Kim Butterfield
Kim Butterfield is a fictional character from the British soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Daisy Wood-Davis. The character made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 7 October 2014. The character and Wood-Davis' casting were announced on 23 September 2014. Kim was created to explore established character Lindsey Butterfield's backstory and to act as a love interest for Esther Bloom. Kim is characterised as a feisty female nurse with a complex personality. She can be evil, manipulative and obsessive but fun-loving and bubbly in other scenes. Wood-Davis has explained that when her character is "alone in her own head" she becomes insane. The character's storylines have often focused on her obsessions with other characters. During her first year on-screen, she had obsessions with Joe Roscoe, Grace Black and her sister Lindsey. Her relationship with Esther remained centric to her role in the show, but Kim's affair with Grace ruined the relationship. Producers also created a dramatic car crash stunt around the character.
In a bid to explore Kim and Lindsey's past a "secret sister" Kath Butterfield was written into the show. Kath was brain damaged as a result of a childhood mistake involving her fellow sisters. This story was used to explain Kim's "self-destructive" behaviour. Kim was also used during a long-running storyline for Hollyoaks dubbed "The Gloved Hand Killer". Throughout 2015 a mystery character was portrayed murdering patients at the local hospital. Reporters from British news outlets had mostly come to an agreed conclusion that Kim was the culprit. But the perpetrator was revealed to be Lindsey who framed Kim for the crimes. Writers later created a wedding scenario for Kim and Esther, which lead to a surprise storyline in which the character disappears without explanation following an encounter with a mystery character. Her latest storylines included being locked in a basement by Ryan Knight for months, becoming agoraphobic, being shot by Glenn Donovan and going on the run for after taking the blame for Glenn's murder. Wood-Davis left the soap in 2018 and Kim made her final appearance on 18 October 2018. Kim has been well received by critics of the genre who have mostly discussed her mental health.
Casting
The character and Wood-Davis' casting were announced on 23 September 2014. She was introduced as the younger sister of established character Lindsey Butterfield. Kim was billed as a "volatile character" who would create trouble for the show's Roscoe family. The casting announcement also revealed the character would quickly become involved in a hostage storyline. Producer Bryan Kirkwood revealed that Kim was created to explore Lindsey's past and give long-term character Esther Bloom a new love interest.Development
Characterisation and introduction
Kim is characterised as a rebellious and fun-loving character who adapts her persona to suit different scenarios. Kim has felt over-shadowed by her older sister Lindsey her whole life. Personality wise she is described as the opposite of Lindsey and they have a difficult relationship. Kim has been played as developing obsessions with other characters. Wood-Davis described Kim as evil and manipulative, but also has aspirations to become a genuine person. She has a "lovely side" which is only demonstrated in her nursing role. Kim is a three-dimensional character and the actress stated "I think Kim has got two or three different personalities that she flips between, depending on who she's with and what has happened that day." Kim is a "complex character" whose behaviour has been shaped by the events of her past. Wood-Davis enjoys playing a character with so many characteristics, she stated Kim has "got all these sides to her, one minute she's this normal, caring Kim who's a right laugh, but when she's alone in her own head she switches into something else."Relationship with Esther Bloom
Kim asks Esther to date her but wrongly assumes that Esther is in a relationship with Grace Black. Esther seeks out Kim to explain that she is single and willing to date her. Franks explained that her character wants Kim to know their feelings are mutual. The pair kiss only to be caught by Kim's ward manager Dr. Charles S'avage. She apologises to S'avage claiming that Esther is stalking her and the kiss was not her fault. Esther overhears Kim's lies but they later agree to date. But Grace soon becomes concerned about their relationship as Esther is acting as a surrogate mother for her child. Franks told a reporter from All About Soap that Grace wonders why Esther would want to continue their deal now she is in a new relationship. She warned that Grace would deal with anything that has the potential to ruin her baby plans. Franks added that Kim is shocked about the surrogacy because "it's an unusual situation". Wood-Davis told Nizaar Kinsella from the Daily Mirror that her character got with Esther "very quickly". She added that Kim loves Esther because it is an easy relationship.Obsession with Joe Roscoe
Hollyoaks writers devised scenes which detailed a past obsession with Lindsey's fiancé Joe Roscoe's. At Lindsey's engagement party to Freddie Roscoe, Kim gets drunk and causes trouble. She tells Joe's girlfriend Nancy Osborne that she slept with him following his own engagement party with Lindsey. Wood-Davis told Daniel Kilkelly from Digital Spy that her character wants to make Joe look bad but doesn't tell the whole truth. Kim is pleased with Nancy's reaction to the revelation as she leaves Joe. Kim does not like Joe because of his past treatment of her.Joe tells Nancy that Kim was obsessed with him and tricked him into sleeping with her. She tells Esther who refuses to believe it. But she later finds evidence of Kim's obsession and tells Lindsey the truth. Wood-Davis explained that Esther knows Kim is a lesbian and believes the scenario is unlikely to have occurred. But she finds inappropriate letters Kim had written to Joe and is "stunned" by her girlfriend's behaviour. She added that Lindsey is "mortified" with her sister's behaviour and wants nothing to do with Kim after she reads the letters. Wood-Davis stated that she was not worried about viewer's negative perception of her character following the story. She added that Kim "has got a genuine nice side but is capable of doing bad things too. If the audience choose not to like her, then I am happy with that as it just means I am doing my job properly." Alice Sinclair from Beamly noted that the storyline resulted in "driving a wedge" between the Butterfield sisters. The actress was happy with her character's new stories because she believed they were "evolving". She added that she never no one expected Kim to be taken down the route of obsession storylines.
Obsession with Grace Black
Writers planned a second obsession storyline for Kim when she falls in love with Grace Black. Hollyoaks released a promotional trailer which revealed that Kim would keep a diary about Grace. Wood-Davis told Daniel Kilkelly that her fictional counterpart notes down things Grace says to her or if Grace touches her. She also defaces a picture of Grace and her boyfriend Trevor Royle, and keeps it in her bra. She believed Kim became obsessed with Grace quickly. She is in a simple relationship with Esther but Grace "really sets her heart racing and she can't get her out of her mind." Unable to discuss her feelings she starts the diary. The actress explained that Kim still loves Esther but more as a friend. Esther is "the simple option" and be better for her state of mind. But she cannot forget about Grace because of the danger that she brings to her life.Grace is sent to prison awaiting trial for the supposed murder of Mercedes McQueen. Lindsey discovers Kim's diary and warns her sister to stop and reminds her the trouble her previous obsessions caused. Wood-Davis told Carena Crawford from All About Soap that Kim is "one determined woman" and it would take more than Lindsey's intervention to stop her obsessing. Kim then commits vandalism to get herself arrested and placed in the same prison as Grace. The actress explained that her character believes that Grace is the only person who can make her feel better. Kim knows it is unlikely she will be allowed to spend much time with Grace. So when she enters prison she schemes against Grace's cellmate Reenie McQueen's. She spikes her drink with laxatives resulting in her being hospitalised and requests a transfer to Grace's cell. Wood-Davis said that it marked the first time Grace became unnerved by Kim's behaviour. She knows they kissed but was unaware that Kim has feelings for her. She believed that Kim and Grace made an "odd pairing and very unexpected" but shared commonalities in their love for Esther. Grace is scared at the prospect of permanent imprisonment and feels vulnerable. She opens up to Kim about her deteriorating relationship with Trevor because she is someone familiar. But Kim uses this as an opportunity to seduce Grace who responds positively and the pair have sex. The development lead writers to play the character even crazier than before. Wood-Davis believed that Kim behaves "she's found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow." She deludes herself that she and Grace will leave prison as a couple unaware that Grace does not feel the same. Wall told Sally Brockway from Soaplife Grace does not realise "how insane Kim is". Their tryst makes Grace feel powerful and she does not have feelings for Kim. Wall added that Grace knows Kim is attracted to her and it makes her feel good while in prison and have a "power-trip".
The storyline helped to develop Kim's mental state to its most unstable than ever before. Grace worries that Esther will not give the baby up. She realises that by continuing her affair with Kim she manipulate her to keep Esther in the surrogacy deal. Wall branded Grace's scheme a "dangerous game" because she knows that Kim is "pretty much insane". But noted that Grace has dealt with worse people in her past, "far freakier, weirder people than Kim." Kim discovers that Grace is still being intimate with Trevor despite claiming otherwise. Wood-Davis told Sarah Ellis of Inside Soap that Kim wants revenge and prints out hundreds of screen shots of herself and Grace kissing. She then places them around Grace's nightclub. She manages to remove them before Trevor and Esther arrive. The actress believed her character never thought about the consequences of crossing Grace. The pair have an argument and Grace realises how unstable Kim has become. She decides to keep Kim happy and stops arguing and sleeps with her. However the pair are caught in bed together by Trevor's son Dylan Jenkins. He keeps quiet but Kim suspects Esther caught them and begins plotting against her. Wood-Davis explained "Kim reckons that once the baby is born, the two of them can run off into the sunset with the child." This results in Kim spiking Esther's drink with labour inducing drugs to gain her happy ending with Grace.
Though writers prevented Kim from succeeding in her plans. They wrote Trevor becoming tired of Kim's interfering in his relationship and ordering Robbie Roscoe to kill her. Wernham told Jonathon Hughes of All About Soap that "Kim is practically family" to Robbie and he wants to do right and help her. He added that his character pleads for Kim's life and Trevor gives Kim twelve hours to leave the country. But Trevor has planted drugs in Kim's bag to get her arrested. On the way to the airport Kim refuses to leave and escapes. Robbie is then caught with the drugs instead. Kim's actions caused Wood-Davis to receive many comments on social media website Twitter. They expressed their support for "Trace" and anger that Kim was trying to split them up.