| Diane Hutchinson | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Hollyoaks character | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Portrayed by | Alex Fletcher | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 2010–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | 1 September 2010 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Classification | Present; regular | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Introduced by | Paul Marquess | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spin-off appearances | Hollyoaks Later (2013, 2020) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Diane Hutchinson (also O'Connor) is a fictional character from the British soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Alex Fletcher. The character made her first appearance on 1 September 2010. Diane was introduced into the series by Hollyoaks' executive producer Paul Marquess, during his rejuvenation of the show. Marquess axed numerous characters and replaced them with new families. Fletcher began filming in June 2010, the same month her casting was publicised. Diane was introduced with her husband, Rob (Gary Cargill) and stepchildren, Sinead (Stephanie Davis) and Finn O'Connor (Connor Wilkinson). The O'Connors are one of three families that were introduced 2010. Diane is characterised as a "loving wife" and a "devoted stepmum". Fletcher initially hoped that Diane would be likeable, despite her over the top demeanour. Fletcher believed Diane has a good relationship with her step-children and was loathe to portray her as "the wicked stepmother".
Diane's storylines originally focused on her fertility issues and subsequent In vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment. Fletcher wanted to portray the storyline accurately because many women are affected by the issue. Diane's IVF treatment fails and she subsequently steals a baby from a hospital. Additional storylines include her divorce from Rob, dealing with Sinead and Finn's erratic behaviour, marrying Tony Hutchinson (Nick Pickard), giving birth to twins and the discovery that her and Tegan Lomax's (Jessica Ellis) babies were swapped at birth. Diane later develops obsessive–compulsive disorder. Diane made temporary departures in 2015 and 2016. In 2018, Fletcher and Pickard were nominated for "Best Partnership" at the Inside Soap Awards.