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''Hollyoaks'' is a British
soap opera A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originat ...
which originally began airing on
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. It is state-owned enterprise, publicly owned but, unlike the BBC, it receives no public funding and is funded en ...
on 23 October 1995. It was created by Phil Redmond, who had previously conceived the soap opera ''
Brookside Brookside may refer to: Geography Canada * Brookside, Edmonton * Brookside, Newfoundland and Labrador * Brookside, Nova Scotia United Kingdom * Brookside, Berkshire, England * Brookside, Telford, an area of Telford, England United States * Bro ...
''. From 2005 to 2023, episodes have aired on sister channel E4 a day prior to their broadcast on Channel 4. In 2023, ''Hollyoaks'' was removed from Channel 4's early evening schedule, but remains on E4 and Channel 4's on demand service with episodes now uploaded to
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
. At its inception, the soap was targeted towards an adolescent and young adult audience but it has since broadened its appeal to all age groups. ''Hollyoaks'' has covered various taboo subjects rarely seen on British television, for which it has received numerous awards. It has won the award for Best British Soap twice, in 2014 and 2019; its first win broke the 15-year tie between rival soap operas ''
EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a British television soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the East End of London, the ...
'' and ''
Coronation Street ''Coronation Street'' (colloquially referred to as ''Corrie'') is a British television soap opera created by ITV Granada, Granada Television and shown on ITV (TV network), ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres on a cobbled, terraced ...
''. Beginning with a cast of 15 characters, it now has 35 regular cast members. The longest-serving actor is
Nick Pickard Nick Pickard is an English actor. He is known for his portrayal of Tony Hutchinson in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', a role he has held since its first episode in 1995; he remains the longest-serving cast member and, in 2017, won the ...
, who has portrayed Tony Hutchinson since the first episode.


Characters

In its first episode, ''Hollyoaks'' began with a cast of fifteen, seven of whom were teenagers that received the main focus of the soap. These teenagers were Kurt Benson ( Jeremy Edwards), Jambo Bolton ( Will Mellor), Natasha Andersen ( Shebah Ronay), Louise Taylor (Brett O'Brien), Maddie Parker (
Yasmin Bannerman Yasmin Bannerman (born 1970) is an English actress. Bannerman was born and brought up in Gloucestershire and attended the Rose Bruford College in London until 1993. She has had roles in television series such as ''Hollyoaks'', ''Cold Feet'', ' ...
), Dawn Cunningham (Lisa Williamson), and Tony Hutchinson (
Nick Pickard Nick Pickard is an English actor. He is known for his portrayal of Tony Hutchinson in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', a role he has held since its first episode in 1995; he remains the longest-serving cast member and, in 2017, won the ...
); all of these but Pickard departed the series prior to 2000. Pickard stated that he was only signed for 26 episodes and exclaimed his joy at having appeared on the show since its inception. In more recent years, the cast has increased to typically 50 cast members, with the increase of castings being accredited to being a fast-paced soap.


Production


Production team

Bryan Kirkwood joined the show as executive producer in 2006, but left three years later to become producer of ''
EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a British television soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the East End of London, the ...
''. After he left his role in 2009, a number of producers worked on the show, resulting in a number of creative reinventions and changes in direction during this time. Lucy Allan was named as Kirkwood's successor. In 2010, Allan announced she was to step down from the series after only a year, being replaced by Paul Marquess. 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 Lime Pictures, formerly known as Mersey Television, is a British television production company, founded by producer and writer Phil Redmond in the early 1980s. It produces drama and entertainment shows for the international market, including ' ...
feels like I'm going home, as I began my career working with both Carolyn eynoldsand Tony
ood The Ood are an alien species with telepathic abilities from the long-running science fiction series ''Doctor Who''. In the series' narrative, they live in the distant future (circa 42nd century). The Ood are portrayed as a slave race, natura ...
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 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. 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 Philips. 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." Emma Smithwick later replaced Philips in autumn 2011. In late-September 2012, it was announced that Kirkwood would be returning to ''Hollyoaks'', replacing Smithwick. On 3 September 2020, Kirkwood announced his exit as showrunner. In a statement, he said: "For many years I have had the privilege of running a soap opera with a fiercely loyal audience. I passionately believe that soaps can help viewers start serious conversations about their lives and in recent years we have covered important topics within mental health, sexual consent, Far-Right radicalisation, male rape, sexual abuse and many issues other shows might look away from." Channel 4's director of programmes, Ian Katz, thanked Kirkwood for his work, stating: "I'm immensely grateful for his steering of the show safely back to screen next week and leaving it in top creative form and I wish him all the best for his next chapter." Allan was again named as Kirkwood's successor. Kirkwood's final episode as executive producer aired on 30 July 2021, with Allan's episodes airing from 2 August 2021. Two years into her tenure, Allan was sacked alongside series producer Philip Dodds and script and storyline executive Josie Day. Hannah Cheers and Angelo Abela were named as successors to Allan, serving as acting executive producers until a permanent replacement is named. Allan's final episode as executive producer aired on 8 November 2023, with Cheers and Abela's episodes airing from 9 November 2023.


Filming locations

Although set in
Chester Chester is a cathedral city in Cheshire, England, on the River Dee, Wales, River Dee, close to the England–Wales border. With a built-up area population of 92,760 in 2021, it is the most populous settlement in the borough of Cheshire West an ...
, the majority of ''Hollyoaks'' is filmed at
Lime Pictures Lime Pictures, formerly known as Mersey Television, is a British television production company, founded by producer and writer Phil Redmond in the early 1980s. It produces drama and entertainment shows for the international market, including ' ...
' studios in
Childwall Childwall () is a suburb and ward of Liverpool, in Merseyside, England, located to the southeast of the city. It is bordered by Belle Vale, Bowring Park, Broadgreen, Gateacre, Mossley Hill, and Wavertree. In 2019, the population was 13,640. ...
,
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
. In the early years, location scenes were filmed around the city and at The Groves next to the River Dee in Chester, but it became too expensive for the filming operations to be moved from Liverpool to Chester for every filming block, resulting in most filming being made at the Childwall studios. ''Hollyoaks'' is produced by
Lime Pictures Lime Pictures, formerly known as Mersey Television, is a British television production company, founded by producer and writer Phil Redmond in the early 1980s. It produces drama and entertainment shows for the international market, including ' ...
(formerly known as Mersey Television prior to its takeover by
All3Media All3Media Limited is a British worldwide independent television, film, and digital production and distribution company based in London. The All3Media group consists of more than 50 production and distribution companies and labels from the Uni ...
).


Opening titles and tune

The original opening theme tune was written and performed by Steve Wright, who has also produced music and themes for ''
Brookside Brookside may refer to: Geography Canada * Brookside, Edmonton * Brookside, Newfoundland and Labrador * Brookside, Nova Scotia United Kingdom * Brookside, Berkshire, England * Brookside, Telford, an area of Telford, England United States * Bro ...
'' and ''
Grange Hill ''Grange Hill'' is a British Children's television series, children's television drama series, originally produced by the BBC and portraying life in a typical Comprehensive school (England and Wales), comprehensive school. The show began its ru ...
''. He cited American performer
Bo Diddley Ellas Otha Bates (December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), known professionally as Bo Diddley, was an American guitarist and singer who played a key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll. He influenced many artists, including Buddy ...
as an inspiration whilst making the theme song. ''Hollyoaks'' amend their opening titles frequently. In 2007, ''Hollyoaks'' opening titles were revamped and a new theme tune was introduced. The show's graphic designer Simon Cox created the visuals and their composer Steve Wright remixed the theme tune. The show's executive producer, Bryan Kirkwood changed the titles to "reflect" how the show had changed and "appeal" more to their viewers with a "young, glamorous and sexy" theme. They debuted on 26 February 2007. 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's 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 from 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." On 28 December 2012, New titles where added, with purple screen replaced by grey screen. It was announced in August 2016 that a new title sequence would begin airing from 5 September 2016, which would launch the show's "action-packed autumn storyline". The new title sequence features shots of characters on the show's set. Executive producer Bryan Kirkwood said of the titles, "I am thrilled with the new titles. I think they are vibrant, fun and glossy and from the first opening guitar riff feel completely Hollyoaks." Shots from the new title sequence included Ste Hay (
Kieron Richardson Kieron Mark Richardson (born 12 January 1986) is an English actor and television presenter. He plays the role of Ste Hay in ''Hollyoaks'', having previously appeared in ''Heartbeat (British TV series), Heartbeat'' as Ricky Smith. He won the Bri ...
) riding a carousel with his children, Leah Barnes ( Ela-May Dermican) and Lucas Hay (William Hall), Sienna Blake ( Anna Passey) lying on a bed of petals, and Mercedes McQueen ( Jennifer Metcalfe) appearing in the village dressed in a "striking red dress". On 13 May 2019, a new title sequence, as well as altered theme music, was launched; for the new sequence, a "family theme, putting each of the soap's iconic families front and centre" are seen on the series' set. In January 2021, the titles were updated again to represent new characters that had joined the series; the change was described as a "brand new era" for ''Hollyoaks''. In January 2022, new titles premiered to represent the introduction of several new characters and the departure of numerous others. Speaking on the new titles, executive producer Lucy Allan explained that she wanted them to "highlight the optimism of a place like Hollyoaks – in spite of all the murders!"


Music

''Hollyoaks'' is the one of only two British soaps to make regular use of
incidental music Incidental music is music in a play, television program, radio program, video game, or some other presentation form that is not primarily musical. The term is less frequently applied to film music, with such music being referred to instead as th ...
(the other being the
Welsh language Welsh ( or ) is a Celtic languages, Celtic language of the Brittonic languages, Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people. Welsh is spoken natively in Wales by about 18% of the population, by some in England, and in (the Welsh c ...
soap '' Rownd a Rownd'' on
S4C S4C (, ''Sianel Pedwar Cymru'', meaning ''Channel Four Wales'') is a Welsh language free-to-air public broadcast television channel. Launched on 1 November 1982, it was the first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speakin ...
). A number of real acts have also performed during transmitted episodes of the series. The Alphites were the first band to perform on the programme, when they played in the SU Bar. In 2003, ''
Pop Idol ''Pop Idol'' is a British music competition television series created by Simon Fuller which ran on ITV from 2001 to 2003. The aim of the show was to decide the best new young pop singer (or "pop idol") in the UK based on viewer voting and pa ...
'' runner up
Darius Campbell Darius Campbell Danesh (19 August 1980 – 11 August 2022) was a Scottish singer-songwriter, actor and film producer. He first came to prominence as Darius Danesh when he appeared in the first series of ''Popstars'' in 2001, and the 2002 inaug ...
appeared in an episode performing at a graduation ball. In 2008, the band Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly also featured in ''Hollyoaks'', performing as part of a Battle of the Bands contest. During November 2008,
The Saturdays The Saturdays are an English-Irish girl group based in London, England. The group formed during the summer of 2007 and has been on hiatus since 2014. The lineup consists of Frankie Bridge, Una Healy, Rochelle Humes, Mollie King, and Vanessa Whi ...
were featured in two episodes of spin-off ''
Hollyoaks Later ''Hollyoaks Later'' (originally ''Late Night Hollyoaks'') is a British television spin-off of the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks''. The series allows for more sexual content, edgier storylines and stronger language than ''Hollyoaks''. The sho ...
''. In 2009,
McFly McFly are a British pop rock band formed in London in 2003. The band took their name from the ''Back to the Future (franchise), Back to the Future'' character Marty McFly. The band consists of Tom Fletcher (lead vocals, guitar, and piano), Da ...
featured in the show and played a song in the SU Bar. They also had speaking roles and convinced characters
Justin Burton Justin Burton is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Chris Fountain. Justin arrived in 2003 and departed on 3 June 2009. Justin arrived in a family of six, however by September 2006, the Burton fam ...
( Chris Fountain) and
Hannah Ashworth Hannah Ashworth (also Osborne) is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Emma Rigby. Hannah first appeared on-screen on 27 September 2005 and her last appearance was on 12 February 2010. It was annou ...
(
Emma Rigby Emma Rigby (born 26 September 1989) is an English actress and model. After rising to prominence for her role as Hannah Ashworth in ''Hollyoaks'' (2005–2010, 2024), she later played Gemma Roscoe in the BBC One drama series '' Prisoners' Wives ...
) to date. Later that year, Girls Can't Catch performed "Keep Your Head Up" during the college graduation party. In July 2013, ''Hollyoaks'' also featured 'Off The Wall Oompah' Band Hosen Brass, playing a selection of their own cover versions for Darren's Bavarian Night(s) at the Dog In The Pond. Hosen Brass featured on two consecutive episodes over the Friday and the Monday evening.


Sponsorship

''Hollyoaks'' was initially sponsored by
Nescafé Nescafé is a brand of instant coffee sold by the multinational food and drink corporation Nestlé. It comes in many different forms. The name is a portmanteau of the words "Nestlé" and "café". Nestlé first introduced their flagship coffee br ...
, 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 Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, also known as Wrigley Company or simply Wrigley's, is an American multinational candy and chewing gum company, based in the Global Innovation Center (GIC) in Goose Island, Chicago, Illinois. Wrigley's is a subsidiary ...
signed a twelve-month contract for their brand of Extra 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 described ''Hollyoaks'' viewers as "the perfect demographic" 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 their research had shown that ''Hollyoaks'' was the most-watched TV show for their target audience. Nikon Coolpix signed a new 12-month sponsorship deal in December 2010, beginning in January 2011. On 11 April 2012, a six-month product placement deal with
L'Oréal L'Oréal S.A. () is a French multinational personal care corporation registered in Paris
was revealed. On 31 May 2012, a four-month product placement deal with
Nokia Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational corporation, multinational telecommunications industry, telecommunications, technology company, information technology, and consumer electronics corporation, originally established as a pulp mill in 1 ...
was announced.
Unilever Unilever PLC () is a British multinational consumer packaged goods company headquartered in London, England. It was founded on 2 September 1929 following the merger of Dutch margarine producer Margarine Unie with British soap maker Lever B ...
took over sponsorship of the show from 2 January 2013, with sponsorship switching between its Impulse body spray brand and its Alberto VO5 brand. In January 2015,
Domino's Pizza Domino's Pizza, Inc., commonly referred to as Domino's, is an American multinational pizza restaurant chain founded in 1960 and led by CEO Russell Weiner. The corporation is Delaware General Corporation Law, Delaware-domiciled and headquartered ...
were announced as the new sponsors of ''Hollyoaks''. Five years later, it was announced that Batiste Dry Shampoo had begun sponsoring the programme. In mid November 2020, clothing brand
Jack Wills Jack Wills is a British clothing brand founded by Peter Williams (businessman), Peter Williams and Robert Shaw in Salcombe, Devon, in 1999. History Peter Williams (businessman), Peter Williams and Robert Shaw founded the brand in 1999. Willi ...
became the sponsor of the soap.


Broadcast


United Kingdom

The series initially aired on Mondays in 1995, with the exception of the second episode which aired on Friday 27 October 1995 and was repeated on Sunday evenings. In July 1996, Mersey TV opted to recommission the show and increase its output to twice a week, beginning that October with a Thursday episode. A third episode was introduced in September 1999, airing on Wednesdays and a fourth in 2001. In November 2003, following the cancellation of ''
Brookside Brookside may refer to: Geography Canada * Brookside, Edmonton * Brookside, Newfoundland and Labrador * Brookside, Nova Scotia United Kingdom * Brookside, Berkshire, England * Brookside, Telford, an area of Telford, England United States * Bro ...
'', the show increased its output with a fifth episode, which has remained until March 2020. Since the channel's free-to-air launch in May 2005,
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. It is state-owned enterprise, publicly owned but, unlike the BBC, it receives no public funding and is funded en ...
's digital sister station E4 airs a daily "First Look" feature at 19:00 each weekday, in which viewers are able to watch the episode to be shown on Channel 4 the following day (or Monday for the Friday 'first-look'). The 'first-look' is occasionally omitted, primarily if the following day's C4 episode is a special or event edition, and on these occasions may be replaced with a related programme or special. Repeats of each day's edition of ''Hollyoaks'' air on E4 the following weekday; as of 2021, it is shown at 06:00. All of the week's episodes of ''Hollyoaks'' are also compiled into an omnibus on Channel 4, and as of 2020, a signed and audio described version is transmitted at 02:25, and a regular version at 06:00. Episodes of ''Hollyoaks'', including the weekly omnibus, are also available for catch-up viewing online through the
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. It is state-owned enterprise, publicly owned but, unlike the BBC, it receives no public funding and is funded en ...
streaming platform. From 2009 to 2012, the series also broadcast on
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
, after
Google Google LLC (, ) is an American multinational corporation and technology company focusing on online advertising, search engine technology, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, consumer electronics, and artificial ...
reached a three-year deal with Channel 4. In 2019, ''Hollyoaks'' became the first soap opera to release a
boxset A boxed set or (its US name) box set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box, hence 'boxed', and offered for sale as a single unit. Music Artists ...
of episodes onto a streaming service. The soap released their Christmas and New Year's episodes on Channel 4's in-house streaming service
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. It is state-owned enterprise, publicly owned but, unlike the BBC, it receives no public funding and is funded en ...
and they have continued this practice each December since. On 22 March 2020, Channel 4 suspended production and filming of ''Hollyoaks'' due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. From 30 March, new episodes being broadcast was reduced from five to three, airing on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. However, on 6 April, this was reduced again from three to two, airing Monday and Tuesday, with the final pre-COVID episode screening on Monday 20 July. The slots belonging to new episodes on E4 were filled by '' Hollyoaks Favourites''. After the resumption of production, producers stated they expect to return to five weekly episodes in 2021. In June 2020, episodes of ''Hollyoaks'' were made available on social media platform
Snapchat Snapchat is an American multimedia social media and instant messaging app and service developed by Snap Inc., originally Snapchat Inc. One of the principal features of the app are that pictures and messages, known as "snaps", are usually availa ...
. In shortened segments featuring the highlights of an episode, they premiere on the app immediately after broadcast. In February 2022, it was announced by Channel 4 that new episodes of ''Hollyoaks'' would premiere on All 4 (now Channel 4) prior to their broadcast on television. They confirmed that the changes would take place from March 2022 and that each episode would become available in the early morning of each weekday. In September 2023, broadcast became again more digitally focused when it was announced that ''Hollyoaks'' was to be removed from Channel 4's schedule, but would remain on E4 and streaming services. They also began premiering episodes on
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
. On 29 February 2024, it was announced by Channel 4 that ''Hollyoaks'' will have its weekly episode count reduced from five to three episodes a week starting from September 2024. It was confirmed that this reduced output of scheduled episodes will have an effect on cast and crew cuts with approximately 135 job cuts and losses, because of this production and filming of ''Hollyoaks'' had been suspended and halted for the remainder of the day.
Stephanie Waring Stephanie Louise Waring (born 19 February 1978) is an English actress, known for her roles in the Australian soap opera ''Crash Palace'' (2001–2002), the BBC One, BBC1 drama series ''Nice Guy Eddie (TV series), Nice Guy Eddie'' (2001–2002), ...
, who played Cindy Cunningham, the show's longest-serving female character, since 1996, was the first cast member to reveal she had lost her job as a result of the budget cuts, stating that the producers had given her the option of announcing she had quit of her own volition. On 27 August 2024, ''Hollyoaks'' released its autumn 2024 preview trailer whilst also confirming its new schedule within its reduced episode format to three episodes a week airing on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday starting from its stunt week from 9 September 2024 followed by a one-year time jump the following week from 16 September 2024. Prior to these changes ''Hollyoaks'' will air a final full week of episodes Monday to Friday with a six episode special week for the week of 2 September 2024.


International broadcast

In New Zealand, the show aired on TV1, TV2 and C4. In Australia, from October 2010 to January 2012, the digital multichannel 7Two had broadcast double episodes of ''Hollyoaks'' from September 2009. Previously, in the United States, beginning in March 2014, the streaming service
Hulu Hulu (, ) is an American Subscription business model, subscription streaming media service owned by Disney Streaming, a subsidiary of the Disney Entertainment segment of the Walt Disney Company. It was launched on October 29, 2007, initially as ...
began adding episodes of ''Hollyoaks''; episodes were uploaded to the service two weeks after their initial airing in the UK. However, in November 2023, Hulu announced that they have stopped adding new episodes after stating that they had lost the rights to the series and all episodes had disappeared from the platform. In France, the soap airs dubbed in French on
TF1 Séries Films TF1 Séries Films, formerly HD1 (acronym for ''Histoire de'') is a French TV channel, controlled by TF1 Group. HD1 launched on TNT, satellite, and xDSL on 12 December 2012. History Proposed new TNT channels With the shutdown of analogue telev ...
under the title ''Hollyoaks, l'amour mode d'emploi''.


Storylines

Over the course of the series' 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 opera is an ideal platform to show a variety of issues affecting young people. Earlier episodes were focused on partying and relationships, but the focus quickly went onto issue-led storylines including mental health, rape and self-harm. ''Hollyoaks'' has become notable for being the first soap to address various social issues. Series producer Iain MacLeod explained that despite having a tea-time timeslot, they continue to push important social issues as he felt it would be "patronising" to do otherwise. Despite feeling a responsibility to cover these issues, MacLeod also liked that ''Hollyoaks'' mixes in serious scenes with comedic and lighthearted scenes. It has been noted that ''Hollyoaks'' storylines have a fast pace, which some viewers enjoy. A 2007 episode which showed a number of the characters falling ill at a party due to
carbon monoxide poisoning Carbon monoxide poisoning typically occurs from breathing in carbon monoxide (CO) at excessive levels. Symptoms are often described as " flu-like" and commonly include headache, dizziness, weakness, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. Large ...
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 saved her life. ''Hollyoaks'' was 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 Allan stated in an interview with
Digital Spy Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its initial launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television pro ...
, "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
flashforward A flashforward (also spelled flash-forward, and more formally known as prolepsis) is a scene that temporarily takes the narrative forward in time from the current point of the story in literature, film, television and other media. Flashforwards a ...
episode. On 21 December 2009, the series' time-line moved forward six months into May 2010. The episode featured the second wedding of Calvin Valentine and
Carmel McQueen Carmel Valentine (also McQueen) is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Gemma Merna. She debuted on-screen during episodes airing on 22 August 2006 and was introduced by series producer Bryan Kir ...
. 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 Whittle Richard George Whittle (born 31 December 1979) is a British actor. Whittle first came to prominence as a model for Reebok in the early 2000s. He is known in the United Kingdom for his role as Calvin Valentine in the soap opera ''Hollyoaks''. ...
, 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." 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'Connor ( Connor Wilkinson) and Amber Sharpe ( Lydia Lloyd-Henry), 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." In November 2012, ''Hollyoaks'' aired " Enjoy the Ride", in which four regular characters were killed:
Rhys Ashworth Rhys Ashworth is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Andrew Moss. He made his first on-screen appearance in September 2005. Rhys was killed off in the Enjoy The Ride storyline in an episode airin ...
(
Andrew Moss Andrew Moss (born 1 June 1984) is an English actor. He is known for portraying the role of Rhys Ashworth in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' from 2005 to 2014. He also appeared in the BBC soap opera ''Doctors'' as Paul Cuthbert. On stag ...
), and three sixth form students,
Maddie Morrison Maddison "Maddie" Morrison is a Character (arts), fictional character from the Television in the United Kingdom, British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Scarlett Bowman. Maddie is an old friend of Bart McQueen (Jonny Clarke). Bowman ...
(
Scarlett Bowman Scarlett Bowman (born 10 December 1985) is an English artist and actress best known for her role as Maddie Morrison in the British TV soap opera ''Hollyoaks''. Early life Bowman was born in Windsor, Berkshire on 10 December 1985. As a young te ...
), Neil Cooper ( Tosin Cole) and Jono ( Dylan Llewellyn). In October 2013, as part of the celebration of the soap opera turning 18, the show aired ''Hollyoaks — The Blast'' from 15 October until the end of the week. The storyline saw a cast massacre with five main characters being killed off through the week, and two were also killed off in the annual ''
Hollyoaks Later ''Hollyoaks Later'' (originally ''Late Night Hollyoaks'') is a British television spin-off of the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks''. The series allows for more sexual content, edgier storylines and stronger language than ''Hollyoaks''. The sho ...
''. In November 2014, the show aired ''Hollyoaks  – End of The Line'' from 17 to 21 November. The storyline saw newcomers Porshe McQueen ( Twinnie Lee Moore) and Lockie Campbell (Nick Rhys) celebrate their wedding reception on a party train, and Sienna Blake ( Anna Passey)'s car becomes stuck on the tracks after a car chase with her father Patrick Blake ( Jeremy Sheffield), causing the train to smash into it and derail. Long-running character
Carmel McQueen Carmel Valentine (also McQueen) is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Gemma Merna. She debuted on-screen during episodes airing on 22 August 2006 and was introduced by series producer Bryan Kir ...
( Gemma Merna) was killed when the wreckage exploded after saving her cousin
Theresa McQueen Theresa McQueen is a fictional character from the Television in the United Kingdom, British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Jorgie Porter. She made her first appearance on 24 November 2008. The character was introduced as an extensio ...
( Jorgie Porter) from "villainous" Sonny Valentine (Aaron Fontaine), who also died in the explosion, who wanted revenge on her for killing Calvin in 2010. Long-running character Mercedes McQueen ( Jennifer Metcalfe) also "died" in November 2014, just a week after her sister Carmel, in a plot that saw her brutally murdered in the McQueen house by Grace Black. As of December 2014, only two original McQueen family members remain on screen,
Myra McQueen Myra McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Nicole Barber-Lane. She made her first screen appearance during episode 1796, originally broadcast on 12 June 2006 and was introduced by produc ...
(Nicole Barbara Lane) and
John Paul McQueen John 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 arou ...
( James Sutton). Mercedes returned in February 2015. In June of that year, Phoebe died after
Lindsey Butterfield Lindsey Roscoe (also Butterfield) is a fictional character from the British soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Sophie Austin. The character made her first on-screen appearance on 3 June 2013. Lindsey had been involved in storylines such as cove ...
(
Sophie Austin Sophie Austin (born 5 January 1984) is an English actress who started her career out in theatre but later moved to screen. She portrayed Lindsey Butterfield in the British soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', a role she held from June 2013 until May 2016. ...
) injected her with potassium chloride. Cleo moves into the house in late January 2015. As part of the 20th anniversary in October 2015, a number of long-running storylines reached a climax point. In particular, it features the exposure of the affair between Ste Hay and
Harry Thompson Harry William Thompson (6 February 1960 – 7 November 2005) was an English radio and television producer, comedy writer, novelist and biographer. He was the creator of the dark humour television series '' Monkey Dust'', screened between 200 ...
(
Parry Glasspool Parry Glasspool (born 5 March 1992) is a British actor. He played Harry Thompson in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' and was nominated for Best Newcomer at the 21st National Television Awards in 2016. The character was killed off in 2019 ...
) to his father Tony and the other characters during a Hollyoaks Pride event. The underage sixth form student had begun questioning his sexuality following a kiss with
John Paul McQueen John 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 arou ...
, later developing strong feelings for Ste. The plot involving
Diane O'Connor Diane Hutchinson (also O'Connor) is a fictional character from the British soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Alex Fletcher (actress), Alex Fletcher. The character made her first appearance on 1 September 2010. Diane was introduced into the serie ...
, Tony and Tegan Lomax regarding their children who had been switched at birth is also concluded. The week also features the departure of the Osborne family from the Dog in the Pond pub and they had moved to the Boarding House which was previously owned by ( Dennis Savage). Another storyline featured was the reveal of the Gloved Hand Killer (the identity of whom had been a mystery to viewers since January). The killer has murdered five characters up to that point ( Rick Spencer, Mariam Andrews, Will Savage, Phoebe McQueen and Dylan Jenkins), has had two failed attempts (Esther Bloom and Diane O'Connor) and killed another two during the week ( Ashley Davidson, Dr. S'avage) before Lindsey Butterfield is revealed as the serial killer when she seemingly murders another regular character ( Freddie Roscoe). However, he is later revealed to be alive. A month later, ''Hollyoaks'' aired (for the first time) a stillbirth storyline in which Mercedes loses her baby with Joe Roscoe ( Ayden Callaghan). 2015 was also the year they introduced the character of Sally St. Claire, the new head-teacher who would later be revealed as
John-Paul McQueen John Paul McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by James Sutton (actor), James Sutton. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 6 September 2006; his storylines have signif ...
's ( James Sutton) parent, as she is a trans woman. The character is notable as the first regular trans character in the UK soap opera to be portrayed by a trans woman. In 2017, the show featured a self-harming storyline with the character Lily Drinkwell (
Lauren McQueen Lauren Louise McQueen (born 12 July 1996) is an English actress. She gained prominence through her role as Lily Drinkwell on the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' (2017–2019), for which she won two British Soap Awards. Her films include ''Th ...
) and her friends
Peri Lomax Peri Lomax is a fictional character from the British Channel 4, E4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' and is portrayed by Ruby O'Donnell. Peri made her first on-screen appearance in episode 3705, originally broadcast on 4 October 2013. After being introduc ...
(
Ruby O'Donnell Ruby Victoria O'Donnell (born 26 October 2000) is an English actress. Since 2013, O'Donnell has portrayed the role of Peri Lomax in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks''. For her portrayal of Peri, she won the award for Best Young Performance a ...
) and Yasmine Maalik (Haiesha Mistry), which won Best Storyline and Best Single Episode at
The British Soap Awards The British Soap Awards (BSAs) are an annual awards ceremony in the United Kingdom which honours the best moments in British soap operas. The ceremony is televised on ITV. The trophies given to the winners are made from metal and glass and hav ...
. In 2019, ''Hollyoaks'' became the first British television programme to tackle the issue of
far-right extremism Far-right politics, often termed right-wing extremism, encompasses a range of ideologies that are marked by ultraconservatism, authoritarianism, ultranationalism, and Nativism (politics), nativism. This political spectrum situates itself on ...
and radicalisation with Ste Hay (
Kieron Richardson Kieron Mark Richardson (born 12 January 1986) is an English actor and television presenter. He plays the role of Ste Hay in ''Hollyoaks'', having previously appeared in ''Heartbeat (British TV series), Heartbeat'' as Ricky Smith. He won the Bri ...
) central to the storyline. At the same time, ''Hollyoaks'' created the first storyline of Munchausen syndrome with Maxine Minniver ( Nikki Sanderson) central to the storyline. On 21 December 2019, ''Hollyoaks'' aired a one-year flash forward episode to 31 December 2020, which showed sneak peaks of the upcoming county lines drug trafficking storyline fallout. The storyline was a heavy focus on the soap for over a year. The highlights of the storyline saw Juliet Nightingale ( Niamh Blackshaw) and Sid Sumner ( Billy Price) become groomed into selling drugs by Jordan Price (Connor Calland) and Victor Brothers (Benjamin O'Mahony), Juliet coming out as a lesbian and developing a relationship with Sid's adoptive sister Peri, Ollie Morgan (Gabriel Clark) becoming addicted to ketamine, Ella Richardson (Erin Palmer) killing Jordan, and Sid faking his death to have Victor jailed. In April 2021, an episode of ''Hollyoaks'' that was focused on the unconscious biases that Black women suffer from was transmitted. The episode focuses on a day in the life of both Grace Black ( Tamara Wall) and Martine Deveraux (
Kéllé Bryan Kéllé Bryan (born 12 March 1975) is an English singer and actress. Known as one of the founding members of girl group Eternal, she sold more than 10 million records and achieved the UK number-one single, " I Wanna Be The Only One" alongside ...
), detailing the microaggressions that Martine faces as a Black woman in the United Kingdom. The episode was followed by an hour-long special in September 2021. The episode aired on Channel 4's Black to Front day and exclusively starred Black characters. The episode was also produced, written and directed by Black creatives.


Reception

In 2001, students at
University of Chester The University of Chester is a public university located in Chester, England. The university originated as the first purpose-built teacher training college in the UK. As a university, it now occupies five campuses, campus sites in and around Ch ...
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 2007, the soap was further criticised along with other soap operas for the amount of alcohol consumption featured on-screen. The Food Commission monitored that 18 per cent 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 Commission The Independent Television Commission (ITC) licensed and regulated commercial television services in the United Kingdom (except S4C in Wales) between 1 January 1991 and 28 December 2003. History The creation of ITC, by the Broadcasting Act ...
criticised the series for using an existing brand of alcohol, Caffrey's Irish Ale 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 ( Nico Mirallegro) attempted suicide, which showed similarities to an incident which happened the same week in
Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
, in which two teenagers committed suicide by jumping into the
River Clyde The River Clyde (, ) is a river that flows into the Firth of Clyde, in the west of Scotland. It is the eighth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the second longest in Scotland after the River Tay. It runs through the city of Glasgow. Th ...
. In its defence, a Channel 4 spokesperson stated that any similarities in the storyline were "entirely coincidents". ''Hollyoaks'' producers felt that it was best to continue with the transmission of the episodes. They explained that due to being a continuing series, the viewers would be familiar with Barry and that it would be helpful to address a "sensitive issue" followed by a programme support announcement directing viewers to a 24-hour helpline. In late November 2009, it was announced that character Loretta Jones ( Melissa Walton) 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 Bulger On 12 February 1993 in Merseyside, England, two 10-year-old boys, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, abducted, tortured, and murdered a two-year-old boy, James Patrick Bulger (16 March 1990 – 12 February 1993). Thompson and Venables led Bulger ...
. The mother of Bulger, Denise Fergus, stated her outrage of the storyline while speaking to ''Click Liverpool''. She expressed her disgust as she had not been consulted, and felt that the producers were making a "horrific murder" into a topic for entertainment to gain viewers. She demanded a meeting with producers since she felt that the storyline was a "horrible insult to the memory of erbeautiful son." A spokesperson for Channel 4 stated that the storyline was not based on a real-life event and that producers did not intend to "seek to recreate real events". Despite the storyline not being based on Fergus' situation, producers pulled the storyline from transmission since they felt that they had a duty to "deal with sensitive issues in an appropriate way". ''Hollyoaks'' has been praised by viewers, critics and
award ceremonies An award, sometimes called a distinction, is given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration. An award may be d ...
for the way they handle issue-led storylines. In 2018, Duncan Lindsay of the '' Metro'' wrote a piece on ''Hollyoaks'' being "top of its game for tackling important issues". He felt that the soap had "well and truly shed any reputation for being a bonkers, teen soap" and that it had become known for "careful, considered and dignified tackling of sensitive and important social issues". Lindsay wrote that ''Hollyoaks'' does not get enough recognition for its output, especially for filming using a
single-camera setup In filmmaking, television production and video production, the single-camera setup or single-camera mode of production (also known as portable single crew, portable single camera or single-cam) is a method in which all of the various shots and c ...
to produce five episodes a week. He felt that despite their early evening timeslot, ''Hollyoaks'' "bravely goes where many later night programmes dare not". Series producer Iain MacLeod stated that ''Hollyoaks'' often receive positive feedback from charities. He explained that their issue-led storylines result in "huge numbers of people coming forward" to the charities. Following their #DontFilterFeelings campaign focusing on mental health, cast and crew members were invited to the
Houses of Parliament The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is located in London, England. It is commonly called the Houses of Parliament after the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two legislative ch ...
to discuss challenging stigma on the subject with members of parliament. ''Hollyoaks'' performs well on its streaming service Channel 4. it was revealed in February 2022 that the soap was Channel 4's most-streamed scripted series of 2021, and the second most-streamed series in general.


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 City'', the latter appearing as its own show rather to a spin-off. In 2008, a late-night spin-off was produced by Lucy Allan named ''
Hollyoaks Later ''Hollyoaks Later'' (originally ''Late Night Hollyoaks'') is a British television spin-off of the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks''. The series allows for more sexual content, edgier storylines and stronger language than ''Hollyoaks''. The sho ...
''. This
first series First most commonly refers to: * First, the ordinal form of the number 1 First or 1st may also refer to: Acronyms * Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array * Far Infrared a ...
, although being broadcast late at night, was more of a spin-off than a special. A second series was commissioned the following year and aired in September. A third series was announced in April 2010 before airing later that year. A fourth series of ''Hollyoaks Later'' aired in September 2011 and saw the return of Hollie-Jay Bowes as Michaela McQueen. A fifth series aired in September 2012, and a sixth in October 2013. ''Hollyoaks Later'' returned for a one-off special in 2020, which featured the demise of serial killer Breda McQueen ( Moya Brady), as well as the introduction of Verity Hutchinson (Eva O'Hara). In October 2009, ''The Hollyoaks Music Show'' began with celebrity artists performing on the set of ''Hollyoaks''. Some of the acts that performed in the series include
Ed Sheeran Edward Christopher Sheeran ( ; born 17 February 1991) is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs around the age of eleven. In early 2011, Sheeran independently r ...
,
Paloma Faith Paloma Faith Blomfield (born 21 July 1981) is an English singer, songwriter, and actress. After signing with Epic Records in 2008, Faith released her debut album, '' Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful?'' (2009), which produced the UK ...
,
Jason Derulo Jason Joel Desrouleaux (born September 21, 1989), known professionally as Jason Derulo (; formerly stylized as Derülo), is an American singer, songwriter and dancer. Since the start of his solo recording career in 2009, he has sold over 250 m ...
,
The Saturdays The Saturdays are an English-Irish girl group based in London, England. The group formed during the summer of 2007 and has been on hiatus since 2014. The lineup consists of Frankie Bridge, Una Healy, Rochelle Humes, Mollie King, and Vanessa Whi ...
,
Olly Murs Oliver Stanley Murs (born 14 May 1984) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence after participating on the sixth series of the television talent show ''The X Factor'' in 2009, where he finished as runn ...
and more. The series was sponsored by
Matalan Matalan Retail Ltd is a British clothing and homewares retailer based in Knowsley, Merseyside, founded by John Hargreaves in 1985. In August 1988, its operations director at the time, Duncan Sullivan, transformed Matalan into an out-of-town wa ...
and ended in December 2011. In 2021, '' Hollyoaks: IRL'' a series of real-life
documentaries A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a historical record". The American author and media analyst Bill ...
, which was produced by Lime Digital and commissioned by
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. It is state-owned enterprise, publicly owned but, unlike the BBC, it receives no public funding and is funded en ...
. The series had five episodes, each one based on a high-profile ''Hollyoaks'' storyline that had an impact on Hollyoaks fan lives. ''Hollyoaks: IRL'' series has been nominated for a BAFTA TV Award Short-form programme award 2022. John Junior, who shared his suicide story on BBC Radio 5, inspired the series, which features him and his story.


Merchandise


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: Fame Game'' (2006) * ''Hollyoaks: Guilt Trip'' (2006) * ''Hollyoaks: Girl Talk'' (2010)


Calendars

From 2001 to 2012, the cast of ''Hollyoaks'' produced two annual calendars. One is entitled "Hollyoaks Babes", which features the female cast, and the other is "Hollyoaks Hunks", which features the male cast. For the calendar shoot, actors and actresses usually set off to exotic holiday destinations; however, in September 2009, it was revealed that the
2008 financial crisis The 2008 financial crisis, also known as the global financial crisis (GFC), was a major worldwide financial crisis centered in the United States. The causes of the 2008 crisis included excessive speculation on housing values by both homeowners ...
caused the production team to have to make cuts and therefore could no longer go abroad for the shoot.


References


External links

* * {{Soap operas in the United Kingdom 1990s British television soap operas 2000s British television soap operas 2010s British television soap operas 2020s British television soap operas 1995 British television series debuts British Soap Award for Best British Soap winners British teen drama television series British television soap operas Social realism Television series by All3Media Television shows set in Cheshire E4 (TV channel) dramas Channel 4 television dramas British English-language television shows British television series about teenagers Television shows adapted into novels Television productions suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic Television series impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic Television shows shot in Liverpool Television series created by Phil Redmond Fictional populated places in England