Mercedes McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jennifer Metcalfe. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 19 June 2006 as the first character to be introduced to the series by series producer, Bryan Kirkwood. In 2008 Metcalfe feared that the character was to be axed but was later reassured by the series producer that she would not be. Metcalfe later stated her intention to stay with the series. Mercedes is part of the McQueen family and is the longest serving McQueen on the series. On 26 August 2014, it was revealed that Metcalfe had decided to quit the soap. On 20 November 2014, Mercedes was presumably stabbed to death, with her body discarded. However, Metcalfe returned to screens on 17 February 2015 in a surprise, unannounced twist which saw Mercedes revealed as alive and well, living in Nice, France. It was announced that Mercedes would make a full-time return to the show in May 2015, after brief appearances on 18 February, 9 March, and 6 April. Metcalfe announced her pregnancy in 2017 and revealed that she would be taking a year's break from the show. Mercedes was last seen on screen leaving with Goldie McQueen on 4 July 2017, although she briefly appeared on 7 September 2017 in a fake flashback scene involving her and Amy Barnes surmised by James Nightingale. Mercedes returned on 9 July 2018, and then made several other appearances before returning permanently on 13 August.
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.
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 24 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.
The Dog in the Pond is a fictional public house in the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. It has been at the centre of the show's setting since it began in 1995. In 2003, The Dog in the Pond was nominated as the "Best TV Boozer of All Time" in a poll run by Blackthorn Cider. The pub was burnt down in episodes airing in September 2006 during the 'Fire at The Dog', which killed five regular characters. The fire was named as one of soap's biggest disasters by the Daily Record in 2010.
Rae Wilson is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Alice Barlow. She appeared in the series from 5 October 2009 until 13 September 2011. Actress Helen Russell-Clark – who went on to play Jem Costello – originally auditioned for the role, but the part was awarded to Barlow. Producer Lucy Allan said Barlow was her favourite addition to the cast during 2009. She made her final appearance on 13 September 2011.
Jem Costello is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Helen Russell-Clark. She made her first on-screen appearance on 5 March 2010. It was later announced that Jem had been written out of the serial, and the character would leave in November 2010. Russell-Clark made her final appearance as Jem on 30 November 2010.
Carl Costello is a fictional character from the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Paul Opacic. The character was introduced by executive producer Paul Marquess and he debuted on screen during the episode broadcast on 19 July 2010. Carl arrived in the village as the new owner of The Dog in the Pond and the father of established character Jem Costello. Carl departed from Hollyoaks on 1 December 2011 with his son Jason Costello. Opacic later reprised his role and returned to Hollyoaks on 26 September 2012 and left again on the 5 October 2012. Opacic reprised his role once more in January 2013, which coincided with the exit of Mitzeee Minniver. He returned on 25 January 2013 and departed again on 15 February 2013. Opacic returned again for a guest appearance on 10 July 2018, which ended in his character being murdered by an unknown assailant on 11 July of that year. He reappeared via a flashback on 16 November 2018, which revealed Breda McQueen to be his killer.
Heidi Costello is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Kim Tiddy. She made her first on-screen appearance on 20 July 2010 and made her final appearance in the series on 1 November 2011, after Heidi was accidentally murdered by her father, Silas Blissett, in which he mistakes her for Lynsey Nolan.
Riley Costello is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Rob Norbury. Riley was introduced on 20 July 2010 with the Costello family as part of a cast overhaul of the series. In December 2011, the serial's executive producer Emma Smithwick said that Riley would remain in Hollyoaks despite his family's departure. On 14 September 2012, it was announced Riley was to leave Hollyoaks and Riley was killed off in a shooting during the episode airing 3 October 2012.
Anne "Mitzeee" Minniver is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Rachel Shenton. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 23 July 2010. Mitzeee was created by series producer Paul Marquess for a different television series which was never commissioned and instead introduced his ideas onto Mitzeee. She is also one of the first characters created in Marquess's 2010 reinvention of Hollyoaks. Mitzeee is a wannabe glamour model and WAG, she is portrayed as being ruthless in achieving her goals and is fame driven. Shenton helped create her backstory and has stated on different occasions that Mitzeee uses femininity to get what she wants. Various media outlets drew comparisons to the character with pop star Cheryl Cole, and Mitzeee spells her career name with triple e's because she finds her name plain, a tag Shenton has also agreed with. On 20 December 2012, it was announced that Shenton had left the show and her final scenes aired on 15 February 2013.
Bart McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jonny Clarke. He first appeared onscreen at his stepmother's funeral in August 2010, introduced by producer Paul Marquess as a member of the McQueen family. During his time on the show, Bart had been involved in: relationships with Jason Costello and Sinead O'Connor, being stabbed during the third series of Hollyoaks Later, his involvement in Esther Bloom's bullying storyline, causing the bus crash featuring in the notable Enjoy the Ride storyline, and falling off the rails with a growing cannabis habit.
Jason Costello is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Victoria Atkin. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 2 August 2010 and was introduced by series producer Paul Marquess as a member of the yet to be established Costello family.
Lynsey Nolan is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Karen Hassan. The character originally appeared in the first series of the Hollyoaks spin-off Hollyoaks Later. In 2010, Hollyoaks series producer Paul Marquess asked Hassan to join Hollyoaks as part of the soap's ongoing rejuvenation, to which she agreed and the character began appearing in the main show from 11 August 2010. Hassan left Hollyoaks in 2012 when her character was killed off during a "dramatic cliffhanger" episode. To surprise the audience, the actress's exit was not announced beforehand. Hassan's final scenes were broadcast on 21 August 2012, giving viewers the "ending they were looking for".
Ruby Button is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Anna Shaffer. Shaffer's casting was announced in December 2010 and it was revealed that Ruby would be introduced as the sister of Duncan Button. Shaffer originally auditioned for the role of Leanne Holiday, in which she was not successful. Shaffer began filming her scenes in late 2010 and relocated to Liverpool for filming. Ruby made her first appearance in the episode broadcast on 3 January 2011. In October 2013, it was announced that Shaffer had quit the role and would leave in February 2014. In October 2017, speculation emerged indicating Shaffer was to reprise the role very soon and on 16 November 2017, it was confirmed that Ruby would be back for Frankie Osborne's funeral later that month. She returned on 23 November 2017, departing in the following episode, broadcast on 24 November. She made another return for a guest stint at the end of April 2018, making her final appearance on 30 April.
Silas Blissett is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jeff Rawle. Rawle's casting was announced in December 2010 and it was revealed that he would portray a serial killer. Rawle was approached by Hollyoaks and met with series producer, Paul Marquess, who explained the role of Silas and his storyline. Rawle found the storyline something which he would like to "have a crack at". The actor said that the role of Silas is "very interesting" for him as he had not played a murderer in his career before. He made his first on-screen appearance in episode 2979, originally broadcast on 23 December 2010. However, Silas departed for the first time on 4 November 2011. Silas returned on 19 July 2012, as a guest stint. Silas returned again in 2016 as well as making two further returns in 2020 and 2022 with this being his last return as he was killed-off in a final showdown with the McQueens.
The fourth series of Hollyoaks Later is a British television series and late night spin-off of Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. The series aired in September 2011 at 10pm. The series revolved around Silas Blissett's search for another murder victim which culminated in the death of Rae Wilson, the stag do of Riley Costello, the hen party of Mercedes McQueen and Ricky Campbell and Duncan Button's trip to fat camp.
Doug Carter is a fictional character from the British soap opera Hollyoaks, played by PJ Brennan. Brennan initially appeared as Doug in the programme's online spin-off series Hollyoaks: Freshers, before his debut in the main show on 13 September 2010. He appeared in 5 episodes before returning on 13 January 2011 as a regular character.
Paul Browning is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Joseph Thompson. He made his debut screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 23 January 2012 and was introduced by Emma Smithwick. Doctor Browning was introduced as part of a storyline featuring Mercedes McQueen in which he "shows her the benefits of 'selling her services'". Doctor Browning and Mercedes later begin a relationship, which Smithwick called a "union of the dark soul mates". Thompson said that Doctor Browning and Mercedes "are excited by how dangerous the other is" and are "kindred spirits" who have an "undeniable connection between them". When Lynsey Nolan is murdered in a whodunnit plot Doctor Browning becomes a suspect before it is later revealed he had killed Lynsey. Doctor Browning is described as having an "incredible capacity for Sleaze" and as someone who "needs to be in control and is not afraid to use underhand tactics".
