I watched first ever episode of Hollyoaks 30 years on and it's like a 90s sitcom

Hollyoaks is celebrating its 30th anniversary, and what better way to mark the occasion than by revisiting the very first episode?

I've been a soap fan for as long as I can remember, but I'd never taken the time to watch Hollyoaks' debut episode - it was like stepping into a time machine back to the 90s.

Before diving into the teenage drama, I reminded myself not to be overly critical, considering how far soaps have come in terms of storylines and stunts over the past three decades, thanks to advancements in technology. That said, I'm still not over Martin Fowler's death in EastEnders.

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The Channel 4 soap, which first hit our screens on 23 October 1995, is set in a fictional suburb of Chester, filled with good-looking people who all happen to be mates. The inaugural episode revolves around a car crash, a 17th birthday bash, and an unfaithful boyfriend - the perfect recipe for drama, or disaster.

The episode kicks off with a dodgy-looking car being driven recklessly before smoke starts billowing from under the bonnet, setting the stage for a tense, and somewhat comical, opening, reports the Manchester Evening News.

We then cut to a shirtless Jeremy Edwards as Kurt Benson, who pops out a floppy disc from a bulky PC before jumping onto his Yamaha motorbike and zooming off - pure 90s heartthrob material.

Returning to the flaming car, it suddenly explodes, knocking a group of teenagers to the ground, creating a sense of impending doom, all while music plays in the background, basically a classic slapstick scene.

The sequence switched between Kurt on his motorbike, a lady emerging from McDonald's clutching two bags of grub (one can only wonder what a Big Mac meal set you back in those days!), and the peculiar car blast.

You'd be forgiven for thinking Hollyoaks resembled a cheesy and bewildering music video as the theme tune blared for roughly five minutes before eventually dying down and a youthful Tony Hutchinson (Nick Pickard) uttered his first words.

In a chat with Kurt, who describes a lady as a 'sex object', the duo talk about Louise Taylor's (Brett O'Brien) birthday bash and establish the groundwork for upcoming teen melodrama.

Jambo, portrayed by Will Mellor, delivered the laughs, with his character perfectly offsetting chauvinistic Kurt and earnest Tony.

The episode's middle section felt rather lacklustre before the magnificent party sequence where everybody seemed to be savouring the experience, minus any mobile phones, in what my folks would likely describe as "the good old days!"

The characters' 1990s style was remarkable, featuring vibrant ensembles paired with neck chokers, whilst the lads sported baggy shirts and sufficient ultra-hold hair gel to create an oil spill across Chester.

One might argue the programme represented the logical progression in telly entertainment for youngsters who'd moved beyond Byker Grove, and it succeeded.

Though, should the series debut on television today in 2025, I suspect it would battle to endure given the overwhelming abundance of drama targeting young adults across streaming platforms.

Three decades on, Hollyoaks continues to captivate audiences with its gripping and heart-wrenching storylines in Chester. Long may it reign.

Hollyoaks airs Monday to Wednesday on E4 at 7pm and first look episodes can be streamed Channel 4 from 7am