Hollyoaks Marks 30 Years with Big Celebration and Reflection

It was a night of nostalgia and celebration at Liverpool’s iconic St George’s Hall on Monday, as the cast and creative team behind Hollyoaks and guests gathered to mark the soap’s 30th anniversary. (Main image newcomer Tisha Merry who plays Gemma credit ALT A)

Past and present stars walked the red carpet, honouring three decades of ground breaking storytelling, bold characters, and unforgettable cliff-hangers in the Channel 4 drama. Hollyoaks first hit our television screens in 1995, set in Chester, Liverpool.

The evening featured a special screening of this week’s milestone episodes, introduced by Channel 4’s Chief Content Officer Ian Katz, who shared some of the show’s most staggering statistics to date: 57 births, 88 marriages, 51 broken engagements, 294 deaths — and 13 serial killers.

“It makes the fictional village of Chester about ten times more dangerous than Tijuana,” Katz joked, setting the tone for an evening that celebrated both the show’s longevity and its unique legacy in British television. In attendance was Hollyoaks and Brookside creator Phil Redmond.

Among the cast was actress Anya Lawrence, alongside a string of famous Hollyoaks favourites such as Nick Pickard, Jennifer Metcalfe, Chelsea Healey, Tony Hutchinson, Duncan James, Tisha Merry, Richard Blackwood, Dawn Pope, Jessica Ellis, Jessica Fox, and more.

The actors who play Nancy (Jessica Fox) and Darren Osborne (Ashley Taylor Dawson) spoke to ALT.

Fox joked, “I was only supposed to do 3 episodes but here I am 20 years later. It is great! Hollyoaks at 30 times a mid-life crisis — Nancy is due a massive mid-life crisis,” she laughed. “Darren is not doing his job properly.”

Ashley commented on the actors “working together for years.” He said:
“We have a rhythm, we know what we’re doing, we find little nuances with everything we do and we just enjoy it. You know, obviously with Jimmy and the family, and then when you go outside of that and start working with other people, you find that everyone’s got their own rhythm, and sometimes it becomes tiresome.

But to be fair, most of the people there at the moment — it’s a great cast and, you know, this probably comes up in every interview you do, but it is like a massive family and that’s why we stay there, that’s why we enjoy it, because the people are incredible.
Even though, I mean, the last couple of months have been absolutely bonkers — you don’t know that part. But the thing that you learn from all that, again, is just how great the people are, and that’s how we get through it.
And hopefully today you’ll see the rewards (preview episode).”

Fox also said, “Hollyoaks at 30 is also a testament to the people behind the scenes and the people on the floor. Sometimes it is wet and miserable and they are there all day and come with such love and enthusiasm for the show.”

Anya, who joined the cast three years ago, plays Vicky. Reflecting on her time with the show, Lawrence spoke about the personal transformation she’s experienced behind the scenes.

“When I first joined, I was a lot more reserved,” she shared. “Being on Hollyoaks really pushed me outside of my comfort zone. The support from cast and crew helped me grow in ways I never expected — not just as an actor, but as a person.”

Lawrence’s candidness echoed one of the evening’s recurring themes: Hollyoaks as a training ground for on-screen talent and personal growth. Also casting young working-class actors, launching their careers, and tackling difficult social issues.

Also taking to the red carpet was Louis Emerick, a veteran of British television who reunited with fellow Brookside cast members for a special anniversary crossover episode. Speaking about what has kept Hollyoaks relevant after all these years, Emerick praised the show’s ability to adapt without losing sight of its purpose.

“The soap world is always changing, but Hollyoaks has found a way to stay connected to its audience,” he said. “It’s fearless in the stories it tells — and that’s why it’s lasted. It dares to go places others won’t.”

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The evening also welcomed Hollyoaks creator Phil Redmond, who reminded guests of the show’s original mission: to make compelling drama for a younger audience.

“They kept saying teenagers don’t watch TV and can’t concentrate,” Redmond said during a Q&A segment. “We said, ‘Well, if you make it, they will.’ And we did.”

The 30th-anniversary celebrations have drawn both fans and alumni back into the fold, including familiar faces like Duncan James, Jessica Ellis, Kieron Richardson, and Jennifer Metcalfe. The special episodes feature the wedding of long-standing character Tony Hutchinson (Nick Pickard) and the return of several fan favourites — including those whose storylines ended years ago.

Viewers can expect some major cliff-hangers this week, as beloved characters resurface and new secrets threaten to shake the foundations of the village once again. With a loyal fan base and a fresh generation of talent, Hollyoaks is looking forward — while taking a well-earned moment to celebrate how far it’s come.

Hollyoaks is an award-winning soap, winning three awards for Best British Soap and Best Soap or Continuing Drama, recognised by industry experts from the Royal Television Society, The British Soap Awards, and Inside Soap Awards.

Hollyoaks airs on Mondays–Wednesdays, with its Channel 4 streaming premiere at 7am, followed by a broadcast on E4 at 7pm. Full episodes are also released on YouTube a week after their Channel 4 debut. CATCH UP HERE!!