Rob Hollins

First Appearance: 24th July 2009 ('History Repeated') - (11x63)

Last Appearance: Current Character

Occupation: Police Sergeant

Portrayer: Chris Walker

Series Appearances: 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

## About

A family man and alpha male, Rob is stable and reliable.

A seasoned copper and highly respected at work, Rob jumped at the chance to go on attachment to CID but his experience to date has been mixed. He's now back in uniform, though will sometimes be co-opted by CID when required.

Rob isn't one to roll over for the bigwigs and if he smells injustice, he has no problem ignoring orders to do the right thing, but this doesn't always work in his favour.

Both Rob and Karen have a teasing banter and he can always find a way to make Karen laugh out of one of her dramas.

The aftermath of the pregnancy has hit Rob especially hard; he's a family man at heart, and now misses his kids terribly.

## Storylines

Karen Hollins (Jan Pearson), Rob's wife, was approached by Gerry Cutler who was the father of a University friend of Jack (Nicolas Woodman). He asked if Lewis, his son, could stay at their house over the Easter holidays as he was going away. Karen accepted but unfortunately, unaware to Karen, Rob, Immie & Jack, Lewis had serious mental health problems. As the week continued, these problems increasingly came clear, but Lewis covered his tracks very easily. Imogen (Charlie Clemmow) was the first to notice it, she tried to warn her family, but they ignored her. Jack was the second member of the family to notice it but didn't say anything. Then Karen noticed a knife mark in her kitchen table. She knew it was Lewis. Imogen then realised that her art project was tampered with, by Lewis. She told her mum and they got worried. Jack was called to a fake interview at the University, Karen was very worried and went to the University, trying to find Jack. Amongst the hostages were Ellie, Sia, and Ned. Lewis was armed with a gun and shot Sia. Karen tried to talk Lewis out of killing them all, but it didn't work. Karen's husband, Rob came running up with a colleague and Dr. Simon Bond (David Sturzaker). Rob was called down but Simon stayed to help injured Sia. After a scream Rob came running back up and charged in. After a struggle with the gun Karen got the gun off Lewis and he was shot by a police officer. Lewis was killed. Karen, Rob, Jack & Immie all burnt Immie's art work the following day. Inspector Suresh told Rob off for running inside, saying he could lose his job.

Rob's mother's sister (his Aunt) Agatha Penrose (Lynda Baron) turn up in Letherbridge. Agatha lives in Harrogate in Yorkshire, which she describes as a 'spa town'. She is open about her disappointment in Rob's marriage to Karen. She doesn't like Karen or Rob's daughter Imogen, she also dislikes Rob's father. She's very proud of Jack and Rob and she believes Karen should be a proper wife, she has very old fashioned views. It is clear that her fiancé, Arnold, died in 1960, just before they were to marry. She remains a spinster.

## Creation

Rob is a sergeant at Letherbridge Police Station. Rob is married to Karen Hollins who is the head Receptionist at the Mill Health Centre and The Campus Surgery. They got married on 5 August 1989. Together they have two children; 19-year-old, Jack who is studying Law at Letherbridge University and their 17-year-old daughter, Imogen who is still at school and occasionally helps at the Mill and Campus on Reception. In late 2010, when his Aunt, Agatha Penrose, came to visit it was revealed matters about Rob's up bringing. It was revealed his mother is alone as Rob's father left just before his 14th birthday, which Rob describes as 'the best present' he could have asked for. He has a sister who also lives in Yorkshire. Rob's mother would like to see her son and his family more often but Rob can't go up because of work. He is good friends with colleague, PC Brian Miles.

## Development

Chris Walker and Jan Pearson who play Rob and his wife Karen spoke about their on-screen chemistry to website *Digital Spy*, describing their first scenes together, Walker said: "First day on set, in fact first scene it was, 'Hi I'm Chris', 'Hi I'm Jan', right get into bed. So that broke the ice." When asked why they work so well together on the serial, he explained: "I think that we're not precious with our own stuff and we always want to give and help each other and that's nice, and we do row very well."[1]

Rob's wife Karen became involved in a memory loss storyline, actress Jan Pearson revealed that Walker had come up with that storyline. Speaking to *Digital Spy* at the launch of Pentahotel Birmingham, Pearson explained: "The story has been hugely long and it's still going on. I've been filming it for a year now. It was very exciting because it was Chris's idea. I think his original idea was that Karen would be run over by some ex of Rob's. The producers didn't run with that, but they did run with the accident and the memory loss. I was utterly delighted that Chris was responsible for running me over! We now have a very playful banter over who's to blame for the situation!" Pearson also added: "We always knew that Karen and Rob were going to get back together in the end, but the break-up made a nice change from what we normally do. Because it was Chris's storyline and his idea, I really wanted to give it my best shot. What Chris came up with was very detailed - it was extraordinary. If the acting career doesn't work out for him, I think he's got a really good shot as a storyliner"[2]