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 2 January 2006. Amy was created by executive producer David Hanson and Slanina-Davies was offered the role whilst looking for work as an extra. In 2009, Slanina-Davies stated that she would be lost without the role and confirmed her loyalty to the serial. In July 2010, it was announced that Slanina-Davies would be leaving the show. However, it was later revealed that she was back filming and staying in the serial in 2011. Amy's storylines have included underage pregnancy which resulted in the birth of daughter Leah Barnes and the subject of domestic abuse in her relationship with Ste Hay, portrayed by Kieron Richardson. Whilst filming the storyline, Slanina-Davies cut her long hair off for charity and this was scripted into the storyline.
Amy has also been part of a storyline which saw her pretending her daughter was suffering from leukaemia to scam money out of the community; off-screen, this prompted Slanina-Davies to campaign for leukaemia and cancer charity CLIC Sargent and Women's Aid. The issue of post-natal depression has been portrayed, following the birth of her second child Lucas Hay. Slanina-Davies has also revealed that she has conducted extensive research into all of her issue-lead storylines. In 2012, it was announced that Slanina-Davies would be written out of the serial. Amy departed on 8 August 2012. Amy returned for guest appearances throughout 2013, 2014 and 2016, before returning to the show on a permanent basis in August 2016.
In January 2017, it was revealed that Amy would be departing later in the year in a "whodunit" storyline which would see the character killed off after being murdered. She made her final appearance as a corpse on 29 March 2017, however continued to appear in flashback appearances throughout the storyline. Amy's funeral was held on 25 April 2017, with characters such as her mother, Kathy (Sarah Jane Buckley), and Zoe Carpenter (Zoë Lister), returning for her funeral. On 4 September 2017, Ste's fiancé, Harry Thompson (Parry Glasspool), was named as the culprit who killed Amy. However, on 8 September 2017, it was revealed that Amy was still alive after Harry left, meaning he was not responsible. Amy appeared again for a final time in a flashback episode which aired on 10 October 2017, where her new husband Ryan Knight (Duncan James) strangled her, revealing him as her killer.
Casting In 2005 executive producer David Hanson created the Barnes family which included Amy. Actress Ashley Slanina-Davies was looking for work as an extra at the time, but her audition secured her the regular role of Amy. She made her first appearance in January 2006. In 2009 Slanina-Davies admitted she was committed to the soap, stating she "would be at a loss" without the role. In 2010, it was announced that Slanina-Davies would leave later in the year. This was confirmed at the same time as Garnon Davies (Elliot Bevan), Glen Wallace (Malachy Fisher) and John Pickard (Dominic Reilly) announced their departures. A spokesperson for Hollyoaks stated: "We're all sad to be losing yet more friends from the cast [...] Nothing's been firmed up yet storyline-wise but one thing's for sure, they'll all be memorable exits." In late 2010 it was revealed that Davies was still filming with Hollyoaks and would remain on the soap in 2011.
Character development
Characterisation BBC America have branded Amy as the "Bad Seed" of the Barnes sisters. They also add: "She's not mean-spirited, but she's known for trouble-making." In her later years she transformed into a single and more confident woman. She is described on the show's official website as not "afraid to stick up for herself".
Relationship with Ste Hay In 2007 after Amy resumes her relationship with Ste Hay (Kieron Richardson) and they move into their own flat, Ste became increasingly violent and started to hit Amy, which was the start of a domestic abuse storyline. Slanina-Davies conducted extensive research into the plot During an interview with LINC Online she stated: "I research pretty much everything I’m involved in. It's important to be realistic because there’ll be people out there watching who are hoping to relate to your character. I think if you didn’t research properly you’d only end up alienating the people you want to try and empathise with." One segment of the storyline saw Ste cutting off her ponytail. In real life Slanina-Davies had cut her hair short to raise money for charity of this she stated: "When I had my hair cut short in Hollyoaks I did that to raise money for CLIC Sargent, which is a charity helping children with cancer and leukaemia."
At this time, Amy fell pregnant, but was unsure whether to keep the baby. Slanina-Davies stated that she loved portraying pregnancy in the serial and commented on Amy's dilemma of abortion stating: "I have absolutely no opinion on whether Amy should keep her baby, because I think it's a woman's right to choose." Speaking about 2008 as a whole for Ste and Amy, producer Bryan Kirkwood stated: "I'm really proud of the way Kieron Richardson has portrayed Ste, dare I say sympathetically, so we can understand but not condone his behaviour. He and Ashley [Slanina Davies] are delivering brilliant performances as two young kids portray the reality of so many 16- and 17-year-olds as they struggle to make a life for themselves and repeat the mistakes of their parents. It's a very real situation and some of their scenes still to come are downright shocking. It's set to become a very big story as the year progresses." Ste later takes a violent outburst to far and a spokesperson for the serial described it as "the final straw" for Amy. She is later shown leaving Ste after finally realising she needs to accept help from those closest to her. Slanina-Davies and Richardson then fronted a charity campaign called "Expect Respect" in order to combat domestic violence. At the time Slanina-Davies released a statement reading: "Domestic abuse takes many forms, it can be physical, sexual or mental. In Hollyoaks, my character Amy faced this in her relationship with Ste and I know from this storyline why it can be difficult to leave an abusive relationship."
Il Gnosh fire In 2010 Amy was involved in a special week of episodes, battling to save her two children Leah Barnes (Jessica Croft-Lane) and Lucas Hay (Jude Hawley) in the blaze. In early 2011 Marquess revealed that Amy would be staying in the show permanently and be involved in a serious storyline in which Leanne Holiday (Jessica Forrest) would do some "terrible things" to Amy. Executive producer Gareth Phillips later revealed that there was never any plans for Amy to leave. They filmed alternative endings to confuse viewers and added they had been "mischievous" in doing so. He said it made the serial more exciting and that they had many storylines for Amy and Lee because they "make a great pairing".
Departure and returns Amy was written out of the series in 2012. Series producer Emma Smithwick told Digital Spy's Kilkelly that Amy often did not "care for herself and her own wellbeing" because she was too busy helping Ste and her children. Smithwick and her colleagues had wondered what would happen if Amy was no longer in the show. They wanted to explore Ste's character without having the stability that Amy provides him. But Smithwick noted that she "loves" Amy and the decision was just "dictated by story". The storyline played out when Amy "goes on a wild night out", gets drunk and kisses Ste. Richardson told a writer from Inside Soap that "when Ste comes to her rescue, Amy's emotions are all over the place after splitting up with Ally. So after Ste shows her a little kindness, she gets the wrong idea and goes in for a snog." Amy is "mortified" by her actions and has to rethink her life in Hollyoaks. She decides to move away to study taking Leah and Lucas with her. Richardson explained that his character has done everything for his family and to not have Amy and the children in his life is a "massive thing to get used to." Amy made her final on-screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 8 August 2012.
Amy returned in February 2013 for two episodes and the scenes will feature Ste, Brendan, Leah and Lucas. Slanina-Davies filmed the scenes in December 2012. In October 2014, Digital Spy's Sophie Dainty announced that Amy would feature in episodes airing later that month. Further storyline developments were announced seeing Ste's abusive stepfather Terry Hay (Conor Ryan) befriending Amy. In April 2016 it was announced that Slanina-Davies had reprised her role for a guest appearance. The character returns to Hollyoaks as part of Ste's topical storyline focusing on homelessness.
The following month it was announced that Slanina-Davies had agreed to return to the show on a permanent basis. Duncan James was cast to play Amy's new love interest Ryan Knight. Writer planned to pitch Ryan, a "professional, stable and aspirational" man against Amy's ex-partner Ste. Of her return the actress stated "I couldn't be more excited to bring Amy back to Hollyoaks [...] I think Amy might find herself stuck between a rock and a hard place with those two!"
Death In January 2017, it was announced that the show planned to kill Amy off. Kilkelly from Digital Spy reported that Amy's partner Ryan would return home and find her dead in a "devastating" and "dark" storyline. He added that the storyline would create dramatic scenes involving Amy's relatives. Slanina-Davies made her final appearance as Amy on 29 March 2017, where her body was discovered by Ryan and her father Mike Barnes (Tony Hirst).
Storylines Amy first appears being dragged to her sister Sarah Barnes' (Loui Batley) swimming training, where she is bored and jealous of Sarah's success. Amy befriends Michaela McQueen (Hollie-Jay Bowes), Jamie "Fletch" Fletcher (Sam Darbyshire) and Josh Ashworth (Sonny Flood) and begins a relationship with Ste Hay (Kieron Richardson). Ste manipulates Amy into sleeping with him, resulting in their eventual break-up. On her 15th birthday, Amy meets a boy called Billy, who she has a one-night stand. Michaela supports Amy upon Amy discovering her pregnancy. Amy and Ste reunite and he takes her joyriding, which leads to a crash, culminating in Ste fleeing and Amy is partially injured. Amy dumps Ste to date Josh despite her father Mike Barnes (Tony Hirst) disapproving of them. They decide to flee Hollyoaks together however, after weeks, the couple decide to return home. Josh attacks Mike with a house brick, which ends Josh's relationship with Amy. She develops labour and delivers her daughter, Leah Barnes (Ela-May Demircan) on her kitchen floor, to the surprise of Sarah and Mike. Amy's mother Kathy Barnes (Sarah Jane Buckley) decides to raise Leah as her own child, ashamed of her daughter's underage pregnancy. However, Amy grows close to Leah and decides she wants to be her mother. Kathy kidnaps Leah and is eventually sectioned.
Ste returns to Hollyoaks following a stint in a young offenders' institute. Mike is angry, but Amy lies that he is Leah's father and they eventually move into their own flat. Ste begins to steal to help fund the family, but begins lying that Leah has leukaemia for money. An angry Amy decides to leave Ste, but agrees to continue lying until they have enough money to support them. After the secret is revealed, Ste ultimately assaults Amy and she is rejected by her family. Ste's violent outbursts continue, with him cutting off her long ponytail on an occasion. After Amy is threatened by Ste again, she lies that she is pregnant. After admitting her lie, he apologises, seeing what he has caused. Soon after, Amy unearths her actual pregnancy and dumps Ste once again after he attacks her.