Liverpool-made soap Hollyoaks launches online auditions to cast a character

Jun 11 2009 by Tina Miles, Maghull and Aintree Star

LIVERPOOL-made soap Hollyoaks has launched an online open audition to cast a new character.

Hollyoaks Desperately Seeking is inviting budding actresses, aged from 18 to 30, to audition via the E4 website.

The lucky candidate will land a long-term part in the Channel 4 show, starring as new student India.

The competition follows the success of Hollyoaks on the Pull which discovered former cast members Roxanne McKee (Louise), Marcus Patrick (Ben) and Elize Du Toit (Izzy).

Hopefuls need to download a script from the E4 website, record an audition video in character as 18 or 19-year-old India and then upload the video to E4.

Entries will be viewed by the Hollyoaks production team and 25 contestants will be shortlisted and invited to audition on the Hollyoaks set.

The top 10 entrants will be seen by Hollyoaks’ series producer Lucy Allan, who will choose the next Hollyoaks star.

She said: “We are very excited about opening the audition process to a wider audience and hope to find that special, raw talent that we found in Roxanne, Marcus and Elize during the On the Pull series.”

Actress Elize Du Toit went from student to soap star after making her debut as feisty student Izzy.

Elize beat 40,000 people at the Hollyoaks national open auditions in June 2000.

Elize, 29, who has since appeared in Dr Who and Waterloo Road, postponed her degree to accept the role.

She said: “I'd never done any professional acting before, just a bit with a local theatre company and in school plays.

“I completely wasn't expecting to get it, but I thought it sounded like fun.

“It was a massive decision to make, to give up everything, but I knew it would be such a great experience, I couldn’t say no.”

Interest in this year’s competition was so great the download page for the audition script initially crashed.

Entries close on June 22 with the winner announced on July 4.