Hollyoaks is celebrating International Womens Day with a special episode dedicated to its female characters.
The episode will see dismissive terms used against women challenged, and reclaimed by the women of Hollyoaks, including scenes where Verity challenges Tony at the Dog in Pond pub.
The Channel 4 soap has brought to our screens a lot of amazing characters throughout the decades, including The McQueen family, The Valentines and The Nightingales.
To pay tribute to some of the iconic Hollyoaks residents, Daily Star takes a look inside the lives of the actresses who played some of the soap's most famous matriarchs.
Diane Valentine – Pauline Black
Diane Valentine was one of Hollyoaks' original family matriarchs, when she arrived in the fictional village with her children in 2006.
While her time in the village was short, she certainly made an impact, after she forced residents Sophie and Mel to leave the house that they had just purchased – which once belonged to their mother Liz Burton.
Viewers also watched her emotional relationship with her son Calvin Valentine, as well as their arguments about him leaving home once he graduated from the police force.
However, more heartbreak was to come, when Diane was killed in a hit-and-run accident during the same year.
Long before she played the Valentine family matriarch however, actress Pauline Black had a long singing career as part of group The Selecter.
She has also appeared in TV series including Doctors, Two Thousand Acres of Sky and Grownups.
If that wasn't enough, the star was made an OBE (Order of the British Empire) in 2021, for her services to entertainment, and helped to launch the City of Culture programme in her home town of Coventry.
She paid tribute to the town in her acceptance speech, telling PA: "It’s wonderful to receive this honour during Coventry’s UK City of Culture 2021 year.
"Coventry made me who I am today; giving me the opportunity to study, work and ultimately find my creative voice within the 2-tone movement, which has spearheaded the musical conversation about racism and sexism for the past 42 years."
Myra McQueen – Nicole Barber Lane
Another Hollyoaks icon was McQueen matriarch Myra, who ruled the roost alongside grandmother Queenie as part of the McQueen clan.
The soap legend was played by Nicole Barber Lane from 2008-2019, with the character becoming involved in huge story lines including the revenge of her son Niall Rafferty and the death of her children, including Tina McQueen.
However, she was not the only famous star in her family, as she was previously married to Emmerdale Dan Saunders actor Liam Fox.
The couple were together for over 16 years from 1999-2015 and they had two children together.
They had originally met in 1997 when they were both trainee teachers at Tameside College in Manchester – long before they became soap icons.
However, the couple announced their divorce in 2015, saying in a statement: "It is with much sadness that we confirm the end of our marriage, though our family unit remains strong.
"We will always love and respect each other and are united by our children and family remaining at the centre of our lives."
The couple have also remained good friends, with a source telling Digital Spy at the time: "Liam and Nicole are divorcing as their relationship as man and wife has come to an end, but they genuinely remain good friends.
"They continue to socialise with each other and enjoy time together as a family with their children, also working on some projects together."
During the same year, Nicole also shared the story of her horrific ordeal, after daughter Jemma nearly died on Christmas Eve.
Speaking to Liverpool Echo, the actress explained how her daughter suffered an allergic reaction to nuts, saying: "She had a chocolate brownie that had ground walnuts in and had a severe reaction on Christmas Eve.
"The ambulance took her into hospital and they kept her in.
"It was the worst night as if she had a third reaction, she would’ve stopped breathing all together."
Fortunately Jemma has now made a full recovery, and Nicole spends time away from acting raising awareness of nut allergies and sharing how her daughter's positivity following the incident inspires her.
She added: "She has made lots of changes to her life now, and life is too short. To ‘live life’ is very much her motto. She encourages me to live mine to the max."
Since then, Nicole has left Hollyoaks after the character departed for Alicanti to see her daughters in 2019, and is soon due to appear in the short film What Would Julie Do? later this year.
She has also found love with builder Deano Watson, with the actress regularly sharing sweet snaps of the couple together on social media.
Deano also regularly pays tribute to his other half too, including sharing a photograph of them both together on a date night, with the caption: "At the Manchester Christmas markets with my baby @Nicole_barberlane."
Marnie Nightingale – Lysette Anthony
Lysette Anthony became a soap icon when she took on the role of Nightingale family matriach Marnie, playing the role for over six years from 2016-2022, before her character's shock death.
The Salon De Thé owner recently died following a huge fire explosion, with her family and friends struggling to come to terms with their loss, as well as fans.
Marnie's shock Hollyoaks exit caused an outpouring of emotion from viewers on social media, with one fan saying: "The show will not be the same without you. Thank you for giving us one of the best characters and for helping me personally realise that it's ok to be an individual through your portrayal."
A second commented: "They made a huge mistake, you were one of the best characters Hollyoaks has ever seen. You are fabulous and will be missed."
Her departure from the soap was followed by Lysette lashing out in a rant against soap bosses, claiming she suffered "18 months of hell".
During the rant she lashed out at the decision to end her character's run in the show, suggesting execs were trying to "cancel" her.
Prior to her axe from the soap, fellow co-star Rachel Adedeji left Hollyoaks after four years, accusing the production of racism behind the scenes.
However soon after, Lysette was publicly called out on Twitter by former star Charlie Clapham, who shared messages she had sent in a group chat after he and Amanda Clapham, who played Holly Cunningham, came out in support of Rachel.
Lysette had said in the messages: "..sorry but we're not going to have a job to come back to if this stuff keeps being disseminated x", and also described Charlie and Amanda as "embittered" and said they had "traitor vibe going on".
The star deleted her Twitter account soon after, but hit out at soap bosses in an Instagram video at the treatment she had since received and the decision to axe her character, saying: "A word to the wise.. ‘seemingly’.. suck on that.. because I am encircled by lawyers – thank GOD! Rule of LAW at last…!
"After 18 months of humiliation, of Hell; Gagged, silenced, suspended, fined .. oh do I have a story to tell."
Away from the soap, Lysette was already a huge acting star, after appearing in Hollywood films including Dracula: Dead And Loving It, Cluedo and Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
She was also a model, and even played the love of Bryan Adams' life in his music videos of Summer of 69', Heaven and Run To You.
In her personal life, Lysette has also been married twice – first to Dutch artist Luc Leestemaker from 1990-1995, and then to film director David Price from 1999-2003.
She also dated composer Simon Boswell from 2004 until 2010, with who she has two children called James and Jack.
Lysette is also listed as appearing in a film called Book of Nightmares, currently in pre-production.
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