Hollyoaks

Did You Know?

• The first episode featured seven teenagers: Kurt Benson, Jambo Bolton, Natasha Andersen, Louise Taylor, Maddie Parker, Dawn Cunningham, and Tony Hutchinson; all but Pickard left before 2000.
• Spin-off series include Hollyoaks: Movin' On (2001), Hollyoaks: Let Loose, and Hollyoaks: In the City.
• Merchandise includes books such as Hollyoaks: Coming Together (1996) and Hollyoaks: The Official Companion (2002).

Production

Bryan Kirkwood became executive producer in 2006 and left three years later to produce EastEnders. Lucy Allan succeeded him but stepped down after a year in 2010, stating she was proud of her time on the show. Paul Marquess replaced her, describing the role as a huge challenge and honour, and noting he began his career at Lime Pictures. Lime Pictures creative director Tony Wood praised Marquess as one of the best showrunners. A number of producers worked on the show after Kirkwood's departure, leading to several creative reinventions.

Broadcast

The series initially aired on Mondays in 1995, with a second episode on Friday 27 October 1995 repeated on Sundays. In July 1996, Mersey TV recommissioned the show and increased output to twice a week from October, adding a Thursday episode. A third episode began in September 1999 on Wednesdays, and a fourth in 2001. Since E4's free-to-air launch in May 2005, it has aired a daily 'First Look' at 19:00 weekdays, showing the episode due on Channel 4 the next day.

Repeats air on E4 the following weekday, and as of 2021 at 06:00. An omnibus airs on Channel 4, with a signed and audio described version at 02:25 and a regular version at 06:00 as of 2020. Episodes are available on Channel 4's streaming platform. From 2009 to 2012, the series also broadcast on YouTube.

In 2019, Hollyoaks became the first soap to release a boxset of episodes on a streaming service, continuing this practice each December. On 22 March 2020, production was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. New episodes were reduced from five to three from 30 March, then to two from 6 April, with the final pre-COVID episode on 20 July 2020. Producers expected to return to five weekly episodes in 2021.

Storylines

Hollyoaks has addressed serious issues including mental health, rape, and self-harm, and has been the first soap to cover various social issues. Series producer Iain MacLeod stated that despite a tea-time timeslot, they continue to push important issues, mixing serious scenes with comedic ones. A 2007 episode featuring carbon monoxide poisoning helped a viewer recognise her own symptoms and seek treatment. In September 2009, Hollyoaks became the first British soap to have a non-linear week, with storylines played out of chronological order. Producer Lucy Allan explained the idea came from writer Richard Burke, comparing it to piecing together events after an incident. In December 2009, a flashforward episode moved the timeline six months ahead to May 2010, featuring the second wedding of Calvin Valentine and Carmel McQueen.

Reception

In 2001, University of Chester students objected to a storyline they felt misrepresented them, with the students' union president saying other universities assumed the college in the programme was Chester College. In 2007, the soap was criticised along with other soaps for on-screen alcohol consumption; the Food Commission noted 18 per cent of scenes featured consumption. In 1997, the Independent Television Commission criticised the series for using Caffrey's Irish Ale, claiming it promoted the product. In October 2009, Channel 4 was criticised for broadcasting a character's attempted suicide similar to a real incident in Glasgow; a Channel 4 spokesperson said any similarities were coincidental, and producers decided to continue transmission, addressing a sensitive issue with a helpline announcement.