Mandy Richardson - Casting and Creation

Casting and Creation

Sarah Jayne Dunn was cast in 1996 as Mandy, a member of the Richardson family. Dunn told K9 magazine that she began her role aged fourteen and got an audition for the role through her agent. Once she had won the role her "contract just kept getting renewed". Initially Dunn was only contracted to appear in "a handful of episodes" but due to her performance impressing producers her contract was renewed. In May 2006 it was reported that Dunn had decided to leave the serial. This was later denied with a show source telling Digital Spy that an exit had not been confirmed. Dunn's exit was later confirmed. Explaining her decision to leave, Dunn said: "I was at Hollyoaks for 10 years and I always knew I would know when I was ready to leave I probably decided I wanted to leave a couple of years before I did but with the storylines it took another two years. By then, I had completely made up my mind. If I didn't move on then I would never have left". The actress also revealed that she told producers she did not want Mandy to be killed off as she felt it would have been "ridiculous" due to the deaths a large number of her on-screen family.

In 2007, a Hollyoaks source confirmed Dunn had returned to the serial to film Becca Hayton's (Ali Bastian) funeral and that during the return Dunn made "such an impact, it would be great to have her back again". In 2008, Dunn signed a 6-month contract to return to the soap. Speaking of her return, Dunn stated: "I always said 'never say never' so it was nice not to be killed off". She later expressed her feelings towards returning: "I felt a bit like the new girl on the first day but within an hour it was as if I'd been there ages. I actually asked to come back. It seemed the right time for my character". Dunn explained that although Mandy had previously made guest returns for Max's funeral and wedding, she "wanted to return and re-establish the character rather than just dip in and out. I've worked quite a lot since and can bring that experience to Mandy, who has changed a lot. I am contracted for six months which means I'll be on-screen until the end of the year — who knows what will happen after that". Series producer Bryan Kirkwood was responsible for reintroducing Mandy and explained that he felt it "was an important time to bring in some old faces". Dunn left the role at the end of her six month contract. In 2009, it was rumoured that Dunn could make a possible return to the soap for the exit of Jamie Lomas, who plays Warren Fox.

In September 2010, Dunn stated on her Twitter account that she would be returning to Hollyoaks in 2010. It was confirmed on the official Hollyoaks website that she would return on 26 October 2010. Speaking of her return, Dunn stated: "I'm really excited about being a part of the show again and about the storylines that producer Paul Marquess and the rest of the team have in the pipeline for Mandy". Dunn also praised her return storyline, which featured a more edgy side to Mandy, saying: "At the moment she's come back and she's causing loads of trouble. It's quite nice because they put a different spin on the character". She explained that when she was asked to return her return storyline was outlined, which she felt was "brilliant" and "totally unexpected". In September 2011, Dunn revealed she had left Hollyoaks and had already finished filming. Dunn said she felt she had "taken the character as far as possible" and that when she had initially been "asked to come back on the show, I felt Mandy had a much darker side to her. The writers gave me some fantastic storylines and I really had something to get my teeth into". On a future return, Dunn said she would "always come back if the storylines are strong enough".