Hollyoaks

2008/9 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Television

Hollyoaks
Image: HOLLYOAKS.gif
Format Soap opera
Created by Phil Redmond
Country of origin United Kingdom
Production
Running time approx. 23 minutes
Distributor Lime Pictures
Broadcast
Original channel Channel 4
Original run 23 October 1995 – present
External links
Official website
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

Hollyoaks is a British television soap opera, first broadcast on 23 October 1995, on Channel 4. Originally devised by Phil Redmond, who also devised shows such as Brookside and Grange Hill, the programme is set in and around the fictional Chester suburb of Hollyoaks and is centred around a college of higher education called Hollyoaks Community College, (often mistaken for the real-life University of Chester), with the characters generally being in their late teens or early twenties. The cast has expanded from just seven major characters to well over 30 cast members. Tony Hutchinson is the only remaining original character.

The programme is known for launching the careers of Will Mellor, Gemma Atkinson, Gary Lucy, Elize Du Toit, Jeremy Edwards, Terri Dwyer, Ali Bastian and James Redmond.

Since 2001, Hollyoaks has produced two yearly calendars. One is entitled 'Hollyoaks Babes' and the other 'Hollyoaks Hunks'. Both calendars sell extremely well every year.

The soap is currently produced by Bryan Kirkwood.

Characters

Production and broadcasting

Produced by Lime Pictures (formerly Mersey Television) and filmed mainly at studios in Liverpool (there was originally extensive location filming in Chester, but this is exceptionally rare now, with almost all exterior work being done in either Liverpool or St Helens), the show currently broadcasts at 18:30 each weekday on Channel 4, with an omnibus edition on Sunday morning, usually at 9.50am but this time may vary. At 19:00 each weekday, Channel 4's sister station E4 airs a 'First Look' feature, in which viewers are able to watch the episode which will be shown on Channel 4 the following day. A Saturday omnibus is also aired on E4 as well as daily repeats each weekday at 16.30. The Welsh fourth channel, S4C, broadcasts the Sunday omnibus only.

Hollyoaks is also shown in other countries, such as in Canada on the BBC Kids channel, Ireland on TV3 and, as of 2007, in the United States on BBC America from June to November 2007 (episodes continued to be available on the BBC America website) as well as in parts of Eastern Europe including Ukraine. It has recently been aired in New Zealand on C4 at 6.30pm weeknights and an omnibus is also being shown on Saturday at 2.00pm. This broadcast has since been discontinued due to lack of viewership.

Episodes shown in countries other than the United Kingdom started at the time of the Sam Owen's return which aired in the UK during Summer 2006. Broadcasts of the show in Ireland are an international version of the UK episodes, and do not contain the same incidental music and songs as the UK version, presumably as a result of music licensing and copyright issues.

The title sequence

On 26 February 2007, the programme launched a revamped title sequence which was brought about because the majority of characters featured in the previous version had left the programme, while others generally looked differently to how they did in the old title sequence.

The sequence undergoes minor changes regularly - usually because a character has left the programme, or after some new characters have joined.

Issue-led storylines

Over the course of the show's history, it has dealt with a number of storylines based on serious problems. Given the large and established proportion of young viewers, some feel that the soap is an ideal platform to show a variety of life-problems. Storylines the soap has dealt with include murder, homelessness, cot death, racism, homophobia, heroin abuse, male rape, sexuality, child abuse, anorexia/ bulimia, incest, sexual harassment and bullying in the workplace, carbon monoxide poisoning, living with epilepsy and pupil/teacher relationships, self harm, OCD and, most recently, gambling addiction, sexual offences against children, the effects of wrongful accusation and surrogacy. Often a telephone helpline number is displayed after episodes that feature a particular emphasis on a story that may have affected viewers.

Awards

Hollyoaks was the only soap to be nominated in every category at the 2007 British Soap Awards. It went on to win 3 awards at the ceremony, 'Villain of The Year' for Gemma Bissix portrayal of Clare Devine, 'Best Comedy Performance' for Gemma Merna and her portrayal of Carmel McQueen and 'Sexiest Female' for Roxanne McKee. McKee also won the award for Sexiest Female at The Inside Soap Awards 2007.

Hollyoaks was named Broadcast of the Year at the 2007 Stonewall Awards, held at London's Victoria and Albert Museum. The award was based on John Paul McQueen ( James Sutton) and Craig Dean's ( Guy Burnet) gay affair storyline. Stonewall, an organisation that campaigns for equality for gay men and women, praised the show for its "sympathetic and convincing handling" of the "gritty and emotional" storyline.

Music

Hollyoaks is the only major British soap to make use of incidental music. Each episode begins with a current or recent chart song. These have included bands such as Ocean Colour Scene with the song " Hundred Mile High City", Linkin Park, The Pigeon Detectives, Belle & Sebastian, Oasis, Radiohead, Fall Out Boy, Scissor Sisters, U2, Franz Ferdinand, Kaiser Chiefs, Justin Timberlake, The Libertines, The Kooks, Muse, Feeder, Seth Lakeman, Arctic Monkeys, Morrissey, KT Tunstall, The Fratellis, Kasabian, The Darkness, Maroon 5, BabyShambles, Sugababes, 30 Seconds to Mars, Goldfrapp, Dirty Pretty Things, Kate Nash, The Maccabees, Snow Patrol, Rihanna, Amy Winehouse and My Chemical Romance. Current chart songs are not used in the international version of the show; instead library music and a selection of purposely-composed songs are used.

In 2007, The Alphites were the first band to perform on the show. They played in the SU Bar.

A "Hollyoaks" soundtrack CD was released in 2001, containing music used in the programme.

The main theme was written and performed by Steve Wright, who also produced music and themes for Brookside, Grange Hill and other Lime Pictures productions.

Hollyoaks specials

The show also features occasional late-night spin-off editions, which feature more dramatic or controversial plot lines; these generally do fit into the Hollyoaks universe, and are considered canon. There are also a number of DVD and Video specials.

Hollyoaks DVD and Video specials

  • Hollyoaks: Off on One (1998)
  • Hollyoaks: Indecent Behaviour (2001)

Hollyoaks Late Night Specials

  • Hollyoaks: Breaking Boundaries (2000)
  • Hollyoaks: Boys Do Barca (2000)
  • Hollyoaks: Leap of Faith (2003)
  • Hollyoaks: After Hours (2004)
  • Hollyoaks: In Too Deep (2005)
  • Hollyoaks: Crossing The Line (2005)
  • Hollyoaks: No Going Back (2005)
  • Hollyoaks: Back From The Dead (2006)

Hollyoaks Spin Offs

  • Hollyoaks: Movin' On (2001)
  • Hollyoaks: Let Loose (2005)
  • Hollyoaks: In the City (2006)

Books

  • Hollyoaks: Coming Together (1996)
  • Hollyoaks: Can't Get the Girl (1996)
  • Hollyoaks: New Friends (1997)
  • Hollyoaks: Friends and Families (1997)
  • Hollyoaks: Luke's Secret Diary (2000) Luke dealing with life after being raped by Mark Gibbs
  • Hollyoaks: Lives and Loves of Finn (2000)
  • Hollyoaks: Running Wild (2002): About what Ellie Mills (nee Hunter) did before she came to Hollyoaks and the real reason she returned.
  • Hollyoaks: Seeing Red (2002): about Lisa Hunter self harming.
  • Hollyoaks: Truth or Dare (2006): about Hannah Ashworth, Nancy Hayton and Sarah Barnes on a school trip to France. Although Nicole Owen is featured on the cover she does not appear in the book as she is still in shock after Andy Holt's attack.
  • Hollyoaks: Playing with Fire (2006): this follows the storyline of Becca Dean and Justin Burton's affair.
  • Hollyoaks: Fame Game (2006): about Steph Dean and Debbie Dean in London on a search for stardom.
  • Hollyoaks: Guilt Trip (2006): about Nicole Owen's struggle for a normal life and Sam Owen's plan and action for revenge.

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