List of Hollyoaks characters introduced in 2007
The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks in 2007, by order of first appearance.
Father Raymond
Father Raymond is the Catholic Priest that first appeared to console Myra McQueen over the anguish she felt about her gay son John Paul McQueen. He also helped prepare for the double wedding of Russ Owen and Mercedes McQueen and Dominic Reilly and Tina McQueen, he also took confession from Mercedes about her affair with Warren Fox. He is a priest at St. Paul's Catholic Church. Father Raymond reappears when Kieron Hobbs chose to leave his position in the church and told him that he must do what is right for him. Father Raymond then took over again from Kieron and started working at a new Catholic Church, St. Timothy's, it was here that he performed the wedding of Carmel McQueen and Calvin Valentine. Father Raymond then returned to perform Tina's funeral service. He is due to reappear again for the funeral of Warren. Father Raymond is Irish and appears to be mostly bemused by the McQueens antics.Leah Barnes
Leah Barnes, played by Ela-May Demircan from 2011 to 2024, is the daughter of Amy Barnes. Leah is initially believed to be Ste Hay 's daughter however this turns out to be a man called Billy Parker – she is raised by Ste regardless of her paternity. Leah debuted when she was born on-screen in episode 1982, originally broadcast on 27 February 2007.Reception
In June 2017, Demircan was nominated for Best Young Actor at the British Soap Awards. In August 2017, she was longlisted for Best Young Actor at the Inside Soap Awards. She made the viewer-voted shortlist, but lost out to Alfie Clarke, who portrays Arthur Thomas in Emmerdale. She was later nominated for "Best Young Performer" in the Radio Times soap awards 2024.Storylines
After discovering her pregnancy, her mother Amy Barnes initially wants to have an abortion, but eventually opts for a state of denial, with only Michaela McQueen aware she is pregnant. In February 2007, she gives birth to Leah on the kitchen floor, with her shocked father Mike Barnes and sister Sarah Barnes delivering Leah. Amy refuses to go near Leah, leading her mother Kathy Barnes to claim she is Leah's mother. This ruse continues for several months, but finally Michaela sells the story to a tabloid. By this time, Amy has formed a bond with Leah, and claims Leah as her own. However, Kathy has become obsessed with Leah and, after failing to make Amy look incapable of being a mother, she kidnaps Leah. She is eventually sectioned and leaves the village a few months later.Leah moves into a flat with Amy and boyfriend Ste Hay. Amy tells her family that Ste is Leah's father. After Amy and Ste discover they are in serious money trouble, Ste lies that Leah has leukaemia in order to get money. The lie quickly spirals out of his control as Ste and Amy begin raking in money as. Eventually, the truth does come out. Amy's friend Sasha Valentine babysits Leah one night. However, drug dealer Nige Foster arrives and persuades Sasha to take drugs, despite Leah's presence. Amy and Ste return home to find Leah crying on her own, and close to a syringe. An angry Ste throws both Sasha and Nige out after threatening them. Ste's anger issues grow out of hand, and on various occasions, he attacks Amy, who briefly moves out of the flat with Leah. Amy later discovers she is pregnant and has a son Lucas Hay. She, however, does not take Ste back. Following Lucas's birth, Amy suffers from postnatal depression and moves away, leaving Leah and Lucas with Ste. She returns months later. Amy, Leah and Lucas move back in with Ste, but Amy and Ste do not get back together.
Gabby Sharpe pays Amy to babysit her daughter Amber Sharpe. Amy takes Leah and Lucas to Gabby's flat and on the same night, an arsonist sets fire to Il Gnosh, which is below the flat. Amy falls asleep as the fire spreads, however wakes up and realises she is trapped. She eventually attracts the attention of Steph Cunningham outside. Steph enters and manages to save them with the help of her husband Gilly Roach, although Steph dies in the fire. On Leah's 5th birthday, she bonds with Amy's new boyfriend Ally as does Lucas.
In August 2012, Leah, along with Amy and Lucas, leaves the village and Ste. She returns in November 2012 as a bridesmaid for Ste's wedding to Doug Carter. When Leah is playing outside the wedding venue she runs across the road only to get nearly ran over by a minibus driven by Maddie Morrison. She swerves to avoid Leah, but although Ste manages to save her he is hit by the minibus. In December 2012, Leah is bullied at school for having Ste and Doug as her two fathers, but Ste explains to her that its ok to have him and Doug, as she has Amy as well. Shortly after this, Leah's biological father Billy Parker turns up in the village and vows to Ste that he will get Leah. Ste then tells Leah that Amy must never find out that he and his ex-boyfriend Brendan Brady are together, and that he is still with Doug. Shortly after, Amy returns to the village in February 2013 and after discovering Ste's relationship with Brendan, she then leaves once more with Leah and Lucas, leaving Ste upset. Ste and Brendan later try to get custody of Leah and Lucas.
Leah takes a locket belonging to deceased Anna Blake that had been put in the vent outside the flat of Martha Kane and later returns it telling Martha that she had seen Anna's son Will Savage getting out of his wheelchair and putting it in a vent, revealing Will as Anna's killer. Amy brings Leah and Lucas back to the village throughout November to December 2014 as Ste has a drug addiction.
After Ste is back from rehab he goes to a pub, but sees his stepfather Terry Hay with Amy, Leah and Lucas. This is bad for him as Terry use to beat him and his mother Pauline Hay. After that he walked away from a fight with Terry so Amy lets him see Leah and Lucas.
In 2014, Leah's adoptive father Ste Hay marries his current partner John Paul McQueen. They later separate after John Paul McQueen discovers that Ste has fathered a child with Sinéad O'Connor. Leah goes on to have another adoptive half sister Hannah Hay-O'Connor.
In March 2017, Amy was killed by her husband Ryan Knight, after discovering the truth about his sexual orientation, Leah and Lucas are cared for by Ryan and his girlfriend and Ste's sister Tegan Lomax. Leah discovers that Ryan is gay and is having an affair with Ste. Leah tells Ste's sister Leela Lomax, causing everyone to know. But also, Ryan is revealed to have killed Amy, and when is caught, Leah is very confused and sad.
In 2018, Leah's adoptive father Ste has a short lived marriage to Harry Thompson they later separated and divorce after Harry has an affair and is later murdered.
In 2021, Leah goes to Trish Minniver's dance academy and Ste becomes Trish's cleaner. In October 2021, she develops a crush on DeMarcus Westwood, however judging by his facial expressions, the feelings are not mutual.
In 2023, Her adoptive father Ste marries partner James Nightingale and they move in alongside James's son Romeo and half-Sister Juliet.
In 2024, Leah's stepfather James dies in an explosion and which leaves Ste in a coma for 12 months. During this time Leah becomes a mother.
Aleksander Malota
Aleksander "Alek" Malota was an Albanian immigrant, first appeared when Davey Thomas arranged for him to marry Jacqui McQueen so that he could stay in the United Kingdom. Despite Jacqui's reluctance he was determined to see it through for the sake of his family in Albania.There was an attraction between Aleksander and his sister-in-law Carmel McQueen who started an affair, with a reluctant Jacqui's acquiescence. The affair was discovered by her brother John Paul McQueen and their mother Myra McQueen. The fall-out from this discovery lead to the uncovering of the marriage arrangement, adding to Myra's fury and disgust, with Myra slapping Alek around the face. Although very sceptical, Myra quietly agreed. In May, when Tony Hutchinson stopped by for dinner, her accidentally spilt gravy on Carmel's shirt, leading Aleksander to realise Carmel had breast implants. He harshly judged her for using money on such a frivolous purchase, and his fury only grew when he learned she'd stolen the money. Carmel and Aleksander briefly broke up, but Jacqui told Aleksander he never would have met Carmel if not for her taking the money, and convinced him to give Carmel a break.
A few months later, Jacqui lost her baby, and Tony beat up Alek as he was the one receiving sympathy and being able to grieve. Tony announced to the shocked onlookers in the Dog that the baby was in fact Tony's. Jacqui asked Alek to go back to Albania and he agreed. When Carmel found out she was shocked and begged him to stay. Alek agreed to stay, and he and Carmel slept together. When Carmel went out to the chip shop, she came back to find that Alek had gone, leaving her a note, saying
" I will always love you. A xxx "
Alek returned for a short period in July 2008, when Carmel agrees to help him, arousing Calvin Valentine's suspicions.
Malachy Fisher
Spike
Spike was a character portrayed by actor Tom Vaughan from March 2007 to August 2007, with a brief return at the end of November 2008.Spike was first seen DJing at the reception for Jacqui Malota and Aleksander Malota. He soon befriended Jacqui's gay brother, John Paul McQueen. John Paul was still not confident in his sexuality, but Spike was not only openly gay, he said his father was also gay and lived with a man named Simon.
Once John Paul got up the courage to ask Spike out on a date, they became very close very quickly. Spike was good-natured, but also wasn't afraid to stand his ground, especially when John Paul's ex Hannah Ashworth interfered with a date. On another occasion, Hannah told Spike about John Paul's feelings for his straight best friend, Craig Dean. Spike became jealous and when John Paul tried to tell him how much he cared, Spike told him he was being too serious and that he didn't "do" serious. Spike was in the middle of a DJing gig at the Dog and tried to tune John Paul out. When John Paul turned the volume on his amp down, Spike warned him to never do that again and passionately kissed him in front of everyone. This seemed to strengthen his relationship with John Paul, and he even managed to charm John Paul's sister Mercedes and mother Myra when he finally went to their house for a visit.
John Paul had never slept with a man before and was nervous about taking the next step. One day while the McQueen house was empty, Spike took John Paul to his bedroom and they slept together for the first time. This was the high point of their relationship, as the happier they became, the more upset this made Craig. Craig slept with John Paul and although John Paul tried to continue seeing Spike, he eventually dumped him, not telling Spike the real reason why.
Spike and John Paul remained friends, and when John Paul needed Spike to help him retrieve a poison pen letter he'd written to Craig's mother while Craig was on holiday with his girlfriend, Spike did. They sparred with Hannah and her new friend Melissa, and Melissa responded by throwing John Paul's records in the water. Spike and John Paul fished them out and went back to John Paul's place, where they kissed and would have gone further if John Paul hadn't stopped. Spike advised him to sort out what was going on in his head and have some fun.
A few weeks later Spike began bartending at The Dog and quickly realized John Paul and Craig were involved. Spike began teasing Craig, and their increasingly hostile exchanges roused Sarah's suspicions. Craig played on John Paul's sense of chivalry and John Paul convinced Spike to keep quiet.
Spike made a brief return in November 2008. His tensions with Hannah had not gone away. Working as a reporter for the Chester Herald, Spike wanted to do a story on the Dog, or as Neville Ashworth had renamed it, The Jolly Roger. The nautically themed opening night, complete with young men wearing sailor suits, led Spike to write an article which sold the pub as a gay bar. When Neville realised what was going on, he was shocked, even more so when Spike jokingly pretended that he believed Neville was gay. Neville barred him from the pub, but he'd already booked Spike as a DJ. Finally, Neville had enough, fired Spike, and decided to change the pub back to The Dog in the Pond.