List of Hollyoaks characters introduced in 2011
The following is a list of characters who first appeared or were due to appear in the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks during 2011, listed in order of their first appearance. In January 2011, it was announced that Gareth Philips would be taking over the role of series producer from Paul Marquess, who had been with the show for one year.
Ruby Button
Ruby Button, played by Anna Shaffer, is the younger sister of Duncan Button. She made her first on-screen appearance on 3 January 2011. In December 2010, the Liverpool Echo announced that eighteen-year-old Shaffer would be joining the cast as Ruby. They said the character "will cause mayhem at the expense of her brother". Ruby has been described as "sneaky". Shaffer also announced her character during the Hollyoaks Christmas Music Show in 2010. In a poll run by Inside Soap to see which Hollyoaks character out of Ruby, Leanne Holiday, Rae Wilson and Theresa McQueen readers most wanted Silas Blissett to kill off next. Ruby came in second place with 21% of the vote.Esther Bloom
Esther Bloom, played by Jazmine Franks, made her first on-screen appearance on 18 January 2011. Esther is the granddaughter of Frankie Osborne. In January 2011, it was announced that Jazmine Franks would be joining the cast of Hollyoaks in a regular role. In June 2012, it was announced that Hollyoaks had entered a partnership with the fashion magazine Company for a storyline involving Esther and George Smith. The story arc sees them as new interns at the publications headquarters. The scenes are set in London and the editor, Victoria White cameos in their scenes. Esther and George face hardship in their attempts at independent living and she nearly ends her career by ruining a magazine feature. Paul Millar of Digital Spy also reported that Esther and George's friendship would also be "challenged in the special week" of episodes.JJ Osborne
Jack "JJ" Osborne, played by Ryan Mulvey, is the son of Suzanne Ashworth and Darren Osborne. He was born on-screen on 21 January 2011, which coincided with the show's 3,000th episode celebrations.In December 2010, it was announced that Suzanne Hall would be reprising her role of Suzanne. It was announced that Suzanne would return pregnant with Darren's twin babies and give birth in the show's 3,000th episode. Speaking of his reaction to the storyline, Dawson commented: "I was shocked in the same way, but it's just typical Darren! It's great. Suzanne's return has come at a time when things are going alright for Darren for the first time in his life – he's settled down a bit, he's realised that he's going to go for it with Nancy and everything seems to be going well. But in true Darren style, there's been a big spanner in the works. It makes for a very funny time ahead." In March 2011, it was announced that Suzanne would be departing Hollyoaks, along with Jack and Francine.
In January 2011, Suzanne returns from Spain heavily pregnant and tells Darren that she is expecting his twin babies. Suzanne goes into labour inside Look Sharpe and gives birth to a boy and a girl. Suzanne and Darren name the twins Jack and Francine, after Darren's father Jack Osborne and his wife Frankie Osborne. Darren's ex-girlfriend Cindy Longford learns of Jack and Francine and offers Suzanne £100,000 to leave with them. Suzanne then refuses the money. She later tells Cindy she will leave in return for £200,000, to which Cindy agrees and Suzanne returns to Spain with Jack and Francine. At Suzanne's son Rhys Ashworth's funeral, when Darren asks how the twins are, Suzanne says they have started talking, and he should come over and see them but Nancy said they have Oscar to think about. In February 2014, Darren went to visit Suzanne and the twins. In January 2024, Jack and Francine returned to Hollyoaks.
In November 2025, while serving his prision sentence, JJ was killed off-screen by an unknown assailant organised by Connor Sullivan and Fraser Black Sr.
Frankie Osborne
Francine "Frankie" Osborne, portrayed by Isabelle Smith, is the daughter of Darren Osborne and Suzanne Ashworth. Francine, along with her brother JJ Osborne, are both born in the 3000th episode celebrations, originally broadcast on 21 January 2011. Suzanne, JJ and Frankie departed in episode 3039, originally broadcast on 17 March 2011. She was portrayed by a child actress named Lexi during her initial 2011 stint. On 10 November 2023, it was announced that Hall had reprised the role of Suzanne and that she would be returning along with the twins in January 2024. Isabelle Smith was cast in the role of Frankie for a "huge storyline". Of her casting, Smith stated: "I'm so excited to be joining the cast of Hollyoaks, it still hasn't sunk in! You should expect a lot of ups and downs with Frankie but all I'll say is, don't judge her too soon…" She returned in episode 6291, originally broadcast on 18 January 2024. Frankie shows hostility to Darren upon her return as she has felt abandoned by Darren for a majority of her life. In a scene from episode 6358, originally broadcast on 22 April 2024 revealed Frankie and JJ were rapidly aged by two years as Darren told Freddie Roscoe and Ste Hay that Frankie is 15.In February 2024, during a scene with Frankie and her grandfather Jack Osborne, Frankie accuses Jack of groping her. It was then announced on 8 March 2024 that in "a first" for Hollyoaks, they would explore sibling sexual abuse between Frankie and JJ. Executive producer Hannah Cheers said:
"It's one of the most infrequently disclosed forms of sexual abuse, yet the statistics are startling, Hollyoaks is shining a light on this issue for the first time in a long-term soap storyline because we need to get this conversation started amongst our multi-generational audience. Our research, story, script and writing teams have devoted themselves to telling this story truthfully and passionately. Huge thanks goes to SARSAS for their unwavering support in helping us take this on. The performances delivered by our brilliant newcomers Isabelle Smith and Ryan Mulvey are breath-taking. I believe this story will make an impact for years to come and I am proud that Hollyoaks is still breaking new ground almost four decades on. That's what we're here for."
The storyline explores the dynamics of the twins within the family, with JJ often labelled the "golden boy" while Frankie is seen as the "problem child". How the parents choose to investigate Frankie's distressing behaviour will also be explored as she continues to struggle with the abuse she has experienced. Claire Bloor of SARSAS shared praise for Hollyoaks' approach in dealing with such challenging subject matter. "Continuing dramas such as Hollyoaks have the potential to reach huge audiences and create change in the national conversation," Bloor said. "This storyline is an opportunity to shine a light on the under-researched and under-discussed topic of sibling sexual abuse. We hope that it will raise awareness of both the prevalence of this issue and the devastating impact it can have on those impacted by it."
The storyline commenced after JJ suggested they should "play school disco's". Prior to this, Frankie had been drinking after Darren had let Jack move back in. The scenes confirming the sexual abuse proved controversial with viewers. As Frankie struggles, Suzanne promises to take her to get her nails done, but misses it to drink and flirt with Ethan Williams. When Frankie watches them leaving together, she tries to cheer Frankie up by asking her to dance like she did during "school disco's", leading her to attack Suzanne and being interviewed by local police officer Zoe Anderson. Frankie also starts a friendship with Lucas Hay during this time as they are both self-harming. By this point in the storyline, Frankie is terrified by JJ, she writes so in a diary that JJ discovers and he immediately rips it up in a heated confrontation. JJ threatens to reveal the truth about her self-harm to obtain her silence on his abuse. When the truth emerges about the self harm, Frankie blames Darren reasoning that it was his neglect and abandonment that led her to self-harm. The story reached a climax in episode 6355, originally broadcast on 17 April 2024, where Frankie is raped by JJ. This was deemed the storylines "most upsetting turn". Scared of a future pregnancy, she asks Lucas to obtain the morning after pill. They initially fail, however Lucas later gives her the contraception after he finds her in the park. She didn't reveal anything to Lucas, but just admitted that her first time was not a positive one. Darren makes a disturbing discovery when he finds Frankie's emergency contraception; he confronts her to no avail as she just claims she can not be protected. The plot then seen Lucas accused of the rape by Darren.
Continuing his manipulation, JJ keeps entering her room at night, until he is caught by Nancy. In a desperate attempt to keep Nancy in her bedroom at night, she overdoses Morgan Osborne on Antihistamine's to keep her sedated so she would not wake up to interrupt Nancy, however Morgan is discovered by Darren severely ill and choking on her vomit, an incident that was initially reported on 7 May 2024. Later, Nancy asks Frankie if she knows anything about the incident, to which JJ tells her it was Oscar Osborne. He later manipulates Frankie into thinking this is a way of her owing him, and she later applies to a dancing school in an escape plan to get away from her brother after a warm conversation with Charlie Dean. It was further reported on 23 May 2024 that JJ would discover her exit plan in a "new twist". Frankie is sexually assaulted once again by JJ in-school as he felt she should have learned a lesson for trying to leave him for London – she makes a desperate plea for him to stop abusing her. In an interview for Inside Soap, Smith wanted to give "a voice" to those affected by similar abuse. She felt privileged when they pulled into a meeting, adding it was an honour to be trusted to portray the storyline. Smith went on to say Frankie "is becoming more sure of herself" when she starts to defend herself against JJ. She added how protective Frankie is over her siblings, and that "leaning into JJ's narrative's" helps her protect those around her. When speaking on who she may tell, Smith indicated Nancy and Frankie's relationship is stronger and Frankie "could tell her anything". She then added that a "big moment" in the storyline would test the characters' relationships. Smith teased a "stronger side" to Frankie emerging.
In 2025, Smith received a nomination in the "Soaps - Best Actor" category the Digital Spy Reader Awards.