HOLLYOAKS: THE NEW RECRUITS
FOR THE NEW STUDENTS AT HOLLYOAKS COLLEGE, FRESHERS WEEK HAS IS NOTHING MORE THAN A DRUNKEN BLUR SINCE THEIR OCTOBER STORYLINES DRAMATICALLY UNRAVELLED AND THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING TO LECTURES WAS DWARFED BY THE THREAT OF A PSYCHOTIC SERIAL KILLER IN THE VILLAGE.
Now, after having chance to settle in, the new members of the cast talk to AGENT2 about how Hollyoaks is their very own, albeit dream-like, university experience.
Tamaryn Payne, 23, plays Annalise Appleton. She’s a very uptight perfectionist. She puts pressure on herself to succeed and is scared of falling off the pedestal her parents have put her on. Annalise is a clean freak, she likes everything in its place and likes the steadiness of being in a relationship.
Holly Weston, 26, plays Ash Kane. Ash is fun loving, she likes a drink and is one of the lads but she does have a bit more depth to her. She studies psychology and thinks about why she is the way she is.
Tom Scurr, 21, plays Barney Harper-McBride. Barney is lovely. He’s a real fish out of water – wonderfully posh and had complete reality check when he arrived in Hollyoaks. He’s nice though, not pretentious or up himself and not the type to splash the cash. He is keen to adapt so he can be absorbed into the Hollyoaks way of life. It’s one massive adventure for him because everything is new and he has started to fit in for the 1st time.
James Atherton, 24, plays Will Savage. Will is geeky, in a cool way and really into studies. He is coming out of shell with his new mates because he was always overshadowed by his brother. He’s getting more confident. He will still be into his studies but become a bit more extrovert as people do when they get to uni and start being comfortable with people.
Calvin Denba, 18, plays Scott Sabeka. He’s very laid back and has a cheekiness about him. He appears confident but he lacks self-belief at the same time because he doesn’t have the drive to fully go for anything. He is a bit half hearted and quite sensitive in his own way. He’s not the energy of the group he just keeps everything bang in the middle.
David Atkins, 22, plays Rob Edwards – He’s not the typical jock, he’s a bit different and has a sensitive side. He knows when he’s done wrong and he’s a good pal.
Meeting this year’s intake of students at Hollyoaks College feels very real. Though I know I am meeting actors, most of whom are playing characters years younger than they are, walking into the set of the university halls takes me back to my student days. It isn’t only the surroundings; the bond between the group of actors has a distinctly student-like vibe. They have all moved to a new place to start something new, the token student banter is rife and they swap tasting notes from the new edition of Irn Bru as if it were a 1989 Chateauneuf Du Pape. Now comfortably settled into Hollyaoks, the new recruits reflect on their version of a university experience.
How did you prepare for the roles of students?
Tom: I’ve known people who have been at uni and visited friends in halls, seeing people putting jam on a digestive for the first time, I thought it was genius. You see people and get an idea of what it’s like to be a student.
Tamarin: Our characters are a good cross section of students though mine is a bit more far-fetched because she’s trying to be an adult not just a student.
How have you settled in to Hollyoaks?
Tom: Great, very well, everyone is so nice and friendly.
Holly: I was worried, thinking these beautiful people would be bitchy but there isn’t one person I don’t get on with.
Tom: We’re part of the family now. You get absorbed very quickly. You get thrown into work straight away. It’s a very quick process.
Scott: It’s easy because everyone’s so nice and we had James to show us the ropes. Everyone’s pretty sound and it’s easy to ask questions because everyone’s so willing to help. The older characters seemed to take me under their wing. Nick (Pickard, who plays Holloaks veteran Tony) has been really nice to me. He brought me to football games and gave me a kit. It really made me feel comfortable.
David: Social stuff outside the show helps, we have such a laugh it doesn’t really feel like work.
Were you fans of the show before you joined the cast?
Tom: I used to be a total addict when I was younger. I hadn’t seen it for a while before this but now it’s quite absorbing. There’s some really good stuff coming out, not what people would expect. Everyone loved the wedding and I think people are surprised by the quality now. The writers and producers are really listening to what people are saying and constantly adapting the show which is pushing the quality up and up.
We’ve got exciting stuff coming up around new year. We can’t say – don’t mention the war. All I can say it that we are all together and there will be a location shoot. It’s juicy and exciting with some new characters. Now stop.
How did your family react to seeing you on the show?
Holly (who flashed in a bar in her first episode): My brother watched it, he was like, hmm nice first episode. I think he saw a bit much but thought it was good stuff besides that.
Tamarin: My dad never watched a soap and now he has to he is loving it. He’s 72 and watching Hollyoaks first look – we’re definitely bringing in new audiences!
Scott: My sister and mum are heavily into it, the fact I’m on it is only a bit of a touch really – mum doesn’t have to see my ugly mug anymore.
My auntie rang my mum during one scene where I was on the phone to my mum in the show – she had a go at her for ringing me while I was working.
David: My mum starting clapping like the nutty professor. My brothers see stuff in my character that I bring to it and laugh about it because it’s just the stupid things I do around the house.
James: For me it’s more my mates. My character is so different to me in real life so they find it hilarious.
Would you describe yourselves as typical students?
Tom: There are some aspects which are quite typical – we each bring something different and there’s a bit of edge to our characters.
Holly: Really nice group, everybody is a character, it’s nice to see them interact because they’re all so different.
Scott: We’re all from different spectrums – Barney’s very posh, Scott is working class, there’s even someone who lives in a caravan. It’s a nice mixture.
Check out more from Hollyoaks at E4.com
Interviewer Elizabeth Horsfall Images Lucy Sharratt
