Julie Haye

Last updated

Julie Haye
EastEnders character
Julie Haye.jpg
Portrayed by Karen Henthorn
Duration1997–1998
First appearanceEpisode 1504
15 September 1997 (1997-09-15)
Last appearanceEpisode 1608
30 April 1998 (1998-04-30)
Classification Former; regular
In-universe information
OccupationTeacher
Husband Eliot Saunders (backstory)
Sons Josh Saunders

Julie Haye is a fictional character in the BBC soap opera EastEnders played by Karen Henthorn between 15 September 1997 and 30 April 1998. Julie was a love interest for the popular character Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley). [1] After "a whirlwind affair", the couple leave the soap together for a new life in Scotland. [2]

Contents

Storylines

Julie Haye is the teacher of Clare Bates (Gemma Bissix). She is first seen at a parent-teacher meeting in September 1997, where she informs Clare's guardian, Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley), that Clare is associating with a gang of bullies. Clare is initially against Julie's interference, but with Nigel's help, the bullying is eventually curtailed. Julie occasionally visits Nigel's video shop to rent French films, and they become friends. Julie intends to put on a play about the history of Walford and persuades Nigel to help organise it. The play prompts local interest and everyone wants to be involved. Julie kisses Nigel one night after a play committee meeting, but Nigel does not reciprocate, so she is embarrassed. Meanwhile, Clare has begun dating a fellow pupil at her school named Josh Saunders (Jon Lee), who is Julie's son. Julie is divorced from Josh's father Eliot Saunders (Lawrence Lambert), and uses her maiden name so Josh will not be bullied by other pupils. Eliot is unhappy that Julie is planning to take Josh to live in Scotland, which also saddens Nigel. Regretting his prior reticence, Nigel asks Julie to dinner. Their date goes well and they end the evening with a kiss.

Julie's play rehearsals go ahead amidst many problems, mainly concerning casting, as everyone wants the best roles. She also manages to offend Nigel when she recasts his role to Alex Healy (Richard Driscoll). Nigel begins to think that Julie does not reciprocate his feelings, but after much moping Julie reassures him that she really is interested, and invites herself to stay the night at his house. However, the following day, the rose bush that Nigel planted in his dead wife's honour is discovered dead. He sees this as a bad omen and ends his relationship with Julie without explanation. Julie is furious and Clare's attempts to get them back together fail. Nigel regrets his decision but he finds it impossible to tell Julie how he feels as she is too busy organising her play. The play is performed and is a success. Depressed, Nigel shuns the after party, which saddens Julie as she is leaving for Scotland the next day and is unable to say goodbye. Just as her taxi is driving away, Nigel stops it, confesses his love to Julie and asks if he and Clare can come to Scotland with her and Josh. Julie agrees and comes to collect Nigel and Clare later, to begin their new life together as a family in Scotland. When Clare returns to Walford a decade later, in 2008, she reveals that Nigel and Julie are still happily together.

Character creation and development

Julie Haye was introduced in September 1997 as a love interest for the character Nigel Bates (played by Paul Bradley). Actress Karen Henthorn was cast in the role. Henthorn had previously auditioned to play the minor role of a pregnancy counsellor for the character Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer). She was not offered the part, but she was instead asked to audition for the much bigger role of Julie. [3] Having been called back to Elstree Studios to discuss the role with the casting director, Henthorn was told that EastEnders were creating a new "semi-regular" character, Julie Haye, specifically as a love interest for Nigel Bates. [3] Actor Paul Bradley, who played Nigel, had decided to leave the serial the following year, reportedly for fear of being typecast. [2] As Nigel was "such a popular character", and because he had such an unsuccessful love live throughout the course of the show, the producers of EastEnders felt that the viewing public would not want him to have anything other than a "happy ending". "So Julie was being introduced as a vehicle for Nigel’s exit". Because the character Julie was in the process of being conceptualised, the casting director asked Henthorn to read through scenes from previous episodes of EastEnders between Nigel and his deceased wife, Debbie. The audition proved successful and they re-called Henthorn to read through some new scenes, which she had to learn for a screen test. Henthorn has commented, "this meeting was with the same director and two casting directors and took place on the Friday morning. I was offered the job that lunchtime!" [3]

Henthorn has confessed to being a "fan" of EastEnders before she worked on it: "I could hardly contain myself the first time I actually saw Albert Square—‘in the flesh’. I ran all the way round the houses, up and down the steps, knocked on all the doors, peered through the windows of the Queen Vic, jumped around the garden and finally ended up sitting on Arthur's bench—exhausted and totally overwhelmed. It looked exactly the same as it does on the telly and everything is ‘real,’ apart from the buildings—there's nothing behind the walls!" [3]

Viewers saw Nigel—dubbed "the Albert Square nerd"—fall in love with teacher Julie Hay as they tried to sort out his problematic stepdaughter, Clare (played by Gemma Bissix). [2] In a plot twist, Julie was given a son named Josh, who had already formed a romance with Nigel's daughter Clare before his connection with Julie was revealed. Julie's son, Josh, was played by Jon Lee, who went on to find greater fame as a singer in the successful pop band, S Club 7. [4]

A slow on/off romance develops between Nigel and Julie, which progresses into 1998 and eventually leads to the departure of both characters. Nigel is initially shown to struggle with the guilt of moving on following the death of his wife Debbie, who was killed in the serial in 1995 in a hit-and-run accident. Faced with Nigel's uncertainty, Julie makes plans to leave Walford for a teaching job in Scotland; however, moments before she leaves, Nigel changes his mind and opts to move to Scotland with her. The characters make their final appearances in April 1998. A source at the time said: "Nigel deserves a happy ending." [2]

Actress Karen Henthorn has since reflected on her time in EastEnders: "I tried to keep an open mind regarding any expectations of the job. To be honest, I hadn’t got a clue what to expect. All I did know was that, because up until then, I, like the majority of actors, had spent years in and out of work (but mostly out). I had been struggling financially and creatively, had waited on more tables and pulled more pints than I care to remember. I was absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt, going to appreciate every single second, enjoy the whole experience. Which I did—whilst I was actually at work. But when I was away from the working environment, getting recognised in the street everywhere I went, being followed, pointed at, photographed, this was something I didn’t expect. And it happened overnight—one day, you can’t get anyone’s assistance in the supermarket, the next, they’re queuing up to carry your shopping home! Fame didn’t change me—it changed people round me. It was a very ‘interesting’ experience which took quite a while to get used to." [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sonia Fowler</span> Fictional character from EastEnders

Sonia Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Natalie Cassidy. Her first appearance was on 2 December 1993 and she departed on 2 February 2007. She returned briefly in 2010 along with other members of the Jackson family, and re-appeared in the soap from 8 to 18 February 2010 and again in January 2011. Sonia returned as a permanent character on 14 January 2014, as part of a storyline that saw her mother Carol Jackson develop breast cancer. Cassidy took maternity leave in 2016 and Sonia left on 20 September 2016 for her dream job in Kettering. Cassidy made two guest stints during her maternity leave, on 25 December 2016 via webcam and for a three episode arc from 14 to 18 April 2017. She returned full-time on 27 June 2017. On 29 December 2020 it was announced that Cassidy would take an extended break from the show, with Sonia set to leave the Square to return in spring 2021. She departed on 8 January and returned on 16 April.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bradley Branning</span> Fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders

Bradley Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Charlie Clements. He made his first appearance on screen on 24 January 2006 and last appeared on 22 February 2010 after he was killed-off in the show's 25th anniversary. Clements won multiple awards for his portrayal.

Tom Banks (<i>EastEnders</i>) Fictional character

Tom Banks is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Colm Ó Maonlaí from 23 April to 1 November 2002. Introduced in April 2002 as a love interest for Sharon Watts, producers made the decision to axe the character and he was killed off in November 2002. The character was allegedly popular with female viewers who voted him the eighth sexiest male character to appear in EastEnders in a 2005 poll.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nigel Bates</span> Fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders

Nigel Bates is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Paul Bradley from 1992 to 1998. Introduced in 1992 by Leonard Lewis, the character was incorporated gradually and brought back as a regular following a brief stint due to a popular reception. He is depicted as a lovable loser and a nerd. Bradley quit the role and Nigel was written out of the serial in April 1998 and was given a happy ending. The door was left open for a possible future return.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lorraine Wicks</span> EastEnders character

Lorraine Wicks is a fictional character from the British BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jacqueline Leonard between 2 April 1996 and 14 November 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Debbie Bates</span> Fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders

Debbie Bates is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nicola Duffett from 1993 to 1995. She was introduced as a love interest for Nigel Bates, but was killed-off in 1995 at Duffett's request.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clare Bates</span> Fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders

Clare Bates is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Gemma Bissix. Bissix originally played the character as a schoolgirl from 1993 to 1998. She left the serial with her screen stepfather Nigel Bates, when his actor Paul Bradley opted to leave. After a ten-year hiatus, Bissix returned to the role on 1 February 2008. The character was transformed from "cute and sweet" into a gold digging "maneater", chasing wealthy men for their money. The British media focused on the character's penchant for revealing clothing, and while she was praised by some critics, it was suggested that she was underused upon her return. Bissix again left EastEnders at the end of her contract in the summer of 2008. Her departing episode aired on 7 August 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gemma Bissix</span> English actress (b. 1983)

Gemma Bissix is an English actress. She has been acting since the age of 9. Her most prominent roles have been in soap operas, as Clare Bates in EastEnders and Clare Devine in Hollyoaks ; she was awarded with two British Soap Awards for the latter role. Away from soap opera, Bissix has appeared in various television programmes and she competed in the 2009 series of Dancing on Ice. She has appeared in various pantomimes. Bissix returned to Hollyoaks in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billie Jackson</span> Fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders

Billie Jackson is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Devon Anderson from 1993 to 1997, and by Bluey Robinson for a brief return in 2004. The character returned in 2010, along with other members of the Jackson family. It was confirmed in November 2009 that Anderson would reprise the role, 13 years after he was last seen on the soap. He made his return on 4 February 2010. The character was killed off in October 2010, and made his last credited appearance on 14 October.

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

Clare Devine is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by actresses Gemma Bissix and Samantha Rowley. Bissix reprised the role in 2009 for the culmination of Warren Fox and Justin Burton's storylines. She later returned to the show in 2013. Clare was killed-off in October 2013, and Bissix said that it would allow Hollyoaks to develop other villainous characters. Bissix has won three British Soap Awards for her portrayal of Clare, and has been named one of the best British soap opera characters.

Julie Cooper (<i>EastEnders</i>) Fictional character in the BBC soap opera EastEnders

Julie Cooper is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera, EastEnders, played by Louise Plowright from 1989 to 1990. The character was one of Mike Gibbon's introductions, but she was axed in 1990 at the start of Michael Ferguson's reign as executive producer. Julie is portrayed as a bubbly, big haired Salford girl, who has a hungry appetite for men.

Karen Henthorn is a British character actress who portrayed the role of Teresa Bryant in the long-running British soap opera Coronation Street. She appeared in the role briefly in 2007 and became a regular character in 2008. Her character was involved in major story lines. In late 2008, she left the show but returned on 13 April 2009. She then departed the show in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wellard</span> Fictional dog from the BBC soap opera EastEnders

Wellard is a Belgian Tervuren dog from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. His character first appeared in the series on 18 October 1994, and became EastEnders' longest-serving pet, before being killed off on 15 August 2008. Although the character is male, he has been played primarily by three female dogs: Zenna, her daughter Chancer, and her granddaughter Kyte. A fourth dog briefly served as a replacement for Zenna in 1996, when she was given time off from the show to have a litter of puppies.

References

  1. "Nigel Bates". BBC. Retrieved 21 October 2007.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "LOVE AT LAST FOR NIGEL THE NERD". The Mirror . 16 November 1997. Archived from the original on 12 February 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2007.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Interview with Karen Henthorn". Walford Gazette. Archived from the original on 30 January 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2007.
  4. "Jone Lee". www.jonleeofficial.com. Archived from the original on 16 October 2007. Retrieved 21 October 2007.