Ste Hay
Encyclopedia
Stephen "Ste" Hay is a fictional character
from the British
Channel 4
soap opera
Hollyoaks
, played by Kieron Richardson
. He debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 17 February 2006. Ste was created by David Hanson and was originally intended to be a short-term character for seven episodes. The following series producer Bryan Kirkwood
decided to bring the character back on a permanent basis. As of 2010, Richardson has revealed that he is committed to staying in the serial.
Ste has been at the centre of several storylines including joyriding, a baby kidnapping plot and a gay relationship. He was initially portrayed as a "bad boy" type character. Although he changed producer Lucy Allan
wanted him to revert back. The issue of domestic violence
has been portrayed through the character on two occasions: the first was his violence towards girlfriend Amy Barnes
, and the second when he suffered abuse from his boyfriend Brendan Brady
. Richardson and co-star Slanina-Davies both fronted an anti-domestic abuse campaign called "Expect Respect" for Women's Aid. He has subsequent relationships with Rae Wilson
and Noah Baxter. Both became subject to love "triangle" storylines involving Brendan.
Ste's gay storyline prompted Richardson to come out
as gay. Its aim was to raise awareness of domestic abuse in a homosexual relationship. Whilst Ste and his storylines have received a mixed reaction from critics, Richardson has been nominated for various awards for his portrayal.
decided to bring the character back for another handful of episodes in October 2006 in which Ste fled the scene of a car accident involving Amy Barnes
(Ashley Slanina-Davies
). Following positive viewer feedback after this second stint, Kirkwood asked Richardson to reprise the role on a permanent basis beginning 26 September 2007.
In 2010, speculation arose that Richardson would leave the show, due to his participation in ITV
ice skating competition Dancing on Ice
. Richardson said "I'm not leaving, I'm staying put". He added his participation in the reality television series was for "fun", and stating: "I still want to stay at Hollyoaks and progress in my career there" because he did not think he was a good enough actor to pursue other projects. However, he later revealed he was not sure executive producer Paul Marquess
would renew his contract. In November 2010, Richardson commented on his future with the show, branding it a new era and thankful to be part of it. Richardson stated: "Marquess loved everything I've been doing and wanted to keep me on. I'm hoping to stick with the show no matter what."
(Sonny Flood
), Jamie "Fletch" Fletcher (Sam Darbyshire
) and Nicole Owen
(Ciara Janson
). His troublesome personality continued as he became a drug dealer, stole money and began hitting Amy. During 2009, Ste's persona improved when he became a single father to Lucas Hay (Jude) and Amy's daughter to a previous relationship, Leah (Jessica Croft-Lane) after she developed post-natal depression. Ste began working in restaurant Il Gnosh to earn money for his children, showing that the character had matured.
In 2010, Richardson revealed that executive producer Lucy Allan
was going to return Ste to his "bad" ways. Richardson said that Ste had portrayed the whole "bad thing" and mellowed. He felt Ste was emulating fellow character Tony Hutchinson
(Nick Pickard
), because Ste was "running a restaurant, camping it up like him and talking like him". Allan wanted to change that and see him regain some old habits. These changes did not happen because Allan quit her position soon after.
Richardson later told Inside Soap
that he hated Ste when he first joined the show, adding: "When he came into the show Ste was a bit of a skater boy, and I hated that." Richardson would recite his lines in "a sinister way and do under-the-eyebrows stuff", which Richardson felt inspired the writers to develop Ste's character more deeply.
(Tony Hirst
). Despite this, Ste became increasingly violent and started to hit Amy, on one occasion even cutting off her ponytail. Slanina-Davis raised money from hair cut during the scene in aid the cancer charity CLIC Sargant. At this time, Amy became pregnant, but was unsure whether to keep the baby. Speaking about 2008 as a whole for Ste and Amy, producer Bryan Kirkwood
said he was proud of the way Richardson had portrayed Ste in a sympathetic manner so viewers could understand - but not condone his behaviour. He thought he and Slanina-Davies delivered brilliant performances portraying the "reality of so many 16-17-year-olds", struggling to make a life for themselves. He felt some of their scenes were "downright shocking". Eventually, Amy decides to accept the help of her friends and family and leaves Ste for abusing her.
Whilst the storyline aired, Richardson and Slanina-Davies fronted a charity campaign called "Expect Respect" in order to combat domestic violence. At the time Richardson released a statement opining domestic violence affects many young people in any form of life. He stated he could imagine "how frightening it would be to have him as a boyfriend" and condemed his "violence and bullying" because it is always unacceptable."
During April 2009, Amy gave birth to Lucas, and subsequently left due to post-natal depression. Ste was left looking after both Lucas, and Amy's daughter Leah. A couple, Abi Raven (Elaine Glover
) and Daniel Raven (Chris Hargreaves) befriended Ste and tried to convince him that he was a good father, and that he did not need Amy in their lives. However, Abi and Daniel planned to kidnap Lucas, at first in order to keep him and then later on to give him to another family. Richardson expressed to Digital Spy
his pleasure with this storyline, saying, "It's getting quite dark." He was also shocked with its entertaining and unexpected ending." When the storyline came to its climax, Abi and Daniel tried to take Lucas, but they were stopped.
Ste told Amy's father Mike to look after Lucas and Leah in the aftermath of the baby plot because he didn't think he was a good father. Richardson reported that he enjoyed working with Jude and Jessica Croft-Lane, the young actors who played Lucas and Leah. He reported that Jude was camera shy and liked to play with camera equipment during filming and that he told Croft-Lane that his name was actually Ste. Richardson concluded the storyline was different and he felt it gave him a chance to showcase his acting abilities.
, Kieron Richardson revealed he was gay, and that Ste would explore his sexuality and come out as gay after embarking on a dangerous affair with his boss Brendan Brady
(Emmett J. Scanlan
). Ste saw a nicer side to Brendan and they formed an "unusual friendship," which eventually lead to having a wild lads night out and a drunken kiss. Brendan rejected Ste, giving into passion later, they kiss again. But the storyline took dark twist when Ste is beaten badly.
During an interview, series producer Paul Marquess
, he described it as a long running storyline, adding: "It is dark to begin with, the lessons that Ste learns are ultimately positive and life affirming." He also felt it was about not "being afraid of who you are" and Ste was "refreshingly accepting" of his feelings towards a man. Richardson revealed he was shocked to discover the details of the plot. He felt it was interesting to see how Ste coped with the being the victim of domestic violence.
Richard admitted his initial fears of the portrayal because he felt it was a taboo subject. He had difficulties portraying it initially, this was because he was not familiar with the subject. "The storyline had not been tackled in British soap opera before and Richardson felt Ste was "making television history". He then explained how the storyline differs from other soap operas because "Ste doesn't question his sexuality and it's not about a struggle — it's about domestic abuse in a gay relationship." Richardson also stated because of the plots dark nature, he hoped viewers would be "drawn into it". He branded the storyline as unpredictable because viewers never know if Brendan was going kiss or hit Ste.
A spokesperson for Hollyoaks cofirmed that Ste didn't realise "how much power and control Brendan was wielding over him". This was because Ste was still coming to terms with his sexuality. Ste felt a connection he never felt before because he hadn't had another male partner. Brendan manipulated Ste into believing he was too blame for Brendan's anger. The representative said this was why he ended up apologising. The storyline also aimed to shock viewers with the "dark depths" Brendan would go to in order to control Ste. Marquess later stated that Brendan's past would be explained everyone should remember it was Ste who used to hit Amy first, adding: "So it's a dark and interwoven story made all the more complicated by the introduction of a new love interest for Ste".
(Stephanie Waring
) decides to help the pair start a relationship. Waring said Cindy does not care about Ste and Noah and she sees them as "the only gays in the village". Waring concluded that she thrives off the attention and gossip their romance generates for her.
However Richardson said that despite his new relationship he is still "madly" in love with Brendan. Ultimately he stated "He may care for Noah, but he will always run back to Brendan".
(Hollie-Jay Bowes
) joyriding and causes a car accident, after which he flees. Following a confession to the police from Fletch, Ste is sent to a young offender's institute.
Months later, Ste returns and seeks Amy's help. After convincing her he has changed, Amy gives Ste a second chance. Amy's father Mike attacks Ste, but is told by Amy that Ste is her daughter Leah's father. Ste and Amy become a couple again and move into a flat of their own. Mike contacts Ste's stepfather Terry, who arrives and beats up Ste. Amy then throws Mike out. To help with their money worries, Ste steals Warren Fox
's (Jamie Lomas
) credit card. With this, he buys expensive belongings for the flat. When Warren finds out, he takes the belongings and threatens Ste, who later breaks into Warren's business, Evissa and sets a fire, which almost kills Warren's fiancée Louise Summers (Roxanne McKee
). After this, Warren beats up Ste. Ste then turns to dealing drugs for money with his friend Nige Foster (Sam Townend) and influences Fletch to begin smoking marijuana. Amy lets Ste's mother Pauline see Leah, causing an angry Ste to end up hitting Amy. However, they reconcile. After Ste fails to find a job, Ste steals Carmel McQueen
's (Gemma Merna
) handbag, but is stopped. To defend himself, Ste lies that Leah has been diagnosed with leukaemia. Amy is angry, but also lies after they receive money. Ste and Amy's relationship turns violent, with his lashing out on several occasions. The lie about Leah's health is revealed and Amy has no other option but to stay with Ste. Amy discovers she is pregnant, so Ste agrees that he will change. Despite his promise, Ste steals a karaoke machine, which causes Amy to walk out and tell Mike of her abuse, after which he beats Ste up. A drunken Ste climbs onto scaffolding and threatens to commit suicide. Kieron Hobbs (Jake Hendriks
) tries to talk him down as Amy, Sarah Barnes
(Loui Batley
) and Mike leave, believing Ste is attention-seeking. As they turn away, Ste falls and breaks his leg. After this, Ste and Justin Burton
(Chris Fountain
) become friends and move in together. For the sake of his unborn child, Ste gets a job in Il Gnosh restaurant and begins taking anger management classes.
Ste becomes friends with Natty, Daniel and Abi and begins a short-lived relationship with Theresa McQueen
(Jorgie Porter
), which he ends to focus on getting Amy back. Amy gives birth to her and Ste's son Lucas Hay, helped by Ste, Daniel and Abi. Amy, however, suffers from post-natal depression, and leaves to live with her grandmother, leaving Lucas and Leah with Mike, who later leaves them in Ste's care. Abi and Daniel begin to help Ste with looking after Lucas, with plans of taking Lucas to replace their own son who died. Abi starts drugging Ste as Daniel turns him against Natty, who grows suspicious of Daniel and Abi's interests. Mike finds Ste asleep whilst looking after Lucas, so takes him. However, Ste takes Lucas back and bans Mike from seeing him. Ste almost shakes Lucas, so Daniel convinces him to give his son up. The truth is revealed, Daniel is arrested and later released, he and Abi leave the village. Amy returns and slowly begins to bond with her children again. They move into their old flat together.
When Tony fires him, Ste starts working at Chez Chez nightclub as a barman. Ste grows suspicious of Brendan Brady after he uses Carmel to smuggle drugs. Ste's former co-worker and love interest Rae Wilson
(Alice Barlow
) returns following a stay with her ill grandmother. Brendan is jealous of their relationship, so gets Veronica (Lynsey McLaren) to kiss Ste, which Rae witnesses. They later make up after Ste convinces Rae that the kiss meant nothing. Following a drunken night, Ste kisses Brendan, who then throws him out. The next day, Brendan corners Ste and kisses him again. In the club a further day later, Ste follows Brendan to a cellar and moves to kiss him. However, Brendan punches Ste, who falls to the ground. Brendan then makes Ste tell Cheryl Brady
(Bronagh Waugh
) he was mugged. Ste avoids Brendan, still shaken by his actions. They resume their relationship and Ste tells Amy of his relationship. This prompts Brendan to attack Ste again. Amy realises that Ste is being abused. To hide their relationship, Brendan tells Ste to go out on a date with Rae. When Rae and Ste finally sleep together, Amy is hospitalised after being involved in a fire. Ste suspects Brendan started the fire. However, he denies it. Ste discovers Brendan's former lover Macca (Drew Dillon) is in hospital after being beaten up by Brendan. Macca and Ste end up kissing. Ste later confides in Dominic Reilly
(John Pickard
) about Brendan and the fire, however Dom is later charged.
Ste starts a relationship with Rae. Ste is angered when he sees Brendan has assaulted Trev Costello (Scott Neal
), who he thinks is gay, leading him to believe that Brendan's denial of his sexuality is leading him to gay-bash, ending their relationship. Ste later decides to give Brendan a second chance. Brendan reluctantly agrees to a date with Ste and the pair go to a gay bar, but Brendan bails. Rae reveals to Ste that she is pregnant. Amy convinces Brendan to end his affair with Ste. Whilst sharing a goodbye kiss, Brendan and Ste are caught by Mitzeee Minniver
(Rachel Shenton
). Ste becomes jealous when Brendan and Mitzeee agree to pretend to be a couple. Rae catches them kissing, she suffers a miscarriage. Ste ends his affair with Brendan when he attacks him again. Ste gets revenge on Brendan by hitting him with a cricket bat. Brendan says they are even, he reveals the truth to Cheryl. Cindy helps Ste and Noah start a relationship and Noah convinces him to come out everyone. Brendan later seduces Noah in an attempt to split the pair up. Ste forgives Noah realising Brendan's intentions. Noah secures a job in Newcastle upon Tyne
and Ste agrees to move away with him. Brendan is angered by this and sets Noah up once again. Ste catches Noah kissing Sean (Matt Kennedy), Ste ends their relationship which forces Noah to leave alone. Brendan confesses love for Ste and they sleep together and Brendan's wife Eileen Brady (Rachel Doherty) walks in on them. Eileen tells Brendan he cannot see his son Declan Brady (Jay Duffy) unless he does not see Ste. Brendan tells Ste they have to pretend until Declan returns to Ireland.
, he was nominated for "Villain of the Year". He was nominated for the same award in 2008 and at the 2011 awards he was nominated for "Best Actor". Richardson was a nominee for the "Best Actor" award at the Inside Soap Awards
during 2010, and was nominated for 'Best Serial Drama Performance' in the 2011 National Television Awards
. At the 2011 All About Soap
Bubble Awards Ste, Brendan and Rae won the award for "Best Love Triangle". At the 2011 Inside Soap Awards he was nominated for "Best Actor" and "Best Dramatic Performance". He was again nominated in the category of "Serial Drama Performance" at the 2012 National Television Awards.
Holy Soap
opined Ste's most memorable moment stating: "Sadly, it's beating up girlfriend Amy." The fatherhood and baby snatch storyline received mixed reviews from viewers. Digital Spy posted a poll asking readers whether they thought the plot was anti-climactic. 76.6% of voters thought it was truly anti-climactic, whilst the rest thought otherwise.
After Richardson came out on This Morning, Dennis Ayers, writing for gay men's news website AfterElton.com, criticised the revelation, believing it to be for promotional purposes only. Whilst acknowledging Ste as being a "violent bully, a domestic abuser, and a single father", Ayers could see nothing in Ste's "dark past hinted that he might be gay." In spite of his criticism, he praised Richardson for coming out as gay. Anthony D. Langford, also writing for AfterElton, who avidly followed the plot, felt shocked when he witnessed Brendan attacking Ste. He moped there was worse to come and found it compelling viewing. He also did not perceive it as a romantic story stating: "Ste and Brendan's scenes do have an element of sexual allure since the actors have chemistry, but there's too much darkness and manipulation on the edges of every scene to make real romance even possible". He also gave credit to the show for its slow build up over a few months. After Rae became pregnant All About Soap said: "Crikey, at this rate Mr Hay will soon be giving Walford's Jack Branning
a run for his money for the Most fertile Man in Soapland award!"
When Theresa "had her eye on Ste" for a potential boyfriend, Jaci Stephen writing for the Daily Mail
quipped "Given his history of violence towards women, that might be realised more literally than she would like." When he kissed Brendan, Stephen said Ste had joined the ranks of "very confused young men" that have featured in Hollyoaks. She added he had "banged about wanting to be a good boyfriend and dad for aeons" and being the victim of domestic violence was ironic for him. She later said the seria l was brave for tackling gay domestic violence. She opined that Richardson gave an "incredible performance" and felt she was not alone in perceiving the storyline to be "deeply disturbing" and "deeply moving". She later expressed her view that "Ste hasn’t experienced much normality in his young life". She concluded that Ste never seemed to have a trouble free day. The Liverpool Daily Post
said "You know you're not flavour of the month when even Ste Hay looks down his nose at you."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
, played by Kieron Richardson
Kieron Richardson
Kieron Mark Richardson is an English actor best known for playing the role of Ste Hay in Hollyoaks.-Career:...
. He debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 17 February 2006. Ste was created by David Hanson and was originally intended to be a short-term character for seven episodes. The following series producer Bryan Kirkwood
Bryan Kirkwood (producer)
Bryan Kirkwood is a Scottish-born British television producer. He was the producer of teen Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks from 2006 until 2009 and has been the executive producer of the BBC soap EastEnders since 2010.- Personal life :...
decided to bring the character back on a permanent basis. As of 2010, Richardson has revealed that he is committed to staying in the serial.
Ste has been at the centre of several storylines including joyriding, a baby kidnapping plot and a gay relationship. He was initially portrayed as a "bad boy" type character. Although he changed producer Lucy Allan
Lucy Allan (producer)
Lucy Jane Allan is a British television producer, best known for her work on Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.Allan's other credited work include a script editor for Dream Team and assistant to director in Chica de Río....
wanted him to revert back. The issue of domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
has been portrayed through the character on two occasions: the first was his violence towards girlfriend Amy Barnes
Amy Barnes
Amy Barnes is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Ashley Slanina-Davies. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 14 November 2005. Amy was created by executive producer David Hanson and Slanina-Davies was offered the role whilst looking for...
, and the second when he suffered abuse from his boyfriend Brendan Brady
Brendan Brady
Brendan Brady is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Emmett J. Scanlan. The character was introduced in 2010 by series producer Paul Marquess during part of the show's overhaul the character has become incredibly popular and liked.He is the older half...
. Richardson and co-star Slanina-Davies both fronted an anti-domestic abuse campaign called "Expect Respect" for Women's Aid. He has subsequent relationships with Rae Wilson
Rae Wilson
Rae Wilson is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Alice Barlow. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 5 October 2009. Barlow was cast into the role, which fulfilled her dream of starring in a soap opera. Fellow cast member Helen...
and Noah Baxter. Both became subject to love "triangle" storylines involving Brendan.
Ste's gay storyline prompted Richardson to come out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
as gay. Its aim was to raise awareness of domestic abuse in a homosexual relationship. Whilst Ste and his storylines have received a mixed reaction from critics, Richardson has been nominated for various awards for his portrayal.
Character creation and casting
The character of Ste was originally a background character, who was cast by David Hanson for only seven episodes. Upon completion of his initial short stint, new producer Bryan KirkwoodBryan Kirkwood (producer)
Bryan Kirkwood is a Scottish-born British television producer. He was the producer of teen Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks from 2006 until 2009 and has been the executive producer of the BBC soap EastEnders since 2010.- Personal life :...
decided to bring the character back for another handful of episodes in October 2006 in which Ste fled the scene of a car accident involving Amy Barnes
Amy Barnes
Amy Barnes is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Ashley Slanina-Davies. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 14 November 2005. Amy was created by executive producer David Hanson and Slanina-Davies was offered the role whilst looking for...
(Ashley Slanina-Davies
Ashley Slanina-Davies
Ashley Slanina-Davies is an English actress born in Standish, near Wigan, who is notable for playing the role of Amy Barnes on Channel 4's teen soap, Hollyoaks...
). Following positive viewer feedback after this second stint, Kirkwood asked Richardson to reprise the role on a permanent basis beginning 26 September 2007.
In 2010, speculation arose that Richardson would leave the show, due to his participation in ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
ice skating competition Dancing on Ice
Dancing on Ice (UK)
Dancing on Ice is a British television show co-hosted by Christine Bleakley and Philip Schofield, in which celebrities and their professional partners figure skate in front of a panel of judges. The format, devised by LWT and Granada Television, has been a prime-time hit in eight different...
. Richardson said "I'm not leaving, I'm staying put". He added his participation in the reality television series was for "fun", and stating: "I still want to stay at Hollyoaks and progress in my career there" because he did not think he was a good enough actor to pursue other projects. However, he later revealed he was not sure executive producer Paul Marquess
Paul Marquess
Paul Marquess is a Northern Irish-born British television producer.-Television career:His credits include Brookside, The Bill and Family Affairs. He also originated the idea for the series Footballers' Wives...
would renew his contract. In November 2010, Richardson commented on his future with the show, branding it a new era and thankful to be part of it. Richardson stated: "Marquess loved everything I've been doing and wanted to keep me on. I'm hoping to stick with the show no matter what."
Characterisation
When Ste was introduced on Hollyoaks, he was introduced as a violent and rebellious teenager who was often in trouble. He bullied several of his peers, including Josh AshworthJosh Ashworth
Joshua Josh Ashworth is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Sonny Flood. He dedbuted on-screen during the episode airing on 3 October 2005 and left on 14 July 2010, after his character was axed by executive producer Paul Marquess...
(Sonny Flood
Sonny Flood
-Background:Born in Blackpool, Lancashire, Flood was educated at Rossall School, near Fleetwood. In 2006 Flood passed ten GCSE exams all at either A or A*. In 2007, he achieved 4 'A's at AS level, in English Literature, History, Media Studies and Philosophy, and in 2008 he achieved a grade 'A' in...
), Jamie "Fletch" Fletcher (Sam Darbyshire
Sam Darbyshire
Sam Darbyshire is a television actor best known for his role as Jamie "Fletch" Fletcher on the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. He has, however, also appeared in several advertisements and had a small role in Coronation Street. He belongs to a local youth theatre group in Wigan, Willpower Youth...
) and Nicole Owen
Nicole Owen
Nicole Owen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Ciara Janson. First appearing in 2004, Janson left the soap in 2006, making a brief return in 2007.-Storylines:...
(Ciara Janson
Ciara Janson
Ciara Janson is an English actress best known for her role in Hollyoaks as Nicole Owen.The character of Nicole Owen was Ciara Janson's first major television work. Previous parts include the role of Heidi for a BBC radio drama...
). His troublesome personality continued as he became a drug dealer, stole money and began hitting Amy. During 2009, Ste's persona improved when he became a single father to Lucas Hay (Jude) and Amy's daughter to a previous relationship, Leah (Jessica Croft-Lane) after she developed post-natal depression. Ste began working in restaurant Il Gnosh to earn money for his children, showing that the character had matured.
In 2010, Richardson revealed that executive producer Lucy Allan
Lucy Allan (producer)
Lucy Jane Allan is a British television producer, best known for her work on Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.Allan's other credited work include a script editor for Dream Team and assistant to director in Chica de Río....
was going to return Ste to his "bad" ways. Richardson said that Ste had portrayed the whole "bad thing" and mellowed. He felt Ste was emulating fellow character Tony Hutchinson
Tony Hutchinson
Anthony "Tony" Hutchinson is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Nick Pickard. Tony first appeared on-screen on 23 October 1995, the first episode of the series, and is the only original character still on the show to the present day...
(Nick Pickard
Nick Pickard
Nicholas "Nick" Pickard is an English actor, best known for his role as Tony Hutchinson on soap opera Hollyoaks.He is currently the longest serving cast member and appeared in the very first episode in 1995...
), because Ste was "running a restaurant, camping it up like him and talking like him". Allan wanted to change that and see him regain some old habits. These changes did not happen because Allan quit her position soon after.
Richardson later told Inside Soap
Inside Soap
Inside Soap is a weekly UK magazine, released every Tuesday. It covers current and future storylines in soap operas shown in the United Kingdom....
that he hated Ste when he first joined the show, adding: "When he came into the show Ste was a bit of a skater boy, and I hated that." Richardson would recite his lines in "a sinister way and do under-the-eyebrows stuff", which Richardson felt inspired the writers to develop Ste's character more deeply.
Domestic violence and fatherhood
Returning later in 2007, Ste and Amy eventually got back together. The pair moved into their own flat, to the dismay of Amy's father Mike BarnesMike Barnes (Hollyoaks)
Michael "Mike" Barnes is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Tony Hirst. He first appeared in 2006. In 2010, soap opera magazine Inside Soap reported that the character would leave in late January with love interest Zoe Carpenter...
(Tony Hirst
Tony Hirst
Tony Hirst is a British actor and theatre director, best known for playing Mike Barnes on the British soap opera Hollyoaks and currently stars in Coronation Street as the love interest of Eileen Grimshaw.- Filmography :...
). Despite this, Ste became increasingly violent and started to hit Amy, on one occasion even cutting off her ponytail. Slanina-Davis raised money from hair cut during the scene in aid the cancer charity CLIC Sargant. At this time, Amy became pregnant, but was unsure whether to keep the baby. Speaking about 2008 as a whole for Ste and Amy, producer Bryan Kirkwood
Bryan Kirkwood (producer)
Bryan Kirkwood is a Scottish-born British television producer. He was the producer of teen Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks from 2006 until 2009 and has been the executive producer of the BBC soap EastEnders since 2010.- Personal life :...
said he was proud of the way Richardson had portrayed Ste in a sympathetic manner so viewers could understand - but not condone his behaviour. He thought he and Slanina-Davies delivered brilliant performances portraying the "reality of so many 16-17-year-olds", struggling to make a life for themselves. He felt some of their scenes were "downright shocking". Eventually, Amy decides to accept the help of her friends and family and leaves Ste for abusing her.
Whilst the storyline aired, Richardson and Slanina-Davies fronted a charity campaign called "Expect Respect" in order to combat domestic violence. At the time Richardson released a statement opining domestic violence affects many young people in any form of life. He stated he could imagine "how frightening it would be to have him as a boyfriend" and condemed his "violence and bullying" because it is always unacceptable."
During April 2009, Amy gave birth to Lucas, and subsequently left due to post-natal depression. Ste was left looking after both Lucas, and Amy's daughter Leah. A couple, Abi Raven (Elaine Glover
Elaine Glover
Elaine Glover is an English actress. She grew up in Skipton.Elaine trained at Rose Bruford College as an Actor Musician...
) and Daniel Raven (Chris Hargreaves) befriended Ste and tried to convince him that he was a good father, and that he did not need Amy in their lives. However, Abi and Daniel planned to kidnap Lucas, at first in order to keep him and then later on to give him to another family. Richardson expressed to Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
his pleasure with this storyline, saying, "It's getting quite dark." He was also shocked with its entertaining and unexpected ending." When the storyline came to its climax, Abi and Daniel tried to take Lucas, but they were stopped.
Ste told Amy's father Mike to look after Lucas and Leah in the aftermath of the baby plot because he didn't think he was a good father. Richardson reported that he enjoyed working with Jude and Jessica Croft-Lane, the young actors who played Lucas and Leah. He reported that Jude was camera shy and liked to play with camera equipment during filming and that he told Croft-Lane that his name was actually Ste. Richardson concluded the storyline was different and he felt it gave him a chance to showcase his acting abilities.
Homosexual domestic violence
During an interview on This MorningThis Morning (TV series)
This Morning is a British daytime television programme broadcast on ITV. As of September 2011, its main presenters are Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, with various other presenters standing in for illness or contributing to sections of the programme.The...
, Kieron Richardson revealed he was gay, and that Ste would explore his sexuality and come out as gay after embarking on a dangerous affair with his boss Brendan Brady
Brendan Brady
Brendan Brady is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Emmett J. Scanlan. The character was introduced in 2010 by series producer Paul Marquess during part of the show's overhaul the character has become incredibly popular and liked.He is the older half...
(Emmett J. Scanlan
Emmett J. Scanlan
Emmett J. Scanlan is an Irish actor from Dublin.In 2008 and 2009, Scanlan appeared in the Justin Timberlake-produced MTV series The Phone, as "The Operator"...
). Ste saw a nicer side to Brendan and they formed an "unusual friendship," which eventually lead to having a wild lads night out and a drunken kiss. Brendan rejected Ste, giving into passion later, they kiss again. But the storyline took dark twist when Ste is beaten badly.
During an interview, series producer Paul Marquess
Paul Marquess
Paul Marquess is a Northern Irish-born British television producer.-Television career:His credits include Brookside, The Bill and Family Affairs. He also originated the idea for the series Footballers' Wives...
, he described it as a long running storyline, adding: "It is dark to begin with, the lessons that Ste learns are ultimately positive and life affirming." He also felt it was about not "being afraid of who you are" and Ste was "refreshingly accepting" of his feelings towards a man. Richardson revealed he was shocked to discover the details of the plot. He felt it was interesting to see how Ste coped with the being the victim of domestic violence.
Richard admitted his initial fears of the portrayal because he felt it was a taboo subject. He had difficulties portraying it initially, this was because he was not familiar with the subject. "The storyline had not been tackled in British soap opera before and Richardson felt Ste was "making television history". He then explained how the storyline differs from other soap operas because "Ste doesn't question his sexuality and it's not about a struggle — it's about domestic abuse in a gay relationship." Richardson also stated because of the plots dark nature, he hoped viewers would be "drawn into it". He branded the storyline as unpredictable because viewers never know if Brendan was going kiss or hit Ste.
A spokesperson for Hollyoaks cofirmed that Ste didn't realise "how much power and control Brendan was wielding over him". This was because Ste was still coming to terms with his sexuality. Ste felt a connection he never felt before because he hadn't had another male partner. Brendan manipulated Ste into believing he was too blame for Brendan's anger. The representative said this was why he ended up apologising. The storyline also aimed to shock viewers with the "dark depths" Brendan would go to in order to control Ste. Marquess later stated that Brendan's past would be explained everyone should remember it was Ste who used to hit Amy first, adding: "So it's a dark and interwoven story made all the more complicated by the introduction of a new love interest for Ste".
Relationship with Noah Baxter
In early 2011 Marquess revealed that Ste would have a new boyfriend. This would help create another "classic triangle" storyline. It was then revealed that new gay character Noah Baxter (Law Thompson) would befriend Ste. Noah's friend Cindy CunninghamCindy Cunningham
Cindy Longford is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Stephanie Waring...
(Stephanie Waring
Stephanie Waring
Stephanie Waring Stephanie Waring Stephanie Waring (born 19 February 1978; Urmston, Greater Manchester, England is an English actress, best known for portraying Cindy Cunningham in the early evening soap opera Hollyoaks.-Personal life:...
) decides to help the pair start a relationship. Waring said Cindy does not care about Ste and Noah and she sees them as "the only gays in the village". Waring concluded that she thrives off the attention and gossip their romance generates for her.
However Richardson said that despite his new relationship he is still "madly" in love with Brendan. Ultimately he stated "He may care for Noah, but he will always run back to Brendan".
Backstory
Ste was originally portrayed as being a smart loner who kept to himself, with a cool older brother who taught him how to drive cars. It was later shown that his loneliness was just an act to get girls to sleep with him and that he was not really intelligent. In later episodes, his "brother" was never mentioned, possibly insinuating that Ste had lied about him. Ste was shown to have come from a broken home: raised by his alcoholic mother Pauline Hay (Julie Hogarth) and his abusive stepfather Terry Hay (Conor Ryan), with no contact with his biological father. Ste was regularly beaten by Terry, who was defended by Pauline. This led to Ste's violent nature and resentment of his mother.2006—
Ste first appears as a friend of Wayne Tunnicliffe (Joe Marsden). Ste eventually begins a relationship with Amy and pressures her to have sex with him. Ste begins a feud with Josh and his cousin Fletch after they both defend Amy, who does not want to have sex. Ste and Wayne push Josh and Fletch into rebelling, which they go along with in order to impress them. Amy becomes pregnant by a stranger, but does not tell Ste. Afterward, Ste confides in Amy about the abuse he had to deal with from his stepfather. Ste takes Fletch, Amy, Josh and Michaela McQueenMichaela McQueen
Michaela McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Hollie-Jay Bowes. Michaela was the first of the McQueen family to be seen on-screen in 2006, when she was credited as Michaela Jones. On 8 June 2010, Hollie-Jay Bowes announced that she had quit...
(Hollie-Jay Bowes
Hollie-Jay Bowes
Hollie-Jay Bowes is an English actress best known for her role as Michaela McQueen in Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. Her parents changed her name from Billie Jean to Hollie Jean as her father thought she would get bullied at school and be called 'Billie Bowes', and at 13, she changed her name to...
) joyriding and causes a car accident, after which he flees. Following a confession to the police from Fletch, Ste is sent to a young offender's institute.
Months later, Ste returns and seeks Amy's help. After convincing her he has changed, Amy gives Ste a second chance. Amy's father Mike attacks Ste, but is told by Amy that Ste is her daughter Leah's father. Ste and Amy become a couple again and move into a flat of their own. Mike contacts Ste's stepfather Terry, who arrives and beats up Ste. Amy then throws Mike out. To help with their money worries, Ste steals Warren Fox
Warren Fox
Warren Fox is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jamie Lomas. He first arrived in 2006 as an old acquaintance of Sean Kennedy and quickly became known as the show's main villain...
's (Jamie Lomas
Jamie Lomas
Jamie Lomas is an English actor best known for his role as bad boy Warren Fox on the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks....
) credit card. With this, he buys expensive belongings for the flat. When Warren finds out, he takes the belongings and threatens Ste, who later breaks into Warren's business, Evissa and sets a fire, which almost kills Warren's fiancée Louise Summers (Roxanne McKee
Roxanne McKee
-Biography:After completing a BA degree in 2001 in Social Policy & Political Studies at Royal Holloway, University of London, McKee rose to fame by winning Hollyoaks On The Pull, a Channel 4 initiative to discover new talent for the popular British soap Hollyoaks...
). After this, Warren beats up Ste. Ste then turns to dealing drugs for money with his friend Nige Foster (Sam Townend) and influences Fletch to begin smoking marijuana. Amy lets Ste's mother Pauline see Leah, causing an angry Ste to end up hitting Amy. However, they reconcile. After Ste fails to find a job, Ste steals Carmel McQueen
Carmel McQueen
Carmel Valentine is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Gemma Merna. She debuted on-screen during episodes airing in August 2006 and was introduced by series producer Bryan Kirkwood as part of the McQueen family...
's (Gemma Merna
Gemma Merna
Gemma Ann Merna is an English actress. She is known for playing Carmel Valentine in Hollyoaks.-Awards:...
) handbag, but is stopped. To defend himself, Ste lies that Leah has been diagnosed with leukaemia. Amy is angry, but also lies after they receive money. Ste and Amy's relationship turns violent, with his lashing out on several occasions. The lie about Leah's health is revealed and Amy has no other option but to stay with Ste. Amy discovers she is pregnant, so Ste agrees that he will change. Despite his promise, Ste steals a karaoke machine, which causes Amy to walk out and tell Mike of her abuse, after which he beats Ste up. A drunken Ste climbs onto scaffolding and threatens to commit suicide. Kieron Hobbs (Jake Hendriks
Jake Hendriks
Jake Hendriks Born 1981 is an English television actor, educated at Tiffin School, Kingston-upon-Thames.-Personal life:Jake Hendriks, born Jacob Hendrik Cuddihy in 1981 in Chessington, is the oldest of three children, with two younger brothers, Joshua and Caleb...
) tries to talk him down as Amy, Sarah Barnes
Sarah Barnes
Sarah Barnes is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Loui Batley. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 10 October 2005. Sarah was created by executive producer David Hanson as part of the Barnes family. In 2009 Batley quit the serial in...
(Loui Batley
Loui Batley
Louie Anne Batley is an English actress, singer and dancer best known for her role in Hollyoaks as Sarah Barnes...
) and Mike leave, believing Ste is attention-seeking. As they turn away, Ste falls and breaks his leg. After this, Ste and Justin Burton
Justin Burton
Justin Burton is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Chris Fountain. The character arrived in 2003 and departed on 3 June 2009. Justin arrived in a family of six, however by September 2006, his entire family had left the show...
(Chris Fountain
Chris Fountain
Christopher Ryan Fountain is an English actor best known for his role as Justin Burton on the Channel 4 teen soap Hollyoaks, a role he played from 2003 until his departure in June 2009. He is also now known for playing Tommy Duckworth in Coronation Street. He played the role of PC Paul Tait in...
) become friends and move in together. For the sake of his unborn child, Ste gets a job in Il Gnosh restaurant and begins taking anger management classes.
Ste becomes friends with Natty, Daniel and Abi and begins a short-lived relationship with Theresa McQueen
Theresa McQueen
Theresa McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jorgie Porter. She made her first appearance in November 2008. The character was introduced as an extension of already established McQueen family...
(Jorgie Porter
Jorgie Porter
Jorgina Alexandra "Jorgie" Porter, is an English actress, notable for her role as Theresa McQueen in the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks...
), which he ends to focus on getting Amy back. Amy gives birth to her and Ste's son Lucas Hay, helped by Ste, Daniel and Abi. Amy, however, suffers from post-natal depression, and leaves to live with her grandmother, leaving Lucas and Leah with Mike, who later leaves them in Ste's care. Abi and Daniel begin to help Ste with looking after Lucas, with plans of taking Lucas to replace their own son who died. Abi starts drugging Ste as Daniel turns him against Natty, who grows suspicious of Daniel and Abi's interests. Mike finds Ste asleep whilst looking after Lucas, so takes him. However, Ste takes Lucas back and bans Mike from seeing him. Ste almost shakes Lucas, so Daniel convinces him to give his son up. The truth is revealed, Daniel is arrested and later released, he and Abi leave the village. Amy returns and slowly begins to bond with her children again. They move into their old flat together.
When Tony fires him, Ste starts working at Chez Chez nightclub as a barman. Ste grows suspicious of Brendan Brady after he uses Carmel to smuggle drugs. Ste's former co-worker and love interest Rae Wilson
Rae Wilson
Rae Wilson is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Alice Barlow. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 5 October 2009. Barlow was cast into the role, which fulfilled her dream of starring in a soap opera. Fellow cast member Helen...
(Alice Barlow
Alice Barlow
Alice Barlow , is a British actress and singer, best known for her role in Hollyoaks as Rae Wilson.-Career:While a teenager Barlow won a national talent search Festival4Stars. In 2008, Barlow took part 'The Stobart Factor' a talent competition, which was judged by The X Factor judge Louis Walsh...
) returns following a stay with her ill grandmother. Brendan is jealous of their relationship, so gets Veronica (Lynsey McLaren) to kiss Ste, which Rae witnesses. They later make up after Ste convinces Rae that the kiss meant nothing. Following a drunken night, Ste kisses Brendan, who then throws him out. The next day, Brendan corners Ste and kisses him again. In the club a further day later, Ste follows Brendan to a cellar and moves to kiss him. However, Brendan punches Ste, who falls to the ground. Brendan then makes Ste tell Cheryl Brady
Cheryl Brady
Cheryl Brady is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Bronagh Waugh. The character first appeared on-screen on 25 November 2008, during the first series of the Hollyoaks spin-off, Hollyoaks Later, as the former love interest of Malachy Fisher...
(Bronagh Waugh
Bronagh Waugh
Bronagh Waugh is a Northern Irish actress currently playing the character of Cheryl Brady in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks as well as appearing on T4 On The Beach as herself....
) he was mugged. Ste avoids Brendan, still shaken by his actions. They resume their relationship and Ste tells Amy of his relationship. This prompts Brendan to attack Ste again. Amy realises that Ste is being abused. To hide their relationship, Brendan tells Ste to go out on a date with Rae. When Rae and Ste finally sleep together, Amy is hospitalised after being involved in a fire. Ste suspects Brendan started the fire. However, he denies it. Ste discovers Brendan's former lover Macca (Drew Dillon) is in hospital after being beaten up by Brendan. Macca and Ste end up kissing. Ste later confides in Dominic Reilly
Dominic Reilly
Dominic "Dom" Reilly is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by John Pickard. Dom made his first appearance on 13 September 2005 as the estranged half-brother of Tony Hutchinson, whose portrayer, Nick Pickard, is John Pickard's brother...
(John Pickard
John Pickard (British actor)
John Pickard is a British actor who is currently best known for appearing in Channel 4's Hollyoaks playing Dominic Reilly from 2005-2010. He is the brother of fellow Hollyoaks star Nick Pickard, who plays Tony Hutchinson, Dom's half-brother, in the soap...
) about Brendan and the fire, however Dom is later charged.
Ste starts a relationship with Rae. Ste is angered when he sees Brendan has assaulted Trev Costello (Scott Neal
Scott Neal
- Career :He entered the Anna Scher Theatre School in 1989. He debuted in The Listening on Channel Four. He has participated in other TV shows such as EastEnders, Bramwell, Prime Suspect, and London's Burning. He later became a regular appearance on the British television police drama The Bill,...
), who he thinks is gay, leading him to believe that Brendan's denial of his sexuality is leading him to gay-bash, ending their relationship. Ste later decides to give Brendan a second chance. Brendan reluctantly agrees to a date with Ste and the pair go to a gay bar, but Brendan bails. Rae reveals to Ste that she is pregnant. Amy convinces Brendan to end his affair with Ste. Whilst sharing a goodbye kiss, Brendan and Ste are caught by Mitzeee Minniver
Mitzeee Minniver
Ann "Mitzeee" Minniver is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Rachel Shenton. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 23 July 2010. Mitzeee was created by series producer Paul Marquess for a different television series which was...
(Rachel Shenton
Rachel Shenton
Rachel Shenton, , is an English actress, who has appeared in a number of British television series, commercials, films and has also done voice overs. She is currently portraying Mitzeee on Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.-Career:Shenton was born in Stoke-on-Trent on the 6 November 1987 and has lived...
). Ste becomes jealous when Brendan and Mitzeee agree to pretend to be a couple. Rae catches them kissing, she suffers a miscarriage. Ste ends his affair with Brendan when he attacks him again. Ste gets revenge on Brendan by hitting him with a cricket bat. Brendan says they are even, he reveals the truth to Cheryl. Cindy helps Ste and Noah start a relationship and Noah convinces him to come out everyone. Brendan later seduces Noah in an attempt to split the pair up. Ste forgives Noah realising Brendan's intentions. Noah secures a job in Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
and Ste agrees to move away with him. Brendan is angered by this and sets Noah up once again. Ste catches Noah kissing Sean (Matt Kennedy), Ste ends their relationship which forces Noah to leave alone. Brendan confesses love for Ste and they sleep together and Brendan's wife Eileen Brady (Rachel Doherty) walks in on them. Eileen tells Brendan he cannot see his son Declan Brady (Jay Duffy) unless he does not see Ste. Brendan tells Ste they have to pretend until Declan returns to Ireland.
Reception
Richardson has been nominated for several awards for his portrayal of Ste. During the 2009 British Soap AwardsBritish Soap Awards
The British Soap Awards is an annual awards ceremony to honour the best of British soap operas.The first event took place in 1999 and takes place in May each year. Although it is an ITV production, the events were held at the BBC Television Centre, in London until 2010. The 2011 awards relocated to...
, he was nominated for "Villain of the Year". He was nominated for the same award in 2008 and at the 2011 awards he was nominated for "Best Actor". Richardson was a nominee for the "Best Actor" award at the Inside Soap Awards
Inside Soap Awards
The Inside Soap Awards is a yearly award ceremony run by Inside Soap magazine since 1996. The awards celebrate the British and Australian soap operas and their actors. Until 2007, EastEnders had won the award for "Best Soap" on every occasion...
during 2010, and was nominated for 'Best Serial Drama Performance' in the 2011 National Television Awards
National Television Awards
The National Television Awards is a British television awards ceremony, broadcast by the ITV network and initiated in 1995. The National Television Awards are the most prominent ceremony for which the results are voted on by the general public. Because of the way the awards are decided, winners are...
. At the 2011 All About Soap
All About Soap
All About Soap is a fortnightly UK magazine, released on Tuesday. Storylines of the shows it covers are from soap operas shown in the United Kingdom and from Australia....
Bubble Awards Ste, Brendan and Rae won the award for "Best Love Triangle". At the 2011 Inside Soap Awards he was nominated for "Best Actor" and "Best Dramatic Performance". He was again nominated in the category of "Serial Drama Performance" at the 2012 National Television Awards.
Holy Soap
Holy Soap
Holy Soap is a UK television and entertainment website founded in June 2009 by the British television company Channel 5. The website is the official UK home of the Australian soap operas Home and Away and Neighbours, which are broadcast on the channel...
opined Ste's most memorable moment stating: "Sadly, it's beating up girlfriend Amy." The fatherhood and baby snatch storyline received mixed reviews from viewers. Digital Spy posted a poll asking readers whether they thought the plot was anti-climactic. 76.6% of voters thought it was truly anti-climactic, whilst the rest thought otherwise.
After Richardson came out on This Morning, Dennis Ayers, writing for gay men's news website AfterElton.com, criticised the revelation, believing it to be for promotional purposes only. Whilst acknowledging Ste as being a "violent bully, a domestic abuser, and a single father", Ayers could see nothing in Ste's "dark past hinted that he might be gay." In spite of his criticism, he praised Richardson for coming out as gay. Anthony D. Langford, also writing for AfterElton, who avidly followed the plot, felt shocked when he witnessed Brendan attacking Ste. He moped there was worse to come and found it compelling viewing. He also did not perceive it as a romantic story stating: "Ste and Brendan's scenes do have an element of sexual allure since the actors have chemistry, but there's too much darkness and manipulation on the edges of every scene to make real romance even possible". He also gave credit to the show for its slow build up over a few months. After Rae became pregnant All About Soap said: "Crikey, at this rate Mr Hay will soon be giving Walford's Jack Branning
Jack Branning
Jack Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Scott Maslen. He made his first appearance on 29 October 2007. He is the youngest child of Jim and Reenie Branning and the brother of April Branning, Carol Jackson, Derek Branning, Suzy Branning and Max Branning...
a run for his money for the Most fertile Man in Soapland award!"
When Theresa "had her eye on Ste" for a potential boyfriend, Jaci Stephen writing for the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
quipped "Given his history of violence towards women, that might be realised more literally than she would like." When he kissed Brendan, Stephen said Ste had joined the ranks of "very confused young men" that have featured in Hollyoaks. She added he had "banged about wanting to be a good boyfriend and dad for aeons" and being the victim of domestic violence was ironic for him. She later said the seria l was brave for tackling gay domestic violence. She opined that Richardson gave an "incredible performance" and felt she was not alone in perceiving the storyline to be "deeply disturbing" and "deeply moving". She later expressed her view that "Ste hasn’t experienced much normality in his young life". She concluded that Ste never seemed to have a trouble free day. The Liverpool Daily Post
Liverpool Daily Post
The Liverpool Daily Post is a newspaper published by Trinity Mirror in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is published Monday to Friday and is published in Merseyside, Cheshire, and North Wales editions, and is a morning paper...
said "You know you're not flavour of the month when even Ste Hay looks down his nose at you."
External links
- Character profile on the E4 website
- Character profile on Holy SoapHoly SoapHoly Soap is a UK television and entertainment website founded in June 2009 by the British television company Channel 5. The website is the official UK home of the Australian soap operas Home and Away and Neighbours, which are broadcast on the channel...