Archie Carpenter is a
fictional character
In fiction, a character (or speaker, in poetry) is a person or other being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life perso ...
from the
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...
soap opera
A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
''
Hollyoaks
''Hollyoaks'' is a British soap opera which began airing on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was created by Phil Redmond, who had previously conceived the soap opera '' Brookside''. Since 2005, episodes have been aired on sister channel E4 a ...
'', played by Stephen Beard. The character first appeared on-screen on 3 November 2008 until his exit on 28 May 2010.
He was introduced as the younger brother of then established
Zoe Carpenter
Zoe Carpenter is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Zoë Lister. The character first appeared on-screen on 1 September 2006, as one of three new students at Hollyoaks Community College. It was a ...
(
Zoë Lister
Zoë Lister is an English actress and writer, known for portraying the role of Zoe Carpenter in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks''. In 2014, she began working as a television writer, including work on ''Hollyoaks'', '' The Lodge'' and '' ...
), when he moved into the college halls of residence. In March 2010, series producer
Paul Marquess
Paul Marquess (born 23 June 1964) is a television producer from Belfast, Northern Ireland. His credits include '' Brookside'', ''The Bill'', ''Family Affairs'', ''Hollyoaks'', ''Crime Stories'', '' Suspects'' and '' Hope Street''. He also origi ...
axed the character as part of his cast cull and major revamp of the series.
Character creation
Background
Archie's character was created to be a new student studying at Hollyoaks Community College and was given immediate links with other characters such as an on-screen sister,
Zoe Carpenter
Zoe Carpenter is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Zoë Lister. The character first appeared on-screen on 1 September 2006, as one of three new students at Hollyoaks Community College. It was a ...
, played by
Zoë Lister
Zoë Lister is an English actress and writer, known for portraying the role of Zoe Carpenter in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks''. In 2014, she began working as a television writer, including work on ''Hollyoaks'', '' The Lodge'' and '' ...
. It has been mentioned on and off screen that the two character experienced different upbringings from their parents.
Casting
Auditions were held for the part of Archie Carpenter with the result of the auditions seen to be unique other castings within the series as the news of the actor to portray the character first surfaced on a reality television series.
In 2007 a new reality television series was commissioned by
MTV in the United Kingdom called ''
Living on the Edge'', which focused on teenagers living their lives in the wealthy village of
Alderley Edge
Alderley Edge is a village and civil parish in Cheshire, England. In 2011, it had a population of 4,780.
Alderley Edge is northwest of Macclesfield and south of Manchester, at the base of a steep and thickly wooded sandstone escarpment, Alder ...
in the United Kingdom. During series two only one cast member returned to the series, Stephen Beard. Whilst the second season was airing Beard was seen auditioning for various roles and documented the whole audition process for the character of Archie.
He was later offered the part on a six-month contract, later being offered another contract for the same period of time.
In early 2010 it was announced that Allan had stepped down from the position of
executive producer, with Paul Marquess taking over the role. It was soon revealed that he planned revamp Hollyoaks, changing the productions team, then began a cast cull starting with the axing of three established characters. Stephanie Waring (who plays
Cindy Hutchinson
Cindy Cunningham (also Savage, Longford and Hutchinson) is a fictional character from the British soap opera '' Hollyoaks'', played by Stephanie Waring. She made her first on-screen appearance on 4 December 1995, then played by Laura Crossley, a ...
) then revealed that all remaining cast members feared their characters would be next to depart from the series.
One month later the cast cull continued as Marquess announced his plans to axe a further 11 characters, including Archie at the end of Beard's contract.
He finished filming in early 2010
Character development
Personality and identity
Archie has been portrayed as a promiscuous character, one that doesn't think of the consequences of his hasty actions. At the time of joining the show, Beard said of his character: "He is a bit of a womaniser, he's constantly on the look out for new talent but he gets shot down a lot too, I think he thinks far too highly of himself! He'll go to the point that not many blokes will, he will never give up."
In an interview with media website
Digital Spy he said of his character: "He's definitely a wild one. People who have watched Living On The Edge may draw some comparisons. I go to a certain point in life, but Archie's definitely got bigger balls - he'll take things all the way. He's got no fear. At the same time, though, he has a sensitive side. He's like the big class clown but when he gets a knock, he really feels it. I think Archie's intended to bring a bit of light-hearted humour to the show."
He has also been described as a wannabe entrepreneur coming up with wild ideas of how to make money fast.
The character's promiscuous ways have been clearly portrayed on-screen through his many one-night stands with characters including:
Sarah Barnes
Sarah Barnes is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Loui Batley. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 11 October 2005. Sarah was introduced by executive producer David Hanson as par ...
(
Loui Batley
Louie Anne Batley (born in Chorley, Lancashire) is an English actress, singer, and dancer best known for her role in ''Hollyoaks'' as Sarah Barnes.
Early life
Louie Anne Batley was born in Chorley, Lancashire, England on 9 June 1987. She att ...
),
Hayley Ramsey
Hayley Ramsey is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Kelly-Marie Stewart. She made her first on-screen appearance on 28 January 2009 as the sister of already established character Zak Ramsey (Kent ...
(
Kelly-Marie Stewart),
India Longford
India Longford is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Beth Kingston. She made her first on-screen appearance on 21 September 2009 and was introduced by series producer Lucy Allan as a new student ...
(
Beth Kingston
Beth Kingston (born 3 November 1986) is an English actress best known for playing India Longford in the British soap opera ''Hollyoaks
''Hollyoaks'' is a British soap opera which began airing on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was created ...
) and
Myra McQueen
Myra McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Nicole Barber-Lane. She made her first screen appearance during the episode originally broadcast on 19 June 2006 and was introduced by producer ...
(
Nicole Barber-Lane
Nicole Barber-Lane is a British actress known for playing Myra McQueen in the long-running teen soap ''Hollyoaks''.
Career
Before working in ''Hollyoaks'', Barber-Lane appeared in ''Emmerdale'', '' Bodies'', '' The Cops'', and in a Yorkshire ...
).
Storylines
In December 2008,
Leila Roy
Leila Roy is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Lena Kaur. The character made her first appearance in June 2008. In November 2009, it was announced that Kaur had decided to leave Hollyoaks. Lena m ...
(
Lena Kaur
Lena Kaur (born 1986) is a London-based British actress, perhaps best known for her role as Leila Roy in Channel 4 soap ''Hollyoaks''.
Career
Lena Kaur grew up in Almondbury in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire and is of Asian descent. She attended ...
) accused Archie of stealing chocolates from her advent calendar however it was later revealed she had been sleepwalking and stole them herself. He shares a kiss with
Sarah Barnes
Sarah Barnes is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Loui Batley. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 11 October 2005. Sarah was introduced by executive producer David Hanson as par ...
(
Loui Batley
Louie Anne Batley (born in Chorley, Lancashire) is an English actress, singer, and dancer best known for her role in ''Hollyoaks'' as Sarah Barnes.
Early life
Louie Anne Batley was born in Chorley, Lancashire, England on 9 June 1987. She att ...
), who later witnesses Archie intimate with another girl. Archie attempts to reunite with Sarah occasionally, however she continuously rejected him. In a final attempt to regain her affection, he posts a billboard of himself half-nude. In February 2009, he kisses Sarah again. In March, Sarah succumbs to temptations and begins a relationship with him however Sarah dumps him as she notices his affection for her lesbian friend
Lydia Hart
Lydia Hart is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Lydia Kelly. Lydia was created by series producer Bryan Kirkwood as one of many characters introduced that year. She made her debut in the soap on ...
(
Lydia Kelly
Lydia Rose Ellen Kelly (born 25 September 1990 in Manchester, England) is a British actress best known for her portrayal of Lydia Hart in the long-running Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks
''Hollyoaks'' is a British soap opera which began a ...
). Sarah revengefully dances with Lydia. In June, Archie endeavours to prevent his parents from uncovering Zoe's failed college course by "collapsing".
Myra McQueen
Myra McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Nicole Barber-Lane. She made her first screen appearance during the episode originally broadcast on 19 June 2006 and was introduced by producer ...
(
Nicole Barber-Lane
Nicole Barber-Lane is a British actress known for playing Myra McQueen in the long-running teen soap ''Hollyoaks''.
Career
Before working in ''Hollyoaks'', Barber-Lane appeared in ''Emmerdale'', '' Bodies'', '' The Cops'', and in a Yorkshire ...
) resuscitates him and he verbally abuses by calling her a "troll", leading to Myra and
Mercedes Fisher (
Jennifer Metcalfe
Jennifer Joanne Metcalfe (born 4 September 1983) is an English actress. She is best known for her roles of Jade Nicholls in Emmerdale and Mercedes McQueen in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', which she has appeared in since 2006. Her port ...
) trying to attack him. Later, Archie was undressed in bed, kissing an unseen person. He lay back and confesses to sleeping with Myra. Archie, along with
Kris Fisher
Kris Fisher is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera '' Hollyoaks'', played by Gerard McCarthy. The character first appeared on-screen in September 2006 and left in August 2010 after McCarthy quit the show. He is noted f ...
(
Gerard McCarthy
Gerard McCarthy (born 31 March 1981) is an actor from Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Biography
McCarthy was born in Belfast and attended St. Mary's Christian Brothers' Grammar School. They came out as non-binary in 2022 & now use they/them pronou ...
),
Elliot Bevan
Elliot (also spelled Eliot, Elliotte, Elliott, Eliott and Elyot) is a personal name which can serve as either a surname or a given name. Although the given name has historically been given to males, females have increasingly been given the nam ...
(Garnon Davies) and
Zak Ramsey
Zak Ramsey is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Kent Riley. Zak first appeared in 2004, when he was credited as 'Zak Barnes'. After only four months, Riley was dropped from the programme. The ch ...
(Kent Riley), move into
Warren Fox
Warren "Foxy" Fox (also known as Mike Jones) is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', portrayed by Jamie Lomas. The character and casting were announced on 12 May 2006, and Warren made his first appearanc ...
's (
Jamie Lomas
James Lomas (born 21 April 1975) is an English actor, known for his soap opera roles as Warren Fox in ''Hollyoaks'' and Jake Stone in ''EastEnders''.
Life and career
Lomas was born in Manchester. Before joining ''Hollyoaks'' in 2006, he had ...
) old flat after his death. While clearing out the attic, the boys found £100,000 of Warren's money and agree to keep the money safe for months, deciding if the money didn't belong to anyone, they would split it four ways. However, things become dangerous as Archie's greediness worsens. He calls his friend Jed to assist him in pretending to kidnap him in order for the other boys to give Jed the money, leading to Archie fleeing with it. However, Kris runs to
Nancy Hayton
Nancy Osborne (also Hayton and Dean) is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Jessica Fox. The character first appeared on 6 July 2005. Since the character's inception she has been involved in many ...
's (
Jessica Fox) house with the money and plans to go to the police. Jed actually kidnaps Archie seriously and gives him an ultimatum; either he receives the money or he would throw Archie over a roof. Elliot, Zak, Kris and Nancy salvaged him but, realising how the money affected their friendship, Kris abandoned it. After this, everyone neglected Archie, furious for Archie's betrayal.
During
Freshers
A freshman, fresher, first year, or frosh, is a person in the first year at an educational institution, usually a secondary school or at the college and university level, but also in other forms of post-secondary educational institutions.
Ara ...
week, Archie has a
one-night stand
A one-night stand or one-night sex is a single sexual encounter in which there is an expectation that there shall be no further relations between the sexual participants. It draws its name from the common practice of a one-night stand, a single ...
with
India Longford
India Longford is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Beth Kingston. She made her first on-screen appearance on 21 September 2009 and was introduced by series producer Lucy Allan as a new student ...
(
Beth Kingston
Beth Kingston (born 3 November 1986) is an English actress best known for playing India Longford in the British soap opera ''Hollyoaks
''Hollyoaks'' is a British soap opera which began airing on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was created ...
) and humiliates her by ignoring her publicly. In October 2009, Archie receives a call, which he doesn't identify on screen. The unknown caller informs him that Zoe is charged with the murder of her best friend and Archie's ex-girlfriend, Sarah, who has just died in a skydiving accident when her parachute failed to deploy which resulted in her death. Unbeknown to everyone, Lydia, Sarah's girlfriend has framed Zoe for Sarah's death as she was the culprit who sabotaged Sarah's parachute that was intended to kill Zoe. Archie is keen to support his sister. During an argument with Lydia, Archie realises Lydia was the saboteur and accuses her during Sarah's wake. Zoe is found not guilty with everyone believing Sarah committed suicide. Archie develops a drug habit and drops an
ecstasy tablet in Nancy's flat which is then nearly taken by her young nephew
Charlie Dean (Joshua McConville). Elliot also gets the blame as he had let Archie in. Neither Nancy nor Elliot want to speak to Archie again. On a night out with Kris and Zak, Archie makes comments about Zak's dead brother Caleb who was killed on patrol in Afghanistan. These comments offended Zak and he punches Archie. This leaves Archie with no friends in the village. Archie leaves after Elliot is taken into hospital having taken Archie's pills.
Reception
In 2009 Ruth Deller of entertainment website
Lowculture
lowculture.co.uk is a UK television website founded in January 2003 by Paul Lang, who currently works as the art director of ''Doctor Who Adventures''.
Purpose
The website sought to celebrate popular television shows, especially 'low brow televis ...
criticised Archie stating: "Zoe’s generic lairy student brother serves no purpose, essentially being an even more obnoxious version of Zak, whilst Zak is still on the show. And there’s no believability about his relationship with Zoe whatsoever."
References
External links
Archie Carpenteron th
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carpenter, Archie
Hollyoaks characters
Television characters introduced in 2008
Male characters in television