Sinead O'Connor (Hollyoaks)
Encyclopedia
Sinead O'Connor is a fictional character
from the British Channel 4
soap opera
Hollyoaks
, played by Stephanie Davis. The character first appeared on 1 September 2010 as a member of the new O'Connor family, introduced as part of the show's overhaul by series producer Paul Marquess
.
contestant Stephanie Davis being cast as Sinead. She is named after the pop star of the same name
. Sinead and her brother were abandoned by their biological mother when they were both very young, and since then, they were raised by their stepmother, Diane
.
In an interview with the Liverpool Echo
, Davis was asked whether she regretted turning down offers to appear in theatre in London
's West End to star in Hollyoaks, she stated: "No, it's brilliant. I've seen some of my later episodes and I can see a big difference compared to the first ones I recorded, it was just so nerve wracking. I'm settled now and everyone is lovely, it just feels like home."
, Davis was asked to describe Sinead. She said: "She's very mischievous! She's a typical teenager in most ways, but she'll definitely be mischievous. There'll be a bit of trouble! She thinks that she rules the school in a way! But she's very protective over her family, especially her stepmum and her little brother. And obviously we come in with a bang! First of all, she's quite a boisterous character, and then eventually I think she takes on the adult role in the family and becomes more mature. She has to grow up quite quickly."
Davis was questioned about whether her character has a good relationship with her stepmother, to which she replied: "She does! But Sinead is quite hard to read sometimes. She's a bit upset that her stepmum is so desperate for a baby of her own, and I think she and her little brother are thinking, 'Well, aren't we good enough for you?' in a way. And put it this way, Diane will go to desperate measures to have a baby of her own. So I think she is close to her stepmum, but she doesn't show it too much. In terms of the family, she wants things to stay the same and doesn't want her relationships to change. She's very protective over them, and it puts up a wall. But as soon as Diane goes through the IVF treatment, it hits a certain point where it changes for Sinead. She loves her stepmum so much and you can tell they've got a special bond. There's some real deep, deep scenes coming up." Part of the O'Connor's storyline would be Diane's IVF treatment. When asked about this, Davis replied: "At the start, she's really against it and she does feel like she's being ignored, but then suddenly it all changes. You'll know what I mean when you see it on screen! It's really deep stuff and the story goes all over the place! But in the end, she's just more bothered about looking after her mum and keeping her family safe. She just wants it to be happy families, but I think deep down it never will be — something will always crop up…"
She was then asked about Sinead's relationship with brother Finn: "Well, obviously it's a brother and sister relationship so she is sometimes quite moody with him! But she loves him loads, and you'll see in one of the first scenes that Amber Sharpe
is being a bit nasty to him, so Sinead goes over to have it out with her! But then they end up really good friends. After that, when Sinead's at home, she's nice to him — but when she's with her friends, she's a bit horrible to him!"
(Lydia Lloyd-Henry) and plays a trick on the headmaster, Mr Forsyth, involving a water bucket on the top of a door. Mr Forsyth is knocked unconscious. Rob O'Connor (Gary Cargill) rushes to the scene and tries to help him, unaware that his daughter was responsible. Later that day, Rob announces that Mr Forsyth has to stay in hospital for a while, leaving him as acting headteacher. Sinead soon regrets her trick. As Rob is in a meeting, Sinead's stepmother Diane
(Alex Fletcher
) orders Sinead to do her IVF shots. This angers her and the relationship between Sinead and Diane becomes strained. Sinead tries to convince Diane to take an early pregnancy test. Finn
(Conner Wilkinson), who is not happy with the prospect of his mother being pregnant, tells Sinead he is worried Diane will forget about them if she is and will be devastated if she is not. However, when Diane takes the test she reveals she is not pregnant. Diane goes to the hospital and when Sinead returns from school, she is shocked to find her stepmother holding a baby. Diane reveals she found the baby and wants to keep him. Diane worries the baby is ill, so Sinead gets help from nurse Lynsey Nolan
(Karen Hassan
). She informs Lynsey about what her stepmother has done. Rob tells Lynsey he will make Diane take the baby back to hospital. Eventually Sinead convinces Diane to give the baby back and the family save for a third round of IVF.
After a fire at Il Gnosh restaurant, the Sharpe family move in with the O'Connors. Sinead begins to flirt with Taylor Sharpe (Shaun Blackstock), unaware his sister Amber Sharpe
(Lydia Lloyd-Henry) is pregnant with Finn's baby. Sinead kisses Taylor at the school Christmas party where she attends with Taylor's half brother Arlo Davenport (Travis Yates
). Sinead and Taylor finally get together, however their happiness is short lived when Sinead finds Amber's diary where Amber claims she has slept with Rob. Sinead and Diane confront Amber who admits she is lying and Finn is the father is her baby. Diane cause the Sharpe family to move out of their household by lying that they cannot adopt Amber's unborn baby as Diane is having IVF again.
Sinead holds onto Amber's diary however it is stolen by her fathers ex employee Eva Strong
(Sheree Murphy
). Sinead makes a deal with Eva that she will get Eva her job back if she gives back the diary. Eva returns the diary however secretly keeps the incriminating pages. This eventually leads to Rob being arrested and soon Sinead finds out that Diane was Rob's pupil when they were together and that Sinead's real mother is actually alive.
After throwing a party at her house, Sinead realises that she is falling in love with Bart McQueen
and confides in him about her problems and tells him that her mum is still alive, and he encourages her to meet her. Later she meets with her real mother, Morag (Lisa Coleman), who says that she wants Sinead back, but after a long discussion, it is revealed that her brother Finn was born so that Sinead could have a transplant after she contracted leukemia at the age of two, and that Morag faked her death because she could not handle the pressure of two children. She invites Sinead to come with her to New York, which Sinead agrees to, but soon rejects her after she says that she does not want to see Finn.
Sinead embarks on a relationship with Bart McQueen
, which Diane is unhappy about as she does not like Bart and thinks Bart will hold Sinead back from her education. Sinead and her friends go to Abersoch at the start of the summer holidays to visit Bart and his friends, and is jealous of how close Bart is with his ex-girlfriend Maddie. During the summer, Diane insists on Sinead not seeing Bart and grounds her. Sinead starts sneaking out to see him and the pair decide to run away so they can be together. Things are rosy to begin with but Sinead finds it difficult living it rough. They begin to run out of money and Bart calls pal Jason Costello to help. Sinead is unhappy when Jason arrives as Bart used to date him when he was Jasmine. After growing insanely jealous, Sinead runs off to leave the pair there, unaware she has left them with a dangerous farmer, who owns the house they are crashing in. Bart is knocked unconscious and Jason tells him his real feelings for him. When Bart recovers, they kiss. Sinead hears everything from sitting outside. Bart tries to make it up to her but she refuses, and the trio return home.
Sinead starts sixth form
and gets off to a bad start by kissing Maddie's boyfriend Toby at a disco. The pair later become friends. Maddie is afraid of Bart and Sinead getting back together so she sets Sinead up with Gaz Bennett
. She later encourages Sinead to have sex with him. Sinead is infuriated with Bart after she discovers he tried to set Gaz up for possession of stolen goods, an act which resulted in her being arrested too.
Sinead gets herself and Gaz (Joel Goonan) a job selling merchandise at concerts. She tells the other sixth formers she's leaving for London and then around the world. At the concert (a Wretch 32 Invasion) Bart goes up on stage and tells Sinead he loves her and sings to her "Dont Go" which makes her stay, and they get back together
, for her portrayal of Sinead. Jaci Stephen writing for the Daily Mail
felt that Esther, Sinead and Ruby obtaining drugs was boring and said "The only drugs I need are sleeping pills to get me through this boredom." She also said it was latest drug oriented storyline the serial had became obsessed about.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the British Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
, played by Stephanie Davis. The character first appeared on 1 September 2010 as a member of the new O'Connor family, introduced as part of the show's overhaul by series producer Paul Marquess
Paul Marquess
Paul Marquess is a Northern Irish-born British television producer.-Television career:His credits include Brookside, The Bill and Family Affairs. He also originated the idea for the series Footballers' Wives...
.
Casting
Details of the family were revealed in June 2010, with former Over the RainbowOver the Rainbow (2010 TV series)
Over the Rainbow is a British television talent series which aired on BBC One from March to May 2010. It documents the search for a new, undiscovered musical theatre performer to play the role of Dorothy in the forthcoming Andrew Lloyd Webber stage production of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and a...
contestant Stephanie Davis being cast as Sinead. She is named after the pop star of the same name
Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor is an Irish singer-songwriter. She rose to fame in the late 1980s with her debut album The Lion and the Cobra and achieved worldwide success in 1990 with a cover of the song "Nothing Compares 2 U"....
. Sinead and her brother were abandoned by their biological mother when they were both very young, and since then, they were raised by their stepmother, Diane
Diane O'Connor
Diane O'Connor is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Alex Fletcher. In 2010, Hollyoaks series producer, Paul Marquess, embarked on the show's rejuvenation and axed a number of cast members. To compensate for the departures, the character of Diane and...
.
In an interview with the Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
The Liverpool Echo is a newspaper published by Trinity Mirror in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is published Monday to Saturday, and is Liverpool's evening newspaper while its sister paper, the Liverpool Daily Post, is the morning paper...
, Davis was asked whether she regretted turning down offers to appear in theatre in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's West End to star in Hollyoaks, she stated: "No, it's brilliant. I've seen some of my later episodes and I can see a big difference compared to the first ones I recorded, it was just so nerve wracking. I'm settled now and everyone is lovely, it just feels like home."
Personality and relationships
During an interview with Digital SpyDigital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
, Davis was asked to describe Sinead. She said: "She's very mischievous! She's a typical teenager in most ways, but she'll definitely be mischievous. There'll be a bit of trouble! She thinks that she rules the school in a way! But she's very protective over her family, especially her stepmum and her little brother. And obviously we come in with a bang! First of all, she's quite a boisterous character, and then eventually I think she takes on the adult role in the family and becomes more mature. She has to grow up quite quickly."
Davis was questioned about whether her character has a good relationship with her stepmother, to which she replied: "She does! But Sinead is quite hard to read sometimes. She's a bit upset that her stepmum is so desperate for a baby of her own, and I think she and her little brother are thinking, 'Well, aren't we good enough for you?' in a way. And put it this way, Diane will go to desperate measures to have a baby of her own. So I think she is close to her stepmum, but she doesn't show it too much. In terms of the family, she wants things to stay the same and doesn't want her relationships to change. She's very protective over them, and it puts up a wall. But as soon as Diane goes through the IVF treatment, it hits a certain point where it changes for Sinead. She loves her stepmum so much and you can tell they've got a special bond. There's some real deep, deep scenes coming up." Part of the O'Connor's storyline would be Diane's IVF treatment. When asked about this, Davis replied: "At the start, she's really against it and she does feel like she's being ignored, but then suddenly it all changes. You'll know what I mean when you see it on screen! It's really deep stuff and the story goes all over the place! But in the end, she's just more bothered about looking after her mum and keeping her family safe. She just wants it to be happy families, but I think deep down it never will be — something will always crop up…"
She was then asked about Sinead's relationship with brother Finn: "Well, obviously it's a brother and sister relationship so she is sometimes quite moody with him! But she loves him loads, and you'll see in one of the first scenes that Amber Sharpe
Amber Sharpe
Amber 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...
is being a bit nasty to him, so Sinead goes over to have it out with her! But then they end up really good friends. After that, when Sinead's at home, she's nice to him — but when she's with her friends, she's a bit horrible to him!"
Storylines
During her first day at Hollyoaks High, Sinead befriends Amber SharpeAmber Sharpe
Amber 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...
(Lydia Lloyd-Henry) and plays a trick on the headmaster, Mr Forsyth, involving a water bucket on the top of a door. Mr Forsyth is knocked unconscious. Rob O'Connor (Gary Cargill) rushes to the scene and tries to help him, unaware that his daughter was responsible. Later that day, Rob announces that Mr Forsyth has to stay in hospital for a while, leaving him as acting headteacher. Sinead soon regrets her trick. As Rob is in a meeting, Sinead's stepmother Diane
Diane O'Connor
Diane O'Connor is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Alex Fletcher. In 2010, Hollyoaks series producer, Paul Marquess, embarked on the show's rejuvenation and axed a number of cast members. To compensate for the departures, the character of Diane and...
(Alex Fletcher
Alexandra Fletcher
Alexandra Fletcher sometimes credited as Alex Fletcher is a British actress best known for her role as Jacqui Farnham in the now defunct soap Brookside.-Career:...
) orders Sinead to do her IVF shots. This angers her and the relationship between Sinead and Diane becomes strained. Sinead tries to convince Diane to take an early pregnancy test. Finn
Finn O'Connor (Hollyoaks)
Finn 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...
(Conner Wilkinson), who is not happy with the prospect of his mother being pregnant, tells Sinead he is worried Diane will forget about them if she is and will be devastated if she is not. However, when Diane takes the test she reveals she is not pregnant. Diane goes to the hospital and when Sinead returns from school, she is shocked to find her stepmother holding a baby. Diane reveals she found the baby and wants to keep him. Diane worries the baby is ill, so Sinead gets help from nurse Lynsey Nolan
Lynsey Nolan
Lynsey Nolan is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Karen Hassan. The character originally appeared in the first series of the Hollyoaks spin-off, Hollyoaks Later, as the former girlfriend of Kris Fisher...
(Karen Hassan
Karen Hassan
Karen Hassan is a British actress, born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Her work includes roles in Hollyoaks Later and Hunger. As of 2010 she is playing Lynsey Nolan in the main series of Hollyoaks.-Hollyoaks:...
). She informs Lynsey about what her stepmother has done. Rob tells Lynsey he will make Diane take the baby back to hospital. Eventually Sinead convinces Diane to give the baby back and the family save for a third round of IVF.
After a fire at Il Gnosh restaurant, the Sharpe family move in with the O'Connors. Sinead begins to flirt with Taylor Sharpe (Shaun Blackstock), unaware his sister Amber Sharpe
Amber Sharpe
Amber 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...
(Lydia Lloyd-Henry) is pregnant with Finn's baby. Sinead kisses Taylor at the school Christmas party where she attends with Taylor's half brother Arlo Davenport (Travis Yates
Travis Yates
Travis Hamilton Yates is a British actor. He is best known for portraying the title role of Billy in the London production of Billy Elliot the Musical from 2005 to 2007.He was in born Manchester and lives in Middleton, Greater Manchester...
). Sinead and Taylor finally get together, however their happiness is short lived when Sinead finds Amber's diary where Amber claims she has slept with Rob. Sinead and Diane confront Amber who admits she is lying and Finn is the father is her baby. Diane cause the Sharpe family to move out of their household by lying that they cannot adopt Amber's unborn baby as Diane is having IVF again.
Sinead holds onto Amber's diary however it is stolen by her fathers ex employee Eva Strong
Eva Strong
Tania Evette "Eva" Strong is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Sheree Murphy. She made her first on-screen appearance on 23 April 2010.-Character creation and casting:...
(Sheree Murphy
Sheree Murphy
Sheree Murphy is an English actress and television presenter. A former student of the prestigious Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, Murphy placed second on the fifth series of the Reality TV show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!...
). Sinead makes a deal with Eva that she will get Eva her job back if she gives back the diary. Eva returns the diary however secretly keeps the incriminating pages. This eventually leads to Rob being arrested and soon Sinead finds out that Diane was Rob's pupil when they were together and that Sinead's real mother is actually alive.
After throwing a party at her house, Sinead realises that she is falling in love with Bart McQueen
Bart McQueen
Bartholomew "Bart" McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jonny Clarke. He first appeared onscreen at his stepmother's funeral in August 2010, introduced by producer Paul Marquess as a member of the McQueen family...
and confides in him about her problems and tells him that her mum is still alive, and he encourages her to meet her. Later she meets with her real mother, Morag (Lisa Coleman), who says that she wants Sinead back, but after a long discussion, it is revealed that her brother Finn was born so that Sinead could have a transplant after she contracted leukemia at the age of two, and that Morag faked her death because she could not handle the pressure of two children. She invites Sinead to come with her to New York, which Sinead agrees to, but soon rejects her after she says that she does not want to see Finn.
Sinead embarks on a relationship with Bart McQueen
Bart McQueen
Bartholomew "Bart" McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jonny Clarke. He first appeared onscreen at his stepmother's funeral in August 2010, introduced by producer Paul Marquess as a member of the McQueen family...
, which Diane is unhappy about as she does not like Bart and thinks Bart will hold Sinead back from her education. Sinead and her friends go to Abersoch at the start of the summer holidays to visit Bart and his friends, and is jealous of how close Bart is with his ex-girlfriend Maddie. During the summer, Diane insists on Sinead not seeing Bart and grounds her. Sinead starts sneaking out to see him and the pair decide to run away so they can be together. Things are rosy to begin with but Sinead finds it difficult living it rough. They begin to run out of money and Bart calls pal Jason Costello to help. Sinead is unhappy when Jason arrives as Bart used to date him when he was Jasmine. After growing insanely jealous, Sinead runs off to leave the pair there, unaware she has left them with a dangerous farmer, who owns the house they are crashing in. Bart is knocked unconscious and Jason tells him his real feelings for him. When Bart recovers, they kiss. Sinead hears everything from sitting outside. Bart tries to make it up to her but she refuses, and the trio return home.
Sinead starts sixth form
Sixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
and gets off to a bad start by kissing Maddie's boyfriend Toby at a disco. The pair later become friends. Maddie is afraid of Bart and Sinead getting back together so she sets Sinead up with Gaz Bennett
Gaz Bennett
Gary "Gaz" Bennett is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Joel Goonan. He debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 25 November 2008. Goonan took a break from filming during 2010, and returned on-screen on 19 January 2011. Goonan announced his...
. She later encourages Sinead to have sex with him. Sinead is infuriated with Bart after she discovers he tried to set Gaz up for possession of stolen goods, an act which resulted in her being arrested too.
Sinead gets herself and Gaz (Joel Goonan) a job selling merchandise at concerts. She tells the other sixth formers she's leaving for London and then around the world. At the concert (a Wretch 32 Invasion) Bart goes up on stage and tells Sinead he loves her and sings to her "Dont Go" which makes her stay, and they get back together
Reception
Davis was nominated in the category of "Serial Drama Performance" at the 2012 National Television AwardsNational Television Awards
The National Television Awards is a British television awards ceremony, broadcast by the ITV network and initiated in 1995. The National Television Awards are the most prominent ceremony for which the results are voted on by the general public. Because of the way the awards are decided, winners are...
, for her portrayal of Sinead. Jaci Stephen writing for the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
felt that Esther, Sinead and Ruby obtaining drugs was boring and said "The only drugs I need are sleeping pills to get me through this boredom." She also said it was latest drug oriented storyline the serial had became obsessed about.
External links
- Character profile on the E4 website
- Character profile at Holy SoapHoly SoapHoly Soap is a UK television and entertainment website founded in June 2009 by the British television company Channel 5. The website is the official UK home of the Australian soap operas Home and Away and Neighbours, which are broadcast on the channel...