Hollie-Jay Bowes (née Billie-Jean 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. Since 2023, she has appeared in the BBC drama Waterloo Road as Debs Rafferty.

Hollie-Jay Bowes
Bowes in 2009
Born
Hollie Jean Bowes

(1989-01-17) 17 January 1989 (age 35)
OccupationActress
Years active2005–present
TelevisionGrange Hill
Hollyoaks
Waterloo Road

Life and career

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Bowes' parents changed her name from Billie Jean to Hollie Jean as her father thought she would get bullied at school and be called 'Billie Bowes', and at 13, she changed her name to Hollie-Jay.[1] In 2009, Bowes stated in an interview with Inside Soap that she is a distant relation to Hollyoaks co-star Tony Hirst, who plays Mike Barnes.[2]

On 24 June 2010, Bowes announced on Twitter that had decided to leave Hollyoaks after four years. Producers wrote her out at the earliest opportunity due to her making the announcement without informing the production.[3] In September 2011, Hollie-Jay reprised her role as Michaela McQueen in the series Hollyoaks Later[4] and returned to the main series in October,[5] but departed again in August 2012.[6]

In 2023, Bowes began appearing in the BBC drama Waterloo Road playing suffering mother Debs Rafferty.

References

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  1. ^ "Programmes - Most Popular - All 4". Archived from the original on 18 October 2009. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  2. ^ Inside Soap, 28 July 2009
  3. ^ Published Friday, Jun 25 2010, 00:02 BST (25 June 2010). "Hollie-Jay Bowes sacked from 'Hollyoaks' - Hollyoaks News - Soaps". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 14 November 2010. Retrieved 3 December 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (10 June 2011). "'Hollyoaks' return for Michaela McQueen". Digital Spy. (Hachette Filipacchi UK). Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  5. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (5 September 2011). "'Hollyoaks': Loads of gossip and teasers from the set". Digital Spy. (Hachette Filipacchi UK). Retrieved 9 October 2011.
  6. ^ "Stars in our eyes!". Inside Soap (29). Hearst Magazines UK: 50. 21–27 July 2012.
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