IT has been more than a decade since Sarah Barnes left Hollyoaks in a dramatic final episode. After landing a minor role in Julia Davis’ black comedy Nighty Night, actress Loui Batley rose to fame after being cast in the Channel 4 soap.
Who was Sarah Barnes on Hollyoaks?
Sarah was introduced in October 2005, and her character was put through a number of gripping storylines, including finding out her fiancé Craig Dean was having an affair with his best mate John Paul McQueen. The twist and turns of Loui’s on-screen alter-ego weren’t over yet, as she embarked on lesbian relationships with Zoe and Lydia. But the most shocking moment in the scriptwriters’ plot was Sarah’s dramatic exit from Hollyoaks, in October 2009. They decided to mark the character’s departure from the soap with a tragic skydiving death. Loui spoke about the epic storyline to Digital Spy, commenting: “I’ve been there for quite a while and it was a great ending for the character – I couldn’t have asked for a better way to go.”
Where is Loui Batley now?
After leaving Hollyoaks, Loui continued to pursue her career in acting. The Lancashire lass appeared in TV short Following Footsteps in 2010 before featuring in Doctors in 2015. After that, Loui embarked on a very different project since leaving the popular soap behind, performing as one-half of double-act Verity & Violet.
The official website describes the pairing as “a sparking vintage-inspired singing duo, where old music meets new – sexy, fun & toe tapping!” As well as her singing venture, Loui is the co-founder of ethical clothing brand Mang & Goo. The fashion company pledges to plant trees every time a customer buys one of their signature organic t-shirts.
Loui is also now a mum of two – she gave birth to her son Arlo in January 2019 and her daughter Dora in March this year.
