Annalise Appleton, played by Tamaryn Payne, debuted on-screen on 26 September 2011. The character was introduced as one of five new students who arrive to study at Hollyoaks Community College. Payne said her audition for the serial was the first time she attempted to get into television. She said the whole experience had been "amazing Entertainment website Digital Spy first announced the character of Annalise on 5 September 2011. The Hollyoaks press office said that the students are "possibly the coolest set" to ever feature in the serial because they "shake things up" and face "life's hardest lessons".