High Hopes

High Hopes is a coastal serial drama created by Hannah in January 2013, focusing on an island community in Canvey Island in the south of England. She was joined by Jaay, who formed part of the production team briefly in early 2013, but later rejoined the series in August 2013 in time for Season Two. The project lasted for three full seasons, 94 episodes in all, between 7th January 2013 and 5th February 2015. It is, to date, the only long-running project set on the coast.
The first episode of Season One premiered on 7th January 2013, concluding with Episode 20 on 16th June 2013. Season Two followed on 26th July 2013, ending on 24th March 2014. This season was almost twice as long as the first, at 38 episodes. The last four episodes of Season Two were a spin-off mini-series called High Hopes: A Step Back In Time (often truncated to ASBIT); canononically however they are part of Season Two. The third and final season began on 21st April 2014, drawing to a close on 5th February 2015. This consisted of 36 episodes.
On 21st November 2015, due to several personal committments, Hannah left Writers Express indefinitely. She hinted that 'High Hopes' would therefore be left in the hands of Jaay. Two episodes written by Jaay, marking the start of Season Four, were published in mid-November 2015, but were later scrapped when Hannah left. Hannah later returned, however High Hopes did not, and that marked the end of the project.
It was announced on 21st October 2013 that High Hopes would follow in the footsteps of fellow Writers Express projects The Avenue, These Days and Uncertain Nights with a special scripted episode. The episode focused on the relationships between Naomi and Cole Donovan and Olivia Kane and Matthew Fitzgerald as the Donovans' stalker causing chaos by exposing Naomi and Matthew's past.
High Hopes celebrated it's first anniverary with a bumper double on the first weekend of 2014 featuring the wedding of Olivia and Matthew. Season Two concluded with a shocking season finale on 14th February 2014.
It was announced on 24th February 2014 that the project would be getting its first ever spin off. High Hopes | A Step Back in Time focused on the story of Matthew Fitzgerald and why he tormented ex Naomi Donovan to the point of madness. The spin off kicked off on 21st March 2014 and concluded on 24th March 2014.
Season Three kicked off with a five-night special tagged 'Trial Week' on 21st April 2014. The Season Three finalé set on Christmas Day aired on 5th February 2015 and featured scenes in London, and saw the much anticipated return of Vicki Connor.
==Formation==
High Hopes was created at the beginning of 2013. Drama writer Hannah was looking for a new challenge and the creation in the soap genre seemed like the perfect solution.
The show is set on a small island off the south coast of England near Portsmouth "My Nan lives about 11 miles from Portsmouth so I pretty much grew up on the south coast, this influenced my decision to base the ficticious island there. The title card is special because it is a photograph taken by myself on the beach at my Nan's" explains Hannah.
==Settings==
Canvey Crescent	Who Lives Here:
No 14 (House) 	
The Spencers:
Siobhan Spencer lives here with step son Anthony and daughter Emily. Siobhan's mother Katherine Lavery moved in after Siobhan lost her husband Robert.
No 20 (House) 	
The Donovans:
Cole Donovan lives here with his wife Naomi, eighteen year old daughter Ava and sister in law Olivia Kane.
No 32A (Flat) 	Chloe Charles used to live here with her best friend Olivia Fitzgerald, she now lives with new flate mate Nicki Grant.
No 32B (Flat) 	David Fields lives here with his mother Eileen.
No 34 (House) 	
The Faradays:
Duncan Faraday lives here with his daughter Lindsay, former daughter in law Sophia Phillips and granddaughter Mia. Lindsay moved in after her marriage break up with Daniel Hastings, while son Steven moved out after his affair was exposed to wife Sophia.
No 36 (House) 	
The Connors:
Michael and Heather Connor live here with their two sons Josh and Jake. Daughter Vicki moved out in wake of her paternity reveal.
No 42 (House) 	
The Campbells:
Chrissie Campbell lives here with her wife Jay Willis.
Collison Avenue	Who Lives Here:
No 145 (Flat) 	Empty
No 169 (House) 	
The Macey House:
Kayla Macey lives here with her foster children Kyle and Molly Campbell. She shared her home with her fiance Patrick Hale until his untimely death at Christmas.
Palmers Street	Who Lives Here:
No 2 (Flat) 	Natalie Hunt lives here. 
No 4 (Flat) 	Steven Faraday lives here with son Alfie.
No 10 (Flat) 	Harry Campbell lives here.
Canvey Lanes (The High Street)	
 	
Owned by:
Daniel Hastings
Staff:
Imogen Sandford (Bar Manager)
Chloe Charles (Barmaid)
Eileen Fields (Barmaid)
Home of:
Daniel Hastings, Imogen Sandford
 	
Owned by:
Olivia Kane (Beautician)
Staff:
Natalie Hunt (Nail Technician)
 	
Owned by:
Cole Donovan, Sophia Phillips and Lindsay Faraday
Staff:
Megan Donovan (Events Co-Ordinator)
Nicki Grant (Barmaid)
 	
Owned by:
Duncan Faraday
Staff:
Siobhan Spencer (Manager)
 	
Owned by:
David Fields
Staff:
Anthony Spencer (Mechanic Apprentice)
 	
Owned by:
Duncan Faraday
Staff:
Katherine Lavery (Manager)
Noah Donovan (Shop Assistant)
Canvey Comprehensive 	
Teachers:
Charlotte Pope (Head)
Steven Faraday (Science)
Naomi Donovan (English)
Students:
Mia Faraday (Lower Sixth - Year 12)
Kyle Campbell (Lower Sixth - Year 12)
Molly Campbell (Lower Sixth - Year 12)
Emily Spencer (Year 9)
Jake Connor (Year 9)
Connor Solicitors 	
Heather Connor
Patrick's Place 	
Owners:
Kayla Macey and Chrissie Campbell
Staff:
Kyle Campbell (Waiter)
==Season One==
Season One of the island based soap began on Writer's Express on January 7th 2013 and concluded on June 16th 2013. Season One had twenty six cast regulars, many of which are still part of the main cast.
Season One consisted of twenty episodes, there were no major cast changes throughout the season.
==Season Two==
Season Two of the island based soap began on Writer's Express on July 26th 2013. Season Two began with twenty six regular characters and ended with thirty four.
==High Hopes | A Step Back In Time==
Special spin off A Step Back In Time is began on Friday 21st March 2014 and concluded on Monday 24th March 2014. The spin off featured four special episodes. The first episode featured a series of flashbacks which told the story of how Matthew Fitzgerald and Naomi Donovan met while the second episode saw Matthew confronted by the two women in his life. This episode was the second ever scripted episode of High Hopes. The final double episode featured a series of flashbacks of Matthew's dirty deeds on Canvey Island.
==Season Three==
The third season of High Hopes officially began on 21st April 2014 and kicked off with a five night special surrounding the armed robbery trial of Noah Donovan. The season three finale set on Christmas Day aired on Thursday 5th February 2015 and featured scenes in London and saw the much anticipated return of Vicki Connor.
==High Hopes Cast==
Present Cast:
Character	Actor 	Duration 	Episodes
 	Luke Roberts 	2013 - 	1x01 -
 	Christine Stephen Daly	2013 -  	2x03 -
 	Kim Medcalf 	2013 - 	1x01 -
 	Danielle Harold 	2013 - 	1x01 -
 	Simon Rouse 	2013 - 	1x03 -
 	Gillian Taylforth 	2013 -  	1x02 -
 	William Ash 	2013 - 	1x02 -
 	Uncredited 	2014 - 	2x31 -
 	Nadine Lewington 	2013 - 	1x02 -
 	Eden Taylor-Draper 	2013 - 	1x02 -
 	TJ Ramini 	2013 - 	1x01 -
 	Claire Goose 	2013 - 	1x01 -
 	David Witts 	2013 - 	1x01 -
 	Madeline Duggan 	2013 - 	1x01 -
 	MyAnna Buring 	2013 -  	1x01 -
 	Jake Wood 	2013 - 	1x01 -
 	Orla Brady 	2013 - 	1x02 -
 	Neil McDermott 	2013 - 	1x01 -
 	Kaya Scodelario 	2013-2014, 2015-	1x02 - 3x16, 3x35 -
 	Felix Dean 	2013 - 	1x03 -
 	Alexandra Fletcher 	2013 - 	1x01 -
 	Jamie Borthwick 	2013 - 	1x01 -
 	
Harley Graham
Ruby O Donnell	
2013 - 2014
2014 -	
1x01 - 3x21
3x22 -
 	Diane Parish 	2013 - 	1x02 -
 	Melanie Liburd 	2014 -  	3x32 -
 	Liz May Brice 	2013 - 	2x20 -
 	Ayden Callaghan 	2013 - 	2x06 -
 	Carl Au 	2013 - 	2x01 -
 	
Katie Griffiths
Sammy Oliver	
2013 - 2014
2014 -	
2x01 - 3x28
3x29 -
 	Susan McCann 	2013 - 	2x10 -
 	Allen Leech 	2013 - 	1x01 -
 	Linzey Cocker 	2013 - 	1x01 -
 	Ben Hardy 	2013 - 	2x15 -
 	Hannah Tointon 	2014 - 	2x28, 3x12 -
 	Naomi Ryan 	2014 - 	2x33 -
 	Jeremy Sheffield 	2014 - 	3x24 -
 	Declan Bennett 	2015 - 	3x36 -
Recurring Cast:
Character	Actor 	Duration	Episodes
 	Claire King 	2013 - 	1x12 -
 	Patsy Kensit 	2013 - 	2x18 -
 	Sarah Hadland 	2013 - 	2x20 -
 	Danny-Boy Hatchard	2014 - 	3x03 -
 	Karen David 	2014 - 	3x12 -
 	Alfie Browne-Sykes	2014 - 	3x12 -
Past Cast:
Character	Actor 	Duration 	Episodes
 	Chucky Venn 	2013 	1x02 - 2x22, 2x38
 	Karen Hassan	2013 - 2014 	1x02 - 2x34, 2x38, 3x07
 	Rupert Hill 	2013 - 2014, 2015 	2x30 - 3x16, 3x35/36
 	Tom Lister 	2013 - 2014 	1x02 - 3x21
Guest Cast:
Character	Actor 	Duration	Episodes
 	Lee Warburton 	2013 	1x04-1x05, 2x37, 3x02
 	Billy Murray 	2013 	1x04-1x05, 2x37-2x38, 3x02
 	Bronaugh Waugh 	2013 	2x21
 	Todd Carty 	2014 	2x28
 	Rudolph Walker 	2014 	2x29
 	Angela Wynter 	2014 	2x29
 	Micah Balfour 	2014 	2x29
 	Nina Wadia 	2014 	2x30 -
 	Joanna Lumley 	2014 	2x35
 	Addy Miller 	2014 	2x35
 	Suzanne Shaw 	2014 	2x35 - 2x36
 	Kim Thomson 	2014 	3x01 - 3x04
 	Fletcher O'Leary	2014 	3x07
 	Kaye Wragg 	2014 	3x11
 	Michele Dotrice 	2014 	3x11
 	Amanda Mealing 	2015 	3x35 - 3x36
 	Paul Usher 	2015 	3x35 - 3x36
 	Lorna Fitzgerald	2015 	3x35 - 3x36
 	Scott Maslen 	2015 	3x35 - 3x36
Cast Changes:
Character	Actor 	Arrival/Return	Departure
 	Zahra Ahmadi	2015 	
==The High Hopes Character Appearance Count==
As of: Thursday 5th February 2015 | Number of Episodes to Date: 94
Episodes 	Character
71 Episodes 	Lindsay Faraday
68 Episodes 	Olivia Kane, Daniel Hastings
67 Episodes 	Chloe Charles
66 Episodes 	
65 Episodes 	
64 Episodes 	Ava Donovan
63 Episodes 	Naomi Donovan
62 Episodes 	Siobhan Spencer
61 Episodes 	Anthony Spencer
60 Episodes 	Steven Faraday, Duncan Faraday
59 Episodes 	Cole Donovan, Megan Donovan
58 Episodes 	David Fields
57 Episodes 	Sophia Phillips
56 Episodes 	
55 Episodes 	
54 Episodes 	
53 Episodes 	Katherine Faraday
52 Episodes 	Kayla Macey, Mia Faraday
51 Episodes 	Matthew Fitzgerald (Past)
50 Episodes 	Noah Donovan
49 Episodes 	Heather Connor
48 Episodes 	Imogen Sandford
47 Episodes 	Kyle Campbell
46 Episodes 	Michael Connor
45 Episodes 	Eileen Fields
44 Episodes 	Harry Campbell
43 Episodes 	
42 Episodes 	Vicki Connor
41 Episodes 	Molly Campbell
40 Episodes 	
39 Episodes 	Tate Yorke
38 Episodes 	Michelle Fox (Past)
37 Episodes 	
36 Episodes 	
35 Episodes 	
34 Episodes 	
33 Episodes 	
32 Episodes 	
31 Episodes 	
30 Episodes 	Chrissie Campbell
29 Episodes 	
28 Episodes 	
27 Episodes 	Emily Spencer
26 Episodes 	
25 Episodes 	
24 Episodes 	Jake Connor
23 Episodes 	
22 Episodes 	
21 Episodes 	Jay Willis (Past)
20 Episodes 	
19 Episodes 	Patrick Hale (Past), Nicki Grant
18 Episodes 	
17 Episodes 	
16 Episodes 	Natalie Hunt, Luke Campbell (Past)
15 Episodes 	
14 Episodes 	Alfie Faraday (Uncredited)
13 Episodes 	
12 Episodes 	
11 Episodes 	
10 Episodes 	
9 Episodes 	Sahira Jakra (Recurring)
8 Episodes 	Alex Ellison (Recurring), James Chandler
7 Episodes 	Drew Lomax (Recurring)
6 Episodes 	
5 Episodes 	Tommy Thompson (Guest), Andrea Yorke (Recurring), Charlotte Pope (Recurring)
4 Episodes 	Adam Thompson (Guest), Carrie White (Guest)
3 Episodes 	Lauren Macey
2 Episodes 	Amina Chowdry (Guest), Grace Fitzgerald (Guest), Sophie Fitzgerald (Guest - Uncredited), Amy Fitzgerald (Guest - Uncredited), Marilyn Costello (Guest), Rick Osbourne (Guest), Alison Monroe (Guest)
1 Episode 	Rachel Fields (Guest), Derek Williams (Guest), Gareth Hale (Guest), Paulina Hale (Guest), Nathan Hale (Guest), Jennifer Kane (Guest), Gabby Yates (Guest), Val Fitzgerald (Guest), Andrew Manson (Guest), Tom McAllister
Yet to Appear	
==Awards==
High Hopes is beginning to achieve recognition through the Writer's Express Awards. High Hopes has picked up an impressive 5 awards so far.
Spring WriXAs 2013
*Best Soap Male (Josh Connor)
*Best New Soap
Winter WriXAs 14
*Best Christmas Episode (2x24 'You two have murdered enough Christmas classics as it is sweetheart')
*Best Soap Plot (Patrick Hale's Death and Aftermath)
*Best Soap Scene (Noah Donovan's role in the siege is revealed to wife Megan)
Summer WriXas 2014
*Best Newcomer (Nicki Grant)
*Best Soap Male (Matthew Fitzgerald)