Rhys Ashworth is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Andrew Moss. He made his first on-screen appearance in September 2005. Rhys was killed off in the Enjoy The Ride storyline in an episode airing on 15 November 2012 and the character departed on 16 November 2012. Rhys made a return on 27 June 2014 as part of his ex-girlfriend Cindy Cunningham's (Stephanie Waring) storyline about her bipolar disorder.
Character creation and casting In 2004, Jo Hallows stepped down from her position as series producer at Hollyoaks and it was announced that David Hanson would succeed her in the role. In 2005, it was revealed that Hanson would introduce a new family to the series: the Ashworths consisting of father Neville Ashworth (Jim Millea), mother Suzanne (Suzanne Hall), son Josh (Sonny Flood), daughter Hannah (Emma Rigby), family friend Gilly Roach (Anthony Quinlan) and son Rhys. It was announced that television newcomer Andrew Moss had been cast as Rhys.
In January 2010, it was announced that Lucy Allan had stepped down from the position of series producer and that Paul Marquess had taken over the role. It was soon revealed that Marquess planned to give Hollyoaks a "shake up", changing the productions team and beginning a cast cull by axing three established characters: Neville, Suzanne and Josh Ashworth. As well as the axings, Emma Rigby, who played Hannah, had chosen to quit the previous year, bowing out in February 2010. However, it was revealed that the character of Rhys would stay in the series after his on-screen family's departure along with Duncan Button (Dean Aspen), the family's godson. In July 2009, in an interview with soap website Holy Soap Moss revealed that exits of his on-screen family were sad, he commented, "It's really strange. We all started together. It was brilliant to come to a show like this as part of a family unit. You don't feel like you're on your own."
Development In 2010 Rhys embarked on a "surprise" relationship with Jacqui McQueen (Claire Cooper). Moss first hinted at their romance months prior stating: "I think Rhys is going to fall in love again. It's a character already in the village. It's quite surprising. It's a character who's been here for a while." The relationship proved popular with viewers, during an interview with Digital Spy, Cooper spoke of her original lack of optimism she and Moss had towards the pairing, stating: "When the relationship first started, we didn't know how they were going to gel and how it was going to work, because people were such fans of Jacqui and Tony. Some people still ask me if those two are going to get back together, but people are really taken with Rhys and Jacqui." Cooper believes it's her own working relationship with Moss that helps make the pairing a success stating: "It's a nice collaboration and we try to make it funny, emotional, hard-hitting, three-dimensional and as interesting for the audience as possible." She also adopted a "couple name" for the pair titled "Ja-Rhys".
Rhys and Jacqui were given one of the biggest storylines for the first half of 2011 in the serial, of this Marquess stated: "They have got the biggest story for the first half of 2011. I think it may be one of the biggest stories in Hollyoaks history. It's very, very serious and I think it will really divide the audience. It will really test them and their relationship to the nth degree, and we'll see whether they can recover from it."
Storylines
2005–2012 Rhys first appears as a person who comes to inspect his family's new home due to the Hunter family selling up. Rhys decides the house is right for the family and moves his belongings into the biggest bedroom so his best friend Gilly can stay with the family. Rhys looks for courses at the local college but he isn't impressed with them. They both look around the college and find the girls sports team and volunteer to help their tutor Kathy Barnes with her students. Rhys meets Sarah Barnes (Loui Batley) and she lies to him, claiming that she is a student teacher. They begin dating, without Rhys realising she is a schoolgirl and the same age as Hannah. Sarah and Hannah are befriended and it is revealed that Sarah was only at the college because Kathy, her mum was there. Rhys finds out the truth about Sarah when she has a study session with Hannah. Rhys, disgusted by her lies, dumps her. Rhys and Sarah reunite but Kathy is displeased with the romance and vows to end it. Hatching a plan to break the pair up, she ends up bedding Rhys.
A disgusted Sarah becomes aware of Rhys cheating with her mum and refuses to see him anymore. Despite that, they get back together again, for a third time, much to the disturbance of Kathy and Hannah. Rhys and Gilly's friendship suffers because of the on/off fling and Rhys becomes worried when Sarah talks about holidays and living together. Rhys is jealous when Sarah and Craig Dean (Guy Burnet) begin to grow close and he accuses her of seducing other men. Sarah texts Rhys constantly for forgiveness and she sees him in the pub, thinking he was with another girl she accused him of having an affair. Rhys then decides to end their relationship but Sarah offers him a casual relationship, which he accepts, however she was unhappy with the agreement. Rhys takes naked photos of Sarah on his phone and boasted to Darren Osborne (Ashley Taylor Dawson). Going to the toilet, he leaves his phone on the table and Darren sends the photos to the SU Bar and publishes it in a lads magazine. Sarah discovers about the photos and finally, finishes with Rhys for good. Rhys is green-eyed of Gilly Roach (Anthony Quinlan)and Sarah's growing relationship. Rhys and Gilly have an argument and Gilly reveals his fling with Kathy at her birthday party. Rhys and Gilly fall out and Sarah, annoyed by the arguing friends, begins seeing Craig. Sarah gets increasingly drunk at Hannah's birthday party and ends up kissing Rhys. Craig sees them and attacks Rhys. Rhys thought Sarah still wanted him but he realised that she had moved on. Rhys began meeting a mysterious older woman after getting a job as a male escort to earn money. Rhys helped Gilly get a job at the agency but it didn't work out.
Rhys participates in a dating game with Zoe Carpenter (Zoë Lister). Zoe selects Rhys and an attraction between the pair grows. Rhys tries to be with her but Will Hackett (Oliver Farnworth) who is obsessed with Zoe, sends texts from her phone to Rhys making her look possessive. After reading the texts, Rhys told Zoe he wanted nothing to do with her. A series of things happened, leading to Zoe and Rhys being blamed, however they found out that it was Will who was responsible for the harassment.
Rhys discovers that Neville's brother Noel (Craig Cheetham) is his biological father after his mother was sleeping with him while having a marriage with Neville. Noel returned to try to bond with Rhys when he only had a few months to live. Rhys told him he wasn't interested, as he considered Neville his father. Rhys met Beth Clement (Sinéad Moynihan) when she fell underneath his car. Rhys became attracted to her and offered to take her to a concert and they started casually dating. Rhys wanted to take it slow and wanted to please Beth, however she wanted action and they had sex. Rhys becomes worried when Beth ignores his texts and calls but Beth replied and stopped contacting him. Rhys was devastated when Noel died of cancer and on the day of his funeral, Rhys stopped contacting Beth and decided to terminate their relationship.
Josh managed to persuade Rhys to go to Noel's wake. There, Neville met Rhys' half-sister, a young woman that none of the family had ever been aware of. Neville thought it best to introduce Rhys to her. Rhys and Beth were being introduced to each other as half-brother and sister. Rhys ordered Beth to leave town, but she refused. She began to get to know his family, and Gilly. Rhys tried to get used to her presence in his life, but he still loved her, thus sending him into fury when he saw her flirting with other men. He told Beth the family hated her and to just leave them alone, but his mother told him not to speak to Beth that way. Beth and Gilly became romantically involved with each other. Rhys recommenced his relationship with Sarah, although it remained clear from both Rhys and Beth's behaviour that they still loved each other. Sarah told Beth that she did not believe Rhys had strong feelings for her. Beth suggested she do what she thought was best. Sarah then left Rhys. Rhys and Beth have an argument after Rhys found out that Beth had advised Sarah to dump him. After going home, Rhys realised how much he has fallen for her and the illicit pair failed to resist each other. They tried to forget about it the next day and when Gilly revealed that he was going travelling to Thailand, Beth decided to go with him but not before she and Rhys confessed their feelings to each other and Rhys tried to persuade her to run away with him to Spain. However, despite Rhys' efforts, Beth felt it would be wrong and left for Thailand with Gilly.
Rhys started a relationship with Mercedes McQueen after the Mr. Hollyoaks competition. Rhys was working when Mercedes came to the shop and flirted with him, with Russ Owen (Stuart Manning) finding them. Rhys' feelings for Beth grow stronger when she returns from Thailand with Gilly. Gilly asked Beth to marry him, but Rhys and Beth passionately kissed and began an affair. Rhys told Beth he found it to hard to betray Gilly and they both agreed that they would have to run away together.
Despite Rhys wanting to be with Beth, Hannah gets depressed following her dumping by Danny, and asks Rhys to stay with her so she doesn't start binge eating again. He instantly responds and says he will stay with her to look after his sister. Rhys later tells Beth he cannot go just yet and Beth is slightly abrupt towards this, but helps by taking Hannah out for a drink. Rhys was having a tough time watching Beth and Gilly plan their wedding but is trying to be responsible, pointing out that Gilly doesn't deserve to be betrayed like this, however his love for Beth enables him to be firm with her when she insists on continuing their affair. Michaela McQueen (Hollie-Jay Bowes) then discovered Rhys and Beth's affair after seeing them kissing and told Josh the next day. He initially believes her when he sees Rhys and Beth flirting but when he asks them if they are sleeping together Rhys tells him not to be so sick and tells him not to speak to Michaela again. Josh agrees as he feels guilty for believing her and when she visits the Ashworth house Rhys, Beth and Josh kick her out.
Rhys and Beth meet and confront one another. Rhys tells Beth that despite how much he loves her, he had to do the right thing, and he terminated the affair before anyone else could find out. Rhys however did rekindle his affair with Beth and Gilly discovers the affair after a family meal out. The entire Ashworth family were shocked and stunned by the revelations. Beth is thrown out of the house and Rhys leaves with her. Rhys and Beth are arrested when Gilly calls the police about their relationship. Rhys and Beth are questioned by the police and told to appear in court the next day. They decide to run away together and start a new life rather than face going to prison. Rhys returns home to get his passport and the family catches him and Beth. Suzanne begs for Rhys to stay.