Kathy Barnes

Infobox soap character
series =Hollyoaks



name=Kathy Barnes
portrayer=Sarah Jane Buckley
first=2005
last=2008
born=21 September 1966/1973
occupation=Sports Teacher
spouse=Mike
children= Amy, Sarah
grandchildren=Leah Barnes

Kathleen "Kathy" Barnes was a fictional character on the long-running Channel 4 British television soap opera "Hollyoaks".

She was played by actress Sarah Jane Buckley.

Arrival

Kathy was introduced shortly after her daughter Sarah Barnes. Kathy was strictly training Sarah for numerous swimming contests and a future career in the sport. Sarah felt suffocated by Kathy's pressure and sought outside support in the form of a boyfriend Rhys Ashworth.

Relationship with Rhys

Kathy, spurred on by determination that Sarah would not choose Rhys over her swimming career, slept with Rhys. Afterwards Kathy revealed to Rhys that she was only interested in Sarah's best interests and blackmailed him into breaking up with her. Rhys was forced to comply with Kathy's demands and ended his relationship with Sarah without a fixed reason. Sarah was left confused by his rejection and, equally as determined as Kathy was to counter it, Sarah desperately tried to win Rhys back. As Rhys had not wanted the initial break up he agreed with Sarah that they should be together. However, Kathy was the first to discover it and wished to tell everyone. However, before she could, during an argument between Rhys and Gilly about Sarah, Gilly let slip that Rhys had slept with Kathy. Sarah was left hurt and disgusted with her boyfriend and mother. Mike, Amy and Sarah all wanted Kathy to leave, which she did for a few months.

Leah

Kathy returned to see her daughter, Amy, give birth on the kitchen floor. Whilst Amy was in hospital, she said that 'Amy had ruined her life. We can't let people know'. This caused Amy to reject Leah and let Kathy raise Leah as her own daughter and as Amy and Sarah's sister. Whilst Kathy was away (visiting her mum) , Amy started bonding with Leah and on her 16th Birthday declared she wanted to bring Leah up and told everyone she was Leah's real mum. Kathy then kidnapped Leah for 2 days. The police were involved and eventually Amy got Leah back. Kathy was then sent to her mums to get better.

She returned in October 2007, and found Ste living with Amy. Mike and Kathy were not happy about this so they threw Ste out which consequently resulted in Amy and Leah leaving. Ste and Amy then got their own council house and Kathy rang social services. Amy was angry with her mum interfering again and blocked all of her family out of her life, although she has since forgiven Mike and Sarah.

Exit

Sarah and Rhys re-started their relationship in early December 2007. This was quickly discovered by Kathy, who voiced her disdain at her daughter's choice of boyfriend. The relationship led to the start of Kathy's vendetta against the Ashworth's. Frustrated at the lack of any suspect or evidence, the Ashworth's began to accuse those who may have a vendetta against them which included Ste, Hannah and Beth. However, whilst throwing a brick through the window of the Ashworth family business, Drive 'n' Buy, Kathy lost a nail. The following day, she went for a manicure at Evissa, telling Carmel that she took the nail off after it came loose. However, Carmel found the loose nail outside Drive 'n' Buy, revealing Kathy as the woman behind the vendetta, who had also defecated in a Tupperware box and posted it through the Ashworth's door. Her husband Mike Barnes had always supported Kathy through all of her various issues while at Hollyoaks - however, this incident finally pushed him over the edge; unable to cope with Kathy's behaviour any more, Mike and daughters Amy and Sarah asked her to leave. Kathy left Hollyoaks on 10 January 2008 to stay with her mother.

Kathy hasn't been heard from since, although she did send a letter to Sarah, which Sarah showed Amy on 29 January. It made Amy feel guilty that Kathy was all alone but they were both in no state to forgive her. On 30 January, Mike revealed to Amy and Sarah that he had filed for a divorce.

External links

* [http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/H/hollyoaks/cast/girls/mikebarnes/ Kathy Barnes] on the [http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/H/hollyoaks/ Hollyoaks website]