Sasha Valentine

Last updated
Sasha Valentine
Hollyoaks character
SashaValentine.jpg
Portrayed by Nathalie Emmanuel
Duration2006–2010
First appearance17 July 2006
Last appearance13 August 2010
Classification Past; regular
Introduced by Bryan Kirkwood
Spin-off
appearances
Hollyoaks Later (2008)
Hollyoaks: The Morning After the Night Before (2009)
In-universe information
OccupationBarmaid
Father Leo Valentine
Mother Diane Valentine
Brothers Calvin Valentine
Sonny Valentine
Half-brothers Danny Valentine
Half-sisters Lauren Valentine
Nieces Kathleen-Angel McQueen

Sasha Valentine is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks , played by Nathalie Emmanuel. Sasha first appeared on-screen on 17 July 2006 as part of the newly introduced Valentine family. Sasha has been at the centre of many high-profile storylines including use of recreational drugs, a heroin addiction and a subsequent overdose, prostitution, a victim of a series of violent attacks, portraying a gangster's moll and binge drinking. In March 2010, Paul Marquess announced that 11 characters are to depart the show which included Sasha. [1] Although it was initially reported Emmanuel was axed, Ricky Whittle confirmed she had planned to leave at the end of her contract. [2] Emmanuel left in 2010 and was later credited on 1 December 2010 for a flashback episode.

Contents

Character development

Characterisation

E4 described Sasha as a "smart girl with a nose for trouble much to the dismay of her older brother Calvin. She's a major flirt and once she sets her sight on her man there's no going back until she gets exactly what she wants!". [3] Emmanuel described Sasha as having an "addictive personality" and as being "very immature. I think it comes down to her general lack of judgement!-she's actually very unsure of herself". [4] On the character's development Emmanuel said "I do think Sasha will change, growing more independent but she will always be vulnerable due to her tragic experiences so far in her short life," said the 20-year-old. I think Sasha's character before the drugs and Warren was very shy and not overly confident in herself. The thrill from drugs and bad boy Warren gave her the confidence that she craves. The loss of her mother and her inconsistency of her dads parenting doesn't give her a secure environment and so she feels insignificant within her family." [5] BBC America described the character as "the quiet, observing type. The youngest member of the Valentine family, she is also the glue that holds them together, the peaceful center in a tornado of madness. She's constantly rolling her eyes at her brother Sonny's antics. She also has an unrequited crush on Sonny's best friend, Justin Burton, but she's managed to remain relationship-free while in Hollyoaks." [6] The Daily Star described her as a wild child and "not a bad girl at heart". [7] [8]

Storylines

Sasha arrives in the village with her mother, Diane (Pauline Black), and brothers, Calvin (Ricky Whittle) and Sonny (Devon Anderson). Sasha is close to her mother, and is distraught when Diane is killed in a hit-and-run accident by Jake Dean (Kevin Sacre). Sasha, Calvin, and Sonny's father, Leo Valentine (Brian Bovell), arrives soon after Diane's death and moves into their home. Sasha is the only one to remember Diane's birthday, so she goes to her graveside with Justin Burton (Chris Fountain). Justin accuses his ex-girlfriend Becca Dean (Ali Bastian) of seducing him when he was a minor, and begin living in the Valentine home because of his friendship with Sonny. He smokes cannabis, and offers her some, which she refuses. She covers for him by telling Calvin she was the one who was smoking, which leads to some conflict between brother and sister. She tries to win over Justin's favour by waiting for him in Sonny's bedroom while Sonny is out. When Justin came in nothing happens between them because it was too soon after Becca. They sleep together after Becca is imprisoned. He tells her she was too young and they couldn't see each other. She soon stops trying to seduce him and they begin a friendship.

Sasha achieves straight A's in her GCSE exams, and around this time develops a crush on Fletch. Michaela is also interested in him, and seduces him when he comes over to her house. Sasha goes out with him the next day, and is about to take the relationship further if Michaela had not walked in on them, revealing that she had slept with him. Sasha's father-daughter dinner with Leo is interrupted by a woman crashing through a window. The woman is Valerie Holden (Samantha Giles), whom her father had an affair with and the two teenagers are her half-siblings, Danny (David Judge) and Lauren (Dominique Jackson).

Fletch takes up drugs and offers Josh and Sasha them, but they refuse. Later that night, Valerie takes Sasha out clubbing. This results in Valerie and Katy Fox (Hannah Tointon) having a fight and Sasha and Valerie being thrown out. They are then arrested by Calvin and spend night in the cells. After overhearing an argument between Valerie and Leo in which he calls her boring she leaves to find Fletch who gives her some cannabis, which she smokes. During Niall Rafferty's (Barry Sloane) party, Sasha and Fletch took some Speed. Sasha hallucinates and sees her father angry at her for taking speed. Sasha complains that her heart is beating extremely fast and won't stop, she also complains her jaw and stomach was hurting. Sasha was then sick before Lauren found her. On 11 February, Sasha and Calvin have an argument after he catches her smoking weed with Fletch, and Sasha started mocking him and Carmel McQueen (Gemma Merna). Calvin pushes Sasha causing her to bang her head on the wooden staircase. Sasha moves out of the Valentine's and into Amy and Ste's. Sasha and Fletch decided to take heroin. But the morning after they take the heroin Sasha and Fletch suffer a massive comedown in Amy and Ste's bathroom. Ste finds out and chucks Sasha and Fletch out the flat for taking the heroin. After this Sasha moves back in with the rest of the Valentine's. Sasha is caught in bed with Fletch by her father so -later buys heroin from a drug dealer named Nige. Sasha and Fletch suffer a painful comedown in Sasha's bedroom . She is sick and suffers from nausea and paranoia.

On 23 April 2008, Sasha was dumped by Fletch and then went round to Ste's an asked him for heroin. She asks Ste to inject the heroin into her wrists, but Sasha soon collapses. Ste panics and drags her into the village and leaves her in an alleyway. Calvin finds Sasha and she is rushed to hospital. The following day Sasha wakes up in hospital and is confronted by Calvin. To fund their heroin habit Sasha and Fletch begin stealing from locals including friends and family. Fletch tried to rob Drive 'n' Buy but was caught by Josh, whilst Sasha stole possessions from her brother Danny to fund her heroin habit. Sasha and Fletch steal a laptop from school using Leo's keys. However they are caught by Lauren and are forced to give the laptop back. On 4 June 2008 Sasha became desperate for more heroin and resorted to having sex with Nige for drugs. Nige promises that he will give Sasha more drugs if Sasha has sex with him. Afterwards Sasha asks for her drugs but Nige leaves Sasha with nothing. Nige tells Fletch about him and Sasha, Fletch dumps Sasha and refuses to give her heroin. Sasha finds Fletch slumped in an alleyway barely conscious after he had just finished a fix, Sasha still desperate for more heroin searched through Fletch's bag and pockets looking for heroin she could steal, but finds nothing. Fletch asks Sasha to run away to London with him, however, Sasha turns down the offer. However, Sasha has finally overcome her drug use, with the help of her family. On the day Sasha got her exam results back, Fletch returns, convincing Sasha he is clean. In the park, he is talking to her when she discovers marks on his hands, discovering he has been injecting himself with heroin. Fletch then mugs her. In Hollyoaks Later in November 2008, Sasha and the Dirty Diegos take part in the battle of the band competition in Liverpool, with the opportunity to tour with The Saturdays. After making friends with Vanessa White and Frankie Sandford in the toilets, Frankie and Vanessa later invite her on tour, which she immediately accepts.

Sasha begins a friendship with Warren Fox's mentally disabled foster brother, Spencer Gray, but is using Spencer as a means to get closer to Warren. They begin a relationship which is short-lived when a hate campaign against Warren was started by Clare Devine and Warren was killed in a fire at The Loft. In Hollyoaks: The Morning After the Night Before , Sasha decides to go to Manchester where Josh and Dave Colburn were. She is followed by a strange man but Josh stop him harming her. She and Josh later sleep together.On a night out with Dave and his friends Sasha is arrested for attempting to drive a car while on drugs and without a licence. Sasha is attacked in an alleyway by a mystery person after a night out. After telling Michaela about it Michaela advised her to tell the police, if not for her sake for other girls' sakes however Sasha decided against it. She is involved in a car crash but is mainly unscathed. When Sasha spots an article in the paper about another girl being attacked she opens up to Calvin who supports her and encourages her to tell the police which she does, the incident seems to strengthen her bond with her brother. Her new-found trust in Calvin doesn't last long however as Mercedes tells her, he left Warren to die. Sasha is horrified and when she confronts Calvin, he claims he did it for her. Sasha makes it clear to everyone that Calvin is dead to her. She then gives the Valentines an ultimatum to either choose between her and Calvin. The family decides to stick by Sasha and forces Calvin to move out. Sash leaves to live in London with Lauren and her step mother.

Reception

The Metro described Sasha's time on the show as "Teenager Sasha has been through so much - family troubles, heroin addiction and a dangerously addictive relationship with bad boy Warren Fox". [5] On the character MSN said "You name it, Sasha's been there". [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Burton</span> UK soap opera character (created 2003)

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 family had left the show. It was announced in March 2009 that Fountain had decided to leave the show and would depart in a 'major storyline which echoes the fire which killed his sisters'. Fountain was credited in a flashback episode broadcast on 1 December 2010. On 12 April 2023, it was revealed that Justin had been killed off-screen on 5 October 2022, nearly 14 years after his last appearance on screen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Ashworth</span> UK soap opera character, created 2005

Josh Ashworth, played by Sonny Flood, is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera, Hollyoaks. His first appearance was on 3 October 2005. Josh's storylines have included attempted murder, underage sex, drugs, drinking and joyriding. Flood returned to filming as Josh for three episodes airing in May and August 2012 after a two-year break.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louise Summers</span> UK soap opera character, created 2005

Louise Summers is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by actress Roxanne McKee. The character first appeared in February 2005 as the feisty, glamorous girlfriend of Darren Osborne. McKee has been nominated for several awards for her portrayal of the character. In 2008, it was revealed McKee had quit her role as Louise and planned to depart later in the year. She made her final appearance on 26 December 2008 when fiancé Warren Fox murdered her on their wedding day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neville Ashworth</span> UK soap opera character, created 2005

Neville Ashworth is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera, Hollyoaks, played by Jim Millea. He debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 30 September 2005 and was introduced by David Hanson. Neville departed in July 2010 with his wife Suzanne Ashworth and their son Josh Ashworth, after they were all axed by new executive producer Paul Marquess.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carmel McQueen</span> UK soap opera character, created 2006

Carmel Valentine 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 Kirkwood as part of the McQueen family. Carmel has proved popular with fans with her comedic personality and has become notable for her "dumb blonde" appearance. Carmel was killed-off as she saved her cousin, Theresa McQueen from Sonny Valentine during the "End of the Line" storyline. Her most prominent storylines include her marriage and divorce from Sonny's brother Calvin Valentine, her facial disfigurement after a tanning machine explodes in her face, remarrying Calvin which ends in tragedy after he was shot dead by Theresa, her relationship with Jim McGinn, her feud with Theresa and infatuation with Theresa and Calvin's daughter Kathleen-Angel McQueen, beginning a relationship with Sonny and being killed in an explosion following a train crash at her cousin Porsche McQueen's wedding reception.

Fletch (<i>Hollyoaks</i>) UK soap opera character, created 2005

Jamie "Fletch" Fletcher is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Sam Darbyshire. The character debuted on-screen during episodes airing in October 2005. Fletch was created by executive producer David Hanson as a recurring character. In 2007 new executive producer Bryan Kirkwood promoted Darbyshire to the regular cast. Fletch made his final on-screen appearance on 21 August 2008. Fletch's main storyline was an addiction to the drug heroin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sonny Valentine</span> UK soap opera character, created 2006

Sonny Valentine is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Aaron Fontaine. The role was initially played by Devon Anderson until 2007 when producer Bryan Kirkwood fired Anderson. In 2014, the role was recast when Kirkwood decided to reintroduce the character. On 12 November 2014, Sonny was killed off in a train explosion along with Carmel McQueen, when Carmel rescued her cousin Theresa McQueen from Sonny.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michaela McQueen</span> UK soap opera character, created 2006

Michaela McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Hollie-Jay Bowes. Michaela was the first of the McQueen family to be seen on-screen in 2006, when she was credited as Michaela Jones. On 8 June 2010, Bowes announced that she had quit the show and would leave in six months. However, it was announced on 24 June 2010 that show bosses had axed Bowes and speedily wrote Michaela out after she spoke about upcoming storylines and her exit on social networking website Twitter. Bowes reprised her role as Michaela in 2011, initially appearing in the fourth series of Hollyoaks Later, before reappearing in the main series. In July 2012, Bowes confirmed she would be leaving Hollyoaks, and her final scenes would air on 31 August 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leo Valentine</span> UK soap opera character, created 2006

Leo Valentine is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Brian Bovell. Despite being on the show for over three years, Leo has not been involved in any major storylines, however does serve as a comedic character. In March 2010, it was announced that Leo was one of 16 characters to be axed from the show; he left in August 2010.

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

Warren Fox is a fictional character from the British soap opera Hollyoaks, portrayed by Jamie Lomas. The character and casting were announced on 12 May 2006, and Warren made his first appearance on 26 June. He was introduced as an old acquaintance of Sean Kennedy. Lomas left the series in 2009, with his departure coinciding with the return of Clare Devine. On 17 October 2010, it was announced that Lomas would return to the series, appearing from 29 October, but he left the series for the second time in December 2011.

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

Calvin Valentine is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Ricky Whittle. He arrived in July 2006 as a police officer with his mother Diane Valentine, his brother Sonny Valentine and his sister Sasha Valentine and made his final appearance on 21 May 2010 after he was murdered by Theresa McQueen. Whittle was credited for a flashback episode on 1 December 2010. Calvin appeared again as a ghost to tell his wife and Theresa's Cousin Carmel McQueen that his and Theresa's daughter, Kathleen-Angel McQueen, was fine with Theresa in February 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lauren Valentine</span> UK soap opera character, created 2007

Lauren Valentine is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Dominique Jackson. First appearing in 2007, Lauren was written out of the show in 2010 along with the rest of the Valentine family as part of series producer Paul Marquess' overhaul of the series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Niall Rafferty</span> UK soap opera character, created 2007

Niall Rafferty is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Barry Sloane. He first appeared during an episode broadcast on 3 December 2007. Former Brookside actor Sloane was cast as the "mysterious" hairdresser Niall and was introduced by the series' producer Bryan Kirkwood. During Sloane's portrayal of Niall on-screen, he was central to a storyline involving the already-established McQueen family and it was revealed Niall was the illegitimate son of Myra McQueen. The storyline featured Niall seek revenge on the McQueens, which concluded in highly advertised episodes featuring Niall kidnapping his siblings and causing the death of his half-sister Tina Reilly. Niall was portrayed by upcoming actor Devon Jackson, the older brother of Hollyoaks actor Kieron Richardson, in flashback scenes depicting Niall's childhood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gaz Bennett</span> UK soap opera character, created 2008

Gaz Bennett is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Joel Goonan. He debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 25 November 2008. Goonan took a break from filming during 2010, and returned on-screen on 19 January 2011. Goonan announced his permanent departure from Hollyoaks in October 2011. He made his final appearance on 11 November 2011.

Hollyoaks: The Morning After the Night Before is a British Internet serial drama, which began airing on 6 July 2009. A spin-off from the established Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks, it was set in the city of Manchester a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester. The series follows three established Hollyoaks characters: Josh Ashworth, Sasha Valentine and Gilly Roach as well as new characters: Dave Colburn, Ruby, Gabby and Pippa. One of the new characters Dave was also introduced to Hollyoaks main show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheryl Brady</span> UK soap opera character, created 2008

Cheryl Brady is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Bronagh Waugh. The character first appeared on-screen on 25 November 2008, during the first series of the Hollyoaks spin-off Hollyoaks Later, as the former love interest of Malachy Fisher. She made her first appearance in main Hollyoaks episodes in July 2009, introduced to the serial by series producer, Lucy Allan. In 2010 when Paul Marquess began producing the serial, he felt that Cheryl was being used in the wrong way, subsequently making her a central character to the show. It was announced on 1 February 2013 that Waugh quit her role. Cheryl departed Hollyoaks on 22 March 2013, after four years on the show, along with her brother, Brendan Brady.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spencer Gray</span> UK soap opera character, created 2008

Spencer Gray is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Darren John Langford. The character first appeared on-screen in December 2008. He initially appeared as the foster brother of Warren Fox, turning up after the death of his mother. He is noted for his learning disability and his condition of where he has a mental age of a human in preadolescence. The character was axed by Paul Marquess.

References

  1. "'Hollyoaks' producer axes 11 more". Digital Spy . (Hachette Filipacchi UK). 8 March 2010. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
  2. Simpson, Oli (10 March 2010). "Ricky Whittle 'downplays Hollyoaks cull'". Digital Spy . Hachette Filipacchi . Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  3. "Hollyoaks Sasha Valentine profile". E4.com. E4 . Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  4. Green, Kris (3 March 2009). "Nathalie Emmanuel (Sasha Valentine, 'Hollyoaks')". Digital Spy . Hachette Filipacchi . Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  5. 1 2 "Nathalie's hope for Sasha Valentine". Metro . Associated Newspapers. 12 July 2009. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  6. "Sasha Valentine Character profile BBC America". BBC America . BBC Worldwide. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  7. "Stoned Sam hooks Sash". Daily Star . Northern & Shell. 4 January 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  8. "Sasha's end game". Daily Star . Northern & Shell. 5 May 2008. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  9. "Corrie's on screen goodbye to Blanche". MSN.com . MSN. 3 May 2010. Archived from the original on 29 March 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2011.