Zoe 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 person, ...
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 enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
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 (TV series), Brookside''. Since 2005, episodes have been aired on ...
'', 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 ''F ...
. The character first appeared on-screen on 1 September 2006, as one of three new students at Hollyoaks Community College. It was announced in 2009 that Lister had quit her role in order to pursue other projects; she subsequently left the series in January 2010. During Zoe's time in ''Hollyoaks'' she has been portrayed as a bubbly
tomboy
A tomboy is a term for a girl or a young woman with masculine qualities. It can include wearing androgynous or unfeminine clothing and actively engage in physical sports or other activities and behaviors usually associated with boys or men. W ...
who often makes the wrong choices in life and has had a number of failed relationships. In March 2017, it was reported that Lister would be reprising the role and it was later confirmed that she would return for
Amy Barnes
Amy Barnes is a fictional character from the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Ashley Slanina-Davies. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 14 November 2005. Amy was created by executive producer David Hanson and Slanina ...
' (
Ashley Slanina-Davies
Ashley Slanina-Davies (born 18 December 1989) is an English actress born in Standish, near Wigan, who is notable for playing the role of Amy Barnes in the Channel 4 soap opera, ''Hollyoaks''. The role of Amy was Slanina-Davies' first major tel ...
) funeral. Her return aired on 24 April 2017.
Zoe has been involved in storylines including being stalked, entering a relationship with an older man, having sexual relations with her female best friend, being wrongfully imprisoned for the murder of
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 attend ...
) and the being victim of a stabbing. Lister's portrayal saw her nominated for the "Sexiest Female" award at the 2008
British Soap Awards
The British Soap Awards (BSAs) are an annual awards ceremony in the United Kingdom which honours the best moments in British soap operas. The ceremony is televised on ITV and has been presented by Phillip Schofield since 2006. The trophies give ...
, and also attracted critical praise for her exit storyline.
Development
Casting
Actress and dancer Zoë Lister was cast in the role of Zoe.
On 8 June 2009, media entertainment website
Digital Spy
Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
revealed that Lister had quit the soap and would leave towards the end of the year.
Speaking of her decision to quit, Lister stated: "It's scary but also very, very exciting. I think three years in a soap is enough to do and you get to a point where you either make a decision that this is what you do or you want to try something different."
She also revealed that she had been planning to leave the series one year prior to announcement.
Lister's decision to quit matched that of co-star
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 attend ...
(
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 ...
). ''Hollyoaks'' officially announced on 23 July 2009 that both Lister and Batley would leave towards the end of the year in a storyline that would see "A tragic curtain call for one of them", later revealing that either Sarah or Zoe would be killed off in a dramatic storyline.
Lister also revealed in an interview with ''
Heat
In thermodynamics, heat is defined as the form of energy crossing the boundary of a thermodynamic system by virtue of a temperature difference across the boundary. A thermodynamic system does not ''contain'' heat. Nevertheless, the term is al ...
'' magazine that she was "nervous", but "very excited" about leaving the show.
Almost a year after filming her final scenes, Lister explained that she felt her exit was the right choice, saying: "It felt it was time to go so I just ran with my instincts. Looking back, I was nervous but now I know I've done the right thing. I love theatre work. It gives me such a buzz.
'Hollyoaks''was the break I'd been praying for. I threw myself into the part and enjoyed every minute of it. I had three superb years and it was brilliant."
Characterisation
Zoe is a former student at Hollyoaks Community College, where she studied
Film Studies
Film studies is an academic discipline that deals with various theoretical, historical, and critical approaches to cinema as an art form and a medium. It is sometimes subsumed within media studies and is often compared to television studies.
...
. Channel 4 publicity describe Zoe as "the bubbly student" and make note of her many bad choices in life and failed relationships.
Discussing these failed relationships, Lister commented during an interview in June 2009 that she believed her character was having a break from men in order to sort out her problems: "I think she's been in and out of so many relationships and her life is at a bit of a juncture; she probably needs to sort her head out, sort her career, knuckle down really and not get bogged down into a relationship because everything takes a backseat when you're in one."
Zoe is also portrayed as having a
tomboy
A tomboy is a term for a girl or a young woman with masculine qualities. It can include wearing androgynous or unfeminine clothing and actively engage in physical sports or other activities and behaviors usually associated with boys or men. W ...
persona.
Lister was asked about this "tomboy" personality during an interview with
Maxim
Maxim or Maksim may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Maxim'' (magazine), an international men's magazine
** ''Maxim'' (Australia), the Australian edition
** ''Maxim'' (India), the Indian edition
*Maxim Radio, ''Maxim'' magazine's radio channel on Sir ...
magazine, agreeing with the label and stating her character doesn't "glam up" as much as the other ''Hollyoaks'' characters.
Maxim also noted the character was "pretty popular with the boys".
Lister has also commented that her character is not a stereotypical dizzy blonde, reiterated her character's tomboy status and added that she is a "very street-smart type of woman."
Early storylines
One of Zoe's first and main storylines was being stalked by fellow student
Will Hackett
William "Will" Hackett is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Oliver Farnworth. The character first appeared on-screen on 1 September 2006 until 4 May 2007. Although no longer a featured character ...
(
Oliver Farnworth
Oliver Farnworth (born 5 August 1982) is an English actor. Farnworth was brought up just outside Halifax in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, but moved to Sidmouth in Devon when he was fifteen. He trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. ). Lister later commented on the storyline, deciding it was her most memorable: "The most memorable for me was the one with my weird boyfriend Will who stalked me. Like I said, it was a bit weird, but I quite liked it as a storyline." During a fire safety promotion undertaken with co-star
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 ...
, who plays
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 ...
, Lister referenced the storyline, commenting: "It's much easier to test your smoke alarm once a week and plan your escape from fire than it is to escape from a psycho!".
In early 2008 during an interview with ''
Digital Spy
Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
'', Lister expressed her feelings on the subject of lesbian storylines, stating: "I'd definitely do a lesbian love scene in ''Hollyoaks''. That would be a really good story." It was later confirmed by Channel 4 that Lister's character would be involved in a sexual relationship with Sarah during the new late night series ''
Hollyoaks Later
''Hollyoaks Later'' (originally ''Late Night Hollyoaks'') is a British television spin-off of the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks''. The series allows for more sexual content, 'edgier' storylines and stronger language than ''Hollyoaks''. The s ...
''. After the screening of the scenes, Lister explained: "It was quite nerve-wracking actually as I'm good friends with Loui — it's quite a strange thing to smooch a really good friend so we had to get over the giggles and think 'right, just do it!'" Also commenting on her worries about the scenes, she said: "I thought it was hilarious! I thought it'd be interesting, though. I was obviously quite worried about them. Loui
atleyand I chatted a lot when we found out that it was going to be in the late-night eps and we were wondering 'oh no, what does this mean?!' But in the end, they weren't graphic or anything like that, so it was fine."
She continued: "It was completely mental filming them. Loui and I just had a massive attack of the giggles. I think the crew were more embarrassed than we were! We were kind of ignored for the day."
Speaking to entertainment news website
Digital Spy
Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
about Sarah and Zoe's relationship, Lister explained: "I don't think they do have feelings for each other in that way. Last year happened and Zoe put it down to history and experience — one of those things that teenagers get up to occasionally and she was quite happy to leave it there. They've got through a lot and their relationship is really quite special. There's a lot of love there but Zoe's not got anything sexual for Sarah — it's purely a deep friendship."
Meanwhile, Batley said: "I think that for Sarah, Zoe's the best friend she's ever had — a lot of people in her life have let her down but Zoe's her rock. Even though they've had their fall-outs, she's always been there for her and she loves her as a friend. I think Zoe feels the same. But for Sarah it's something more — she completely relies on her and that turns into love for her as well."
Imprisonment and exit
After the announcement of Lister's departure, it was that revealed
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 attend ...
, who played
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 ...
, would also leave the show in a tragic
skydiving
Parachuting, including also skydiving, is a method of transiting from a high point in the atmosphere to the surface of Earth with the aid of gravity, involving the control of speed during the descent using a parachute or parachutes.
For ...
death, caused by a jealous
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).
Before the skydiving plot aired, Lister explained the storyline during an interview with Sky TV, stating that at the time Lydia severed a parachute to end her own life, later deciding to cut Zoe's parachute so she could have Sarah to herself, further explaining that viewers were not permitted to know who would have parachute after they became mixed up in the storyline's dramatic twist.
Speaking on how Zoe's relationship with Sarah causes Lydia to commit her actions, Lister stated:
Lister explained that she and her fellow cast members filmed on many locations, including army barracks.
They filmed at
Tatenhill Airfield
Tatenhill Airfield is a licensed airfield operated by Tatenhill Aviation Ltd. Its CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P813) allows flights for the public transport of passengers and for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee, Tatenhill Avia ...
, where staff had been told to remain secretive about the storyline.
She also revealed that she was the only cast member out of her, Batley and Kelly who performed the aired skydiving for real.
A ''Hollyoaks'' producer released two pictures of funeral wreaths, one reading 'Zoe' and the other 'Sarah', in order to confuse viewers further as to whom the victim would be. On-screen after the skydive and Sarah's subsequent death, Lydia framed Zoe for the murder she committed, leading to her arrest.
Speaking of Sarah's death and Zoe's false imprisonment, Lister stated: "She's in a very difficult place. She's lost her best friend and there's so much history there and she's finished her degree — well she didn't even finish her degree, she failed that — so she's in a limbo land anyway. She's working silly jobs and she's not in a very good place at all in any aspect of her life. Oh, and she's in prison on suspicion of murder..."
When asked during another interview with Digital Spy about how the character is coping with being in prison, Lister stated: "Not very well! It's all completely overwhelming for her. She can't get her head around the fact that her best friend's dead and the fact that she's being accused of murdering her is ridiculous. She's worried that because it's got this far its ludicrous, so who's to say that she won't be sent down?"
When the character was ultimately found not guilty and was released, Lister stated in an interview with
E4: "I think this is a great storyline, I've really enjoyed doing it. When Zoe's obviously released, it's like a whole new scenario for her because there are people who haven't really trusted her or believed in her. People that have really let her down, and plus the fact she hasn't got over Sarah
..being killed yet either. She hasn't had the chance to deal with that, so that's really interesting, and she still wants Lydia to go down!" The character of Zoe then set out to expose Lydia as Sarah's killer. She befriended her, and even seduced her in order to gain a confession. During an interview about Zoe's new scheme, Lister said:
Lister continued, "It all gets really messy from here! Because Lydia's really deranged, Lydia starts thinking that because she loved Sarah and Sarah loved Zoe, if she gets with Zoe, that'll be the final piece in the puzzle and it'll all work out."
She explained: "Lydia starts becoming obsessed with Zoe and to keep control, Zoe has to go with it. There's a point where Lydia kisses her! And then Mike walks in and kicks Zoe out."
Lydia discovered Zoe's true intentions for befriending her, and set out to take revenge. In a second interview with E4, Lister stated: "I was really surprised when I learned about Zoe's 'master plan' to get Lydia to confess because I think after everything that Zoe's been through
..the last thing she wants to do is ever see Lydia again, let alone try and make friends with her! But that is her only way, so I think it's really interesting." She continued: "The fight and the chase stuff with Lydia in the graveyard was really good, we filmed it at night. I was dressed as
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
. We were in a cemetery, it was brilliant!..."
The culmination of the plot saw Lydia stab Zoe.
The storyline was described as a "brutal attack" and at the time producers refused to reveal if Zoe would survive.
Describing the terror Lydia causes for Zoe, a spokesperson for the serial stated: "Zoe can’t believe it when Lydia admits the parachute was meant for her. As soon as she realises Lydia wanted her dead she tries to run. That’s when Lydia pulls out a knife and stabs her."
This led to a fight between Lydia and Charlotte who arrives with
Dave Colburn
David Colburn is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera, ''Hollyoaks'', played by Elliot James Langridge. He first appeared in ''Hollyoaks'' online spin-off '' Hollyoaks: The Morning After the Night Before'', which explored ...
(Elliot James Langridge). They both fight to grab the knife while an unconscious Zoe bleeds, ultimately leading to the arrest of Lydia when the police arrive. She is later charged with the murder of Sarah and the attempted murder of Zoe. Several weeks after the character was stabbed, she was seen feeling as if no one wanted to be in her company. After three of her longtime friends snubbed her ideas to make a fresh start elsewhere, ultimately she was she went travelling with her former boyfriend
Mike Barnes (
Tony Hirst
Anthony Hirst (born 21 January 1967) is an English actor, theatre director and narrator best known for playing Mike Barnes on the soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' and in ''Coronation Street'' as Paul Kershaw, the love interest of Eileen Grimshaw. Hirs ...
) and
Gilly Roach
Gilly is a municipality in the district of Nyon in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.
History
Gilly is first mentioned in 1179 as ''de Iusliaco''. In 1278 it was mentioned as ''Gillie''.
Geography
Gilly has an area, , of . Of this area, or ...
(
Anthony Quinlan
Anthony Quinlan is an English actor, known for his roles as Gilly Roach in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' and Pete Barton in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale''.
Career
Quinlan played Gilly Roach in the English Channel 4 soap opera
A soa ...
).
Storylines
Backstory
Born in 1987 to
Graham
Graham and Graeme may refer to:
People
* Graham (given name), an English-language given name
* Graham (surname), an English-language surname
* Graeme (surname), an English-language surname
* Graham (musician) (born 1979), Burmese singer
* Clan ...
(Paul Clarkson) and
Christine Carpenter (
Race Davies
Race Davies (born 10 August 1962 in Moglabazar, Sylhet, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), is a British actress and artist. She played Jackie Owen in ''EastEnders'' from 1999 to 2000.
Her first television appearance was in ''The Bill'' in 1988. In ...
), Zoe is the older sister of
Archie Carpenter
Archie Carpenter is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', 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 brot ...
(Stephen Beard). During her time at secondary school, Zoe was overweight and self-conscious. She sought comfort in her teacher and fell in love. The pair began an affair, which was never discovered. While at school, Zoe also had a relationship with
Joe Spencer (Matt Millburn), who had arrived in Hollyoaks as a student three years before her arrival.
2006–2010
Zoe arrives as a new student at the college, studying
Film Studies
Film studies is an academic discipline that deals with various theoretical, historical, and critical approaches to cinema as an art form and a medium. It is sometimes subsumed within media studies and is often compared to television studies.
...
. She eventually grows closer to her ex-boyfriend Joe. Zoe,
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 for hi ...
(
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 ...
), Joe and
Olivia Johnson
The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' in 2005, by order of first appearance.
Louise Summers
Rob Owen
Robert "Rob" Owen is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 so ...
(Rochelle Gadd) are in
The Dog in the Pond
The Dog in the Pond (commonly known as The Dog, briefly named The Jolly Roger) is a fictional public house in the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks''. It has been at the centre of the show's setting since it began in 1995. In 2003, The Do ...
public house
A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...
when
Sam Owen
Sam, SAM or variants may refer to:
Places
* Sam, Benin
* Sam, Boulkiemdé, Burkina Faso
* Sam, Bourzanga, Burkina Faso
* Sam, Kongoussi, Burkina Faso
* Sam, Iran
* Sam, Teton County, Idaho, United States, a populated place
People and fictional ...
(Louis Tamone) sets it on fire. Zoe escapes but Joe and Olivia die. Zoe has a one-night stand with
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). After rejecting the advances of
Will Hackett
William "Will" Hackett is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Oliver Farnworth. The character first appeared on-screen on 1 September 2006 until 4 May 2007. Although no longer a featured character ...
(
Oliver Farnworth
Oliver Farnworth (born 5 August 1982) is an English actor. Farnworth was brought up just outside Halifax in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, but moved to Sidmouth in Devon when he was fifteen. He trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. ) and entering a relationship with Will, Zoe is abused and manipulated by him. He stops Zoe from leaving to study in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, resorting to stealing her passport and breaking her hand. He spies on her via
webcam
A webcam is a video camera which is designed to record or stream to a computer or computer network. They are primarily used in videotelephony, livestreaming and social media, and security. Webcams can be built-in computer hardware or peripheral d ...
, and drugs her, making it look like a suicide attempt. When Zoe discovers that Will has been spying on her, he ties her up on the college roof and confesses his love for her. Will eventually lets Zoe go and is arrested. A traumatised Zoe leaves to stay with her parents.
Zoe starts a relationship with
Darren Osborne
Darren Osborne is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks''. He was introduced by executive producer Phil Redmond as part of the Osborne family, making his first screen appearance on 18 November 1996, portrayed ...
(
Ashley Taylor Dawson
Philip Ashley Taylor Dawson (born 11 January 1982), known as Ashley Taylor Dawson, is an English actor and singer. He is known for portraying the role of Darren Osborne in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', as well as being a member of the ...
). When Darren's stepmother,
Frankie Osborne
Frankie Osborne (also Dean) is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Helen Pearson. She made her first on-screen appearance on 9 October 2002. Frankie was once the longest-serving female character in ...
(
Helen Pearson
Helen Pearson (born 16 November 1959) is a British actress who has been in three major soap operas, ''EastEnders'' (during 1990 as April McIntosh), ''Emmerdale'' (from 2000 to 2001 as Carol Wareing), and as Frankie Osborne in ''Hollyoaks'' fro ...
), fosters a seven-year-old child called Daisy, Zoe gets on well with her and is angry when Darren has her sent away. Zoe ends their relationship, although they go on to reconcile. Darren becomes addicted to gambling and begins to steal Zoe's money. Darren has sex with
Jessica Harris (
Jennifer Biddall
Jennifer Biddall (born 26 May 1980) is an English actress who played the part of Jessica Harris in ''Hollyoaks'' from 2005 to 2008 and joined '' EastEnders'' to play Megan in 2022. She has at times been credited as Jennifer Bidall or Janet Bi ...
) after they win at a casino. When Zoe discovers this, she ends their relationship again, though helps him through his gambling addiction.
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 attend ...
) invites Zoe to move in with her, however her father
Mike Barnes (
Tony Hirst
Anthony Hirst (born 21 January 1967) is an English actor, theatre director and narrator best known for playing Mike Barnes on the soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' and in ''Coronation Street'' as Paul Kershaw, the love interest of Eileen Grimshaw. Hirs ...
) is angry to find Zoe using Sarah's sister
Amy
Amy is a female given name, sometimes short for Amanda, Amelia, Amélie, or Amita. In French, the name is spelled ''"Aimée"''.
People A–E
* Amy Acker (born 1976), American actress
* Amy Vera Ackman, also known as Mother Giovanni (1886– ...
's (
Ashley Slanina-Davies
Ashley Slanina-Davies (born 18 December 1989) is an English actress born in Standish, near Wigan, who is notable for playing the role of Amy Barnes in the Channel 4 soap opera, ''Hollyoaks''. The role of Amy was Slanina-Davies' first major tel ...
) bedroom. When Mike's wife,
Kathy
Kathy is a feminine given name. It is a pet form of Katherine, Kathleen and their related forms. Kathy may refer to:
In sports
*Kathy Bald, Canadian freestyle swimmer
*Kathy May, American tennis player
*Kathy Radzuweit, German volleyball player
...
(
Sarah Jane Buckley
Sarah Jane Buckley (born 2 January 1968) is an actress and singer. She is also an ambassador for The Prince's Trust.
She played Kathy Barnes in ''Hollyoaks'' from November 2005 to January 2008 and again in April 2017 and September 2017. After lea ...
), begins to suspect an affair between Zoe and Mike, and throws all Zoe's clothes out into the street. Mike then asks Kathy to move out. He and Zoe sleep together, unknowingly recorded by Amy's boyfriend
Ste Hay
Ste Hay is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Kieron Richardson. He debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 17 February 2006. Ste was created by David Hanson and was originally intended ...
(
Kieron Richardson
Kieron Mark Richardson (born 12 January 1986) is an English actor and television presenter. He plays the role of Ste Hay in ''Hollyoaks'', having previously appeared in '' Heartbeat'' as Ricky Smith. He won the British Soap Award for Best Ons ...
), who exposes them. Sarah lashes out at Mike and Zoe. She flaunts her older boyfriend
Roger Kiddle (Quentin Tibble) in Mike's face, which backfires when Roger makes a pass at Zoe and they become an official couple. Sarah is able to forgive Zoe, and comforts her when she has a pregnancy scare. Mike is very upset about the idea of Zoe being pregnant.
Zoe visits her old school with Sarah and
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 ...
(
Jessica Fox), recalling her relationship with her former teacher. She and Sarah get drunk and sleep together, which they both regret and agree to keep quiet. Their one-night stand is later revealed, however, leaving Mike devastated. He throws them both out, before realising how much he loves Zoe and offering to take her back, only for her to refuse. When Archie destroys Zoe's film project, essential for her graduation, lecturer
Adrian P. Kennedy (Richard Lawrence) gives her an extension. Zoe finds a script belonging to Mike which he wrote 20 years ago about his decision to give Sarah up for adoption. Zoe uses the script and films it, and Adrian screens it in the SU Bar. At the screening, Sarah discovers the planned adoption and is in turmoil. Mike goes to see Adrian to tell him of the
plagiarism
Plagiarism is the fraudulent representation of another person's language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions as one's own original work.From the 1995 '' Random House Compact Unabridged Dictionary'': use or close imitation of the language and thought ...
. Adrian says that if she sleeps with him, he will not tell the university. Zoe considers Adrian's offer but later claims she would rather be a failure than sleep with him, leading to him failing her project. Zoe then has a brief relationship with
Natty (Danny Tennant).
Zoe goes on a parachute jump with Sarah,
Fernando Fernandez (Jeronimo Best),
Steph Cunningham
Steph Roach (also Dean and Cunningham) is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Carley Stenson. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 8 March 2000. Steph was introduced into the serial ...
(
Carley Stenson
Carley Stenson (born 22 September 1982) is an English actress and singer. She is known for her roles as Steph Cunningham in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' and Harriet Shelton in the BBC soap opera ''Doctors''. For her role as Steph, s ...
) and
Gilly Roach
Gilly is a municipality in the district of Nyon in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.
History
Gilly is first mentioned in 1179 as ''de Iusliaco''. In 1278 it was mentioned as ''Gillie''.
Geography
Gilly has an area, , of . Of this area, or ...
(
Anthony Quinlan
Anthony Quinlan is an English actor, known for his roles as Gilly Roach in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' and Pete Barton in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale''.
Career
Quinlan played Gilly Roach in the English Channel 4 soap opera
A soa ...
). Sarah's ex-girlfriend,
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 ai ...
) appears and is jealous of Sarah and Zoe's friendship. Lydia lies to Zoe, telling her that Sarah had attempted suicide after their affair the previous year, and warns her to stay away from Sarah. That night, Sarah and Zoe get drunk and return to their tent, where Sarah makes a pass at Zoe. Sarah reveals that whilst she had not intended to kiss her, Zoe was the only person she had ever been able to rely upon. Zoe and Sarah later discover Lydia's lies and Sarah decides to end their relationship for good during a discussion with Zoe. Lydia overhears the conversation and sabotages Zoe's parachute before the jump in an attempt to kill her. When the parachutes are mixed up by accident, Zoe's deploys successfully, but Sarah falls to her death. Upset, Zoe ends up sleeping with a grieving Mike for comfort. Lydia slits her wrists after planting the knife she had sabotaged the parachute with behind Zoe's bed. Zoe is then arrested in front of Mike under suspicion of Sarah's murder and is later charged.
Mike visits Zoe in prison, despite Lydia manipulating him, and Zoe is able to convince him that she was not to blame for Sarah's death. During her trial, Mike tells the court he believes his daughter committed suicide, and Zoe is found not guilty and is released. She then decides to expose Lydia as Sarah's killer. Zoe moves in with Mike and Lydia, and tells Lydia that her feelings towards her have changed. The pair share a kiss, just as Mike and Amy walk in. Mike then tells Zoe to leave. Lydia discovers that Zoe is using her, and plots revenge. On New Year's Eve, she gets Zoe to meet her in a church, so they can admit their "relationship" to Sarah. Zoe initially goes along with this, but then changes her mind, runs out and is knocked unconscious. Zoe is able to get a confession from Lydia, before running away again. She is startled to see Sarah's grave for the first time. Lydia finds Zoe and stabs her as
Charlotte Lau
Charlotte Lau is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Amy Yamazaki. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 9 June 2009 and was introduced by series producer Lucy Allan as the ex-girlfr ...
(
Amy Yamazaki
Amy is a female given name, sometimes short for Amanda, Amelia, Amélie, or Amita. In French, the name is spelled ''"Aimée"''.
People A–E
* Amy Acker (born 1976), American actress
* Amy Vera Ackman, also known as Mother Giovanni (1886–19 ...
),
Dave Colburn
David Colburn is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera, ''Hollyoaks'', played by Elliot James Langridge. He first appeared in ''Hollyoaks'' online spin-off '' Hollyoaks: The Morning After the Night Before'', which explored ...
(Elliot James Langridge) and Mike arrive. Mike then cradles Zoe as he calls an ambulance.
Zoe recovers, and after inspiration from
Hannah Ashworth
Hannah Ashworth (also Osborne) is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Emma Rigby. Hannah first appeared on-screen on 30 September 2005 and her last appearance was on 12 February 2010.
The characte ...
(
Emma Rigby
Emma Catherine Rigby (born 26 September 1989) is an English actress. After rising to prominence for her role as Hannah Ashworth in ''Hollyoaks'', she later played Gemma Roscoe in the BBC One drama series ''Prisoners' Wives'' and as the Red Quee ...
), she decides to go travelling, along with Kris and Zak. Kris and Zak change their minds, however, due to their friends Nancy and
Michaela McQueen
Michaela McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Hollie-Jay Bowes. Michaela was the first of the McQueen family to be seen on-screen in 2006, when she was credited as Michaela Jones. On 8 Ju ...
(
Hollie-Jay Bowes
Hollie-Jay Bowes (born 17 January 1989) is an English actress, known for her roles as Dawn O'Malley in the BBC drama ''Grange Hill'' and Michaela McQueen in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks''.
In 2023, Hollie starred in two episodes of Wate ...
). Zoe plans to leave herself, but as she packs her belongings to leave, Mike is convinced to join her. Zoe, Mike and Gilly say their goodbyes and leave the village. In August, six months after leaving the village, Zoe makes Zak and
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 for hi ...
(
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 ...
) an offer to come to
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
and help her organise a party for a rich person.
In April 2017, Zoe returns to the village with Mike and Kathy for Amy's funeral. When Kathy arrives at
Ryan Knight's (
Duncan James
Duncan James (born Duncan Inglis, 7 April 1978) is an English singer and actor. He became widely known in 2001 as a member of the boy band Blue (English group), Blue and later for playing Ryan Knight (Hollyoaks), Ryan Knight in the British soap ...
) house, she argues with Mike over allowing Zoe to attend Amy's funeral.
Reception
![Zoe Lister](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/Zoe_Lister.png)
In 2008, Lister's role as Zoe saw her nominated for the "Sexiest Female" award at
The British Soap Awards
The British Soap Awards (BSAs) are an annual awards ceremony in the United Kingdom which honours the best moments in British soap operas. The ceremony is televised on ITV and has been presented by Phillip Schofield since 2006. The trophies given ...
, however she lost to co-star
Roxanne McKee
Roxanne McKee (born 10 August 1980) is a British actress and model. She is best known for playing Louise Summers in the British soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' (2005–2008), Lou Foster in the British drama series ''Lip Service'' (2010), Doreah in the A ...
. Lister was asked in an interview if she was disappointed to not win the award. She replied: "Not at all! It was lovely to be nominated, and also a bit hilarious, but beyond that, I wasn't desperate to win. I really wasn't bothered! I was more than happy that Roxanne
cKeewon it — and I guessed she might do anyway."
When Zoe's affair with
Mike Barnes (
Tony Hirst
Anthony Hirst (born 21 January 1967) is an English actor, theatre director and narrator best known for playing Mike Barnes on the soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' and in ''Coronation Street'' as Paul Kershaw, the love interest of Eileen Grimshaw. Hirs ...
) began, there was some controversy over the storyline, due to the age gap between the pair. However, Hirst stated: "I think the controversy has subsided somewhat. It's not an illicit affair, it's known about now. It was shocking to some people at the beginning but it wasn't by any means illegal. There were some complications but they are both grown-ups!" The parachute stunt won 'Spectacular Scene Of The Year' at the 2010 British Soap Awards.
At the 2010
''Inside Soap'' Awards the storyline gained nominations in the category of "Best Stunt". Kris Green of Digital Spy described the skydive as one of the best stunts he had seen in a long time, commenting that Zoe's reaction to Sarah's death made him shed a tear, and that the episode on a whole was "amazing".
The parachute stunt won 'Spectacular Scene Of The Year' at the 2010 British Soap Awards.
Asian News International
Asian News International (ANI) is an Indian news agency that offers syndicated multimedia news feed to news-bureaus in India and elsewhere. Established by Prem Prakash in 1971, it was the first agency in India to syndicate video news and , is t ...
included Sarah and Zoe second on their top ten "girl-on-girl kisses on TV" list.
Grace Dent
Grace Dent (born 3 October 1973) is an English columnist, broadcaster and author. She is a restaurant critic for ''The Guardian'' and from 2011 to 2017 wrote a restaurant column for the ''Evening Standard''. She is a regular critic on the BBC' ...
of ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' commented on the realism of Zoe's storyline involving Adrian stating: "hapless Zoe failed her exams after refusing to shag dismal tutor Adrian. Predatory lecturers taking advantage of gullible women? Actually, that's a plot line I can get my head around. The problem with being an academic perv these days is that one day sooner or later, the truth will out."
Lesbian culture website
AfterEllen.com
AfterEllen (also known as AfterEllen.com) is an American culture website founded in 2002, with a focus on entertainment, interviews, reviews, and news of interest to the lesbian and bisexual women's community. The site covers pop culture and li ...
opined "she doesn't seem like the type of woman to give up without a fight" where Sarah and Mike are concerned.
They also branded her storyline "scandalous" and said "It appears that in the UK, some television writers actually pay attention to what their actors want." This was in response to Lister suggesting the storyline.
References
External links
Zoe Carpenteron th
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carpenter, Zoe
Hollyoaks characters
Television characters introduced in 2006
Fictional bisexual females
Fictional unemployed people
Fictional LGBT characters in television
Female characters in television