'Hollyoaks' confirms cast departures

[moonstorm]

Hollyoaks bosses have today cleared up confusion surrounding the fates of the soap's Sharpe family and Anita Roy.

The four-member Sharpe clan - consisting of Gabby (Phina Oruche), Phil (Andonis Anthony), Taylor (Shaun Blackstock) and Amber (Lydia Lloyd-Henry) - were introduced to the show last summer as part of former producer Paul Marquess's rejuvenation of the programme.

However, shortly before Christmas fans saw the family's storylines reach an abrupt end before they departed the village. Since then, the fallout of Amber's teen pregnancy plot has been resolved with the foursome remaining offscreen.

A Hollyoaks spokesperson told DS today: "There are no immediate plans to bring the Sharpe family back into the show following their recent departure."


Meanwhile, it has also been confirmed that next week's drama for Anita Roy (Saira Choudhry) - which sees her old nemesis Gaz return to the village - will result in the character leaving the soap permanently.

The show's representative said: "Sadly Saira Choudhry will be leaving us on screen in the week commencing 17th January and there are no plans for her to return. After two-and-a-half fantastic and action-packed years in the show for Anita, Saira felt it was time to move on and we wish her the very best of luck."

Additionally, Anita's outrageous mother Eva will be seen leaving the village in the days ahead - but, as reported back in August, a future comeback is possible for her portrayer Sheree Murphy.

"Because of family commitments, Sheree sadly had to inform the writers that she wouldn't be able to renew her contract with Hollyoaks when it came to an end and her exit was storylined," the spokesperson said. "However, the door has been left open for Eva to return to the village and now that Sheree's personal circumstances have changed, the team will consider the feasibility of bringing Eva back at a later date."

Finally, DS can also confirm that Hollyoaks High headteacher Rob O'Connor (Gary Cargill) will remain offscreen "for the time being" following his split from wife Diane (Alex Fletcher) in this week's episodes.

[lizann]

No real loss

[Katy]

no, all the Paul Marques additions have been awful. There are a lot more that could go for my likeing, i really cant get over how poor hollyoaks has become. It used to be so good and im sure that its not just because i got older.

[tammyy2j]

There is a lot more he could get rid of also

[tammyy2j]

Phina Oruche has admitted that she felt "rejected" when she discovered that the Sharpe family had been dropped from Hollyoaks.

The actress's character Gabby Sharpe and her two children Taylor (Shaun Blackstock) and Amber (Lydia Lloyd Henry) made abrupt departures from the village shortly before Christmas.

Show bosses later confirmed that there were "no immediate plans" to reintroduce the clan, who had been on screen for six months.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Oruche commented: "I was working every single day - I did 40 episodes and we were really going for it, but then it suddenly stopped and somehow I feel we were rejected.

"Initially they told me my screen family was going to be written out for a while then reintroduced. That was at the end of October, but then three weeks ago we found out we weren't coming back. I think because it was Liverpool and I was home, I took it harder. It mattered more, so it felt like a kick in the teeth."

She continued: "But you know, God slams one door and traps your fingers but then he opens another one. And I know that people are losing their jobs everywhere, so I don't feel like I'm any worse off than anyone else.

"In a way, I'm lucky because Hollyoaks brought me back, after I'd been out of acting for two years having my baby Paolo, and it gave me the chance to prove to myself that I can still do it."

Oruche recently landed a presenting job on BBC Radio Merseyside and she is also launching her own newspaper column.

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks bosses have recast the role of Amber Sharpe for a short storyline.

Former Waterloo Road actress Lauren Gabrielle-Thomas has been cast in the part of Amber, who is the mother of Finn O'Connor's young daughter Bella.

Lauren Gabrielle-Thomas
© John Nichols
Lauren Gabrielle-Thomas

Amber was previously played by Lydia Lloyd-Henry for six months in 2010, before being written out alongside the rest of her on-screen family.

While show bosses have yet to reveal any official information about her return, Amber will be appearing back on screen for three episodes.

Amber was previously mentioned on screen late last year as Finn managed to briefly track down Bella, but the young mum did not appear herself.

Bella will also be back on screen as part of the new story, but further details are being kept under wraps.

Gabrielle-Thomas previously played the role of Aleesha Dillon on Waterloo Road for three series.