alan45
13-07-2013, 01:19
After a strong 12 months for the show - including five wins at the British Soap Awards - Bryan gave us an exclusive insight into what fans can expect next.
Read on below to find out about plans for new characters connected to a Hollyoaks favourite, the upcoming 18th anniversary and much more!
We've seen lots of positive changes to Hollyoaks in the past year. What are your thoughts on the show's current state of play?
"I think we're in a strong position, as the audience seems to have responded well to the changes that we've made. I was conscious of not 're-branding' or 're-launching' the show again.
"For me, the formula is simple - it's finding the right mix of big soap stories, rites of passage teen stories, along with big, heartfelt love stories. If we strike that right balance and broaden Hollyoaks out to a family show, rather than focusing on one age group over another, I think that's when we get the best response from the audience."
Do you have any particular aims for the next few months? Is there anything that you feel the show should be doing more or less of?
"It's always a work in progress. Running one of these shows means that you never get to the finish line - there's always something else to oversee. Regarding the three types of stories that I've mentioned, sometimes we veer a little bit too far into one territory over another, but I think we're getting it right most of the time."
Are you approaching Hollyoaks exactly the same way second time around, or has the audience expectation changed?
"I think the audience expectation keeps getting higher, which is as it should be, as it really keeps us on our toes.
"I've done this job for long enough now to be able to draw from my own experience, and I'm lucky that the team around me right now are amongst the best people that I've ever worked with. I believe that we've currently got the most talented Hollyoaks team that there's ever been."
Can you tell us which characters and storylines will be most prominent over the summer?
"It's going to be a huge summer at Hollyoaks, with all of our old favourites in the thick of the action. We'll have Ste facing one of the biggest challenges of his life as his mum, who has been diagnosed with cancer, asks him to help her die.
"We've also got Darren and Nancy in a great, juicy storyline with Sienna as the cuckoo in their nest. I'm keen for that storyline not to be seen as just a love triangle. Sienna wants far more than just Darren - she wants all the colour and the chaos of the Osborne family. As Nancy has been foolish enough to invite Sienna back into her home, this story is going to explode all over the summer.
"Elsewhere, we're going to see the McQueens in peril from Doctor Browning as he focuses in on Myra as the threat to his relationship with Mercedes. That really kicks off with the current stalker mystery, which is going to lead into massive consequences for every single member of the family.
"We're also going to see much more of Tony's cancer storyline, which is playing out beautifully. I'm so proud of Nick Pickard and his work so far. That story will help create a new super-family with the Hutchinsons and the O'Connors coming together at last - and watch out for when Tony finally does tell Diane his heartbreaking news…"
Are you planning to bring back any more faces from the past?
"I've had a few conversations recently, but it's too early to say whether we're going to pursue any more returns. We do have a couple of exits coming up over the next few months and a couple of new characters too, but in terms of returnees, you'll just have to wait and see."
Lots of our readers were wondering whether we'd ever see Silas again. Would you explore his storyline any further?
"The Silas story was one of the Hollyoaks success stories of the past few years and it played out brilliantly for the programme. For me, it felt like the right time when Silas exited for the second time last summer, but never say never. I'd be foolish to rule it out completely when Jeff Rawle was so fantastic in the part."
Can you tell us anything about the new characters you have planned?
"Ste is undoubtedly one of our most important characters and I'm so impressed with everything Kieron has done in the role. He's become a real star in the past few years. I was conscious of the fact that Ste was languishing on his own with no family around him, so that's something we're going to change by bringing in Ste's sisters. Ste's story with Pauline is just the start of a massive journey for the character.
"The Roscoes have got off to a great start as a big, male force at the heart of the show, so I'm eager to bring in an equally-strong female force to become the engine of Hollyoaks for the next few years. We're just casting the characters now and I'm really looking forward to seeing Ste playing alongside these girls."
We've seen less of the university element of the show recently, so will this be picked up again?
"Absolutely. Hollyoaks started as a university show and it will always have HCC as part of the fictional world. We won't see the halls again, but we're introducing a filthy knackered old student house, which one of our residents will become the surprise owner of. That will become our new student digs in September. George, Tilly and newcomer Jade will become our new Freshers. Rather than bring in a whole group of new students, we want to see characters we know and love evolve into the next generation."
Are you doing anything special for the show's 18th birthday in October?
"Everybody knows how emotionally attached I am to Hollyoaks, so I am extremely proud we have reached this milestone. Hollyoaks Later will transmit in October and the series will see the return of Kurt, Finn and Dom. It will be a celebration of Hollyoaks past and present.
"Alongside that, a lot of the stories we're playing right now will come to an explosive climax. There'll also be life-changing events for Tony to play out around the anniversary."
Can you tell us anything more about Hollyoaks Later this year?
"The very talented producer Jane Steventon is back working on the new series after last year's success. Jane did a brilliant job in rebooting Hollyoaks Later, making it feel darker and more credible. We're filming the five episodes at the moment and you can expect to see Tony in his own rites of passage story as he looks into his uncertain future, alongside the return of the much-loved characters that I've mentioned.
"Playing alongside that will be a huge storyline involving our current teenagers. Tilly, Esther, Callum and Holly will be in a rip-roaring plot as they all find danger in a cabin in the woods."
The bus crash helped you to win the 'Spectacular Scene' prize at the Soap Awards this year. Do you have any more stunts in mind?
"We certainly do! As part of our spectacular summer storylines, we have a big stunt which we're actually filming right now. We also have something planned for transmission in the autumn, so there's at least two on the way…"
It's been great to see characters like Diane become more prominent this year. Do you think it's important that the older characters are given more screen time?
"Absolutely - that's one big change that I wanted to make to the programme. I really wanted the audience at home to feel that Hollyoaks is a show that the whole family can enjoy. It will always have a teen focus leaning towards the younger characters, but I do believe that we can tell stories with the whole cast.
"It's been a joy to see Diane, Myra, Jack and Frankie in the thick of things. It's also why we brought in Jeremy Sheffield and Gillian Taylforth, as they're two fantastic actors who bring a wealth of experience to their roles.
"To emphasise the broadening out of the show, from the 15th of July the entire cast will be featured in the opening titles. It's about time. We are keeping the current format with the addition of some old and new faces."
Are there any other set changes we should be looking out for?
"We've now got the back of The Dog, which will help us to make better use of the Roscoes' garage and the pub car park. Viewers have seen that Jack and Sandy share a secret, so the new space will help us play the families alongside each other.
"The school will also shortly have a facelift as Patrick unveils the new Hollyoaks High, which helps us to see a lot more of our younger characters like Tom and Holly."
The fans definitely love spoilers but they also seem to enjoy big shocks, such as when Lynsey was killed off unexpectedly. Are you planning any more unpublicised surprises?
"Definitely. I was really inspired by the way the audience responded to Lynsey's shock death, and I think those moments of surprise are something that Hollyoaks is able to do more effectively than the other soaps. We do have a handful of really juicy surprises which you'll see on screen over the next few months. As a team, we're trying to be a bit cleverer when it comes to holding certain things back."
John Paul's fans are keen to see a lot more of him. Will his big storyline still be happening?
"You can definitely expect to see a lot more of John Paul. It's fair to say that James has had a quieter time of it, but John Paul remains one of our most important characters. With Danny Lomax now in the show, John Paul does finally get his share of the action. His romance with Danny will lead to dark and unexpected consequences for a number of characters."
Doug also has a fanbase but he's become a bit of a supporting character recently. Does he have some good stuff coming up?
"Doug's also had a quiet few months, but with a cast of this size, we're always going to have to look away from certain characters from time to time. I love PJ's work and I think he's done a brilliant job over the past few years. We'll definitely see Doug come back to the forefront of the show."
Can you tell us any more about Sienna's story with Darren and Nancy?
"There are a lot more twists and turns to come. The fact that Sienna also features in Patrick's world hopefully illustrates to the audience that not everything is as it seems.
"While Darren and Nancy are one of our most-loved and most important couples, they're only as interesting as the conflict they're facing. 'Happily ever after' doesn't often work in soaps. I adore what Jess and Ashley have done and want them to be busier than ever."
Some of our readers have pointed out that Hollyoaks is sometimes the soap where crime can go unpunished! Will Browning, Theresa or Will ever get a comeuppance?
"It's a fair point that the crime rate is soaring at the moment! Let's just say that at least one of our criminals will soon be unmasked…"
Are you pleased with how the Roscoes have gone down with viewers, and what are your future plans for them?
"I think that the Roscoes have had a good start in the show. I was very nervous about introducing seven new faces to the village at the same time, but I also knew that Hollyoaks needed a massive injection of new energy following our big departures of recent months. Over the years I've introduced some soap families who have gone down well and some that have gone down not so well, so hopefully I've learned my own lessons from what works and what doesn't.
"With the Roscoes, we've got seven strong actors and seven very different characters. We're already very excited about telling Roscoe stories, and I hope the audience are embracing them. The boys and Gillian are doing well so the Roscoes should be a big part of the show for years to come."
We've noticed fans are really liking Lindsey in particular, so will she have lots more to do?
"She certainly will, as I think Lindsey is right at the heart of the Roscoes' success. Sophie has arrived with such confidence and charisma, which I'm overjoyed by. With the absence of Jacqui, Cheryl and Mitzeee, we knew that we were lacking a strong leading lady with a big heart and a strong moral code."
This time last year the fans wanted to see less of the teens, but now it seems they're calling for them to be used more! What's coming up for them?
"That's been a really surprising but satisfying consequence of the recent changes - seeing how much our audience fell in love with some of our younger artists. I think they got a really hard time at certain points, but we always had talented actors in the younger cast who were doing good work. I'm really pleased that we're now being called on to feature George, Callum, Tilly, Esther, Ruby, Sinead and Phoebe more.
"George, Phoebe and Vincent's beautiful love story will be a big plot over the summer. It's quite unique, as it's a love triangle where nobody's doing anything wrong! It's also an important issue story and a soap first, as it's about the story of a Nigerian asylum seeker who's fleeing persecution for being gay. We are working closely with Stonewall, to ensure a rarely told story gets the audience it deserves. There's tons more to explore with that plot.
"We'll see Tilly and Esther's relationship go in a very unexpected direction in Hollyoaks Later, while Ruby is about to lose her head with an older man.
"Sinead is going to have the year from hell, as karma for all of her wicked acts in the past year! However, coming out of that will be a surprising love story with a knight in shining armour."
What's coming up for Cindy?
"Cindy's been quiet lately, but what I'm delighted to see is her finally grow a heart and be such a support to Tony. We all recognised that Tony and Cindy had probably had too many attempts at being husband and wife, but now they're just good friends. To me their scenes are a highlight of what's on screen right now.
"Cindy has recognised where she's gone wrong with her life in recent years and she will try to turn her life round. But it might just be too little, too late as she finds herself in some enormous trouble."
Dennis, Liberty and the Kanes are characters who we've seen less of recently. Do they have a future in the show?
"I'm thrilled to see Dennis back now and better than ever. He's one of my favourite characters and Joe Tracini lights up the screen. We'll be seeing a lot more of him.
"We will see Liberty make a brief return to the show as she announces she has secured a recording contract and goes off to pursue her dream. Ash, Martha and Callum will all be much busier in the coming months."
Will the Patrick and Maxine story become an abusive partner story?
"Maxine and Patrick are polar opposites, who have found themselves in an unlikely relationship. There have been some early warning signs that Patrick can be quite controlling but is Maxine the woman to change him?"
Read on below to find out about plans for new characters connected to a Hollyoaks favourite, the upcoming 18th anniversary and much more!
We've seen lots of positive changes to Hollyoaks in the past year. What are your thoughts on the show's current state of play?
"I think we're in a strong position, as the audience seems to have responded well to the changes that we've made. I was conscious of not 're-branding' or 're-launching' the show again.
"For me, the formula is simple - it's finding the right mix of big soap stories, rites of passage teen stories, along with big, heartfelt love stories. If we strike that right balance and broaden Hollyoaks out to a family show, rather than focusing on one age group over another, I think that's when we get the best response from the audience."
Do you have any particular aims for the next few months? Is there anything that you feel the show should be doing more or less of?
"It's always a work in progress. Running one of these shows means that you never get to the finish line - there's always something else to oversee. Regarding the three types of stories that I've mentioned, sometimes we veer a little bit too far into one territory over another, but I think we're getting it right most of the time."
Are you approaching Hollyoaks exactly the same way second time around, or has the audience expectation changed?
"I think the audience expectation keeps getting higher, which is as it should be, as it really keeps us on our toes.
"I've done this job for long enough now to be able to draw from my own experience, and I'm lucky that the team around me right now are amongst the best people that I've ever worked with. I believe that we've currently got the most talented Hollyoaks team that there's ever been."
Can you tell us which characters and storylines will be most prominent over the summer?
"It's going to be a huge summer at Hollyoaks, with all of our old favourites in the thick of the action. We'll have Ste facing one of the biggest challenges of his life as his mum, who has been diagnosed with cancer, asks him to help her die.
"We've also got Darren and Nancy in a great, juicy storyline with Sienna as the cuckoo in their nest. I'm keen for that storyline not to be seen as just a love triangle. Sienna wants far more than just Darren - she wants all the colour and the chaos of the Osborne family. As Nancy has been foolish enough to invite Sienna back into her home, this story is going to explode all over the summer.
"Elsewhere, we're going to see the McQueens in peril from Doctor Browning as he focuses in on Myra as the threat to his relationship with Mercedes. That really kicks off with the current stalker mystery, which is going to lead into massive consequences for every single member of the family.
"We're also going to see much more of Tony's cancer storyline, which is playing out beautifully. I'm so proud of Nick Pickard and his work so far. That story will help create a new super-family with the Hutchinsons and the O'Connors coming together at last - and watch out for when Tony finally does tell Diane his heartbreaking news…"
Are you planning to bring back any more faces from the past?
"I've had a few conversations recently, but it's too early to say whether we're going to pursue any more returns. We do have a couple of exits coming up over the next few months and a couple of new characters too, but in terms of returnees, you'll just have to wait and see."
Lots of our readers were wondering whether we'd ever see Silas again. Would you explore his storyline any further?
"The Silas story was one of the Hollyoaks success stories of the past few years and it played out brilliantly for the programme. For me, it felt like the right time when Silas exited for the second time last summer, but never say never. I'd be foolish to rule it out completely when Jeff Rawle was so fantastic in the part."
Can you tell us anything about the new characters you have planned?
"Ste is undoubtedly one of our most important characters and I'm so impressed with everything Kieron has done in the role. He's become a real star in the past few years. I was conscious of the fact that Ste was languishing on his own with no family around him, so that's something we're going to change by bringing in Ste's sisters. Ste's story with Pauline is just the start of a massive journey for the character.
"The Roscoes have got off to a great start as a big, male force at the heart of the show, so I'm eager to bring in an equally-strong female force to become the engine of Hollyoaks for the next few years. We're just casting the characters now and I'm really looking forward to seeing Ste playing alongside these girls."
We've seen less of the university element of the show recently, so will this be picked up again?
"Absolutely. Hollyoaks started as a university show and it will always have HCC as part of the fictional world. We won't see the halls again, but we're introducing a filthy knackered old student house, which one of our residents will become the surprise owner of. That will become our new student digs in September. George, Tilly and newcomer Jade will become our new Freshers. Rather than bring in a whole group of new students, we want to see characters we know and love evolve into the next generation."
Are you doing anything special for the show's 18th birthday in October?
"Everybody knows how emotionally attached I am to Hollyoaks, so I am extremely proud we have reached this milestone. Hollyoaks Later will transmit in October and the series will see the return of Kurt, Finn and Dom. It will be a celebration of Hollyoaks past and present.
"Alongside that, a lot of the stories we're playing right now will come to an explosive climax. There'll also be life-changing events for Tony to play out around the anniversary."
Can you tell us anything more about Hollyoaks Later this year?
"The very talented producer Jane Steventon is back working on the new series after last year's success. Jane did a brilliant job in rebooting Hollyoaks Later, making it feel darker and more credible. We're filming the five episodes at the moment and you can expect to see Tony in his own rites of passage story as he looks into his uncertain future, alongside the return of the much-loved characters that I've mentioned.
"Playing alongside that will be a huge storyline involving our current teenagers. Tilly, Esther, Callum and Holly will be in a rip-roaring plot as they all find danger in a cabin in the woods."
The bus crash helped you to win the 'Spectacular Scene' prize at the Soap Awards this year. Do you have any more stunts in mind?
"We certainly do! As part of our spectacular summer storylines, we have a big stunt which we're actually filming right now. We also have something planned for transmission in the autumn, so there's at least two on the way…"
It's been great to see characters like Diane become more prominent this year. Do you think it's important that the older characters are given more screen time?
"Absolutely - that's one big change that I wanted to make to the programme. I really wanted the audience at home to feel that Hollyoaks is a show that the whole family can enjoy. It will always have a teen focus leaning towards the younger characters, but I do believe that we can tell stories with the whole cast.
"It's been a joy to see Diane, Myra, Jack and Frankie in the thick of things. It's also why we brought in Jeremy Sheffield and Gillian Taylforth, as they're two fantastic actors who bring a wealth of experience to their roles.
"To emphasise the broadening out of the show, from the 15th of July the entire cast will be featured in the opening titles. It's about time. We are keeping the current format with the addition of some old and new faces."
Are there any other set changes we should be looking out for?
"We've now got the back of The Dog, which will help us to make better use of the Roscoes' garage and the pub car park. Viewers have seen that Jack and Sandy share a secret, so the new space will help us play the families alongside each other.
"The school will also shortly have a facelift as Patrick unveils the new Hollyoaks High, which helps us to see a lot more of our younger characters like Tom and Holly."
The fans definitely love spoilers but they also seem to enjoy big shocks, such as when Lynsey was killed off unexpectedly. Are you planning any more unpublicised surprises?
"Definitely. I was really inspired by the way the audience responded to Lynsey's shock death, and I think those moments of surprise are something that Hollyoaks is able to do more effectively than the other soaps. We do have a handful of really juicy surprises which you'll see on screen over the next few months. As a team, we're trying to be a bit cleverer when it comes to holding certain things back."
John Paul's fans are keen to see a lot more of him. Will his big storyline still be happening?
"You can definitely expect to see a lot more of John Paul. It's fair to say that James has had a quieter time of it, but John Paul remains one of our most important characters. With Danny Lomax now in the show, John Paul does finally get his share of the action. His romance with Danny will lead to dark and unexpected consequences for a number of characters."
Doug also has a fanbase but he's become a bit of a supporting character recently. Does he have some good stuff coming up?
"Doug's also had a quiet few months, but with a cast of this size, we're always going to have to look away from certain characters from time to time. I love PJ's work and I think he's done a brilliant job over the past few years. We'll definitely see Doug come back to the forefront of the show."
Can you tell us any more about Sienna's story with Darren and Nancy?
"There are a lot more twists and turns to come. The fact that Sienna also features in Patrick's world hopefully illustrates to the audience that not everything is as it seems.
"While Darren and Nancy are one of our most-loved and most important couples, they're only as interesting as the conflict they're facing. 'Happily ever after' doesn't often work in soaps. I adore what Jess and Ashley have done and want them to be busier than ever."
Some of our readers have pointed out that Hollyoaks is sometimes the soap where crime can go unpunished! Will Browning, Theresa or Will ever get a comeuppance?
"It's a fair point that the crime rate is soaring at the moment! Let's just say that at least one of our criminals will soon be unmasked…"
Are you pleased with how the Roscoes have gone down with viewers, and what are your future plans for them?
"I think that the Roscoes have had a good start in the show. I was very nervous about introducing seven new faces to the village at the same time, but I also knew that Hollyoaks needed a massive injection of new energy following our big departures of recent months. Over the years I've introduced some soap families who have gone down well and some that have gone down not so well, so hopefully I've learned my own lessons from what works and what doesn't.
"With the Roscoes, we've got seven strong actors and seven very different characters. We're already very excited about telling Roscoe stories, and I hope the audience are embracing them. The boys and Gillian are doing well so the Roscoes should be a big part of the show for years to come."
We've noticed fans are really liking Lindsey in particular, so will she have lots more to do?
"She certainly will, as I think Lindsey is right at the heart of the Roscoes' success. Sophie has arrived with such confidence and charisma, which I'm overjoyed by. With the absence of Jacqui, Cheryl and Mitzeee, we knew that we were lacking a strong leading lady with a big heart and a strong moral code."
This time last year the fans wanted to see less of the teens, but now it seems they're calling for them to be used more! What's coming up for them?
"That's been a really surprising but satisfying consequence of the recent changes - seeing how much our audience fell in love with some of our younger artists. I think they got a really hard time at certain points, but we always had talented actors in the younger cast who were doing good work. I'm really pleased that we're now being called on to feature George, Callum, Tilly, Esther, Ruby, Sinead and Phoebe more.
"George, Phoebe and Vincent's beautiful love story will be a big plot over the summer. It's quite unique, as it's a love triangle where nobody's doing anything wrong! It's also an important issue story and a soap first, as it's about the story of a Nigerian asylum seeker who's fleeing persecution for being gay. We are working closely with Stonewall, to ensure a rarely told story gets the audience it deserves. There's tons more to explore with that plot.
"We'll see Tilly and Esther's relationship go in a very unexpected direction in Hollyoaks Later, while Ruby is about to lose her head with an older man.
"Sinead is going to have the year from hell, as karma for all of her wicked acts in the past year! However, coming out of that will be a surprising love story with a knight in shining armour."
What's coming up for Cindy?
"Cindy's been quiet lately, but what I'm delighted to see is her finally grow a heart and be such a support to Tony. We all recognised that Tony and Cindy had probably had too many attempts at being husband and wife, but now they're just good friends. To me their scenes are a highlight of what's on screen right now.
"Cindy has recognised where she's gone wrong with her life in recent years and she will try to turn her life round. But it might just be too little, too late as she finds herself in some enormous trouble."
Dennis, Liberty and the Kanes are characters who we've seen less of recently. Do they have a future in the show?
"I'm thrilled to see Dennis back now and better than ever. He's one of my favourite characters and Joe Tracini lights up the screen. We'll be seeing a lot more of him.
"We will see Liberty make a brief return to the show as she announces she has secured a recording contract and goes off to pursue her dream. Ash, Martha and Callum will all be much busier in the coming months."
Will the Patrick and Maxine story become an abusive partner story?
"Maxine and Patrick are polar opposites, who have found themselves in an unlikely relationship. There have been some early warning signs that Patrick can be quite controlling but is Maxine the woman to change him?"