Holly Cunningham

[tammyy2j]

At least she looks appropriate age wise

[Katy]

I'd just got used to the other one! She was starting to get the hang of it I thought an I liked her scenes with Cindy

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks newcomer Amanda Clapham makes her debut on screen next week as she takes over from Wallis Day in the role of Holly Cunningham.

The show's latest recruit is immediately thrown into an emotional storyline as Holly is left humiliated when a racy picture of herself is spread around the school by Robbie Roscoe.

Here, in her first interview since joining Hollyoaks, Amanda chats to Digital Spy about what's to come.

After filming with Hollyoaks for a couple of months, how it's all going?
"It's been really good and everyone here has been really nice. I feel like I've settled in quite well and it was quite a quick process. I found out that I had the role one day and then was working the next day, so I was straight in there and it's been really fun."

When you were auditioning, did you know all along that it was for the role of Holly?
"At first I didn't know that it was for the part of Holly - I just knew that the audition was for a 'new regular' in the show. It wasn't until my last audition that it was revealed, so I knew from then and I found out pretty quickly afterwards that I had the role."

Is there more pressure when you're playing a recast character?
"I'd say no, because there's been no pressure like that from Hollyoaks so I don't feel any pressure myself. When I found out what the part was, I already knew of Holly from watching Hollyoaks so I was excited to play her.

"I was given the history of the character, a bio for her and a character workshop, so there was a lot of preparation and I felt more excited than nervous. Also, when we had those discussions, we agreed that it would be a fresh take on the character."

From what we've heard, you're already getting on well with your on-screen mum Stephanie Waring (Cindy)…
"Yeah, Steph has been brilliant. On my first day when I started at Hollyoaks, she was at the front door of the building waiting for me. She's been so supportive and lovely to me. Steph has helped me out with anything that I need to know and really helped me to settle in, which has been really great."

Did you feel nervous on your first day?
"I did feel nervous because it's my first TV job, but to be honest my first day was easy because I got to go shopping for all of my character's clothes! I was shown around the studio, shown the ropes and learned all about the scheduling. There was a lot of information to take in, but everyone was really sweet and lovely.

"I've always done drama at college and I went to a local drama school, so I had a lot of experience but in terms of getting TV work, I've only recently had an agent and started doing auditions. Apart from an advert, this is my first TV job so it's really exciting."

Who else have you made friends with?
"I've been working quite a lot with Anna Shaffer, who plays Ruby, and the Roscoe brothers - Charlie Wernham and Alfie Browne-Sykes. They've all been great and really helped me to settle in."

Have you seen much reaction from fans to the news of your casting?
"When the press release went out about Wallis leaving and me taking over, I did get some new followers on Twitter all of a sudden! (Laughs.) People were saying they were excited to see me and asking when I'd be on, but I've tried not to say much on Twitter until I'm actually on screen."

Do you have any plans for when your first episode goes out?
"Well, my family and friends are wanting to have a party! I'll probably be working as it's midweek, but if I'm not, I'll try to have a gathering of some sort!"

How does the handover between Wallis and yourself work on screen?
"There's a two-week gap on screen in between Wallis's final scenes and my first ones. I can't say too much about my introduction and how it works, but you'll obviously see it on screen soon!"

Can you tell us a bit about your first week on screen?
"My first storyline is a 'sexting' storyline where Holly sends a racy picture of herself to her boyfriend Jason and he sends one back. Robbie gets his hands on the picture and spreads it around the school, so it all goes wrong very quickly.

"Holly is obviously upset that a lot of people get to see the picture and I think she's a bit mortified, to be honest! She's upset with Jason because she thinks he's the one who has spread the picture."

Do you think it's a good storyline for Hollyoaks to take on?
"Definitely, especially now that everyone has camera phones at schools. It's something that could easily happen so I think the storyline works well as a bit of a warning to people in that age group of what can happen and how it can escalate."

Will we see Holly continue to struggle with Callum's death?
"Yes, in my first week, Holly gets upset about it and actually gets a bit drunk. She's obviously still dealing with Callum's death. Even though she's trying to move on, it's obviously something that's had a big impact on her."

Cindy is also hiding a massive secret at the moment after Doctor Browning's murder. Does Holly notice anything suspicious?
"I don't think so, not yet anyway! Whenever Cindy is being awkward or doesn't seem to be there for her, Holly has no suspicions at all. Obviously Holly knows that Cindy is pregnant and is dealing with that, so she doesn't think there's anything else going on. It would be great if Holly was brought into it because it's a great storyline for Cindy, Lindsey and Mercedes at the moment."

[lizann]

boyfriend jason, that is fast she was in love with callum a few weeks back and he only just died

[Katy]

boyfriend jason, that is fast she was in love with callum a few weeks back and he only just died

True but she has had a head transplant in this time! It's hard to keep up for us all!!

[Katy]

boyfriend jason, that is fast she was in love with callum a few weeks back and he only just died

True but she has had a head transplant in this time! It's hard to keep up for us all!!

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks teenager Holly Cunningham is left in turmoil next week after fleeing the village with her boyfriend Jason Roscoe.

While Holly is currently planning to escape her troubles in Hollyoaks by running away, in next week's episodes it's Jason (Alfie Browne-Sykes) who insists on them leaving as he is in hot water after blackmailing one of the village's residents.

Although Holly is keen to stand by Jason, it's a difficult time for her to be away from home as her baby brother Hilton is having an important procedure at the hospital.

Digital Spy recently caught up with Amanda Clapham, who plays Holly, to hear about the big week for her on-screen relationship.

How does Holly feel after finding the body in the river this week?
"Holly is mortified. She certainly didn't expect to see that, and things are going wrong for her anyway due to the relationship she has with her mum. After finding out about Doctor Browning's murder, this is another thing bringing her down.

"These horrible things keep happening and I think Holly feels like she can't get the image of the body out of her mind, so she just wants to leave the village."

Would you say it's a build-up of issues then?
"Finding the body was definitely the tip of the iceberg, but before that Holly has fallen out with Cindy and she feels estranged from her now. She just feels like she doesn't know who her mum is anymore.

"Cindy hasn't really explained the full story behind what happened, and Holly hasn't really listened either. She just think it's murder - that's it. So it's definitely a build-up of issues."

If Holly took the time to listen to Cindy, do you think she'd feel differently?
"Well, just before Holly is about to run away with Jason, she does go to say goodbye to Hilton at the hospital and Cindy turns up. Cindy then finally explains how and why Doctor Browning's death happened - well, as much as she can to her teenager daughter!

"Although Holly doesn't understand it, she knows that it was self-defence and she starts to feel like she could move on from this for Hilton's sake. She does feel bad for her mum, so she goes to tell Jason that she has changed her mind and wants to stay in the village after all."

But by this point, Jason has been blackmailing someone and wants to leave the village himself…
"Yes, Jason has his own reasons for wanting to leave. He explains those reasons to Holly and she understands them, although she had no idea what he'd been doing. What Jason says is enough for Holly to realise that they both need to leave."

Holly ends up visiting her grandmother Sheila. What kind of relationship do they have?
"It's very different to Holly's expectations! The first time they meet, Sheila finds Holly and Jason in a very compromising position, which is not the way Holly planned it. They've let themselves in uninvited as nobody was home, and they'd slept on the doorstep the night before.

"Holly expects her grandma to be excited to see her, but actually it's not a nice reunion. Holly is a reminder of Sheila's son who died. Sheila blames Cindy for that, so she tars Holly with the same brush.

"I really enjoyed working with Christine Cox who played Sheila, though - she was brilliant and really lovely. We got on really well and the way they wrote our scenes was perfect. Christine had obviously had a lot of experience, so it was nice for me to work with her. I think we really got our on-screen relationship to match what the writers had wanted."

Knowing that Hilton is about to have a procedure back at the hospital, does Holly feel torn about being away from home?
"As Holly has resolved things with Cindy, she does want to go back because she feels bad that she's not there for her little brother. She keeps getting calls about Hilton and it's another reason for her to think that she should go home. Unfortunately Holly's in a difficult position, because she knows that Jason can't go back."

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks teen Holly Cunningham will head down a darker path this summer when she starts taking legal highs.

The topical storyline will see Holly (Amanda Clapham) led astray by bad boy Kyle Bigsby - already known to regular viewers as one of the thugs who attacked Ste Hay in April.

Fans of the Channel 4 soap have seen Holly face a tough year due to her mum Cindy's bipolar disorder and her boyfriend Jason Roscoe's struggle with body dysmorphia.

Holly's challenging times will soon lead to a change in her attitude, as she decides that it's time for her to start enjoying life by having some fun for once.

Kyle (Mitchell Hunt) chooses this moment to target Holly by offering her a legal high. She initially refuses, but later changes her mind following new troubles with both Cindy and Jason.

After a wild night of partying while under the influence, Holly regrets her irresponsible behaviour - but it may not be long before she is tempted again as life at home becomes even more challenging.

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks teen Holly Cunningham could have a dangerous new enemy next month when Nico Blake discovers that she's a love cheat.

Holly (Amanda Clapham) is currently betraying her boyfriend Jason Roscoe by secretly sleeping with his brother Robbie, but she might not be able to keep her deception going for much longer with Nico on the case.

Trouble brews in early December as Nico (Persephone Swales-Dawson) continues to develop feelings for Jason, deluding herself into thinking that the policeman is interested in her.

Nico gets the wrong end of the stick when she spots Jason (Alfie Browne-Sykes) buying flowers and later finds an identical bunch in her school locker. The mystery gift is actually from newcomer Alfie Nightingale, who has a crush on her.

Convinced that Jason is chasing her, Nico later makes a fool of herself when Jason interrupts Hollyoaks High's Christmas party to propose to his "special girl".

Nico jumps straight in to say yes, but is soon left humiliated when it becomes clear that the proposal was actually meant for Holly.

With Nico furious, it's not long before Holly seems to be paying the price when someone starts targeting her with cruel pranks - including putting worms in her face cream.

The mystery culprit also plants two dolls in Holly's locker that look just like her and Jason, but the female doll has its head ripped off in a sinister attempt to scare her.

As Holly wonders who could be responsible, Nico strikes gold when she overhears her on the phone to Robbie (Charlie Wernham) and realises that she's cheating on Jason.

Nico decides to expose the truth by writing a note to Jason which reveals that Holly is being unfaithful, but will he believe it? And when Jason later disturbs a hooded figure trashing the Cunninghams' flat, has Nico struck again or is someone else responsible?

[tammyy2j]

Team Jason or Team Robbie? Whichever side you're on, Hollyoaks fans don't have too long to wait to find out which Roscoe twin Holly Cunningham ends up with.

The show's next few episodes revolve around a dramatic wedding day for Holly, as she prepares to tie the knot with long-term boyfriend Jason... at local coffee house Esther's Magic Bean of all places. But with bad boy Robbie waiting in the sidelines to steal Holly's heart, Jason may just have a fight on his hands...

Digital Spy recently caught up with Amanda Clapham, who plays Holly, to see what she makes of her character's big dilemma.

So it's finally time for the wedding! But has Holly actually decided who she wants to be with yet?

"Right up until the wedding, Holly is sure that she wants to be with Jason now. She's convincing herself that marrying him is the right thing to do. Holly obviously does still have feelings for Robbie too, but she's just trying to ignore them.

"When Holly is getting ready for the wedding, her mum finds out about her fling with Robbie when she sees a text message that Holly sent him. That really throws her. Once Cindy knows, that's when Holly really starts to wonder whether she's doing the right thing."

Does Cindy offer some good motherly advice for once?

"Yeah, Cindy is definitely trying to think about what's best for Holly in the long-run, so she does give some advice. But at the same time, I don't think Cindy fully knows where Holly's head is at. Cindy's had such a busy year herself and she hasn't necessarily been that close to Holly. So whether Holly will be prepared to listen to what Cindy has to say, I'm not sure."

We know Holly does make it to the wedding, but then Robbie turns up and asks her to marry him instead. How does Holly react?

"Holly just thinks it's a little bit too late. It's the worst possible time that Robbie could do that. As far as Holly's concerned, he should have dealt with this way before now, so she's still determined to marry Jason."

This is Hollyoaks, though, so there must be a few more twists to the tale...

"Absolutely! I can say that there's a video which gets sent to Jason on the wedding day, which has some big repercussions. But I can't say where, when or what it is! It's an exciting twist, though."

When you were filming this storyline, did you have any strong feelings on which guy Holly should be with?

"For me personally, it's been such a whirlwind for Holly that I kind of feel like she shouldn't be with either Jason or Robbie. She's so young to be getting married and it's not necessarily for the right reasons, either. It's obvious that she doesn't know what to do."

"There's definitely a divide between the fans. I expected everyone to be giving me a bit more stick and saying: 'Holly, what are you doing?!' That's probably what they should be saying, to be honest. But actually I've found that it's one group of people wanting Holly and Jason to stay together, and another wanting Holly and Robbie to be a couple instead."

It's no secret that you and Alfie Browne-Sykes, who plays Jason, are an item in real life. It must have been awkward filming a love triangle story with him?

"No, not at all - I think just because it's so far from reality. For example, I don't think I'd ever have a wedding in a coffee shop! It's so far from our own lives that it's just a good laugh."

What was it like to film the wedding itself?

"It was really good fun. I'd always thought that it wouldn't be long before Holly had a wedding, because we have so many in Hollyoaks. But I was really excited about this one and it also was done in quite a realistic way for Holly only being 18 years old, which I was excited about.

"One thing I liked was that the venue was the coffee shop! I just really wanted it to be sweet but minimal. Holly and Jason are so young that I don't think it'd be very realistic if they hired out a really big place."

Did you have any input into the wedding dress?

"The wardrobe team bought the dress from ASOS, got me to try it on and I really loved it straight away. Obviously Holly has not got a lot of money, so we wanted it to be simple but still pretty. It's not your typical wedding dress but I was really happy about that.

"I had to wear the dress for about four days in total, but fortunately it was quite comfortable. Although with the hair, the heels and everything combined, you do feel a bit overdressed for work!"

Holly was always such a good girl. Are you sad she's gone down this more controversial route by having an affair with Robbie?

"I think it was important to see that side of Holly, because at the end of the day, she is a vulnerable girl. She hasn't had the best foundations set for her from a young age and she's had to deal with a lot.

"It's nice to see those vulnerabilities when she's not knowing which path to take and not always making the right decisions. It's very interesting to play and that's where it comes from."

How about Holly's future in the longer-term? Will things get even juicier?

"Yes, I'm really happy with everything that's coming up. I can't really say too much, but I've been filming some very exciting stuff recently..."