It first hit our screens back in 1995
17:17, 24 Jun 2025Updated 17:28, 24 Jun 2025
Hollyoaks, the class of 1995. From left to right – Brett O’Brien, Jeremy Edwards, Will Mellor, Nick Pickard, Yasmin Bannerman, Lisa Williamson and Shebah Ronay(Image: THE MERSEY TELEVISION COMPANY LIMITED)
It’s now been almost 30 years since Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks first came to our screens, leaving an instant impression on viewers. First airing back in 1995, through the years, Hollyoaks has had some remarkable characters and storylines.
In its early days, it stood out among the soaps on our screens for being aimed at teens and young adults, which was reflected in its young cast. Many will remember the early characters being university students, navigating the world of partying, relationships and more.
Over three decades, the soap has racked up plenty of awards. And while some of the cast have risen in the world of showbiz, others have taken unbelievably different paths, The Mirror reports.
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As the show is set to mark its 30th anniversary later this year, we take a look back at some of Chester’s best loved characters from the early days of the soap. From other TV successes to a change in career, many will remember their days on Hollyoaks.
Here, we take a look back at the original seven cast members of Hollyoaks and where they are now. This list isn’t intended to be comprehensive, but you can see how many characters you remember in our list below.
Will Mellor
Actor Will Mellor poses during a Hollyoaks photoshoot. December 2001(Image: Sunday Mirror)
Laid back Jack-the-Lad Jambo was one of the most popular original characters in the soap, which actor Will joined when he was 19. The star appeared in the show for three years before moving to Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps in 2001.
Will is now 49, and remains a successful actor. The Yorkshire native has starred in major hits such as Broadchurch and Line of Duty – proving he can do drama just as well as soaps and sitcoms. In 2021, he also joined Coronation Street as gangster Harvey Gaskell, spending nearly two years in the role.
Most recently, he worked on the show Mr Bates vs The Post Office, and also snagged a role in The Teacher. Away from acting, Will switched things up with a stint on Strictly Come Dancing, finishing 11th in 2022.
He’s also the co-host of Will & Ralf Should Know Better, which sees him and his Two Pints of Lager co-star Ralf Little travelling around and undertaking hilarious new activities. Will is also a dad and has children Jayden and Renee with dancer Michelle McSween.
Nick Pickard
Hollyoaks actor Nick Pickard who plays Tony Hutchinson. December 2001(Image: Sunday Mirror)
Nick has played Tony Hutchinson since Hollyoaks began, with his character experiencing testicular cancer and being stabbed and held hostage by serial killer Breda McQueen during that time. In 2017, the actor won the British Soap Award for Outstanding Achievement.
Nick, 49, originally only signed up for 26 episodes on the soap, but told Digital Spy he hopes it goes on for ‘as long as it can’. “I love the show and love the people more than anything – they’re like my family,” he said.
In 2023, the star joined the cast of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, calling his time in the jungle an ‘opportunity of a lifetime’. He was the fourth campmate to be voted out, with the reality contest won by Made In Chelsea’s Sam Thompson.
Nick enjoyed a year long relationship with his former Hollyoaks co-star Joanna Taylor, who played Geri Hudson, back in 2001. He is now in a long term relationship with girlfriend Sarah Corrin with a grown up daughter, Ellie.
Jeremy Edwards
Actor Jeremy Edwards during a Hollyoaks photo shoot. December 2001(Image: Sunday Mirror)
Like Will, Jeremy played his character Kurt Benson for three years, which saw the wannabe rock star experience a turbulent love life and a long-running feud with villain Rob Hawthorne. Later on, heartbroken viewers believed Kurt had been killed in a jet ski accident abroad, but the character had actually been on the run – and in 2020 he returned to the village on his motorbike, leaving his pal Tony reeling in shock.
After his original stint on the show, Jeremy played student nurse Danny Shaughnessy in Holby City and appeared on reality shows including The X Factor: Celebrity, and Celebrity Big Brother. The actor was engaged to S Club 7 singer Rachel Stevens but married Lydia Metz in 2009, going onto have children Scarlett and Theodore.
Lisa Williamson
Hollyoaks actress Lisa Williamson who played Dawn in Hollyoaks. December 2001(Image: Sunday Mirror)
Dawn was the first member of the long-running Cunningham family to appear on Hollyoaks and was at the centre of many hard-hitting storylines, including an unwanted teenage pregnancy after sleeping with her best friend Ruth’s dad Jack. Actress Lisa appeared on the show for two years and went onto star in Dream Team and Siren’s Bay.
After years on screen, the performer turned largely to voice acting on commercial adverts, and also started a career as a very successful author too. Her debut novel The Art of Being Normal was a bestseller which won the 2017 Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for best older fiction.
Shebah Ronay
Shebah Ronay from Hollyoaks(Image: London Features International)
Described as the Hollyoaks poster girl, Natasha Anderson was the first character to die in the show when her drink was spiked with an ecstasy pill. The storyline came a year after the real-life death of Leah Betts, who died after taking ecstasy on her 18th birthday.
Shebah, 53, went onto appear in 1998 film Things We Do for Love before moving to a career in modelling, presenting, and journalism. She is married to artist Jonathan Yeo, with whom she shares two children, and often acts as muse for her husband’s artworks.
Yasmin Bannerman
Yasmin Bannerman, back in 1995, when she first appeared in Hollyoaks(Image: Channel 4)
Restaurant owner Maddie Parker was a background character for two years before an intense storyline involving her stalker ex propelled her to the forefront. Yasmin left the show after two years, and has racked up plenty of other acting credits since then.
The star’s first role after leaving the soap was in Red Dwarf, followed by a recurring role as Jessica in the cult series Cold Feet, in which her character had an affair with married posh financier David. She also snagged a main role in Merseybeat.
Since then, Jessica has appeared in episodes of several shows, including Doctor Who, Torchwood, Holby City, and Life on Mars. Her last role was in Casualty in 2009, suggesting she might now be done with acting for good.
Brett O’Brien
Brett O’Brien in 1995(Image: Photo by REX/Shutterstock )
Free-loving Louise Taylor was Dawn and Natasha’s best friend, claiming to see the latter’s ghost after her passing. The short lived character left Hollyoaks after just eight months when she fell in love with hippy traveller Tree.
Brett went onto star in shows such as Wire in the Blood, William and Mary and The Bill. Like Yasmin, Brett’s acting career seems to have gone quiet since 2009, with her last role being a nurse in one episode of Law And Order: UK.