'Hollyoaks' producer Emma Smithwick talks show future: Interview

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Hollyoaks has enjoyed a successful year with memorable storylines including serial killer Silas Blissett's reign of terror, Jacqui and Gilly's rape storyline, the crumbling of the Costello family and Brendan Brady's prison ordeal.

To hear what the future holds for the Channel 4 soap as we head into 2012, Digital Spy recently caught up with the show's new series producer Emma Smithwick for a chat about all things Hollyoaks.

You've been Hollyoaks' series producer for a few months now. How's it all going so far?
"It's going brilliantly, I'm absolutely buzzing. I think the autumn was outstanding and I'm so happy with the material that we've got coming through now. I've been producer for a few months now, but I was here for a while before that as series editor so whilst it's somewhat of a new role, I have been heavily invested in all the storylines that are currently on screen."

What can you tell us about your overall vision for the show?
"I have a very strong idea about the show that I want to make, and a lot of it is coming through already so the viewers will have seen it. I joined Hollyoaks in May which saw the beginning of a lot of the changes that are coming through.

"There have been a lot of new arrivals and through the stories that we're telling and the way we're telling them, we want the audience to really engage with the characters. It definitely takes time but when that happens, it means you can do things with the characters and the viewers will really care. I find the worst thing is when you watch certain shows and something horrendous happens, but you don't really care or know why you should care. Emotional integrity is one of the key things that I want to drive through.

"I also want to use the audience more and get them involved, as we did recently with the Wretch 32 Invasion. I'd like to redefine the way that the viewers can watch a show."


2011 has been a strong year for Hollyoaks but now it feels like a number of successful and long-running stories have ended at the same time, such as Silas's murders, Jacqui/Gilly/Rhys, Jason's transgender, and the Costello affair dramas. Do you have equally big and long-running stories to replace these with next year?
"Definitely. I know there's been varying reactions to sixth formers and the freshers, and we tried to complement the Silas storyline by bringing in those characters alongside it. Those characters have had a bit of a 'soft launch', but certainly at the beginning of next year, we'll be doing a lot of getting to know those characters even more so that we can elevate them and their stories.

"As well as the sixth formers and the freshers, there are a lot of other characters who will have big storylines coming up in 2012. We're certainly not going to drop long-running stories just because a number of them have now culminated - 2012 is going to be a big year."

When will your first episode credited as series producer air?
"It's going to be on Boxing Day - so it's going to be the Doug special."

When do you think your full vision for the show will be reflected on screen?
"It's a tricky question to answer, because it's already started. When I started here, it was at the inception of the new characters and even Abersoch week was one of the first things that I worked on. I've also worked on the culmination of the Silas storyline. I'm so happy with the stuff that is coming through now and coming up in the New Year. It feels like everything is coming together as the show that I envisaged when I started."


A lot of fans seem concerned that the focus of Hollyoaks is shifting towards the younger characters and away from their favourites within the older cast. Can you offer any reassurances over this?
"It would be absolutely ludicrous not to keep a certain amount of focus on favourites like Brendan, Ste and others - there are so many great characters and just because they're 'older' characters obviously doesn't mean that they're old! I think we have four very distinct layers of characters - we've got the sixth formers, we've got the freshers, we've got the 20-somethings and then we've got the older cast with people like Frankie and Jack. They're all just as important as each other when delivering a credible daily drama.

"Also, what we'll be doing a lot of is crossing over stories with unexpected characters. For example, we have a Brendan/Ash crossover coming up. Ash is attracted to bad boys and you don't get much more of a bad boy than Brendan! Her fascination with him will uncover more about his character than I think we have seen in a while. The minute you make those crossovers happen, you get some really interesting stories.

"Another thing I felt was that we had all these women on the show in their late 20s who are young, vibrant, fun and up for a laugh - but they didn't seem to have any friends, which I found really odd. So what we do in the episodes coming up is put them together in quite an unlikely way. Suddenly, you've got all these women who are hilarious when you put them together. I want to do more of that - putting characters together who you wouldn't ordinarily see."

Did the ratings boost for the climax of the Costello and Silas storylines affect your thinking for the type of stories the audience want to see and which characters should be prominent?
"The success of the Silas and Costello plot climaxes didn't change my mind at all, because I never discounted those characters in the first place. What it did was reaffirm to me that the characters were popular and compelling to watch. For me, it's about how we create a show which organically involves both the younger and older characters. They live in a very small village, so we want them to cross paths a lot more than they do."


The new batch of freshers seem to have settled in reasonably well, but it's fair to say that the online reaction to the sixth formers has been negative. Is this something you're aware of and are you working on it?
"I'm definitely aware of it as I read a lot of online feedback. With regards to working on it, sometimes it can be hard to pinpoint why people have certain reactions, and other times it's glaringly obvious. I think the freshers had quite a soft entry into the show, and because Will was quite a well-liked character anyway, we came into that world with him.

"With the sixth formers, they came into the show en masse, so now it's a case of breaking them up and giving them their own stories and sub-stories in order to grow love for them. When I say 'love', you don't always have to like them - some of the best characters are people who you wouldn't want to be friends with! For me, it's all about character development. When you make them really robust characters, then people will be able to form proper opinions on them and that's what I'm hoping for."

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Among the new sixth formers, Tilly, Maddie and Callum have come to the forefront more than the others. Do you also have plans for Neil, Jono and George or do you see them more as supporting cast members?
"The three of them will have their own stories but it's just a case of waiting. Different characters will peak at different times depending on what is right for them and their story.

"With Maddie and Callum, we felt that they had such chemistry together and it was time to see something happen. Jono and Neil will have their own stories, and I really love George - I'm really excited about a storyline we have coming up for him. I don't think I ever designate certain characters as 'supporting' ones, as for me, they all need to come into the show as fully-formed characters."


The family units of the O'Connors and Osbornes have been quite quiet for a while. Are there any plans for them and will we see more of characters like Frankie, Jack, Diane and Finn?
"Yes, we will definitely see more family-related stuff - for sure. But I think another shift in terms of the new vision for the show is recognising that when you start university, the people who you live with and hang around with kind of become your family. Similarly at sixth form - your friends are your everything.

"We want to give a lot of weight to the friendship groups so that they feel like families in themselves, but that doesn't mean to say we won't focus on the family units too. I really like Diane - I think she's great and I want to see more of her. It'll be a case of how do we bring her in, cross her over with stories and give her a place in the village. Similarly with the Osbornes, as I'm a big fan of them. I also want to see more of the Savages - the brothers, Dirk and Liberty as a family unit and how can there not be drama when the McQueens are around?!"

After so many new arrivals for the village, are there any plans to put a curb on this and concentrate on the existing cast?
"We're definitely aware of this. I wouldn't say we'd put a strict cap on it as such, as you have to bring in new people for certain storylines, but certainly September saw a lot of new characters joining and they're going to be around for a while. We need to concentrate on growing them and growing their relationships with the rest of the village. We're certainly not going to bring in a gospel choir of characters at Christmas or anything like that! (Laughs) We'll be generally keeping the cast where it is now."

With such a large cast, are you confident than you can provide a decent balance when it comes to screen time?
"In terms of scheduling, sometimes when you give characters a really strong A-storyline, you have to drop them down a bit afterwards and see other people. For me, it's all about story. You can tell when the writers are really buzzed about certain characters, as their pitches are electric, so then we work hard to make those stories happen."

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It seems that all of the Costellos apart from Riley are leaving the show, so can you tell us what that means for the future of The Dog?
"Yes, Riley is sticking around, but I don't think he's in the mental state to want to stand around behind the bar pulling pints for punters! What I can say is that The Dog has had a bit of a makeover, but you'll have to tune in and find out why! There'll be someone else behind that bar."

We know that College Coffee will soon be opening, but will there be more set changes ahead? There's been an online rumour that Cinergy will soon be boarded up…
"There are definitely set changes afoot - 2012 will see a number of new sets come in. As for Cinergy being boarded up, let's just say that Cindy hasn't been the best when it comes to her money so that would certainly be plausible!"

Are there any plans to create one set of opening titles which feature the whole cast, or will you carry on playing different versions as we're seeing currently?
"We've just recently filmed the title shots for some of the new cast, and I love them. At the moment, we need to keep alternating them with two different sets as the cast is so big. There are no plans to change that at the moment."


We've recently seen the Bart and Jason E4 special and the Jacqui/Gilly/Rhys three-hander, while the Doug-centric Christmas episode is also on the way. Does this mean special episodes will now be airing more frequently?
"The special episodes have come in quick succession but for different reasons. With Rhys, Jacqui and Gilly, there was no other way to finish such a monumental storyline - we wanted to give it the weight it deserved. With Bart and Jason, they've had such a long history and with Jason leaving, it felt like it was right to do it for them. Those two episodes were used to end stories, but with Doug, the viewers will see that it marks the beginning of something for him.

"The special episodes depend on the stories and when they really warrant it. I don't have any specific plans for more specials at the moment, but I do want stories to be so strong that we'll feel they deserve a special."

After the Wretch 32 Invasion, are you already planning another big event along the same lines?
"I think the Wretch 32 event was brilliant, because we did it so close to the wire. I was so proud of the team that put that together. It totally exceeded my expectations and now it's given me a taste for it, because I want to do more. I want to go bigger, be more innovative and get more audience involved. I can't tell you what my plans are just yet, but there are definitely plans and we're looking to do more of that."

Would you ever do a full-on live episode of Hollyoaks?
"Possibly. We did talk about it when we were discussing what we could do that was innovative. We wouldn't want to do a live episode purely as a stunt - it would depend on whether the story deserved it and whether it fitted in. The story would come first and foremost."


Do you have any plans for returnees or to delve into the show's past?
"It's interesting, because with the Doug special we are bringing Steph back, and I know there's been very mixed feelings about that! But what I like is that we're bringing Steph back and we're pairing her with someone who she didn't know beforehand. Straight away, that leaves people wondering what the storyline is going to be about. That's a great thing for us, because if it's predictable, it would be boring.

"As a general rule, I'm so excited about Hollyoaks' future that part of me feels like we don't need to look back quite yet. But when there are times to and the story is there, it's possible. The writers know the show so well, so they'll know the optimum time to bring someone back. But as a strategy, it's not one that I'm going to employ straight away."

Are there any stunts on the way?
"I do have plans, but I really can't talk about them! May next year will be an interesting time so you'll have to wait and see, but I can't give you any specifics!"

Do you ever read our Digital Spy forum for feedback, and if so, do you take it into account?
"I do read the forum, and I kind of feel like I know the regular contributors on Digital Spy now - I can sometimes predict what certain users are going to say! I think all producers need to listen to how the audience are reacting to the show - it's a very quick way of taking the temperature. I really enjoy reading people's views. It doesn't necessarily affect what I'm planning to do with characters all the time, because there's such varying reactions. But I definitely read what people are saying."



What are your future plans for Brendan and Ste?
"2012 is going to be a big year for Brendan, and it's going to be a big year for Ste. Now, I know exactly what the fans are wanting and I've had a lot of people tweet me directly to ask me what's happening with Brendan and Ste! What I think is that if Ste was to get back with Brendan, then Brendan has to change, because he's no angel. Something has to dramatically change for those two to get back together. But, as I said, it's going to be a big year for Brendan - and a big year for Ste. I'll leave it at that, but I think they can never be a 'normal, regular' couple."

Will the pair of them still be in each other's lives even if they're not a couple?
"Again, they're living in the same village, and someone like Brendan likes to meddle, so he's not going to let go of Ste completely - ever. They will run into each other from time to time, I'm sure of that."


Does this mean that you're planning to explore Ste more in his own right?
"Yes. I think we've done this quite successfully with Brendan's character - Brendan is a dad, he's a brother, he's got a past and he's got his own moral code. We've seen Ste with Amy and as a dad - quite a young dad. But he's also got career aspirations and he wants to do well. I don't think we've explored that as much as possible, and I'd quite like to see Ste wanting to be a successful human being. I think that involves a lot more than Brendan right now, so there will definitely be more for Ste."

Is it true that you're planning to explore the Brady family in more depth in 2012? Fans have wondered whether we'll meet Brendan's dad eventually.
"I'm really excited about something coming up in early January, where we really get to know Brendan Brady a little bit more. He's such an interesting character, so what makes that man tick? Brendan is like an enigma wrapped in a riddle, so we kick off the year by exploring that. Watch this space - there's more to this man than meets the eye. In order to do that successfully, you have to explore his family a bit."

Brendan often works well with someone who he can go toe-to-toe with. Now that Warren is leaving, will he have a new rival or will he rule the roost in the village for a while?
"I think the two aren't mutually exclusive. He will come back as kingpin a little bit, but in reality he doesn't have that much - he only has half a nightclub! So somebody might just point that out to him and Brendan's aspirations might grow. He's absolutely at his best when he's working against someone else, so we'll certainly put someone in his path for him to do that."


Bronagh Waugh always does well in dramatic storylines but Cheryl has never really taken centre stage in her own right. Will that change anytime soon?
"There's a couple of things that I have planned for her. I'd very much like Cheryl to have a nice man at some point! I agree that Bronagh delivers really good performances, so that's definitely on my mind."

Where do Rhys and Jacqui go next?
"Their storyline this year was so big, heavy and dark - and they did it such justice. When I read the three-hander script and saw them deliver some of those lines on screen, it was obvious how much love there was between those two. We'll put them in quite a nice place after the Gilly storyline and they try to put it all behind them. What I'd like to do is explore them separately a little bit, but also have them working together as a unit. We'll be exploring the different sides to Rhys and Jacqui."


Nancy fans were sad this year when talk of a big storyline for her never came to pass. Does she have anything on the way?
"I think Jess Fox is brilliant - I'm so entertained by her when she's on screen. I really want to see more of Nancy - and Nancy and Darren will have a big year ahead of them in 2012. I love those two, and Nancy's fans definitely won't be disappointed next year."

Do you have any plans for Amy Barnes?
"Yes, I do - I really want to give that girl some fun! I looked at Ste and Amy - they live in the council flat, they've got two kids and Ste's had a really tough time. So I looked at those two and thought about what's next for them. They both need a bit of fun - whether it's romantic fun, or fun with friends who they can have a laugh with. Amy will have some good stuff to do next year."

The fresher and sixth former storylines have mainly focused on romance, but will they get more dramatic material?
"Yes, definitely. They're primed and ready now for meatier storylines. I'm excited about what's coming up for both sets of characters. The tension between Annalise, Rob and Scott will come to a head. Neil and Jono will have their own storylines, we've got a big storyline for George and big plans for Tilly."

There's been some discussion on screen about Ash and Callum's home life. Will we meet their family at any point?
"Ash and Callum both really interest me. They're quite reserved and they keep themselves to themselves, so I think we have to explore where they come from and their family life in order to understand why they are the way they are. We'll be exploring them a lot more."


Cindy has been used mainly as a comedy character this year, but does she have any more serious material ahead? And would you consider bringing back her daughter Holly?
"We've talked about Holly, but again, there have been a lot of new characters coming in and we'd quite like to keep the cast a bit more stable. I think Steph Waring is such a capable actress and there's some stuff coming up - which isn't too far off - where we start to see a different side of Cindy.

"I agree that she's been used mainly as a comedy device at times this year, so I think we need to start seeing different sides of her. Once we deliver a fuller character for Cindy, then the question of Holly would come into play."

Would you ever revisit the Silas storyline or is he gone for good now?
"Never say never, but if we brought Silas back, I'd be a bit afraid of not having any cast left with a serial killer let loose! (Laughs) We have no specific plans, but the fact he's still alive and still in prison is a handy thing to have up our sleeves."

What are your plans for Lynsey? Could she embark on a romance with Doug?
"I love Lynsey. I think Karen Hassan did such a sterling job on the Silas storyline. With regards to Lynsey and Doug, there may be romance but not necessarily between those two. I'll leave it at that - it could be one of them or both of them! But we'll definitely do more with Lynsey."


As we no longer see Hollyoaks High on screen, we see Ruby, Esther and Tom less frequently. Do they still have roles on the show?
"Very definitely. While we don't see them as much because we don't see them in a school setting, we'll certainly see a lot more of them when school breaks up and even around the other characters, because Ruby is still friends with Sinead. I think for Ruby, the fact that they're geographically separated is kind of heartbreaking for her. I think Ruby's determined not to let that get in the way of her friendships - but inevitably it's going to at some point.

"I really like Anna Shaffer and I want to give her good stuff, but I want to write a character for her that is more full and not two-dimensional. She should have emotion and drama to really sink her teeth into."

How about Tony?
"Tony also certainly has a role to play on the show. He's running the new coffee shop, so we'll keep seeing Tony for sure."

What does the future hold for the McQueens?
"It's going to be a big year for the McQueens, as I think every year must be! Bart's going to have a big storyline next year, as will Mercedes. The Mercedes and Riley story has not been concluded, so there's going to be a lot more where that came from. That means that the family will be brought closer at times, but they'll also be splintered at times. They'll all be involved, for sure."

What about Michaela now that she's back?
"I've loved seeing Michaela with Daytona Lights and I think she has such charisma and energy on screen. I want to see more of her with Amy. I really like her character - I love the way she says things before she thinks about them! She'll be quite sparky and quite fun in the stuff that's coming up with the rest of the McQueens and with Amy."


Are Kelly and Joel staying in the show?
"I think Joel is great and so dynamic - I'm really enjoying watching him on screen. He's going to be involved heavily in Warren's departure, so I can't give too much away and the viewers will have to wait and see with that one. With Kelly, we don't necessarily have any plans at the moment but I really like Danielle Malone - she's great on screen, really sparky and adds a great energy. If the story's right to bring her back in, we will."

With so much focus on the new freshers, do you still have plans for Texas and Leanne?
"Definitely. It falls in with our plans to cross people over. Texas and Leanne won't just stay in their second year university group -we'll break them out and have them interacting with others. There'll be a lot of stuff with Texas and Leanne."


What are the plans for Ricky now that he's staying in the show?
"It was originally planned that Ricky was going to leave with Duncan, but I felt that he had a real place in the village. He's got the history with his dad, he's doing his A-Levels - and I'd actually like to see him do them. I want to see Ricky work hard for his exams. I think he's a good actor, a good character and I want to see more of him."

Would you revisit the carer storyline with Ricky's dad?
"We're not abandoning the idea of it, but we don't have any plans at the moment. I want to bring Ricky more into the village and involve him with existing characters. He goes to the same school as the sixth formers, he has history with Ruby and we'll definitely see more of him."