vocalist, guitarist, songwriter , and inventor...
riff.
A new remixed version of the theme, along with brand new titles, were used from 12 July 2010. The new titles show different characters in the drama posing in various positions with bright colourful backdrops.
A "Hollyoaks
" soundtrack CD was released in 2001, containing music used in the programme.
A number of real acts have performed during transmitted episodes of the series. The Alphites were the first band to do so. In 2003, Pop IdolPop Idol is a British television series which debuted on ITV on 6 October 2001. The show was a talent contest to decide the best new young pop singer in the United Kingdom, based on viewer voting and participation. Two series were broadcast - one in 2001-02 and a second in 2003...
runner up Darius Campbell appeared in an episode performing at a graduation ball. In 2008, the band Get Cape. Wear Cape. FlyGet Cape. Wear Cape. Fly is the stage name of English artist Sam Duckworth and his band. He is sometimes referred to as Get Cape, Cape, GCWCF and Slam Dunkworth . According to Duckworth, his stage name comes from a ZX Spectrum magazine...
also featured in Hollyoaks
, performing as part of a Battle of the BandsBattle of Bands is a contest in which two or more bands compete for the title of "best band". The winner is determined by a panel of judges, the general response of the audience, or a combination. The winning band usually receives a prize in addition to bragging rights. Traditionally, battles of...
contest. During November 2008, The SaturdaysThe Saturdays are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London, United Kingdom. The group consists of five members Una Healy, Mollie King, Frankie Sandford, Vanessa White and Rochelle Wiseman. In 2007 the band were formed through Fascination Records which gave them an instant record deal with...
were featured in two episodes of spin-off Hollyoaks LaterThe 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 2009, McFlyMcFly are an English pop rock band who first found fame in 2004. The band consists of Tom Fletcher , Danny Jones , Dougie Poynter and Harry Judd . They were signed to the Island Records label from their 2004 launch until December 2007, before creating their own label, Super Records...
featured in the show and played a song in the SU Bar. They also had speaking roles and convinced characters Justin BurtonJustin Burton is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Chris Fountain. The character arrived in 2003 and departed on 3 June 2009. Justin arrived in a family of six, however by September 2006, his entire family had left the show...
and Hannah AshworthHannah Rose Ashworth is a fictional character from long-running Channel 4 soap opera, Hollyoaks, played by Emma Rigby. Hannah first appeared on-screen from October 3, 2005 until her exit on February 12, 2010....
to go out. Later that year Girls Can't CatchGirls Can't Catch were a British girl group. Their debut single "Keep Your Head Up" entered the UK Singles Chart at number 26. Their second single "Echo" was released on 18 January 2010, debuting at number 19 on the UK Top 40 singles chart. The band was dropped by their record company, Polydor...
performed "Keep Your Head Up" during the college graduation party.
Advertisements and sponsorship
Hollyoaks was previously sponsored by
NescaféNescafé is a brand of instant coffee made by Nestlé. It comes in the form of many different products. The name is a portmanteau of the words "Nestlé" and "café". Nestlé's flagship powdered coffee product was introduced in Switzerland on April 1, 1938 after being developed for seven or eight years...
, which held a one year £9.5 million deal from June 2002 until July 2003. The show did not have a sponsor until June 2005, when Wrigley's signed a twelve month contract for their brand of
ExtraExtra is the name of the second sugarfree gum launched by the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company in the United States . It was launched in 1984 and became one of the most popular brands of gum in the United States within a few years, known for long-lasting flavor...
chewing gum. The contract ended in December 2009. Nikon Coolpix signed a deal for sponsorship in 2010 which ended in September 2010, before resuming in January 2011, as part of a 12 month deal. Nikon group marketing manager, Jeremy Gilbert said: "Hollyoaks provides the perfect demographic to which we are able to communicate the strengths of the Coolpix S3000 camera. We are excited to be engaging with this new audience and look forward to seeing how viewers respond to the campaign. The sponsorship is an ideal platform on which to communicate Nikon's new pan-European marketing campaign: 'I am Nikon', in that we are able to visually demonstrate the emotional side of photography and how it fits into your lifestyle." In September 2010, it was announced mobile phone retailer Phones4u would take over sponsorship from 1 October 2010 as part of a 3 month deal. Caspar Nelson, the head of brand communications at Phones4u, said: "Our research has shown that Hollyoaks is the most-watched TV show by our core customers, who can relate to its youth-orientated storylines. We're chuffed to be sponsoring such a popular drama that, like our brand, is not afraid to be edgy and irreverent in the way it engages its audience."
Nikon Coolpix signed a new 12-month sponsorship deal in December 2010, beginning in January 2011. Gilbert again commented on the deal: "Nikon's sponsorship of Hollyoaks
in 2010 proved to be very successful and undoubtedly contributed to a significant rise in market share for our Coolpix products. Hollyoaks
continues to provide Nikon with access to a young, trendy audience to whom we are able to communicate the strengths of the Coolpix range. We look forward to promoting our key Coolpix products throughout the campaign."
Hollyoaks have produced several adverts to promote the show over various times. In 2007, a new trailer featuring the cast performing daily routines, for example learning scripts, was broadcast. The trailer featured New Zealand indie band
The BrunettesThe Brunettes are an indie pop or twee pop group from New Zealand formed in 1998. The band consists of core members Jonathan Bree and Heather Mansfield with additional contributions from part-time band members including James Milne , Ryan McPhun , Harry Cundy, and most recently,...
song "B.A.B.Y". In 2008, several trailers were aired featuring
the McQueensThe McQueen family are a fictional family in the long-running Channel 4 soap-opera Hollyoaks. The family first appeared in 2006 and have been involved in a number of the shows main storylines since then, most notably John Paul's affair with Craig Dean and Niall's revenge on his...
as
Niall RaffertyNiall 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...
forced
Myra McQueenMyra McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Nicole Barber-Lane. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 19 June 2006 and was introduced by series producer Bryan Kirkwood as part of the McQueen family.-Character development:The...
to choose which of her children live and die. Each trailer showed each of her children pleading with Myra to pick them to live. In October 2009, due to Barry Newton's schizophrenic and attempted suicide storyline, Channel 4 broadcast another trailer featuring clips from upcoming episodes and
EvanescenceEvanescence is an American rock band founded in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1995 by singer/pianist Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody. After recording private albums, the band released their first full-length album, Fallen, on Wind-up Records in 2003. Fallen sold more than 17 million copies worldwide...
song "
Sweet Sacrifice"Sweet Sacrifice" is a song by American rock band Evanescence. It was released on May 25, 2007, as the third single from their second studio album, The Open Door. It was written by Amy Lee and Terry Balsamo while the production was handled by Dave Fortman. "All That I'm Living For" was initially...
".
In December 2009, due to
Ricky WhittleRicky 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...
's appearance as a contestant on
Strictly Come DancingStrictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
, a new promotional video was released featuring Whittle's character
Calvin ValentineCalvin Valentine is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Ricky Whittle. He arrived in July 2006 as a police officer with his mother and younger siblings and made his final appearance on 21 May 2010 after he was murdered by Theresa McQueen. Whittle...
dancing with
Carmel McQueenCarmel Valentine is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Gemma Merna. She debuted on-screen during episodes airing in August 2006 and was introduced by series producer Bryan Kirkwood as part of the McQueen family...
(
Gemma MernaGemma Ann Merna is an English actress. She is known for playing Carmel Valentine in Hollyoaks.-Awards:...
) along with the
Yeah Yeah YeahsYeah Yeah Yeahs are an American indie rock band formed in New York City in 2000. The group is composed of vocalist and pianist Karen O, guitarist and keyboardist Nick Zinner, and drummer Brian Chase. They are complemented in live performances by second guitarist David Pajo, who joined as a touring...
song "Heads Will Roll". It also featured several other characters dancing around the pair before Jacqui McQueen (
Claire CooperClaire Elizabeth Cooper is an English actress who currently plays Jacqui McQueen in British Channel 4 series Hollyoaks...
) throws what appears to be blood on Calvin.
Kris FisherFrancis "Kris" Fisher is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Gerard McCarthy. The character first appeared on-screen in September 2006 and left in August 2010 after McCarthy quit the show...
(
Gerard McCarthyGerard McCarthy is an actor, best known to television viewers for his award-winning performance as Kris Fisher on the British soap opera Hollyoaks from 2006 to 2010, to theatres-goers for his performances on the West End and at Shakespeare's Globe, and to film geeks for his role in Belonging to...
),
Sasha ValentineSasha Valentine is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Nathalie Emmanuel. The character first appeared on-screen on 17 July 2006 as part of the newly introduced Valentine family...
(
Nathalie EmmanuelNathalie Joanne Emmanuel is a British actress best known for her role in the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks as Sasha Valentine, which she played from 2006 to 2010....
) and
Leo ValentineLeo 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 BovellBrian 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...
) then give Calvin scores on his dancing, all of which are
9, 9 and 9999 is an official emergency telephone number in a number of countries which allows the caller to contact emergency services for urgent assistance....
. Although this trailer was originally thought to be about Whittle's Strictly Come Dancing
appearance and the character of Calvin's affair with Mercedes Fisher (Jennifer MetcalfeJennifer Joanne Metcalfe is an English actress and model. She joined the cast of soap opera Hollyoaks in June 2006, playing feisty Mercedes McQueen.-Personal life:...
), it also resembled Hollyoaks "flashforward" style episode which will see the second marriage of Calvin and Carmel. Another trailer was shown to advertise the flashforward episode and May 2010 after it was announced Calvin would be killed.
A new sequence was later released in July 2010, which featured regular characters, such as the McQueen family, Darren (
Ashley Taylor DawsonAshley 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,...
), Steph (
Carley StensonCarley 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...
), Gilly (
Anthony QuinlanAnthony 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...
), Rhys (
Andrew MossAndrew "Andy" Moss is an English television actor. He is currently best known for playing Rhys Ashworth in the Channel 4 teenage soap opera Hollyoaks since 2005.-TV credits:...
), Tony (
Nick PickardNicholas "Nick" Pickard is an English actor, best known for his role as Tony Hutchinson on soap opera Hollyoaks.He is currently the longest serving cast member and appeared in the very first episode in 1995...
) and Duncan (Dean Aspen). In the second half of the sequence, the new characters introduced by Paul Marquess are featured, such as the Costello's, Brendan Brady (
Emmett J. ScanlanEmmett J. Scanlan is an Irish actor from Dublin.In 2008 and 2009, Scanlan appeared in the Justin Timberlake-produced MTV series The Phone, as "The Operator"...
), Taylor Sharpe (Shaun Blackstock), Bart McQueen (
Jonny ClarkeJonny Clarke, is an English actor. He is best known for playing the character of Bart McQueen in the channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.-Career:...
), and glamour model Mitzeee (
Rachel ShentonRachel Shenton, , is an English actress, who has appeared in a number of British television series, commercials, films and has also done voice overs. She is currently portraying Mitzeee on Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.-Career:Shenton was born in Stoke-on-Trent on the 6 November 1987 and has lived...
) and stand face to face with the regular characters. A quote is then followed saying "Check out the new talent" which appears out into what appears to be a group photograph being taken, with all the characters mixed together.
Another trailer was broadcast during October 2010 to advertise the show's "fire week", which would feature different characters in each episode set around the events of
Guy Fawkes NightGuy Fawkes Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Day, Bonfire Night and Firework Night, is an annual commemoration observed on 5 November, primarily in England. Its history begins with the events of 5 November 1605, when Guy Fawkes, a member of the Gunpowder Plot, was arrested while guarding...
, in which an arsonist would set fire to Il Gnosh.
Locations
Despite being set in
ChesterChester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
the show is filmed at studios in
LiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. The Village is a specially built set at the studios. The SU Bar was once used in
BrooksideBrookside is a defunct British soap opera set in Liverpool, England. The series began on the launch night of Channel 4 on 2 November 1982, and ran for 21 years until 4 November 2003...
as Bar Brookie, the parade from
BrooksideBrookside is a defunct British soap opera set in Liverpool, England. The series began on the launch night of Channel 4 on 2 November 1982, and ran for 21 years until 4 November 2003...
is now the skate park and location of
RelishA relish is a cooked, pickled, or chopped vegetable or fruit food item which is typically used as a condiment.In North America, relish commonly alludes to sweet pickle relish-like sauce that often condiments hot dogs, hamburgers and other types of fast food.-Description and ingredients:The item...
. Brookside Close has also been used in
Hollyoaks before it was sold, Ron Dixon's home was used as the Burtons' home and Max Farnham's home was used as the Deans' home. The
Hollyoaks set was also the location for the television series
Grange HillGrange Hill is a British television drama series originally made by the BBC. The show began in 1978 on BBC1 and was one of the longest running programmes on British television...
and the school set is now used as Hollyoaks High.
Hollyoaks rarely film in
ChesterChester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
due to their mass schedule. Nearly all scenes are filmed at studios on Abbey Road,
LiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
.
Storylines
Over the course of the show's history,
Hollyoaks has dealt with a number of storylines based upon serious issues. Given the large and established proportion of young viewers, some feel that the soap is an ideal platform to show a variety of issues affecting young people. A telephone helpline number is often displayed after episodes that feature a particular emphasis on a story that may have affected viewers.
A 2007 episode which showed a number of the characters falling ill at a party due to
carbon monoxide poisoningCarbon monoxide poisoning occurs after enough inhalation of carbon monoxide . Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas, but, being colorless, odorless, tasteless, and initially non-irritating, it is very difficult for people to detect...
helped make a viewer realise that the symptoms of illness she had been feeling were caused by a potentially fatal carbon-monoxide leak in her home. By being made aware of the effects from the episode, she was able to receive medical treatment that would save her life.
Storylines that the soap has dealt with include: drug addiction, murder, arson,
hit and runHit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic accident , and failing to stop and identify oneself afterwards...
, abortion, suicide,
homelessnessHomelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...
, financial problems, interracial relationships, racism, religion,
bisexualityBisexuality is sexual behavior or an orientation involving physical or romantic attraction to both males and females, especially with regard to men and women. It is one of the three main classifications of sexual orientation, along with a heterosexual and a homosexual orientation, all a part of the...
, homosexuality,
homophobiaHomophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
, sexual confusion, alcoholism, rape, cancer,
child abuseChild abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
,
domestic violenceDomestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
,
anorexiaAnorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by refusal to maintain a healthy body weight and an obsessive fear of gaining weight. Although commonly called "anorexia", that term on its own denotes any symptomatic loss of appetite and is not strictly accurate...
/bulimia,
incestIncest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
,
sexual harassmentSexual harassment, is intimidation, bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. In some contexts or circumstances, sexual harassment is illegal. It includes a range of behavior from seemingly mild transgressions and...
, general bullying,
carbon monoxide poisoningCarbon monoxide poisoning occurs after enough inhalation of carbon monoxide . Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas, but, being colorless, odorless, tasteless, and initially non-irritating, it is very difficult for people to detect...
, living with
epilepsyEpilepsy 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...
, HIV, pupil/teacher relationships, self harm,
schizophreniaSchizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
, OCD, gambling addiction,
shopliftingShoplifting is theft of goods from a retail establishment. It is one of the most common property crimes dealt with by police and courts....
, fostering,
teenage pregnancyTeenage pregnancy is a pregnancy of a female under the age of 20 when the pregnancy ends. It generally refers to a female who is unmarried and usually refers to an unplanned pregnancy...
,
SIDSSudden 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...
,
miscarriageMiscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the spontaneous end of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or fetus is incapable of surviving independently, generally defined in humans at prior to 20 weeks of gestation...
,
kidnappingIn criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
, brain aneurysm,
Gender Identity DisorderGender identity disorder is the formal diagnosis used by psychologists and physicians to describe persons who experience significant gender dysphoria . It describes the symptoms related to transsexualism, as well as less severe manifestations of gender dysphoria...
and
surrogacySurrogacy is an arrangement in which a woman carries and delivers a child for another couple or person. This woman may be the child's genetic mother , or she may carry the pregnancy to delivery after having an embryo, to which she has no genetic relationship whatsoever, transferred to her uterus...
.
In 2009,
Hollyoaks made soap history by being the first British soap opera to have a "non-linear" week. Commencing 14 September 2009, the special week saw storylines being played out in non-chronological order, something which has never been dealt with within the soap's history. Producer
Lucy AllanLucy 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....
stated in an interview with
Digital SpyDigital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
, "It was an idea pitched by Richard Burke, one of our writers, at my first long-term story conference back in February. What's great about it is that it's a really great storyline, but with the way he pitched – in making it non-linear – it was even better. It's just like if something happened to one of your mates and you try and put the pieces of the puzzle together as to what happened, you don't find all the people who tell you what happened in chronological order. You get bits here and there and piece it together. It's exactly the sort of thing Hollyoaks should be doing, challenging its audience."
In late 2009, it was announced that
Hollyoaks would make another soap first by screening a
flashforwardA flashforward is an interjected scene that takes the narrative forward in time from the current point of the story in literature, film, television and other media. Flashforwards are often used to represent events expected, projected, or imagined to occur in the future...
episode. On 21 December 2009, the show's time-line moved forward six months into May 2010. The episode featured the second wedding of
Calvin ValentineCalvin Valentine is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Ricky Whittle. He arrived in July 2006 as a police officer with his mother and younger siblings and made his final appearance on 21 May 2010 after he was murdered by Theresa McQueen. Whittle...
and
Carmel McQueenCarmel Valentine is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Gemma Merna. She debuted on-screen during episodes airing in August 2006 and was introduced by series producer Bryan Kirkwood as part of the McQueen family...
. Series producer Lucy Allan stated: "We're really excited by this future episode –
Hollyoaks is the only soap that can tamper with time and give our audience the opportunity to look at events that haven't yet taken place. A lot can happen in six months, so viewers should expect to be asking a lot of questions of some of their favourite characters' actions and behaviour.
Ricky WhittleRicky 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...
, who plays Calvin, added: "Calvin's completely besotted with Carmel. She's the one he's always wanted – she's always been his true love since they first started seeing each other and everyone's always wanted them to get back together."
In September 2010 it was revealed that Marquess had devised a storyline which would see
Ste HayStephen "Ste" Hay is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Kieron Richardson. He debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 17 February 2006. Ste was created by David Hanson and was originally intended to be a short-term character for seven episodes...
embark on a homosexual relationship with Brendan Brady and that the soap was going to tackle domestic abuse within a homosexual relationship.
Later in September it was announced that
Hollyoaks, teaming up with Channel 4 Education's
Battlefront, would explore an underage sex storyline involving 12 year-old characters
Finn O'ConnorFinn O'Connor is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Connor Wilkinson. The character was introduced during a "shake-up" of the show by new series producer Paul Marquess during 2010 as a member of the O'Connor family, and has since been at the centre of...
and
Amber SharpeAmber Sharpe is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Lydia Lloyd-Henry. The character was introduced as a member of the new Sharpe family, as part of series producer Paul Marquess' rejuvenation of the serial in 2010. She made her first on-screen...
, which would lead to Amber's pregnancy. Explaining the storyline, Paul Marquess said: "
Hollyoaks has long been credited for tackling difficult issues that affect young people in a sensitive and intelligent way. I am very proud that we are once again bringing to the forefront a subject for our young audience that many parents, politicians and schools struggle to address. The storyline very clearly communicates to the audience that Amber and Finn were not emotionally or physically ready to engage in any sexual activity. And make no mistake, there will be no fairytale ending for Amber; she is faced with the most difficult situation she could ever imagine."
Awards
Hollyoaks was the only soap to be nominated in every category at the 2007
British Soap AwardsThe 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...
. It went on to win 3 awards at the ceremony: 'Villain of The Year' for
Gemma BissixGemma 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...
's portrayal of
Clare DevineClare 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...
, 'Best Comedy Performance' for
Gemma MernaGemma Ann Merna is an English actress. She is known for playing Carmel Valentine in Hollyoaks.-Awards:...
and her portrayal of
Carmel McQueenCarmel Valentine is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Gemma Merna. She debuted on-screen during episodes airing in August 2006 and was introduced by series producer Bryan Kirkwood as part of the McQueen family...
and 'Sexiest Female' for
Roxanne McKee-Biography:After completing a BA degree in 2001 in Social Policy & Political Studies at Royal Holloway, University of London, McKee rose to fame by winning Hollyoaks On The Pull, a Channel 4 initiative to discover new talent for the popular British soap Hollyoaks...
. McKee also won the award for 'Sexiest Female' at the
Inside Soap AwardsThe 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...
2007.
Hollyoaks was named 'Broadcast of the Year' at the 2007 Stonewall Awards, held at London's Victoria and Albert Museum. The award was based on
John Paul McQueenJohn Paul McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by James Sutton. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 6 September 2006; his storylines have significantly revolved around his sexuality, evolving from the initial denial of his...
(
James SuttonJames Sutton is an English television actor, best known for playing the parts of John Paul McQueen in the British Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks and Ryan Lamb in the ITV soap Emmerdale.-Personal life:...
) and
Craig DeanCraig 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...
's (
Guy BurnetGuy Burnet , a British film and television actor. He is best known for his work on the show Hollyoaks, but in recent years has also completed a number of roles in feature films.-Personal:...
) gay affair storyline.
StonewallStonewall is a lesbian, gay and bisexual rights charity in the United Kingdom named after the Stonewall Inn of Stonewall riots fame. Now the largest gay equality organization not only in the UK but in Europe, it was formed in 1989 by political activists and others lobbying against section 28 of the...
, an organisation that campaigns for equality for gay men and women, praised the show for its "sympathetic and convincing handling" of the "gritty and emotional" storyline.
Hollyoaks scooped five awards at the first
Digital SpyDigital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
awards in March 2008.
James SuttonJames Sutton is an English television actor, best known for playing the parts of John Paul McQueen in the British Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks and Ryan Lamb in the ITV soap Emmerdale.-Personal life:...
and
Guy BurnetGuy Burnet , a British film and television actor. He is best known for his work on the show Hollyoaks, but in recent years has also completed a number of roles in feature films.-Personal:...
won best storyline for their gay affair storyline.
Roxanne McKee-Biography:After completing a BA degree in 2001 in Social Policy & Political Studies at Royal Holloway, University of London, McKee rose to fame by winning Hollyoaks On The Pull, a Channel 4 initiative to discover new talent for the popular British soap Hollyoaks...
scooped sexiest female,
Gemma BissixGemma 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...
won best exit and
Ellis HollinsEllis 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...
won best child actor.
James SuttonJames Sutton is an English television actor, best known for playing the parts of John Paul McQueen in the British Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks and Ryan Lamb in the ITV soap Emmerdale.-Personal life:...
also won another award for most popular actor.
Hollyoaks swept the board at The British Soap Awards 2008, where it won 6 awards, more than any other soap. The awards included 'Spectacular Scene of the Year' for
Clare DevineClare 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...
driving herself and
Katy FoxKaty Fox is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by actress Hannah Tointon, who was in the serial for just under a year. Katy was central to storylines, including Clare Devine's revenge....
off a cliff, 'Best Exit' for
Clare DevineClare 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...
, Best On-Screen Partnership for
Max CunninghamMax 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...
and Sam "OB" O'Brien, 'Sexiest Female' for
Roxanne McKee-Biography:After completing a BA degree in 2001 in Social Policy & Political Studies at Royal Holloway, University of London, McKee rose to fame by winning Hollyoaks On The Pull, a Channel 4 initiative to discover new talent for the popular British soap Hollyoaks...
, 'Best Actor' for
Chris FountainChristopher Ryan Fountain is an English actor best known for his role as Justin Burton on the Channel 4 teen soap Hollyoaks, a role he played from 2003 until his departure in June 2009. He is also now known for playing Tommy Duckworth in Coronation Street. He played the role of PC Paul Tait in...
and 'Best Actress' for
Emma RigbyEmma Catherine Rigby , is an English actress, best known for her role in Hollyoaks as Hannah Ashworth.-Career:In February 2010 Emma Completed, with International Fashion Photographer Rory Lewis.-Television:...
. Although winning the most awards on the night,
EastEndersEastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
, which won 4, won the major award for 'Best Soap'.
Hollyoaks won its first ever National Television Award in 2008 when
Matt LittlerMatt 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 :...
received the award for 'Most Outstanding Serial Drama Performance' for his portrayal of
Max CunninghamMax 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...
.
In 2009,
Hollyoaks was the most nominated soap in The British Soap Awards. However it did not win an award.
In January 2010,
Hollyoaks was nominated for two National Television Awards. It lost to
Coronation StreetCoronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
in the 'Most Popular Serial Drama' category, as well as the 'Most Popular Newcomer' category for Bronagh Waugh. The winner was
Coronation Streets Craig GazeyCraig Gazey is an award-winning English actor.He attended Eggbuckland Community College up until 1998, where he attended City College Plymouth, studying a BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts. He then went on to attend Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and graduated in 2005...
.
In March 2010, Hollyoaks
received its very first TRIC Awards nomination. Ricky WhittleRicky 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...
won the 'TV Soap Personality' award. EastEnders
actress Lacey TurnerLacey Amelia Turner is an award-winning English actress. She is best known for portraying the role of Stacey Slater on the BBC soap opera EastEnders, a role for which she has won 33 awards...
and Coronation Street
actor Simon GregsonSimon Gregson is an English actor. He is known for being a cast member of the British soap opera Coronation Street in which he has played Steve McDonald since 1989....
were also nominated for the award. It was also nominated for 'Soap of the Year'. The award finally went to EastEnders
, which has won the award since 2008.
From the 36 nominations voted for by a panel, Hollyoaks received 5 nominations at The British Soap Awards 2010, making it the least nominated soap for that year. It scored nominations in the categories of 'Best Comedy Performance', 'Best Dramatic Performance', 'Best Exit', 'Best Newcomer' and 'Spectacular Scene of the Year'. However, it failed to receive any nominations in the categories of 'Best Single Episode', 'Best on Screen Partnership', 'Best Dramatic Performance From a Young Actor' and 'Best Storyline'.
EmmerdaleEmmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...
scored 9 nominations , EastEnders
and Coronation Street
8, while Doctors
received 6. Despite the low amount of nominations, Hollyoaks
still managed to scoop an award for 'Most Spectacular Scene of the Year' for the parachute jump which featured in the second series of Hollyoaks Later
and the stunt oversaw the death of long-running, popular character Sarah BarnesSarah 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 BatleyLouie Anne Batley is an English actress, singer and dancer best known for her role in Hollyoaks as Sarah Barnes...
(Sarah Barnes), Zoe ListerZoë Lister is an English actress from Stoke Prior, Worcestershire, best known for playing Zoe Carpenter in British soap Hollyoaks. She grew up in Callow Hill near Redditch. where she has lived for most of her life. She trained at the Starlight School of Dance in Winyates, Redditch. Previous to...
(Zoe Carpenter) and Lydia Kelly (Lydia Hart) collected the award.
Hollyoaks
has received four BAFTA award nominations in the 'Best Soap' category. It has been nominated in 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2003. It has lost to EastEnders
in both 1999 and 2002, Emmerdale
in 2001 and Coronation Street in 2003.
In May 2011, "Hollyoaks" received 7 nominations at The British Soap Awards in the categories of 'Best Comedy Performance', 'Best Dramatic Performance', 'Best Young Actor or Actress', 'Best Exit', 'Best Newcomer', 'Best Onscreen Partnership' and 'Most Spectacular Scene of the Year', as well as being shortlisted in 'Sexiest Female', 'Villain of the Year', 'Best Actor', 'Best Actress' and 'Best Soap'. Hollyoaks managed to win two awards for 'Villain of the Year' and 'Best Newcomer' for twisted bad boy
Brendan BradyBrendan Brady is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Emmett J. Scanlan. The character was introduced in 2010 by series producer Paul Marquess during part of the show's overhaul the character has become incredibly popular and liked.He is the older half...
, with the actor Emmett J Scanlan (Brendan Brady) the most nominated actor of the night.
Hollyoaks is the only British soap to have been nominated for
TV QuickTV Choice, is a British weekly TV listings magazine published by H. Bauer Publishing, the UK subsidiary of family-run German company Bauer Media Group...
and Choice Awards since its first ceremony in 1997 and failing to win any awards.
Criticism
In 2001 students at
Chester CollegeThe University of Chester is a public research university located in Chester, United Kingdom. The University, based on a main campus in Chester and a smaller campus in Warrington, offers a range of foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate courses, as well as undertaking academic research.Chester...
objected to a storyline which they say misrepresented students in the city. Students Union president Gordon Reay said: "Students at other universities think we are a bunch of radicals and militants because that's how the students are portrayed in Hollyoaks
. They assume that the college in the programme is Chester College, because Hollyoaks
is set in the city." In March 2009, the Association of Teachers and LecturersThe Association of Teachers and Lecturers is a trade union, teachers' union and professional association, affiliated to the Trades Union Congress, in the United Kingdom representing educators from nursery and primary education to further education...
identified Hollyoaks
as one of a number of programmes – including Big BrotherBig 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...
and SkinsSkins is a BAFTA award-winning British teen drama that follows a group of teenagers in Bristol, South West England, through the two years of college. The controversial plot line explores issues such as dysfunctional families, mental illness , adolescent sexuality, substance abuse and death...
– cited by its members in a survey to be a bad influence on students, manifesting itself in behaviour such as, "answering back, storming off, swearing, aggression and sexually inappropriate behaviour."
In 2007, the soap came was further criticised along with other soap operas for the amount of alcohol consumption featured on-screen. The Food Commission montired that 18 percent of scenes feature consumption and warned that it was conditioning teenagers into thinking it is normal to consume so much alcohol. A similar incident occurred in 1997 when the
Independent Television CommissionThe Independent Television Commission licensed and regulated commercial television services in the United Kingdom between 1 January 1991 and 28 December 2003....
criticised the series for using an existing brand of alcohol,
Caffrey’sCaffrey's Irish Ale is a beer that used to come from Belfast, Northern Ireland where it was brewed by the Thomas Caffrey Brewing Company...
in the soap claiming that it breached broadcasting rules and promoted the product.
In October 2009, Channel 4 was criticised for broadcasting character Barry Newton's attempted suicide, which showed similarities to an incident which happened the same week in
GlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
in which two teenagers committed suicide by jumping into the
River ClydeThe River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
. In its defence, a Channel 4 spokesperson stated: "Any similarities are entirely coincidental and we have carefully considered how best to proceed. We feel it is appropriate to continue with the transmission of these episodes as this is not a one-off programme but an established and long-running series. The audience will be familiar with the character of Newt and this plotline, which has been both trailed and promoted, has been developing over a number of weeks. Hollyoaks
has a strong track record of dealing with sensitive issues, and the transmission will be followed by a programme support announcement directing viewers to a 24-hour helpline."
In late November 2009, it was announced that character Loretta JonesLoretta Jones is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap operas Hollyoaks and Hollyoaks Later. The character is played by Melissa Walton and first appeared on-screen on 26 November 2008 during the first series of the Hollyoaks spin-off Hollyoaks Later as a new love interest for the...
would be revealed to have killed a child when she was twelve-years-old. A Hollyoaks
spokesperson said, "The drama is about how Loretta reacts to Chrissy's arrival back in her life and how she copes with all the memories coming back." The storyline was criticised due to its similarities to real events, such as the Murder of James BulgerJames Patrick Bulger was a boy from Kirkby, England, who was murdered on 12 February 1993, when aged two. He was abducted, tortured and murdered by two ten-year-old boys, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables .Bulger disappeared from the New Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, near Liverpool, while...
. The mother of James Bulger, Denise Fergus, stated her outrage of the storyline while speaking to Click Liverpool
. She said: "I'm shocked and disgusted at what Hollyoaks is doing. They have clearly based this story on what happened to James and it's outrageous that they should do this without consulting with me in any way. This is the third time this year that someone has written a so-called drama that treats my son's murderers as some kind of victims and celebrities. It's wrong and I find it very hurtful that a TV company is making a horrific murder that happened only 16 years ago into the subject for a soap opera. How dare they treat James as though he is public property. It is an insult to his memory and I am particularly shocked that a programme, based in Liverpool, has gone ahead and done this knowing that it would be so controversial. Turning James's death into a topic for entertainment is just wrong." Appalled by the decision to produce the episodes, Fergus publicly called for a meeting with Hollyoaks Liverpool-based production house Lime Pictures, so she could hear it justify its move.
She continued: "I'm demanding an urgent meeting with the producers of
Hollyoaks over this. It seems they have already recorded these episodes so they think they have got away with it. But I want to look them in the eye and hear them explain how they can justify it. I want to know how they could stoop so low as to broadcast such a horrible insult to the memory of my beautiful son. The only reason
Hollyoaks is doing this is their own self-interest – to get viewers. I watch
Hollyoaks, but if they go ahead and broadcast this it will be the last time I will watch it and I will ask other people to support me and boycott the show too."
A spokesperson for Channel 4 added, "The forthcoming storyline is not based on any real-life case and it will in no way seek to recreate real events. The storyline focuses on the psychological repercussions for two characters in the show who were responsible for the death of a 12-year-old girl in the past." Subsequently, the storyline was pulled from the show on 14 December 2009. A Lime Pictures spokesperson said: "
Hollyoaks has a very good track record of tackling difficult subject matter for a younger audience and the producers take seriously their duty to deal with sensitive issues in an appropriate way. This particular storyline was not based on any real-life case and was not intended to recreate actual events. However, after conversations with Denise Fergus we have agreed to amend certain aspects of the storyline."
Spin-offs
Hollyoaks occasionally broadcasts late-night spin-off editions of the main show, usually due to them containing adult themes and controversial plots. Two video specials have also been released. In 2001, a new 16 part spin-off series was produced entitled
Hollyoaks: Movin' On, this was followed by two subsequent series,
Hollyoaks: Let Loose and
Hollyoaks: In the CityHollyoaks: In the City was a British television drama series set in Liverpool and first broadcast in 2006. Hollyoaks: In the City was a spin-off of Channel 4 soap opera, Hollyoaks, originally devised by Phil Redmond...
, the latter appearing as its own show rather to a spin-off. In 2008, a late night spin-off was produced by
Lucy AllanLucy 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....
named
Hollyoaks Later. This
first seriesThe 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...
, although being broadcast late at night, was more of a spin-off than a special. A
second seriesThe second series of Hollyoaks Later is a British television series which ran for one week starting 28 September 2009. Hollyoaks Later is a spin-off of the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.-Development:...
was commissioned the following year and aired in September. A third series was announced in April 2010 before airing later that year. A
fourth seriesThe fourth series of Hollyoaks Later is a British television series and late night spin-off of Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. The series is due to air in September 2011 at 10pm. As of June 2011 filming has begun...
of Hollyoaks Later has been announced to air in September 2011 and will see the return of
Michaela McQueenMichaela McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Hollie-Jay Bowes. Michaela was the first of the McQueen family to be seen on-screen in 2006, when she was credited as Michaela Jones. On 8 June 2010, Hollie-Jay Bowes announced that she had quit...
.
In October 2009, the "Hollyoaks Music Show" began with celebrity artists performing on the set of Hollyoaks, some of the acts the performed on the show included
CascadaCascada is a German Eurodance act most famous for their hit singles "Everytime We Touch", "What Hurts the Most", and "Evacuate the Dancefloor"...
,
The SaturdaysThe Saturdays are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London, United Kingdom. The group consists of five members Una Healy, Mollie King, Frankie Sandford, Vanessa White and Rochelle Wiseman. In 2007 the band were formed through Fascination Records which gave them an instant record deal with...
,
N-DubzN-Dubz are a British hip hop group from Camden Town, London. The group consists of members Dappy, Tulisa Contostavlos and Fazer.N-Dubz were previously signed to Polydor Records before joining All Around the World Records...
,
Mini VivaMini Viva were an English pop duo formed in 2008 by British songwriting and production team Xenomania. They were managed by 19 Entertainment and signed to Geffen and Polydor Records. Consisting of Frankee Connolly and Britt Love, the duo were due to release their debut album in 2010...
,
Pixie LottVictoria Louise "Pixie" Lott is an English singer-songwriter, dancer and actress. Her debut single "Mama Do" was released in June 2009 and went straight to number one in the UK Singles Chart. Her second single "Boys and Girls", also topped the UK charts in September 2009. Her debut album Turn It...
,
Jason DeruloJason Joel Desrouleaux , better known by his stage name Jason Derülo, is an American singer-songwriter, actor and dancer. After producing records for several artists and writing songs for Cash Money Records, co-founder of the label Birdman, Young Money Entertainment owner Lil Wayne and rapper...
,
ChipmunkJahmaal Noel Fyffe known by his stage name Chipmunk, is a British hip hop rapper and songwriter from Tottenham, London....
,
Tinchy StryderKwasi Danquah III , better known by his pseudonyms Tinchy Stryder and Star In The Hood, is a Ghanaian British recording artist, music executive, A&R executive, and businessman...
,
Girls Can't CatchGirls Can't Catch were a British girl group. Their debut single "Keep Your Head Up" entered the UK Singles Chart at number 26. Their second single "Echo" was released on 18 January 2010, debuting at number 19 on the UK Top 40 singles chart. The band was dropped by their record company, Polydor...
,
Paloma FaithPaloma Faith is a British singer-songwriter and actress. In 2009, she released her debut single "Stone Cold Sober", then her debut album, Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful?, which was certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry. Her debut album stayed within the top 40 album...
,
Taio CruzTaio Cruz is a British singer-songwriter, record producer, occasional rapper, and entrepreneur. In 2008, he released his debut album Departure, which Cruz wrote, arranged and produced himself. It achieved initial success in the UK and earned him a MOBO Award nomination...
and many others. Some of the cast members were in the audience and the show was presented by
Rick EdwardsRick Edwards is a British TV presenter who mainly works on Channel 4 and E4. Rick has presented T4 with co-hosts Georgie Okell, Miquita Oliver, Jameela Jamil and Alexa Chung from which he left on 3 July 2011...
. The show originally ended in December 2009 but has since been renewed for another series.
Books
- Hollyoaks: Coming Together (1996)
- Hollyoaks: New Friends (1996)
- Hollyoaks: Friends and Families (1996)
- Hollyoaks: Can't Get the Girl (1997)
- Hollyoaks: Luke's Secret Diary (2000)
- Hollyoaks: Lives and Loves of Finn (2000)
- Hollyoaks: Luke's Journal: A New Beginning (2001)
- Hollyoaks: Stolen Emails (2002)
- Hollyoaks: Party! Party! Party! (2002)
- Hollyoaks: Seeing Red (2002)
- Hollyoaks: Running Wild (2002)
- Hollyoaks: The Official Companion (2002)
- Hollyoaks: Playing with Fire (2006)
- Hollyoaks: Truth or Dare (2006)
- Hollyoaks: Guilt Trip (2006)
- Hollyoaks: Girl Talk (2010)
Calendars
Since 2001, the current cast of
Hollyoaks has produced two annual calendars. One is entitled 'Hollyoaks Babes', which features the female cast, and the other 'Hollyoaks Hunks', which features the male cast. For the calendar shoot, actors and actresses usually set off to exotic holidays, however in September 2009 it was revealed the 2008 Credit crisis caused the production team to have to make cuts, and therefore could no longer go abroad for the shoot.
Fragrance
It was announced on 15 September 2008 that the soap is to launch its own 'his' and 'her' fragrance. The fragrance has been available from The Perfume Shop and
SuperdrugSuperdrug Stores PLC is Britain's second-largest beauty and health retailer behind Boots. Superdrug - part of the AS Watson Group which in turn is part of the Hong Kong conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa - is a UK based company with over 890 stores, which since 2006, includes the Republic of Ireland...
from 30 September 2008 and also includes a shampoo.
External links