User:Raintheone/Leela

Leela Lomax (also Campbell and Roscoe) is a fictional character from the British soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Kirsty-Leigh Porter. The character made her first on-screen appearance on 24 October 2013.

Casting
Porter's casting was announced on 25 June 2013, though details of the character were withheld. The show's executive producer Bryan Kirkwood stated "she will join us later on in the year in a very exciting role. She is certainly set to mix things up for one of our much-loved characters." Information about the character was released in August 2013 and Kirkwood confirmed Porter would play the sister of established character Ste Hay (Kieron Richardson). Hollyoaks production soon publicised that they had created an entire new family (featuring Leela) and that the roles were already cast. The Lomax family are mostly female and Kirkwood explained that "I'm eager to bring in a strong female force."

Characterisation
She's sexy, feisty and confident, and she's not one to be crossed; she could start a fight in an empty room. She seems intimidating with her brash attitude and loud mouth, and she'd rather die than show weakness. Leela's an energetic tomboy at heart, but she’s a true family woman who has stepped up to the plate following the death of her parents and would do anything for her sister Tegan and daughter Peri.Leela is characterised as a "feisty and confident" female with a "brash attitude and loud mouth". Her attitude can be intimidating to others as she tries to hide her weaknesses. Leela is also very family oriented and protective over her family. One of the the character's main stories has explored her role at the helm of the Lomax family, where she decides to take on the matriarchal role following the death of her parents. Porter did not believe Leela made much effort with her style because she is "a bit of a tomboy". Her dress sense means that Porter usually spends less time in wardrobe and make-up department than other cast.

Ziggy Roscoe
Leela was paired with Ziggy Roscoe (Fabrizio Santino) for her first relationship storyline. Writers developed an on-screen chemistry between the two over numerous episodes. Leela initially disapproves of Ziggy's modelling work over the internet. When Nana McQueen (Diane Langton) convinces Leela that Ziggy's work is helping others, she decides to promote his work and the pair bond culminating in their first kiss. Porter enjoyed working alongside Santino and she once stated that "our scenes are normally a lot of fun and very light-hearted."

Tegan discovers that she is pregnant with Ziggy's child and lies to him. Leela's ex-boyfriend Cameron Campbell (Cameron Moore) finds camera footage of Tegan and Ziggy having sex in the lift. He decides to tell Leela and she confronts Tegan about her pregnancy.

Leela decides to begin a relationship with Cameron and they quickly form a family unit with Peri. When Leela discovers that Cameron is responsible for her parents death she ends their romance. Porter told a reporter from Inside Soap that "Cameron will always be Leela’s true love" and she was really enjoying "being a little family" with Peri and him. The fact he caused her parents death is the ultimate betrayal and this forces her to reunite with Ziggy and asks him to marry her. Porter explained that "I think her head is with one man, and her heart with another." Leela knows that Ziggy is "a good bloke" and thinks marriage will solve all her problems.

Tegan becomes jealous when Ziggy purchases gifts for Leela's birthday. Leela becomes suspicious and steals Tegan's phone to find evidence of their mutual love. At her party, Leela announced that she and Ziggy are trying for a baby. At this point Ziggy accidentally admits that he is in love with Tegan. Leela issues Tegan with an ultimatum and forces her to stop seeing Ziggy. Following Ziggy's admission of love for Tegan, writers played Leela becoming desperate to salvage her marriage by pretending she is pregnant. This leaves Leela determined to become pregnant to conceal her lie. Leela dresses up and attempts to seduce Ziggy, but he rebuffs her advances. Their relationship faces more problems when Ziggy discovers that Leela has been visiting Cameron in prison.

Producers created an explosion stunt for Leela and Ziggy to be embroiled in. The story was previewed in a festive preview trailer, which revealed the pair would be caught in a house explosion caused by Cameron. The scenes transpire after Leela flees Hollyoaks to escape Cameron's controlling ways and to protect Peri. Cameron follows Ziggy to the secret location and observes Leela at the property. The house later explodes as a result of gas tampering by Cameron. Ziggy manages to save Leela's life and escape the inferno. The pair are discharged from hospital with only minor injuries. The events prompt Ziggy to make a decision to leave Leela and get together with Tegan. However in an unpublicised plot twist Ziggy dies while resting inside the local pub. The scenes were a part of Santino's surprise exit from the series.