Rebecca-Anne Withey, who plays the character, says “my character, Holly, is a deaf sixth former, who mixes well with her peers, yet obviously has some difficulties in life due to her hearing loss. But she doesn’t let her disability get the better of her.”

Rebecca is 19 and studies dance and professional practice at Wolverhampton University. “Holly shares quite a few traits with me such as her sense of humour, strong-mindedness and determination to get the best out of everything. However, she appears to have much better hearing than I do (I’m profoundly deaf) and I must say our dress sense is poles apart! Holly uses her voice in the company of her hearing friends and British Sign Language with other deaf people.”

The new series of Grange Hill started on Monday 7 November 2005. You can catch Holly on Grange Hill on Wednesday 9 November 2005 where she “has a close call with a refuse lorry”.