Blessing Chambers

Last updated
Blessing Chambers
Hollyoaks character
Blessing Chambers.jpeg
Portrayed by Modupe Adeyeye
First appearance21 February 2014
Last appearance21 November 2014
Classification Former; regular
Created byJonathan Larkin
Introduced by Bryan Kirkwood
In-universe information
Other namesBlessing Chamber
Tyson Delaney
OccupationWaitress
Barmaid
Mother Petula Delaney

Blessing Chambers is a fictional character from the British soap opera Hollyoaks , portrayed by Modupe Adeyeye. She made her first appearance on 21 February 2014, with the character and casting having been announced earlier that month. Adeyeye had to audition several times for the role and tried to enjoy the role as she was unsure if she would be successful. Hollyoaks producer Bryan Kirkwood was a fan of the actresses' work after seeing her in EastEnders: E20 . Blessing was introduced as a glass collector at a strip club that ends up being fired when Dennis Savage (Joe Tracini) gets her into trouble. Blessing was characterised as not having had much luck in her past and thus she moves to Hollyoaks for a fresh start and new opportunities. Blessing was also characterised as being a colourful character and having a colourful dress style, which was different to Adeyeye's style. The actress teased that Blessing would be a big character and would bring happiness to the lives of Dennis and others.

Contents

Blessing was later revealed to be a transgender woman, which was used to explore the character's backstory. Hollyoaks scriptwriter Jonathan Larkin revealed that he had the original idea for the character after being inspired by a friend of his in addition to actress Laverne Cox's character in Orange Is the New Black and journalist Paris Lees. Larkin explained that the soap wanted to educate people through Blessing's storylines and to give viewers going through similar experiences as Blessing a storyline that they could relate to. Hollyoaks worked with organisations The Gender Trust and All About Trans throughout the storyline and held workshops with the latter. Blessing faces mixed responses when her transgender status is revealed, and Dennis initially breaks up with her as he feels that he was lied to, but they later reconcile.

Blessing's other storylines have included being attacked by Finn O'Connor (Keith Rice), trying to track down her parents and trying to help her friend Maxine Minniver (Nikki Sanderson) escape her abusive relationship. The character was used in both serious and comedy storylines. Blessing was also used to tackle the issue of self-harm, with the character cutting herself on a few occasions. Blessing was later written out of the soap opera and last appeared on 21 November 2014, departing alongside Dennis. Her exit storyline involved her being tracked down by Dennis and Trevor Royle (Greg Wood) after stealing his diamonds. Blessing received positive reception from critics and she was seen as the most high profile transgender character in British television during her stint on the soap.

Casting and creation

Executive producer Bryan Kirkwood (pictured) was a fan of Adeyeye after seeing her in EastEnders: E20. Bryan Kirkwood.jpg
Executive producer Bryan Kirkwood (pictured) was a fan of Adeyeye after seeing her in EastEnders: E20.

In February 2014, it was announced that actress Modupe Adeyeye had joined Hollyoaks as new regular character, Blessing Chambers. [1] [2] The character's surname was also spelt "Chamber" in the announcement and on the Channel 4 website. [1] Adeyeye had already begun filming at the time of the announcement and she made her first appearance as Blessing on 21 February 2014. [1] Blessing was described as being "strong" and "colourful", but it was teased that viewers would soon find out that Blessing has not had "a lot of luck in the past". [1] The Channel 4 website announcement for the character teased that she would have a "big" debut and would be bringing "some much needed fun" to the lives of other characters, including Dennis Savage (Joe Tracini). [2]

Adeyeye felt "blessed" to receive the role and called joining the soap a "pleasure", calling the people there "lovely" and welcoming. [3] The actress explained that she first heard about the audition "quite a while" prior to being cast and found the audition process interesting; in her first audition, she was required to perform a monologue, whilst she was given scripts to following in her following two auditions, which took place at Lime Pictures in Liverpool with other people auditioning. [3] Adeyeye added, "It got to the point where I knew it was the final audition before somebody would get the part, which is always a bit nerve-wracking but you just have to do your best". [3] The actress revealed that she was not sure whether she would win the role and thus tried to enjoy the auditions and try her best. [3] After winning the role, Adeyeye felt more excited than nervous and called her first day "quite nice" and a good "ease-in", and praised the director for being lovely. [3] The actress described Blessing as a "big character" and compared her to Marmite, explaining, "Some people will love her and some people will hate her, but she is genuinely a nice person. These days people are not blunt and nobody really says it how it is, but Blessing does! That can sometimes cause some tension." [3] Blessing was billed as a "colourful" character and Adeyeye revealed that there were many "lovely" new outfits for her, and that she would never be seen in "dull colours" as she "doesn't bring anything but colour". [3] The actress explained that her dress style is different to Blessing's as her favourite colour is black and she dresses more simple than Blessing. [3]

Paris Lees (cropped 1).jpg
Laverne Cox at Paley Fest Orange Is The New Black.jpg
Paris Lees (right) and Laverne Cox (left) helped inspire the character's initial creation

Hollyoaks scriptwriter Jonathan Larkin explained that he worked with Adeyeye in workshops and believed that she was very natural in her approach and had great instinct. [4] Larkin revealed that Hollyoaks producer Bryan Kirkwood was a fan of Adeyeye after seeing her in EastEnders: E20 and wanted to work with her again, with the role feeling "perfect" as she "can be larger than life but she can also bring vulnerability and heart, and that's what we wanted for Blessing". [4] Adeyeye believed that her work on EastEnders and EastEnders: E20 helped her with her Hollyoaks role as she believed that all acting experience is training for the following acting job. [3] Despite Blessing being a transgender woman, Adeyeye is not transgender herself, which Larked explained was "definitely something that was not taken lightly, but [Adeyeye is] an actress, and a good one, so I don't think she will disappoint". [4] Larking had the original idea for the character and revealed that Blessing had been "buzzing" around his head for a while and that he felt a need to tell the story of a transgender woman arriving to the Hollyoaks village for a long time. [5] Larkin considered the character to be his "brainchild", but admitted Blessing ended up being a "group effort" due to writers, storyliners and producers adding their inputs and further "layers that might not have been there in the first place" to characters. [4] Discussing how he came up of the idea for the character, Larkin called the character an "amalgamation" of different people, explaining:

"My good friend Ngunan, who's a radio DJ, inspired the first incarnation, the funky smart girl with heart and attitude. Having watched Orange Is the New Black and seeing Laverne Cox's character Sophia, the similarities with the Blessing I wanted to write were shining through. The tough exterior, the warm nature, coming from a hard knock life but never forgetting to be a glamorous ray of sunshine... it all just fitted together perfectly. Having read up on Paris Lees and her backstory, the inspiration just kept on coming and it felt like it was finally Blessing's time to shine." [5]

Adeyeye knew about Blessing's history when she accepted the role and was very excited to be part of the storyline, commenting, "It's challenging, but I think if life's not challenging, it's not really worth living. I love being under pressure and not knowing what's going to happen each day, because it makes me push myself". [6] The actress did one-to-one sessions with All About Trans to prepare for the role and remained in contact with the organisation later on in her stint, which she found helpful. [6]

Development

Introduction and romance

Joe Tracini portrays Dennis Savage, who begins a romance with a Blessing (pictured). Joe Tracini.png
Joe Tracini portrays Dennis Savage, who begins a romance with a Blessing (pictured).

Blessing is first introduced as a glass collector at a strip club which established character Dennis Savage (Joe Tracini) visits in February 2014. [1] Adeyeye explained that Blessing does not enjoy working there but she wants to make money, commenting, "Because of the type of character Blessing is, she makes everything work for her. Even if she doesn't want to do something, she'll try to make it work for her anyway". [3] Blessing initially finds Dennis really annoying as he causing a lot of drama at the club and wonders who he is, with Adeyeye explaining, "This is a new job for Blessing and she really needs to keep it because she wants to start a new life and make money, but then there's this weird guy popping up everywhere! She feels like she needs a little mousetrap for him!" [3] Dennis ends up getting Blessing in trouble with her boss, which puts Blessing's job and flat above the club – which is "currently all she has" – in jeopardy. [1] Adeyeye believed that it was not Blessing's fault at all for getting fired and blamed Dennis, explaining that Blessing is trying to "keep everything under control" but it looks like she is causing trouble every time her boss sees her, and that Blessing is not happy with The customer is always right attitude as that is the "problem". [3] The actress explained that Blessing comes to Hollyoaks for a fresh start and new opportunities due to not having had much luck in the past. [3] Adeyeye also teased that Blessing could bring some happiness to Dennis' life and to other characters too. [3] Adeyeye enjoyed working with Tracini, calling him the "best", lovely, caring and funny on and off screen. [3] Dennis and Blessing later become a on-off romantic couple. [7]

Transgender status

In April 2014, it was announced that a storyline would begin which would see Blessing as transgender. [8] [9] The storyline was also used to explore the character's "secret" backstory. [8] Hollyoaks worked with organisations The Gender Trust and All About Trans in order to portray the storyline realistically and sensitively. [8] The soap's writers had been influenced by transgender journalist and activist Paris Lees and by transgender actress Laverne Cox. [8] Adeyeye found researching the character "really inspiring", adding that she hoped that Blessing's "story of a young trans woman who is loud and feisty and unapologetic proves to be a good role model. I hope that the people who need to be touched by her story will be." [8] Hollyoaks had previously had another character, Jason Costello (Victoria Atkin), come out as transgender in 2010. [8] However, it was explained that this storyline would be different, as it would focus more on Blessing's relationship with Dennis, and also because Blessing is further into her transition and has already started hormones. [4]

"Ignorance is breeding hatred in the real world so if we can educate people at the same time as entertaining them I think that's really important. Also, whilst showing some of the hardships of somebody in Blessing's position, we'll show that you can overcome the odds. She's a hopeful, aspirational character."

—Hollyoaks scriptwriter Jonathan Larkin on Blessing's character (2014) [4]

In an interview with Digital Spy , Hollyoaks scriptwriter Jonathan Larkin praised the workshop that soap held with All About Trans whilst researching the character, saying that whilst he already knew some transgender people, he thought it was great get new input from other trans people in the story and character. [4] Larkin got to know more about the "focused, personal take" on what it is like to transition though having one-to-ones with the workshop participants, explaining, "Having that human face-to-face interaction is imperative when trying to write the character going through their day-to-day struggles". [4] Speaking about the aims for the character, Larkin explained that the soap wanted to tell "good stories" with Blessing, and to give viewers who are going through similar experiences as Blessing a storyline that they can relate to. [4] Larkin added that the soap also wanted to show viewers who do not any trans people that they do not have "two heads", adding that "Ignorance is bred from lack of visibility and lack of awareness. By the time people learn of Blessing's trans status, they'll have known her for a few months and will realise she's no different to the girl they've been enjoying on screen so far. They just know a bit more about her". [4] Larkin disclosed that the Hollyoaks team felt that they had a big responsibility with Blessing being the "most high-profile trans character on UK TV" due to the departure of Hayley Cropper (Julie Hesmondhalgh), but that they were happy that they were passed the "trans torch" and wondered if other shows would begin to do the same, as he was shocked by the lack of transgender people on TV. [4]

Coming out

Larkin teased that Blessing would get a mixed reaction from the village when they find out about her being trans, commenting that it would not be "a bed of roses" but also not complete "misery" either. [4] Larkin believed that many of Blessing's issues are due to her always thinking the worst, self-loathing and worrying that people will cut her off and be horrible, which Larkin related to as he was like that when he came out as gay. [4] Larkin explained that because of this, there would be "pleasant surprises" when people take Blessing to their hearts for who she is, but that it would not be easy due to there also being bigotry and ignorance, though Larkin believed that Blessing would overcome these due to being a "tough cookie". [4] Larkin teased that Dennis would not understand straight away and would "react quite badly to start, which I think is a very human thing. He says the wrong thing, freaks out… It wouldn't be a story if he just accepted it. Nobody wants to watch a soap about people skipping along with no hurdles, no hiccups." [4] Larkin called Dennis and Blessing's romance – like the others on the soap – a "rollercoaster" and questioned whether Dennis would do the right thing. [4] The scriptwriter also teased that Blessing would be involved in other fun and dark storylines, and commented that it was great to put Blessing in other characters' storylines as "she's a bit of a firecracker, there's no telling what chaos she'll cause! Her heart's in the right place though". [4]

Blessing confides in Tony Hutchinson, portrayed by Nick Pickard (pictured). Nick Pickard.jpg
Blessing confides in Tony Hutchinson, portrayed by Nick Pickard (pictured).

The storyline sees Dennis and Blessing grow closer, with Blessing keen to take their relationship slowly. [10] Dennis then "lays his heart on the line" after finding a testicular lump and, fearing the worst, needs support Blessing and his friends. [10] As he knows he can rely on Blessing, he confides in her about the lump and later decides to "live life to the full" and tells Blessing that he would marry her immediately if he could. [10] Blessing rejects Dennis after being freaked out by his "pushy attitude", but she later confides to Tony Hutchinson (Nick Pickard) that she is a transgender woman and she was originally named Tyson Delaney, and that she is hesitant as Dennis does not know. [8] [10] Blessing also reveals that she has a "troubled" background and spent time in a Young Offender Institution before moving to Hollyoaks for a new life as a woman. [8] [11] Explaining why Blessing confided to Tony, Adeyeye explained that Tony is "just there" when she is feeling so stressed and needs someone to release to. [12] The actress added that Blessing would love to be honest with Dennis and will tell him the truth eventually, but added that Blessing is scared of losing him, adding, "I think it's just one of those things, if you really love someone and you really have a great bond with them, I think it's harder to tell them the truth than someone you don't care about". [12] It is revealed to viewers that Blessing's parents, who are unaware of Blessing's transition and true identity, have hired a private investigator to track her down, which worries Blessing. [8] Blessing pleads with Tony to keep her secret, who – wanting to be "matchmaker" – urges her to be honest with Dennis. [13] [14] Having bonded with Tony and buoyed with his support, Blessing initially tries to tell Dennis, but this does not happen as he decides to move out following her rejection due to his pride is "too dented". [15] [13] [14] Blessing is able to stop Dennis from leaving by telling him that she does want to marry him at a later stage, but not immediately. [14]

Blessing decides to tell Dennis about her past when he finds Missing person posters about "Tyson". [16] Daniel Kilkelly from Digital Spy hinted that this would be a "big week" for blessing. [16] When Blessing confides in Dennis that she is transgender, he is initially stunned and unhappy as he feels that Blessing has lied to him. [6] Tracini added hat Dennis is also "obviously shocked" when Blessing eventually confesses to him due to a lot of stuff having happened in the lead up to the reveal, and that "all of the things [Dennis] could have gone through in his head, this just doesn't enter into it." [12] Tracini himself was unsure of how he would react if he was in that situation, saying, "I hope that in human beings just as a thing is that if you fall in love with the person, it doesn't matter about anything else because you love them and not anything else". [12] Adeyeye explained that "Dennis is shocked, as any other man would be. He's not used to hearing something like that. He met Blessing as Blessing and he didn't know that she used to be Tyson Delaney". [6] However, the actress did not believe that that would be the end of their relationship as she believed that they are "better" and "stronger" than that. [6] Tracini teased that the couple would try to deal with the revelation, as this is not something that they have gone through on that level. [12] He added, "It's just watching them struggle with finding a balance between both of their personalities and what they're both going through and at the same time trying to stay together through it because they love each other". [12]

Despite Blessing's revelation having caused Dennis to be "hurt" by her "lies", the couple put their tension and problems aside to focus on Blessing's election campaign, as she is running against Tegan Lomax to be president of their Student Union. [17] Blessing is then "delighted" when she receives a letter from the hospital about her surgery, with Tony promising to be "by her side" when she undergoes the operation. [17] Blessing is then "touched" when she realises that Dennis has written her speech for her at the election, and she tells Dennis that she cannot be "just friends" with him and gives him an ultimatum that it is "all or nothing". [17] The following month, Dennis faces a "race against time" when he tries to stop Blessing from leaving the village, as Blessing has left him a note explaining her departure without any details of where she is going. [18] Dennis finds out that Blessing has left to attempt to reconcile with her parents, so he borrows a bike from a schoolgirl and chases after Blessing and begs her to come home. [18] Larkin had teased earlier that year that they had written Blessing's mother. [4]

Attack

Writers also created conflict between Blessing and Finn O'Connor (Keith Rice). [16] This occurs when Blessing and Dennis, with their relationship on "rocky ground", sign up for Speed dating event to make each other jealous. [19] The "unlikely pair" of Finn and Blessing are matched at the event and Finn is happy to be matched with Blessing, but his sister, Sinead O'Connor (Stephanie Davis), who wants revenge against her family, deliberately causes trouble between the matched pair by tampering with Blessing's comment card. [16] [19] Believing that Blessing has called him a freak, Finn shows his "nasty side" by calling Blessing a "skank" and shoving the card down her top. [16] [20] It becomes clear that Finn has not dropped the matter and he later attacks Blessing when he discovers that she is transgender. [21] Scriptwriter Larkin had previously teased that Blessing's future storylines would involve violence. [4] [19] [22]

Further issues and exit

Blessing also plays a role in the domestic abuse storyline of Maxine Minniver (Nikki Sanderson). [23] In the storyline, Blessing and Dennis help their friend Maxine travel to the airport to escape her abusive fiancé Patrick Blake (Jeremy Sheffield) on the eve of their wedding. [23] [24] Maxine shares an "emotional goodbye" with Blessing at the airport, but the "unmissable episodes" result in Maxine eventually not leaving. [23] Blessing was then used to tackle the issue of self-harm, which scriptwriter Larkin had previously told Digital Spy earlier in 2014. [4] [25] Ahead of her operation, Blessing tries to track down her parents, but she cuts herself after this leads to "disappointment". [25] Blessing covers her wounds when she meets with her consultant regarding the surgery and she is delighted when Dennis throws her a party to celebrate. [25] However, at the party Dennis notices Blessing's unusual behaviour and she later collapses. [25]

Blessing's exit from the soap tied in with Dennis' exit, with Tracini having announced his intention to leave Hollyoaks earlier that year. [7] In the storyline, which aired in November 2014, Dennis goes on a "desperate mission" to find Blessing, who has recently left the village. [7] Blessing is also being looked for by Trevor Royle (Greg Wood), as he wants his diamonds that Blessing took from him; he and Dennis team up to search for her, but they have "very different" motives for finding her. [26] [27] When Blessing and Dennis eventually come face-to-face they remain on "rocky ground" until Dennis decides whether they have a future or not. [7] After confronting her about her drug arrest, Blessing and Dennis then leave the village. [28]

Storylines

Blessing meets Dennis Savage (Joe Tracini) when he and his friends visit the strip club that she works in as a glass collector. They end up arguing and Blessing's behaviour gets her fired. As an apology, Dennis gives her a place to stay. Dennis becomes attracted to Blessing and the pair become close, but problems arise due to his continued distrust of her. When Blessing ruins George Smith's (Steven Roberts) laptop, he steals her credit card to buy a new one, which attracts a private investigator. The private investigator threatens and blackmails Blessing in exchange for her silence. Dennis and Blessing begin a relationship, but Dennis finds a testicular lump and, assuming the worst, asks Blessing to marry him. Blessing rejects him and confides in Tony Hutchinson (Nick Pickard) that she is a transgender woman and that she rejected Dennis as he does not know. She also reveals that she spent time in a Young Offender Institution. Tony encourages Blessing to be honest with Dennis, who is moving out due to the rejection. Blessing is able to stop him from leaving by telling him that she does want to marry him but not yet. It is also revealed that Blessing's parents do not know that she is transgender and are trying to track Blessing down, which is why Blessing was investigated for using the credit card.

Blessing eventually tells Dennis the truth. Dennis does not react well at first as he feels that he was lied to. Blessing hides from her mother, Petula Delaney, when she comes looking for her "son" as she is worried about the rejection. Blessing goes to a Speed dating event and is matched with Finn O'Connor (Keith Rice). Finn is rude to Blessing when he believes that she has insulted him. She later gets drunk and kisses Finn, but he attacks her when he realises that she has male genitals. Tony believes that Dennis is the attacker but finds out that is Finn when he finds the video that he recorded of the attack. Tony tries to report Finn for the attack but Diane O'Connor (Alex Fletcher) destroys the evidence. Dennis supports Blessing when she runs for Student Union president against Tegan Lomax (Jessica Ellis). Blessing then tells Dennis that she cannot be just friends with him and they begin dating again. Dennis holds a fundraiser to raise money for Blessing's upcoming operation. Blessing faces transphobic remarks from Frankie Osborne (Helen Pearson). Blessing later self-harms when her attempts to track down her parents lead to disappointment. Blessing and Dennis also try to help their friend Maxine Minniver (Nikki Sanderson) escape her abusive relationship with Patrick Blake (Jeremy Sheffield). Blessing steals Trevor Royle (Greg Wood)'s diamonds and leaves the village, so Trevor and Dennis team up to find her. Dennis eventually finds her and Dennis also leave the villages to be with her. Years later, Dennis reveals that he and Blessing have broken up.

Reception

When reporting on the character's announcement, a writer from the Channel 4 website was thankful that Blessing would be bringing some "much needed fun" to the lives of Dennis and other characters, writing, "Yay!" [2] Following the announcement of Blessing coming out as transgender, Daniel Kilkelly from Digital Spy speculated that Blessing would become the "most high-profile trans character" in UK television. [4] Kilkelly later called Blessing's revelation to Dennis "brave". [6] Kilkelly's colleague, Sophie Dainty, called Blessing a "a cause for concern" following her "fresh bout" of self-harm. [25] Transgender journalist Paris Lees wrote in an article that Blessing had been "brightening up Hollyoaks" and also called Blessing "most high profile trans character on British television". [29] Lees wrote that Blessing's story of spending time in a male juvenile detention centre making her realise that she wanted to live life as a woman upon release was a story that Lees "know[s] well". [29] Lees also "made no secret of the fact" that she believes that trans actors play trans roles better. [29] In 2018, Laura Morgan from Digital Spy wrote that Dennis' luck changed when he met Blessing. [30] The following year, Entertainment Daily reported how fans were speculating on the Digital Spy forum that Blessing would return and be revealed as the secret twin of Mitchell Deveraux (Imran Adams). [31]

Related Research Articles

Hollyoaks is a British soap opera which originally began airing on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was created by Phil Redmond, who had previously conceived the soap opera Brookside. 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. 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 and Coronation Street. Beginning with a cast of 15 characters, it now has 37 regular cast members. The longest-serving actor is Nick Pickard, who has portrayed Tony Hutchinson since the first episode.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myra McQueen</span> Fictional character from Hollyoaks

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 producer Bryan Kirkwood as part of the McQueen family. The character is initially designed to play a supporting role in her family's stories. She is characterised as a no-nonsense matriarch who is "fiercely protective" of her family and puts her children first. Myra has a series of failed relationship, leading to her many children. One of her early stories introduces Niall Rafferty, Myra's abandoned son who returns for revenge on his mother. The story concludes in a stunt when Niall explodes a church, killing Myra's daughter Tina Reilly. Barber-Lane left the soap in 2013 and Myra fakes her death after being shot. In November 2024, it was announced that the character would make a temporary return to facilitate Theresa McQueen's temporary exit storyline.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diane Hutchinson</span> Fictional character from Hollyoaks

Diane Hutchinson is a fictional character from the British soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Alex Fletcher. The character made her first appearance on 1 September 2010. Diane was introduced into the series by Hollyoaks' executive producer Paul Marquess, during his rejuvenation of the show. Marquess axed numerous characters and replaced them with new families. Fletcher began filming in June 2010, the same month her casting was publicised. Diane was introduced with her husband, Rob and stepchildren, Sinead and Finn O'Connor. The O'Connors are one of three families that were introduced 2010. Diane is characterised as a "loving wife" and a "devoted stepmum". Fletcher initially hoped that Diane would be likeable, despite her over the top demeanour. Fletcher believed Diane has a good relationship with her step-children and was loathe to portray her as "the wicked stepmother".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liberty Savage</span> Fictional character from Hollyoaks

Liberty Savage is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by actress and singer-songwriter Abi Phillips from 2010 to 2013, and Jessamy Stoddart from 2018. She made her first on-screen appearance on 10 December 2010. Phillips was approached by Hollyoaks producers after she submitted one of her songs to be played on the show. Following a strong response to the song, producers invited her to audition for the role of Liberty, in which she was successful. Liberty was introduced to Hollyoaks along with her fiancé, Ethan Scott. After an absence of four months during 2013, it was announced that Liberty would be written out of the serial, and she departed on 24 July 2013. On 22 May 2018, it was announced that Liberty would return, but this time with Stoddart in the role, and she returned on 5 June 2018. Stoddart went on maternity leave in December 2022, with the character of Liberty set to return in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dodger Savage</span> UK soap opera character, created 2011

Mark "Dodger" Savage is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 serial drama, Hollyoaks, played by Danny Mac. He made his first on-screen appearance on 7 April 2011 and was introduced as part of the Savage family by creator Paul Marquess. Dodger is played as being a bit "cocky" and as thinking he has "got it all". For his portrayal, Mac has won and been nominated for various awards. In November 2014, Mac opted to leave the role and Dodger made his last appearance on 20 January 2015. Dodger is the biological son of Jez Blake (Jeremy Sheffield) and Anna Blake, the twin brother of Sienna Blake, the adoptive son of Anna's husband Dirk Savage, the half-brother of Will Savage, Liberty Savage and Minnie Minniver and the father of Nico Blake and Myra-Pocahontas Savage-McQueen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ally Gorman</span> UK soap opera character, created 2012

Ally Gorman is a fictional character from the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Dan O'Connor. The actor's casting was announced in December 2011. O'Connor originally auditioned for a different role, before being asked to audition for the part of Ally. O'Connor was given the part and began filming his scenes three days later. Hollyoaks' series producer, Emma Smithwick, said that O'Connor "nailed" his audition. O'Connor signed up for an initial twelve episode stint, but his contract was extended and he became a regular cast member. The actor commutes from London to Liverpool for filming. O'Connor made his debut screen appearance as Ally during the episode broadcast on 31 January 2012. O'Connor departed Hollyoaks on 27 November 2012.

Patrick Blake (<i>Hollyoaks</i>) UK soap opera character (created 2012)

Patrick Blake is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jeremy Sheffield. He made his first screen appearance on 21 November 2012. The character's introduction to the serial and Sheffield's casting were announced on 7 October 2012. Patrick is introduced as the biological father of established character Dodger Savage. It was announced in December 2023 that Patrick would be returning to Hollyoaks in an unknown capacity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vincent Elegba</span> UK soap opera character, created 2013

Vincent Elegba is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by John Omole. The character made his first screen appearance on 16 April 2013. Vincent is an illegal immigrant from Nigeria. He left the country to seek refuge fearing persecution because he is gay. The storyline has been described as an original by those involved. The show worked closely with LGBT charity Stonewall to portray the issue. His main scene partners have been Phoebe McQueen and George Smith. His friendship with Phoebe explored unrequited love as she pursued a relationship while Vincent fell in love with George. His subsequent detaining by immigration officials found him placed on remand and becoming the victim of homophobic violence. The character has proved unpopular with critic Anthony D. Langford from TheBacklot.com who has often deemed his relationship with George as implausible.

Modupe Adeyeye is an English actress and model, known for her roles as Faith Olubunmi in EastEnders and EastEnders: E20 and Blessing Chambers in Hollyoaks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruby O'Donnell</span> English actress (born 2000)

Ruby Victoria O'Donnell 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 Actor at the 2016 British Soap Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sally St. Claire</span> UK soap opera character, created 2015

Sally St. Claire is a fictional character from the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Annie Wallace. The character made her first on-screen appearance on 29 October 2015 and Wallace is the first transgender person to play a regular transgender character in British soap opera. She was cast after the show held casting workshops to discover acting talent in the transgender community. Sally is characterised as a strict, "no-nonsense" headteacher who moves to Hollyoaks village to work at the local school. Hollyoaks' writers explored the character's transgender status and worked alongside equal rights group All About Trans, who consulted and advised to make the story realistic. In one surprise storyline, Sally is revealed to be the biological parent of John Paul McQueen. Sally's departure from the show was announced on 5 September 2024, and she made her final on-screen appearance in the episode broadcast on 11 September 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Drinkwell</span> UK soap opera character, created 2015

Scott Drinkwell is a fictional character from the British soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Ross Adams. The character made his first appearance on 27 April 2015. Producers asked Adams to audition for the role while he was working as a script editor on rival soap opera Emmerdale. The actor forgot his lines during his screen test but was still offered the role. The character was billed as a "troublesome new relative" joining the show's established O'Connor family. He is the cousin of Sinead O'Connor and nephew to Diane Hutchinson. Executive producer Bryan Kirkwood introduced the character to cause conflict with other characters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grace Black</span> UK soap opera character, created 2013

Grace Roscoe is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Tamara Wall. The character made her first on-screen appearance on 8 November 2013. Wall had three auditions for the role on the show's set in Liverpool. The character is introduced as the sister of Clare Devine, who had been killed off in earlier episodes. Grace arrives to investigate her death and get reacquainted with her estranged father Fraser Black.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyle Slater</span> Fictional EastEnders character

Kyle Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Riley Carter Millington. He made his first appearance on 30 October 2015. EastEnders executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins had previously announced in February of that year that he wanted to cast a transgender actor to play a transgender character on the soap. When Millington heard this, he wrote to EastEnders telling them about his acting and transition. He was then invited to audition for the role and received the part, with Treadwell-Collins revealing that he had believed that Millington was right for the role since his first audition. Millington's casting was announced in October 2015. Millington was happy to be cast in the role and initially signed a six-month contract, which was later doubled.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danny Lomax</span> Soap opera character

Danny Lomax is a fictional character from the British soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Stephen Billington. The character and casting were announced in July 2013, with Billington making his first appearance on 8 July. Billington, who had previously appeared on Coronation Street, was happy to be cast on another soap. He had previously auditioned for another role on Hollyoaks but was glad he did not receive it as he preferred Danny's character. Danny was introduced as a new drama teacher and as a love interest of John Paul McQueen. Danny was characterised as being charming, caring and secretive, with it being teased that Danny has many secrets that would come out. It is revealed that Danny is happily married to Sam Lomax whilst having a relationship with John Paul. Sam and her daughters with Danny – Teegan, Leela and Peri Lomax – later move to Hollyoaks. Danny is also revealed to be the father of established character Ste Hay and the two develop a father-son relationship. Hollyoaks producer, Bryan Kirkwood, had introduced the Lomaxes in order to give Ste a family unit on the soap. The family deal with various dramas, including Tegan giving birth and Peri's brain tumour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachel Hardy</span> Fictional character from Hollyoaks

Rachel Hardy is a fictional character from the British soap opera Hollyoaks, portrayed by Jennifer Brooke. She made her first appearance on 26 October 2015. Rachel was introduce alongside her fiancé Nathan Nightingale and his family as a new family unit that would run the local pub. Executive producer Bryan Kirkwood revealed that he introduced Rachel and the Nightingales to bring a sense of community to Hollyoaks. Brooke characterised Rachel as free-spirited and not caring about what others think of her, and that she gets itchy feet in the village as she wants to go travelling with Nathan. Rachel and Nathan were portrayed as being a perfect couple and childhood sweethearts. However, their relationship is tested several times throughout Rachel's stint on the soap, including when Nathan kisses Porsche McQueen and when Rachel hides Alfie Nightingale's cancer returning from Nathan. Rachel was then killed-off in a car explosion caused by Holly Cunningham and she last appeared on 29 March 2016. Rachel's departure had not been announced prior and Garfield later explained that the character was meant to be short-lived since her debut. Rachel's death impacts Nathan and was used to show other sides of his character. Rachel's death was seen as emotional and tragic by critics.

Ben Bradley (<i>Hollyoaks</i>) Fictional character from Hollyoaks

Ben Bradley is a fictional character from the British soap opera Hollyoaks, portrayed by Ben Richards. The character and casting were announced in April 2015 and Richards made his first appearance as Ben on 26 May 2015. Richards and his family moved to a cottage in Liverpool close to the Hollyoaks set after he was cast. Ben was introduced as a police sergeant and a mentor for Jason Roscoe, and Ben was given links to long-running characters Darren Osborne and Jack Osborne. Ben was also introduced as a love interest for Sienna Blake. Richards explained that Ben has a hero complex and sees Sienna as a project that he can fix. It was also teased by Richards and the media that Ben would have a big secret which would have big effects.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kilkelly, Daniel (5 February 2014). "Hollyoaks unveils new character Blessing Chamber". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications . Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 "New Character Alert - Blessing Chambers". Channel 4 . Channel Four Television Corporation. Archived from the original on 3 March 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Kilkelly, Daniel (13 February 2024). "Hollyoaks newcomer Modupe Adeyeye: 'Blessing will be Marmite'". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications . Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Kilkelly, Daniel (15 July 2024). "Hollyoaks writer Jonathan Larkin talks Blessing transgender story". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on 20 July 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  5. 1 2 "'Hollyoaks' Transgender Storyline: Writer Reveals 'Orange Is The New Black' Inspired The Plot". HuffPost . BuzzFeed. 16 May 2024. Archived from the original on 21 July 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kilkelly, Daniel (29 May 2014). "Hollyoaks star talks Blessing, Dennis aftermath: 'They're strong'". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on 21 July 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Kilkelly, Daniel (11 November 2014). "Hollyoaks: Dennis Savage's final scenes to air next week". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications . Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Kilkelly, Daniel (24 April 2014). "Hollyoaks confirms new transgender storyline". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications . Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  9. ↑ Deen, Sarah (25 April 2014). "Hollyoaks' Blessing Chambers to reveal she used to be a man called Tyson". Metro . DMG Media . Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Kilkelly, Daniel (6 May 2014). "Hollyoaks: Health scare for Dennis Savage revealed". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on 21 July 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  11. ↑ Deen, Sarah (25 April 2014). "Hollyoaks' Blessing Chambers to reveal she used to be a man called Tyson". Metro . DMG Media . Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Earp, Catherine (15 May 2014). "Hollyoaks stars talk Blessing, Dennis future: 'It won't be easy'". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on 21 July 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  13. 1 2 "Don't Tell Dennis!". Inside Soap . No. 19. 17–23 May 2014. p. 28.
  14. 1 2 3 Markwardt, Ellen (7 May 2014). "Will Blessing open up to Dennis?". What to Watch . Future plc . Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  15. ↑ Kilkelly, Daniel (13 May 2014). "Blessing is urged to be honest". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications . Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 Kilkelly, Daniel (20 May 2014). "Hollyoaks: Finn O'Connor gets angry with Blessing - spoiler pictures". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications . Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  17. 1 2 3 Dainty, Sophie (10 June 2014). "Hollyoaks: Blessing Chambers gives Dennis relationship ultimatum". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications . Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  18. 1 2 Kilkelly, Daniel (3 July 2014). "Hollyoaks: Dennis begs Blessing not to leave - spoiler pictures". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications . Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  19. 1 2 3 "Date Fright!". Inside Soap . No. 20. 24–30 May 2014. p. 28.
  20. ↑ Markwardt, Ellen (14 May 2014). "Blessing makes an enemy of Finn". What to Watch . Future plc . Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  21. ↑ Penwill, Alice (22–28 June 2019). "It's All Relative...". Inside Soap . No. 25. p. 17.
  22. ↑ Campbell, Tina (14 July 2014). "Hollyoaks rapist Finn O'Connor to attack Nancy Osbourne". Metro . DMG Media . Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  23. 1 2 3 Kilkelly, Daniel (28 July 2014). "Hollyoaks: Maxine Minniver escapes from Patrick - new spoiler pictures". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications . Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  24. ↑ McLennan, Patrick (28 July 2014). "Hollyoaks' Maxine flees Patrick... and the UK?". What to Watch . Future plc . Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 Dainty, Sophie (12 August 2014). "Hollyoaks: Blessing Chambers to collapse after self-harming - spoiler pictures". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications . Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  26. ↑ Wilson, Victoria (7 November 2014). "Can Dennis get to Blessing before Trevor does?". What to Watch . Future plc . Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  27. ↑ Kilkelly, Daniel (11 November 2014). "Dennis and Trevor race to find Blessing". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications . Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  28. ↑ Lindsay, Duncan (18 November 2014). "From Shirley Carter's dramatic return in EastEnders to murder in Hollyoaks: 25 soap spoilers for this week". Metro . DMG Media . Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  29. 1 2 3 Paris Lees (7 September 2017). "Exclusive: Attitude meets Hollyoaks' trans character Blessing". Attitude . Stream Publishing Limited. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  30. ↑ Morgan, Laura (8 December 2018). "Where are Hollyoaks' missing Blakes and Savages now? Here's what happened next for Danny Mac, Jeremy Sheffield and more". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications . Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  31. ↑ "Hollyoaks' Blessing is Mitchell's secret twin, claim fans". Entertainment Daily. Digitalbox Publishing Ltd. 12 October 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.