Blessing Chamber

[Perdita]

Former EastEnders actress Modupe Adeyeye has joined the cast of Hollyoaks as new character Blessing Chamber, Digital Spy can confirm.

The show's new recruit has already started filming and will make her first appearance as Blessing later this month.
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Modupe Adeyeye as Blessing Chamber in Hollyoaks
© Lime Pictures
Modupe Adeyeye as Blessing Chamber

Blessing works as a glass collector at a strip club and is first introduced when show regular Dennis Savage (Joe Tracini) pays a visit to the venue.

While Blessing is a strong and colourful character, viewers will soon discover that she hasn't had a lot of luck in the past.

Blessing's job and her flat above the club are currently all she has, but Dennis inadvertently puts all of that into jeopardy when he gets her into trouble with her boss.

Adeyeye was previously a main cast member in series three of EastEnders: E20, playing the role of Faith Olubunmi. Faith also appeared briefly in EastEnders itself as a taster for the spinoff series.

The actress's other credits include appearances in BBC dramas Our Girl and My Murder.

Hollyoaks viewers will see Dennis meet Blessing on Friday, February 21 at 6.30pm on Channel 4.

[tammyy2j]

A new love interest for Dennis so

[Perdita]

This is the moment that Hollyoaks joker Dennis Savage meets show newcomer Blessing Chamber at a strip club.

As previously reported, actress Modupe Adeyeye has been cast in the role of Blessing, who will be a new regular character for the Channel 4 soap.

Blessing's entrance storyline kicks off when Dennis's cousin Dodger decides to invite him out to a strip club to cheer him up.

Sadly, Dodger's offer only causes more problems as he ends up having to cancel, leaving Dennis (Joe Tracini) all alone at the club when Leela Lomax, Ste Hay and Darren Osborne suddenly arrive.

Hapless Dennis hides under a table to avoid being seen by his fellow Hollyoaks villagers and later flees into the dancers' dressing room.

Blessing, who works as a glass collector at the venue, soon spots Dennis sneaking around and when she hits him with her tray, she is immediately sacked by her boss…
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Dennis tries to escape the strip club unseen.
© Lime Pictures
Dennis tries to escape the strip club unseen.
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Blessing spots Dennis sneaking around.
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Blessing spots Dennis sneaking around.
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Dennis hides in the dressing room.
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Dennis hides in the dressing room.
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Blessing catches Dennis hiding in the dressing room.
© Lime Pictures
Blessing catches Dennis hiding.

The strip club scenes also see Leela behave rudely towards Darren, leading Ste to guess that she's had her heart broken in the past - but by who?

Hollyoaks airs these scenes on Friday, February 21 at 6.30pm on Channel 4.

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks introduces new regular character Blessing Chamber next week as she clashes with Dennis Savage at a strip club.

Blessing works as a glass collector at the venue and soon finds herself on a collision course with Dennis (Joe Tracini) when he starts sneaking around during a visit.

Digital Spy recently chatted to Modupe Adeyeye, who plays Blessing, for her first interview about her new role and what's to come.

How does it feel to have joined the Hollyoaks cast?
"It feels great - it's a pleasure. I felt blessed to get the role. I wasn't sure whether I would get it or not, so I just wanted to enjoy the auditions and try my best. When I found out I was going to play the character, it felt good and I felt proud of myself. Everyone here at Hollyoaks is lovely and I feel really welcome."

When did you first hear about the role?
"I first heard about the audition quite a while ago now. The audition process was interesting. In my first audition, I had to bring along a monologue and perform it. In the second and third auditions, we had scripts and I was at Lime Pictures in Liverpool with quite a few other girls.

"It got to the point where I knew it was the final audition before somebody would get the part, which is always a bit nerve-wracking but you just have to do your best."

How would you describe Blessing?
"Blessing is Marmite! Some people will love her and some people will hate her, but she is genuinely a nice person. These days people are not blunt and nobody really says it how it is, but Blessing does! That can sometimes cause some tension.

"In the past, Blessing hasn't really had a lot of luck so that's why she comes to Hollyoaks to start a new life. She wants some new opportunities, so hopefully it will be a fresh start."

How does Blessing feel about her current job collecting glasses at the strip club?
"She doesn't really enjoy working there, but she just wants to work and make money. Because of the type of character Blessing is, she makes everything work for her. Even if she doesn't want to do something, she'll try to make it work for her anyway!"

Blessing meets Dennis when he's trying to avoid being seen by Ste, Leela and Darren at the club. Can you tell us about those scenes?
"Blessing thinks Dennis is really annoying! He's in the club and he's causing so much drama, so Blessing gets very annoyed. She thinks, 'Who is this guy and what is he doing? What is his purpose here?!'

"This is a new job for Blessing and she really needs to keep it because she wants to start a new life and make money, but then there's this weird guy popping up everywhere! She feels like she needs a little mousetrap for him!"

Dennis also manages to get Blessing the sack! What does she do wrong?
"She doesn't actually do anything wrong - it's all Dennis's fault! Blessing is trying to keep everything under control, but every time her boss sees her, it always looks like she's the one causing trouble. They say the customer is always right, so that's the problem and Blessing is not happy about that at all!"

Could Blessing bring some happiness back to Dennis's life in the long-term?
"She could! I think she could bring happiness to more than just his life, though! She's going to be a big character, so we'll have to wait and see who she gets involved with."

She's been billed as a colourful character - does that include her wardrobe?
"Yes, we've got lots of lovely new outfits for her. She doesn't bring anything but colour, so you're never going to see her in dull colours. I dress very differently myself, as my favourite colour is black. A lot of my shoes and outfits are black - it's not that I'm boring or anything, but I just dress very simple compared to Blessing!"

What was your first day on set like?
"I think every time you start a new job, you're always going to have butterflies as it's the first day, but you just get on with it. I was more excited than nervous. My first day was actually quite nice and the director was lovely as well. It was a nice ease-in."

Are you getting along well with Joe Tracini?
"Yes, he is the best to work with. He's a lovely person and very caring - and he's actually funny in real life as well as on screen!"

You previously played Faith on EastEnders and EastEnders: E20. Has that soap experience helped you with Hollyoaks?
"I think every acting experience I've had helps with any new job that I get. Your current job is always training you for your next one. EastEnders was great to be part of and I really enjoyed working there. My character Faith was fun to play and she did a lot of things that you wouldn't normally do in real life!"

Your other credits include Our Girl and My Murder. What were they like to be part of?
"They were both very different. My Murder was based on the true story of a young boy called Shakilus Townsend [who was led to his death in a 'honeytrap killing'] so that was a very serious project. Compared to all of the other characters I've played, that was very deep and sad.

"Our Girl focused on the military so we actually had to have real-life training for that. We went to a boot camp and trained with them, so that was really interesting. We even ate the same food that we would in that situation, so I felt like I really was going off to be a soldier!"

[tammyy2j]

Blessing Chambers is left fearful next week when a private investigator turns up in the village.

Blessing's housemate George Smith sparks a worrying chain of events for her when he uses her bank card without asking.

George takes the card as he feels that Blessing (Modupe Adeyeye) owes him money when she breaks his laptop during another feisty outburst at the share house.

Blessing panics when she hears that her card has been used, and it appears that she was right to be concerned when a PI arrives in the village and starts asking questions about her.

Newcomer Michael is keen to get to the bottom of George (Steven Roberts) using Blessing's card, but George refuses to offer up any information to the stranger.

Blessing fears the worst when George tells her what happened, but why is Michael so interested in her and what is Blessing hiding?

[tammyy2j]

.

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks will begin a new transgender storyline next month as show regular Blessing Chambers reveals her secret past.

Scenes due to air in May will see Blessing confide in Tony Hutchinson (Nick Pickard) by revealing that she is a transgender woman.

Blessing was born as Tyson Delaney and has a troubled background, having spent time in a young offenders' institution before moving to Hollyoaks to start a new life.

As the new storyline begins, viewers will discover that Blessing's family are keen to track her down and have hired a private investigator to find their missing 'son'.

Modupe Adeyeye, who plays Blessing, commented: "I found researching the character of Blessing really inspiring and I hope that her story of a young trans woman who is loud and feisty and unapologetic proves to be a good role model. I hope that the people who need to be touched by her story will be."

Hollyoaks have worked with The Gender Trust and All About Trans in order to ensure a sensitive and realistic portrayal of the storyline.

Show writers have also been influenced by journalist and transgender rights activist Paris Lees, who is editor-at-large for Attitude magazine. Another inspiration has been trans actress Laverne Cox, who plays Sophia Burset in prison-based series Orange Is The New Black.

Michael is after Blessing
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Blessing's secret past will be revealed

Fans will see the plot begin next week when Blessing becomes worried as the private investigator tracks her down.

Hollyoaks have previously explored a transgender storyline with the character of Jason Costello, who was played by Victoria Atkin for a year from 2010.

Paris Lees has written about her work with Hollyoaks on the storyline in the latest edition of Attitude, which is out next week and available online now.

[lizann]

ah poor dennis

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks launches Blessing Chambers's big new storyline this week as she confides in Tony Hutchinson about the secret she has been keeping.

After weeks of keeping quiet about her past, Blessing (Modupe Adeyeye) will tell Tony that she is a transgender woman.

As announced last month, Blessing was born as Tyson Delaney and has a troubled background, having spent time in a young offenders' institution before moving to Hollyoaks to start a new life. Her storyline will feature prominently on the Channel 4 soap over the next few months.

For an insider's perspective on the storyline, Digital Spy recently caught up with Hollyoaks scriptwriter Jonathan Larkin, who had the original idea for the character.

Can you tell us how the idea for the character of Blessing came about?
"Blessing's been buzzing around my head for ages now. She's an amalgamation of different people. My good friend Ngunan, who's a radio DJ, inspired the first incarnation, the funky smart girl with heart and attitude.

"Having watched Orange Is the New Black and seeing Laverne Cox's character Sophia, the similarities with the Blessing I wanted to write were shining through. The tough exterior, the warm nature, coming from a hard knock life but never forgetting to be a glamorous ray of sunshine... it all just fitted together perfectly.

"Having read up on Paris Lees and her backstory, the inspiration just kept on coming and it felt like it was finally Blessing's time to shine."

You described Blessing as your 'brainchild' on Twitter. Was the idea one you came up with solely yourself, or was it a joint effort with other writers and storyliners?
"The original character came from me. The need to tell the story of a trans girl coming to Hollyoaks village was something I've wanted to do for a long time. So in that sense she's my brainchild.

"But everything on the Oaks is a huge team affair. You pitch a story or a character and then it's taken on board by the other writers, the storyliners, the producers and it's thrown around the room until it lands on screen and everybody's input has added layers that might not have been there in the first place. So she's definitely a group effort now."

When the idea for such a serious storyline is pitched, how long does it take for the team to do all of the relevant research and get the story off the ground?
"It can vary greatly. There are some issue stories that take a long time to come off because we have to get it right. Esther's bullying for instance, that took months to get going because we had such a huge responsibility to tell the story right. The same with John Paul's rape… these aren't stories you can just make up and throw on the TV, you have to make sure it's done right.

"It's often an education for us as well as the viewers. Once it's gone through a group discussion with the writers, it's then up to the research department to get groups like All About Trans on board."

We've heard that Hollyoaks held a workshop with All About Trans as part of the research process. How useful was that experience, and did their input have much impact on the course of the story?
"It was a very engaging and enlightening day. I personally know a few people who are transgender so have that shorthand with the experience. But it was great to meet new people and get their take on the story and character.

"I took part in some one-to-ones with some of the All About Trans participants and got that focused, personal take on what it's like to go through transition. Having that human face-to-face interaction is imperative when trying to write the character going through their day-to-day struggles."

The show has previously explored transgender issues with the character of Jason Costello. Will this storyline be quite different?
"Yes, definitely. A lot of the focus on this one is the romance with Dennis. Jason had the Bart element, but we never did the boy-meets-girl as much as we're doing with Dennis and Blessing. Also Blessing has already dealt with the hormones and stuff so she's a bit further along in her transition."

What are Hollyoaks' main aims for the character?
"Mainly to tell good stories with a unique and fabulous character. Ignorance is bred from lack of visibility and lack of awareness. By the time people learn of Blessing's trans status, they'll have known her for a few months and will realise she's no different to the girl they've been enjoying on screen so far. They just know a bit more about her.

"So that would be a big part of it - show viewers who might not know a trans person that they haven't got two heads. And also to give viewers who are going through the same things as Blessing a story they can relate to.

"Ignorance is breeding hatred in the real world so if we can educate people at the same time as entertaining them I think that's really important. Also, whilst showing some of the hardships of somebody in Blessing's position, we'll show that you can overcome the odds. She's a hopeful, aspirational character."

What kind of reactions will Blessing get in the village once her secret is revealed?
"There will definitely be a mix. It's not a bed of roses but then it's not wall to wall misery either. I think a lot of Blessing's issues have come from her always thinking the worst - which I can identify with as that was how I was when I was coming out as gay. Expecting people to just cut you off, hate you, be horrible… and a lot of that is just your self-loathing manifesting itself.

"So there'll be some pleasant surprises when people take her to their hearts for who she is. But there'll also be ignorance and bigotry. It won't be easy."

Can you tell us any more about the Blessing/Dennis relationship and how it's likely to progress?
"Dennis isn't going to take to it straight away. He's going to react quite badly to start, which I think is a very human thing. He says the wrong thing, freaks out… It wouldn't be a story if he just accepted it. Nobody wants to watch a soap about people skipping along with no hurdles, no hiccups.

"But their romance, like any other on the show, will be a rollercoaster. Ups and downs. He's a good lad, though, Dennis. I think he'll do the right thing. Or will he?"

Is there anything more you can tell us about what to expect from Blessing's story?
"Some of the story is quite dark - we will tackle the issue of self harm, she will suffer bigotry once her secret is revealed. There may even be violence… She's a tough cookie though, I think she'll prevail!

"She'll be involved in lots of other stuff, some of it fun, some of it quite dark. It's great to put her in the middle of somebody else's story because she's a bit of a firecracker, there's no telling what chaos she'll cause! Her heart's in the right place though."

We know that Blessing's family are looking for her. Will we meet them and see her past catch up with her at any point?
"We're writing her mum at the minute so you definitely meet her. As for the rest… stay tuned and you'll see!"

Having been closely involved in the creation of the character, are you pleased with Modupe's casting?
"I'm always of the belief that you cast the best actor for the job. [Executive producer] Bryan [Kirkwood] was a big fan of Modupe after she appeared on EastEnders: E20 and wanted to work with her again, and this role just felt perfect. She can be larger than life but she can also bring vulnerability and heart, and that's what we wanted for Blessing.

"I've worked with her in workshops and think she has great instincts and is very natural in her approach. She's not transgender herself and that is definitely something that was not taken lightly, but she's an actress, and a good one, so I don't think she will disappoint."

Now that Hayley Cropper has left Corrie, Blessing will be the most high-profile trans character on UK TV. Do you and the rest of the team feel a responsibility with that?
"Huge responsibility! It's shocking that there aren't more characters on other shows, but I think Hollyoaks is happy to be passed the trans torch from poor old Hayley. Maybe the others will follow suit…"