Karen Hollins

Last updated

Karen Hollins
Doctors character
Karen Hollins.jpg
Portrayed by Jan Pearson
Duration2009–2023
First appearance"Mac's Women"
23 February 2009 (2009-02-23)
Last appearance"Home Comforts"
18 April 2023 (2023-04-18)
Classification Former; regular
Created byPeter Eryl Lloyd
Introduced byWill Trotter
In-universe information
Other namesKaren Teale
OccupationReceptionist
Healthcare assistant
MotherBrenda Teale
Husband Rob Hollins
Sons Jack Hollins
Daughters Imogen Hollins
First cousins Marie Garner
Other relatives Oliver Garner

Karen Hollins (also Teale) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera Doctors , portrayed by Jan Pearson. Introduced as a receptionist at the fictional Mill Health Centre, Karen was created by series producer Peter Eryl Lloyd as a replacement for former receptionist Vivien March (Anita Carey). She first appeared during the episode broadcast on 23 February 2009. Writers eventually introduced a family for Karen; husband and police sergeant Rob (Chris Walker), and their children, Imogen (Charlie Clemmow) and Jack (Nicolas Woodman). Karen is depicted as a hardworking person who cares about her job and the patients at the surgery, but someone who prioritises her family above her work responsibilities.

Contents

Karen's storylines in the programme included becoming a healthcare assistant, having an abortion, the breakdown and reconciliation of her marriage to Rob, having amnesia after being involved in a car accident, becoming a foster parent and suffering from a heart attack that led to her eventual death. Pearson enjoyed working with Walker to portray the fictional couple and they have stated that despite their numerous marriage breakdowns, the pair will always be strong as a couple. Walker himself devised the storyline for Karen's memory loss and she was proud of the work that they both put into the year-long story arc. The pair received the British Soap Award for Best On-Screen Partnership in 2010, and after Karen's death, won the accolade again in 2023. For her portrayal of Karen, Pearson has been nominated for various awards, including the British Soap Award for Best Leading Performer and Best Female Acting Performance at the RTS Midlands Awards. Following Pearson making the decision to leave resulting in Karen's death, Radio Times described it as "the end of an era" for Doctors. [1]

Storylines

Karen is introduced as the head receptionist at the Mill Health Centre and the Campus Surgery at Letherbridge University. She also trains to become a healthcare assistant (HCA). When Karen becomes pregnant, she does not want to have the baby, unlike husband Rob (Chris Walker), who wants another child. She informs him that she wants to have an abortion, which he disagrees with. She has the termination, and as a result, their relationship is initially strained. After Karen stays with her father for a while, she returns and tells Rob that she wants to fix their marriage. After Rob saves her from a burning building, they have a romantic meal and eventually reconcile. Karen's friend Angie Briggs (Den Woods) attempts to get her to see other men, but Karen refuses and stays with Rob. After Rob accidentally hits Karen with his car, she develops amnesia. She continues her receptionist work, but can no longer work as a HCA. She forgets who Rob and her children are and believes that she is 18. After she recovers her memories and their children move out to attend higher education, Rob and Karen decide to become foster parents. When the pair foster Jayden Hunt (Ciaran Stow), a 14-year-old with epilepsy, Karen meets with Iris Nicholson (Jenny Stokes), a local drug dealer, to buy Jayden marijuana to ease his symptoms. She is stopped by Rob's colleague, PC Pat Dyson (Dawn Butler), who states that she will not tell Rob. However, Karen later confesses to Rob what she has done and he is angry with her decision to go behind his back.

Karen and Rob's marriage is once again strained when Rob's PTSD causes him to push away. She becomes suspicious of his involvement with colleague Harriet Shelton (Carley Stenson) and after numerous fights, they agree that their marriage cannot be saved. Karen goes on a date with another man in an attempt to make Rob fight for her, which does not work. However, after Rob realises how much Karen means to him, he confesses his love for her and promises never to treat her badly again. Karen suffers a heart attack after an argument with nemesis Princess Buchanan (Laura White) and Luca McIntyre (Ross McLaren) finds her collapsed. Rob becomes protective of Karen since he is afraid to lose her; he makes her gently exercise and only allows her to have a strict, healthy diet. The pair agree to retire from their jobs and sell their house to go travelling. They put their house up for sale and Rob secretly puts an offer in for Karen's dream cottage. He arrives home to tell Karen to find her dead on the sofa, after dying alone due to her heart problems.

Development

Casting and characterisation

When Pearson was cast in the role of Karen, she was aware that her character was set to be given a husband and children. Producers asked Pearson for suggestions on who should play Karen's husband, but she left it to the casting director, joking that it was like an arranged marriage. The Hollins became the first large family unit in the series; Pearson said that the writers had resisted their urges to give them problems, instead choosing to make them a healthy and functional family. [2] Pearson grew up in Wollaston, West Midlands, and was keen to represent their regional accent on television. She hoped people would not confuse her Black Country accent for a Birmingham accent, but acknowledged that people outside of the West Midlands may not realise the difference. She also toned down her accent when playing Karen due to fears of people not understanding her. [2]

Karen's BBC profile noted that while she is great with the patients at the surgery, she is a "complete hypochondriac who won't hesitate to pester the doctors for a diagnosis". [3] It added that while she is dedicated to her role in the surgery, she prioritises her family, so if there were to be a family emergency, Karen will be "straight out the door". [3] On Karen becoming a healthcare assistant, the profile explained that although she appears confident when her job responsibilities increase, she does not have complete faith in her abilities. As a result, if she feels it necessary, Karen seeks advice from a more experienced colleague. [3] Pearson initially found it difficult to portray the comedic side to the character since she had not played a comedic role prior to Doctors. [2] However, she appreciated how "comedic and camp" Doctors can be and liked how often she got to dress up on the soap, with costumes including the Mad Hatter and a black PVC bondage suit. Pearson joked that although she loved the range of costumes, she equally missed her nurse uniform from her time appearing as Kath Fox on Holby City since it was comfortable. [2]

Marriage to Rob and memory loss

Walker and Pearson spoke to Digital Spy about their onscreen chemistry. Talking about their first scenes together, Walker said: "First day on set, in fact first scene it was, 'Hi I'm Chris', 'Hi I'm Jan', right get into bed. So that broke the ice." When asked why they work so well together on the soap, he explained: "I think that we're not precious with our own stuff and we always want to give and help each other and that's nice, and we do row very well." [4] After Karen's abortion, her BBC profile explained that Rob's "uncompromising stance" on the decision to terminate the baby pushed Karen away from him emotionally. [3] In 2021, Walker spoke again about their relationship to Inside Soap after the pair had become experienced foster parents. While dealing with a difficult case involving a child with anger management issues, Karen hides details from Rob about the incidents. Walker stated that the situation would "cause friction" in their relationship, and compared the "different skills and different ways" that the pair deal with problems. However, Walker explained that despite the situation, they are still "so strong as a couple" and that with Rob and Karen, "you always get the feeling that they'll get through it somehow". [5]

After Karen becomes involved in a memory loss storyline, Pearson revealed that Walker had devised the storyline. Speaking to Digital Spy at the launch of Pentahotel Birmingham, Pearson explained: "The story has been hugely long and it's still going on. I've been filming it for a year now. It was very exciting because it was Chris's idea. I think his original idea was that Karen would be run over by some ex of Rob's. The producers didn't run with that, but they did run with the accident and the memory loss. I was utterly delighted that Chris was responsible for running me over! We now have a very playful banter over who's to blame for the situation!" Pearson also added: "We always knew that Karen and Rob were going to get back together in the end, but the break-up made a nice change from what we normally do. Because it was Chris's storyline and his idea, I really wanted to give it my best shot. What Chris came up with was very detailed - it was extraordinary. If the acting career doesn't work out for him, I think he's got a really good shot as a storyliner". [6]

Heart attack and shock death

In 2022, writers devised a heart attack storyline for Karen. In scenes leading up to it, she notes feeling tired and having minor heartburn to her colleagues. Then, after a heated argument with nemesis Princess, she demands that Karen opens the reception door for her. She reaches over the desk and presses the door's button, and after she exits, Karen falls to the ground and suffers a heart attack alone. The scene acted as a cliffhanger for the series, with it being the final episode of 2022 before the Christmas break. [7] In the first episode of 2023, Karen is eventually found by Luca McIntyre (Ross McLaren) who calls an ambulance for her. The storyline sparked media and fan concern that Karen would be exiting the series. [8] Eventually, Karen recuperates in scenes that see Rob become overprotective of Karen due to his fear of losing her. However, concerns over Pearson leaving Doctors were further fuelled by scenes that see Karen and Rob agree to sell their house and go travelling. They agree that due to being close to retirement and having a death scare, they should sell up while they can and enjoy seeing the world together. However, it was confirmed that their plans would be derailed for unknown reasons. [9] It was later confirmed that Karen would have a "shock death" caused by her heart problems. [10] Following the scenes, Radio Times described it as "the end of an era" for Doctors. [1]

After wrapping "If Wishes Were Horses", Karen's final physical episode, Walker gave a speech in honour of Pearson. He joked that despite the title of the episode and the phrase having a meaning in the script, Karen had never actually said it in her time on the show. Walker got the cast and crew to give three cheers to Pearson, who burst into tears. Series producer Peter Eryl Lloyd, who created Karen, wrote a statement for social media following Pearson's exit. He described her as "Doctors favourite loudmouth matriarch" and referred to her by long-term nickname "Gobby Hollins". [11] He was proud of the regional representation of the Black country and the portrayal of a working-class woman that had been told through Karen, describing it as "a highly valued story on the show". [11] He added that Pearson would be missed by the cast and crew and thanked her for her 14 years of service in which she had become "a massive asset to Doctors". [11]

Three months after Karen's death had aired, Pearson was asked about her exit from Doctors by journalists at the 2023 British Soap Awards. She explained that she wanted a break from her career after 14 consecutive years on the series. Pearson admitted that she asked producers to kill Karen off, to which they were surprisingly obliging. She was pleased with her exit scenes and stated: "they gave me a lovely death, actually — I was very pleased with it. Chris was extraordinary. It was great. I was very, very pleased." [12]

Reception

Alongside Walker, Pearson won the award for Best On-Screen Partnership at the 2010 British Soap Awards. [13] A year later, she was nominated for Best Storyline and Best Single Episode for her portrayal of Karen going through her pregnancy and eventual abortion storyline. [14] Pearson was also nominated for Best Comedy Performance at the 2012 ceremony. [15] In 2014, Pearson received a nomination for Best Female Acting Performance at the RTS Midlands Awards. [16] As well as these nominations, Pearson was longlisted for Best Actress at the British Soap Awards four times; 2013, [17] 2014, [18] 2016 [19] and 2018. [20]

Following a change to Pearson's hair, Jane Corscadden of The Focus wrote that Karen "looks fantastic", with viewers echoing the comment. [21] In 2022, Pearson was nominated for the British Soap Award for Best Leading Performer, as well as herself and Walker receiving another nomination for Best On-Screen Partnership. [22] Following her death, viewers were left "reeling" from emotion. [1] Herself and Walker also won the Best On-Screen Partnership for the second time at the 2023 British Soap Awards, with her final episode also receiving a nomination for Best Single Episode. [23] She was also nominated for Best Daytime Star at the 2023 Inside Soap Awards. [24]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Doctors</i> (2000 TV series) British television soap opera

Doctors is a British medical soap opera, first broadcast on BBC One on 26 March 2000. Filmed in Birmingham and set in the fictional West Midlands town of Letherbridge, the soap follows the lives of the staff of both an NHS doctor's surgery and a university campus surgery, as well as the lives of their families and friends. Initially, only 41 episodes of the programme were ordered, but due to the positive reception, the BBC ordered it as a continuing soap opera. Doctors was filmed at the Pebble Mill Studios until 2004; production then relocated to the BBC Drama Village, where it will film until 2024. Episodes are filmed three months prior to transmission. The soap is typically broadcast on weekdays at 1:45 pm on BBC One, as well as having classic episodes broadcast on Drama. It takes three annual transmission breaks across the year: at Easter, during the summer and at Christmas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jan Pearson</span> English actress

Jan Pearson is an English actress. Pearson grew up in Wollaston, West Midlands, and began her career in various stage productions. She yearned to work in television and was soon cast as Kath Fox in the BBC medical drama Holby City in 1999, a role she stayed in until 2004. She then ventured back into theatre, before joining the BBC soap opera Doctors as Karen Hollins. For her role in Doctors, Pearson won the award for Best On-Screen Partnership twice alongside Chris Walker, at the 2010 and 2023 British Soap Awards. Pearson left Doctors in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zara Carmichael</span> Fictional character from Doctors

Dr. Zara Carmichael is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera Doctors, portrayed by Elisabeth Dermot Walsh. Zara was introduced as a new general practitioner at the fictional Mill Health Centre on 4 June 2009 and remained a regular character until April 2012 when Walsh left to go on maternity leave. She returned for a brief appearance in December 2012, before returning full-time in February 2013. In September 2015, Walsh left again to go on maternity leave. She returned full-time from March 2016 onwards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rob Hollins</span> Fictional character from Doctors

Rob Hollins is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera Doctors, portrayed by Chris Walker. Rob was introduced as a police sergeant at Letherbridge police station and made his first appearance during the episode broadcast 24 July 2009. Rob is the husband of Karen Hollins, a receptionist at the fictional Mill Health Centre, as well as the father of Imogen and Jack Hollins. Rob is depicted as a dependable family man and it has been noted that whenever another character needs advice, Rob would always be there to help. Rob's storyline in the programme have included disagreeing with Karen on aborting their baby, accidentally causing his wife's amnesia, suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), becoming a foster parent, being accused of police brutality and the breakdown and reconciliation of his marriage. Rob's PTSD was explored over the duration of a year with the climax coinciding with Mental Health Awareness Week in 2018, with the storyline being revisited in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Imogen Hollins</span> Fictional character from Doctors

Imogen Hollins is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera Doctors, portrayed by Charlie Clemmow. Before her first appearance, Imogen is mentioned by her on-screen mother Karen ; Clemmow watched the episode and wrote a letter to the BBC asking if they would be casting actresses for the role of Imogen. She made continued contact with the BBC and was eventually invited to audition for Imogen, and despite having no agent, she was cast in the role and made her first appearance on 4 August 2009. She is introduced as the daughter of Karen and Rob Hollins and the sister of Jack Hollins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Hollins</span> Fictional character from Doctors

Jack Hollins is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera Doctors, portrayed by Nicolas Woodman. Jack first appeared on 4 August 2009 and left Doctors on 21 September 2012. He returned for brief stints in 2013 and 2014. His storylines in the series have included his secret relationship with Zara Carmichael and completing a degree at university. Following the completion of his degree, it was confirmed by producer Peter Eryl Lloyd that the character would face numerous life decisions that ultimately resulted in his exit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlie Clemmow</span> English actress

Charlie Clemmow is an English actress. In 2009, Clemmow began portraying the role of Imogen Hollins in the BBC soap opera Doctors; she initially left the soap in 2012, later making a guest appearance in 2014. Clemmow had appeared in Doctors on a recurring basis since 2019. For her role as Imogen, she has received nominations at the RTS Midlands Awards, the British Soap Awards and the Inside Soap Awards. Away from Doctors, Clemmow has appeared in two films and voiced a character in a period drama podcast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valerie Pitman</span> Fictional character from Doctors

Valerie Pitman is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera Doctors, portrayed by Sarah Moyle. Valerie was introduced as a temporary receptionist at the fictional Mill Health Centre on 15 October 2012. Valerie is depicted as a kind, nosy and humorous character who enjoys getting involved in other people's lives. Her backstory involves growing up as an only child with no friends who dresses differently to other people, so since she feels like an outsider, she is desperate to be part of a unit of loved ones. Moyle was originally contracted on the soap as a recurring character, but after a positive reaction from viewers, she was promoted to a regular cast member. One of the storylines that accredited to her popularity was an issue-led storyline that saw Valerie diagnosed with hodgkin lymphoma. Moyle felt honoured to be given the storyline and found it interesting to play the storyline from a comedic perspective.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emma Reid</span> Fictional character from Doctors

Dr. Emma Reid is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera Doctors, portrayed by Dido Miles. Emma made her first appearance on 2 October 2012, and since her arrival, her storylines in the soap have included her romances with character including Howard Bellamy, Lena Baker, Jasmine Dajani and Aashiq Sawney, dealing with her husband's assisted suicide, having a miscarriage, grieving over Howard following his sudden death and being the victim of a homophobic assault.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ayesha Lee</span> Fictional character from Doctors

Ayesha Lee is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera Doctors, portrayed by Laura Rollins. Ayesha was introduced as a Practice Nurse at The Mill, and made her first appearance on 30 September 2014. Since her arrival in the series, Ayesha has faced storylines such as her relationship with Sid Vere, dealing with her mother's alcohol and drug addictions, and being drugged in a bar. In May 2020, Rollins confirmed her departure from the cast of Doctors, and her final scenes aired on 5 June 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sid Vere</span> Fictional character from Doctors

Dr. Sid Vere is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera Doctors, portrayed by Ashley Rice. Sid made his first appearance on 27 April 2015 as an F2 doctor at the fictional Mill Health Centre. His storylines in the programme have included his relationships with colleagues Ayesha Lee and Zara Carmichael and discovering his brother, Laurence Richards. For his role as Sid, Rice has been nominated for various accolades including Newcomer at the 21st National Television Awards and the British Soap Award for Best Actor in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Christopher Walker is an English actor, known for his roles as Larry 'Tiger' Barton in the BBC drama Merseybeat and Rob Hollins in the BBC soap opera Doctors. For his portrayal of Rob, Walker has been nominated for various awards, and in 2010 and 2023, he won the award for Best On-Screen Partnership at the British Soap Awards, alongside Jan Pearson who played his on-screen wife, Karen Hollins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarlett Kiernan</span> Fictional character from Doctors

Scarlett Kiernan is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera Doctors, portrayed by Kia Pegg. Details surrounding Pegg's casting and Scarlett's characterisation were announced in March 2022. She was introduced on 7 April 2022 as an applicant for a receptionist position. Scarlett is depicted as a truthful and short-tempered person who shocks the staff at the Mill with her honesty. She is always shown to have a bright and clashing sense of style, something that Pegg was initially shocked by. Eventually, Pegg began liking the clothes which she felt had impacted her real-life wardrobe and she began suggesting clothes and accessories for Scarlett to wear. Scarlett is hired despite her "feisty attitude" and is initially shown to struggle with the job when she gives the staff members attitude and argues with patients. However, as she settles into the Mill, she befriends with her colleagues and show a more likeable side of herself, while also feuding with fellow newcomer Princess Buchanan.

If Wishes Were Horses (<i>Doctors</i>) 2023 episode of Doctors

"If Wishes Were Horses" is an episode of the British television soap opera Doctors, broadcast on BBC One on 30 March 2023. The episode covers the shock death of mainstay regular character Karen Hollins. Her death was not announced prior to the episode airing, nor was the exit of Pearson after fourteen years of appearing on Doctors. Charlie Clemmow reprised her role as Imogen Hollins for the episode with a voice appearance.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Hughes, Johnathon (30 March 2023). "Doctors kills off long-standing character in tragic shock twist". Radio Times . Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Doctors star Jan Pearson on Black Country accents and bondage gear". Sunday Mercury . 22 November 2009. Archived from the original on 29 May 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Karen Hollins". BBC. Archived from the original on 6 November 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  4. ↑ "'Doctors' pair: 'We're good at arguing'". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 13 January 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  5. ↑ ""Rob won't like Karen keeping secrets from him!" warns Doctors star Chris Walker". Inside Soap . Archived from the original on 2 February 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  6. ↑ Kilkelly, Daniel (21 July 2014). "Doctors actor Chris Walker created Karen's memory loss storyline". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 16 March 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  7. ↑ Timblick, Simon. "Doctors spoilers: Will Karen Hollins survive?". What to Watch . (Future plc). Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  8. ↑ Schewitz, Kim (30 March 2023). "Fans react to Jan Pearson leaving Doctors after 14 years". HITC. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  9. ↑ Hallam, Chris. "Doctors spoilers: Has Karen gone missing as Rob returns to an empty house?". Metro . (DMG Media). Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  10. ↑ "Doctors". TV Times . 1–7 April 2023. p. 27. Rob is utterly bereft following Karen's shock death
  11. 1 2 3 Doctors [@bbcdoctors] (31 March 2023). "❤️" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  12. ↑ Kilkelly, Daniel. "Doctors star Jan Pearson explains Karen Hollins' shock death storyline". Digital Spy . (Hearst Communications). Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  13. ↑ "EastEnders wins best soap at British Soap Awards". What's on TV . 8 May 2010. Archived from the original on 13 January 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  14. ↑ "British Soap Awards 2011: All the Winners and Shortlisted Nominees!". TellyMix. Archived from the original on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  15. ↑ "Who's in line for soap awards". Sky News. Archived from the original on 18 June 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  16. ↑ "Awards -- Midlands". Royal Television Society. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
  17. ↑ "British Soap Awards 2013: the winners in full". Radio Times . Archived from the original on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  18. ↑ "British Soap Awards 2014: full list of winners revealed". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  19. ↑ "British Soap Awards 2016 full winners list: Did your favourites take home prizes?". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  20. ↑ "British Soap Awards 2018 winners list in full: Coronation Street named best soap". The Independent . Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  21. ↑ "Has Jan Pearson been ill? Fans speculate about new haircut on Karen from Doctors". The Focus. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  22. ↑ Warner, Sam (10 May 2022). "British Soap Awards 2022 announces full nominations shortlist". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 11 May 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  23. ↑ Kilkelly, Daniel (3 June 2023). "British Soap Awards 2023 winners revealed – which shows won prizes?". Digital Spy . (Hearst Communications). Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  24. ↑ "The Inside Soap Awards 2023 - cast your vote now!". Inside Soap . 4–10 July 2023.
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.