Characterisation Personality Grace has been compared to a
chameleon in her official character biography. This is because of her complex personality and differing attitudes depending on the type of characters that are sharing scenes with her. Wall explained that "she was the strong one and quite tomboy-ish. Grace now spends her whole life putting on a front that you don't ever mess with her. But behind closed doors, she secretly wants to be quite girly – although she'd never, ever show that!" Grace enjoys being involved in a criminal life style. Kirkwood later reflected that the changes had given her family, friends and "a great big beating heart". He remained committed to Grace doing bad deeds but hoped her development made the audience care about her more. In 2015, Writers played Grace trying to change her behaviour in preparation for motherhood. This added to the character's likeability with fans but Wall also wanted to keep Grace's dangerous side prevalent. The actress later reflected on Grace's transformation. She told Ellie Hooper from
Closer that Grace was a "one dimensional" character when she debuted. She observed a "big old change" and viewers could finally see her heart amongst the evil. Kirkwood later said that the newly family oriented Grace "will be fighting for love and loyalty rather than bags of money."
Style The character's style was originally an attire resembling formal wear consisting of a black suit and blazer. Her hair was initially styled basic and flat. Production like Grace to wear pink nail varnish and this later became another distinctive trait of hers. The character wears eye make-up consisting of smoked out pencil kohl liner and several coats of black mascara. The
Hollyoaks wardrobe department aim to dress their characters to reflect their financial earnings. Grace earns a considerable amount of money in her line of work. Therefore, she is one of the shows most expensive characters to supply clothing for. Producers later made a series of changes to Grace's characterisation. Her style changed and they introduced a new hairstyle, which has been described as an "enormous bouffant hair-do". Wall is supplied with an additional hair piece which is applied to her head each morning. It takes the make-up department two hours daily to wash, dress and curl it and an additional forty minutes to style it onto Wall's head. The hair style became known as "Beryl Bouffant" on the
Hollyoaks set. The hair got so big that directors would sometimes complain that it was blocking views of other characters during filming.
Backstory and introduction In the character's backstory, Fraser raised Grace and Clare as a single parent. He put his efforts into raising Clare, believing Grace was adept to look after herself. Lindsey becomes suspicious of Grace as soon as they meet. Austin told Daniel Kilkelly from
Digital Spy that "Grace is quite intimidating. Considering her relations, I don't think she's going to be the nicest of characters." She also has a problematic relationship with Fraser because she believes that he loved Clare more. Grace's first feud with another gangster was quickly deployed on-screen.
Ray McCormick (
Cristian Solimeno) was introduced as an enemy of the Black family and targets Grace specifically. He kidnaps Grace, locks her away and demands ransom money in exchange for Grace's safety. Trevor becomes determined to secure her release and concocts a scam to steal Mercedes' money. Ray then dresses as
Father Christmas and attends Fraser's wedding to
Sandy Roscoe (
Gillian Taylforth). He leaves a note for Fraser to aggravate him about his missing daughter's whereabouts. Writers soon escalated the feud into violence. Grace escapes and Trevor begins a scam selling counterfeit wine. Ray becomes annoyed with Trevor gaining more business and decides to vengefully target Grace once again.
Fraser's lies and murder Grace's relationship with Fraser is made more complicated when he reveals that he has fathered a child with
Tegan Lomax (
Jessica Ellis).
Hollyoaks created a "
Whodunit" storyline in which Fraser is murdered. Grace was a suspect because her relationship with Fraser deteriorated because of her involvement with Trevor. Fraser believed that they betrayed him and was considering having them killed. Tyler from
Inside Soap reported that Grace realises she will be killed unless she take her own father out first. Sandy's son
Joe Roscoe (
Ayden Callaghan) is determined to get Fraser out of the Roscoe family. He asks Trevor for help killing Fraser, who then brings Grace in on their plan. Grace is happy to oblige having fallen out with her father. Fraser is later shot dead and Grace is genuinely angry and upset. She is left with Fraser's business and finances after his death. This makes other characters suspicious of her, believing she planned his murder for financial gain. Trevor is released when Mercedes comes forward as his alibi, revealing they were having sex when Fraser was killed. Grace then becomes convinced
Ste Hay (
Kieron Richardson) killed him. She kidnaps Ste and tries to force a confession out of him.
Freddie Roscoe (Charlie Clapham) was later revealed to be Fraser's murderer to protect his family. Wood concluded that the story affected Grace's development. He told Kilkelly that "the big thing for Grace has been finding out about her dad's very dark side, as he completely denied her any love. Grace's life has been turned upside down as well."
Wrecking ball stunt One of Grace's first big stories was announced in December 2013. Grace threatens Freddie telling him that she will harm someone close to him if he does not kill Mercedes for her. He refuses and Grace follows through with her plan. Kilkelly (Digital Spy) reported that
Hollyoaks had created a dramatic stunt involving a
wrecking ball and a demolition of their council housing set. They added that Grace would trap a character in the disused flats ready for them to be killed in the demolition. Freddie's brother Joe was later revealed to be Grace's target.
Hollyoaks released promotional pictures of the character being showered with debris from the demolition.
Holloaks led viewers to believe that Joe had been killed off in the scenes. Fraser involved himself to ensure Grace was not reprimanded for the crime. He tells Grace that Joe died in the demolition and he disposed of the body. Grace and Fraser were tasked with keeping Joe's location a secret after everyone believes he left the village. Joe's mother Sandy nearly discovers the secret after Fraser is careless. Then Joe wakes from his coma and Grace considers killing Joe to protect her freedom. Joe fakes amnesia and manages to escape from hospital. It soon becomes clear he has not lost any memories from the incident. Callaghan told Laura-Jayne Tyler from
Inside Soap that "he remembers pretty much everything that happened to him at the hands of Grace." He added that he wants to protect his mother Sandy, from the Black family now he knows about their crimes. Grace is arrested for the attempted murder of Joe and the case is sent to trial. Mercedes and Freddie become invested in watching Grace to make sure she does not get away with it.
Feud with Freddie Roscoe Grace has a prominent feud with the character Freddie Roscoe. Freddie manages to secure his release after he receives a false alibi. Grace knows the alibi is false and is furious that Freddie has evaded justice. Wall told Withers that "Grace has been bent on revenge ever since she found out that Freddie killed her dad." Grace decides on a new revenge plot against Freddie. Mercedes disappears in mysterious circumstances and the police believe she has been murdered when they find traces of her blood. Flashback scenes aired revealed Grace was behind Mercedes' disappearance and she sets out to frame Freddie for her murder. She plant evidence in Freddie's flat so that he is arrested.
Hollyoaks had been secretive about whether or not Mercedes had been killed by Grace. In February 2015, Mercedes reappeared on-screen in surprise scenes and it was revealed she had teamed up with Grace to frame Freddie for her supposed murder. The character had been hiding in a villa in France while Grace set Freddie up. Freddie's girlfriend Lindsey discovers the truth and sends Grace threatening messages to expose her deceit. Grace manages to fool the police investigation until
Phoebe McQueen (
Mandip Gill) incriminates herself into becoming the prime suspect for the supposed murder. With the plan ruined Mercedes later returns to the village. Digital Spy's Kilkelly reported that the story would bring Grace's feud with Freddie to an end. In addition they released pictures showing that Joe would also gain control of the gun and aim it at his estranged brother Freddie. Grace's motivation for wanting to kill Freddie comes from a series of events in which Kim ruins her relationship with Trevor and Esther. Clapham told Laura Withers (
Inside Soap) that his character is "paralysed with fear" over Grace. He knows that Grace "has nothing to lose" now and may well kill him. When the scenes played out Joe manages to obtain the gun and tries to shoot Freddie. He misses but the stray bullet hits Phoebe who later dies.
Relationship with Trevor Royle Hollyoaks created Grace's first relationship storyline alongside Trevor. The plot commenced on-screen December 2013 when the duo kissed for the first time. Grace becomes jealous of Trevor charming Mercedes in his attempts to con her. When Trevor confronts her jealous behaviour Grace admits she has romantic feelings for him and they get together. Grace and Trevor's relationship is forbidden by disapproving Fraser, and they see each other in secret. Freddie discovers their romance and tells Fraser about their betrayal. Wood told Kilkelly (Digital Spy) that it is love between Grace and Trevor "but in this murky world that they live in, they're not being able to fully express that love." He said that it was a difficult situation for his character. Wall hoped that Grace and Trevor would become the show's "new power couple". She wanted them to have a similar relationship to
Den (
Leslie Grantham) and
Angie Watts (
Anita Dobson), a well known married couple from the rival soap opera
EastEnders. According to Wood his character had long hankered for a sense of normality that other characters on the show have. He said that finding love had changed his character's priorities. Grace had become Trevor's main focus and the gangster business played second. Grace's concerns are proved correct Val kisses Trevor. Robb told an
Inside Soap reporter that Val wants to give Dylan a "normal family life". She believed her character did not want to ruin Grace's relationship but thought it felt natural to try. Trevor does not reciprocate but Grace finds evidence of their kiss and it causes more problems for them. They also face another set back when Grace wrongly presumes Trevor has slept with
Porsche McQueen (
Twinnie-Lee Moore). Grace forces Trevor to take a lie detector test to prove his innocence. Wall said it was an example of her character behaving anxiously because she is about to achieve her dreams of a complete family. She does not want Trevor to ruin it by cheating, Wall added "She's probably quite worried all the time that he's going to go off with some beautiful, normal girl." Trevor is arrested for a series of murders which occurred at the local hospital. He is wrongly accused as viewers knew that Lindsey was the serial killer, dubbed the "Gloved Hand Killer". Big Bob arrives in the village to find Trevor and request a criminal favour. His arrival came at a time Grace wanted to begin IVF treatment. Wall told an
Inside Soap reporter that Bib Bob's arrival meant "something pretty bad is going to happen". She added that it threw a "massive spanner in the works" and ruined Grace's attempts to move away from her life as a gangster. When Big Bob vandalises their home, Grace decides to force Lindsey into helping Big Bob smuggle a sim card into a nearby prison. As the plan failed, Big Bob wants revenge. Trevor finds a box with a lock of Grace's hair inside and then receives a threatening call from Big Bob. He tells Trevor he has kidnapped Grace and demands a £60000 ransom for her safe release. Grace and Trevor go on a rescue mission which ends with Big Bob pointing a gun in Grace's face. The story was part of the show's continued theme of playing Grace in dangerous situations. A
Hollyoaks publicist stated that it was "more than just bad luck" and warned that Grace has a bad track record with guns. Big Bob later plan an armed robbery at the local hospital, targeting their medical supplies. The heist goes wrong and many characters end up held hostage in the hospital.
Friendship with Esther Bloom and surrogacy (
pictured) plays Grace's best friend
Esther Bloom. After the siege Grace and Esther build a strong friendship. It was the relationship writers used to develop Grace's softer side. Grace asks Esther to be a surrogate mother for her and tries to bully her into helping. When Grace leaves Esther alone she agrees to help. The surrogacy plan is successful and Esther becomes pregnant. Writers played scenes which sometimes threatened Grace's happiness. Early on in the pregnancy they created a medical scare for Esther. When she feels unwell Grace worries and rushes Esther to hospital. Digital Spy's Kilkelly revealed that Grace would soon regret her decision. The character becomes worried that Esther and Kim's relationship will ruin their surrogacy deal. Grace tells Kim that Esther once tried to commit suicide to put Kim off. Esther confronts Grace when she realises that Kim has ended their relationship because of Grace's actions. Wall told Kilkelly that if Esther tried to keep the baby it would destroy their friendship. Franks defended her character's actions. She explained that Esther always knew the baby was for Grace but she has an unforeseen attachment to Curtis. Esther feels maternal to the baby and she had not expected it to happen when she first agreed to be a surrogate for Grace. Franks added that "she's scared that Trevor and Grace are not fit parents." The actress admitted Kim quickly became obsessed with Grace because "really sets her heart racing and she can't get her out of her mind." She loves Esther but Grace brings danger into her life. Kim begins to miss Grace, Wood-Davis told Carena Crawford from
All About Soap that Kim is "one determined woman" and makes it her mission to join Grace in prison. She believes Grace is the only one to make her feel complete. Kim knows it is unlikely she will get the chance to be with Grace. So when she enters prison she schemes against Grace's cellmate
Reenie McQueen (
Zöe Lucker), resulting in Kim being moved into Grace's cell. Wood-Davis said that it marked the first time Grace became unnerved by Kim's behaviour. Wood-Davis viewed Kim and Grace as an "odd pairing and very unexpected" who bonded over their shared love of Esther. Grace is scared at the prospect of permanent imprisonment and feels vulnerable. She opens up to Kim about her deteriorating relationship with Trevor because she is someone familiar. But Kim uses this as an opportunity to seduce Grace who responds positively and the pair have sex. The development lead writers to play the Kim character even crazier over Grace, thinking she and Grace will be together upon their release from prison. Wood-Davis said Kim thinks "she's found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow." The story had potential to ruin Grace's life and she worries that Esther will not give the baby up. Grace realises that Kim has more power over Esther. She fakes feelings of love for Kim and manipulates her into ensuring Esther is committed to the surrogacy deal. Wall branded Grace's scheme a "dangerous game" because she knows that Kim is "pretty much insane". But noted that Grace has dealt with worse people in her past, "far freakier, weirder people than Kim." (
pictured) plays
Kim Butterfield, the character who Grace begins an affair with.|160pxGrace soon struggles to control Kim and remain in a relationship with Trevor. Wood-Davis told Sarah Ellis of
Inside Soap that Kim wants revenge when she discovers Grace is still having sex with Trevor. She prints out hundreds of pictures of herself and Grace kissing and plasters them on the walls of Grace's nightclub. She manages to remove them before Trevor and Esther arrive. Grace confronts Kim and realises how unstable she has become. Writers introduced Trevor into the story who decides to help Grace ride of Kim. He orders
Robbie Roscoe (
Charlie Wernham) to kill Kim but the plan fails and she refuses to leave. Esther discovers the truth about the affair, she refuses to forgive Grace and once again threatens that Grace will not be part of the surrogate child's life. Grace and Kim's affair resulted in Wood-Davis receiving angry comments on social media website
Twitter. Fans expressed their support for "Trace" relationship and blamed Kim for trying to split them up.
Car crash stunt Hollyoaks released a trailer with advance spoilers revealing that Kim would orchestrate a car chase amongst the escalated drama surrounding Esther's surrogacy. The car chase was filmed using stunt drivers placed on top of the vehicles and pod cameras attached to them. This allowed the actors to act as though they were driving the vehicle despite the stunt man being in control. The storyline was played out on-screen following Esther giving birth to Grace's son, Curtis. Kim returns to the village and asks Esther to take Curtis and leave the village with her. She reveals that Trevor and Grace tried to kill her. The character tries to trick Esther into believing Kim has left the village. Franks told ''Digital Spy's'' Kilkelly that Esther knows Trevor is lying and is the reason she agrees to take Curtis. Trevor and Grace follow Kim's car and a fast chase begins. But their erratic driving leads to a crash and Trevor arrives on the scene to save Curtis. But then Kim reverses her car which leads to another collision with a police van which leads to the death of Dylan, who was in the van. The crash was named one of "the best bits of August" in the
Inside Soap Yearbook 2016.
Casual relationships In 2015, the character spent an episodic block separated from Trevor. The pair break up because Trevor blames Grace for Dylan's death in the car crash stunt. During this time
Hollyoaks writers began a casual sexual relationship between Grace and
Darren Osborne (
Ashley Taylor Dawson). When Grace and Esther repair their friendship, Esther develops romantic feelings towards her. It was reported by Digital Spy that Esther would have "fresh hope" of a romance with Grace when Darren ends their brief relationship. When Grace confides in Esther about her "disastrous love life", she sees the opportunity to reveal her feelings and surprises Grace with a kiss. Grace and Esther begin a relationship but soon develop problems. Grace has second thoughts about being with Esther because she still loves Trevor. With Trevor in prison Esther feels confident their relationship can succeed. But Esther's happiness is short-lived when she finds Grace's old engagement ring.
Wedding and Trevor's death (
pictured) plays
Sienna Blake who is Grace's love rival in vying for
Trevor's attentions.|160px
Hollyoaks planned a wedding storyline for Grace and Trevor. When they reconcile on-screen the pair set about organising their nuptials. Writers also developed an affair storyline for Trevor and
Sienna Blake (
Anna Passey) to coincide with the wedding. The latter is due to marry Trevor's enemy
Ben Bradley (
Ben Richards). They visit each other in secret and concoct a plan to run away together. Kilkelly reported that Grace and Sienna's wedding preparations would see them turn into "bridezillas" clashing with one another over dresses. Viewers were divided over their support for each relationship as both pairing proved popular. Trevor and Sienna were given the fan worship name "Trienna" pitted against "Trace" fans. Wall told Alison Gardner from ''
What's on TV'' that Grace feels "jittery" in the days before her wedding because she is thinks Trevor is having an affair. Grace is terrified that she will be jilted. She described a pivotal scene in the story in which Grace and Trevor discuss her childhood dreams. Wall explained that Grace opens up about her wedding day being all she had ever dreamed of growing up. She also pleads with him to not ruin her day. The reports were accurate as Grace's wedding episode was broadcast. Trevor decides that he wants to be with Grace. Sienna's daughter
Nico Blake (
Persephone Swales-Dawson) discovered Trevor's affair. Grace is "grief-stricken" by Trevor's death and Ben tells police he murdered Trevor to protect Nico. Following his murder Grace refuses to take off her wedding dress and remains in it for several episodes. Writers kept the affair secret until Trevor's funeral episode in which Sienna is exposed as his former lover. Grace angrily confronts Sienna about the betrayal. This ignited a new feud storyline which writers continued to explore over the months of episodes that followed. When Grace later discovers a portrait of Sienna that Trevor drew, it reignites her hatred towards Sienna.
Introduction of family In 2016, producers created an extended family for Grace. First they cast the roles of half-brothers
Liam (
Maxim Baldry),
Jesse (
Luke Jerdy) and
Adam Donovan (Jimmy Essex). It was revealed that on-screen Grace would not be happy with them being in her life again. During the casting process the three actors had to complete a day long acting workshop with Wall. They conversed about Grace's history within
Hollyoaks to help with their introduction to the show. Esther decides that Grace needs family support following Trevor's murder. She decides to invite the Donovans to visit Grace. When they arrive she orders them to leave, but they persist on staying. They give her a cosmetic make-over and begin to lift her mood. Liam and Jesse soon plot to steal Trevor's life insurance to repay money they owe Adam. Jerdy told Kilkelly that Jesse and Liam were influenced by Adam's estranged relationship with Grace. They had a problematic dynamic and his negative stories about Grace clouded their judgement. Jerdy believed that Jesse feels guilty about the scam because he is the first brother to care about Grace. He noted that Liam has a "colder" personality and does not feel any remorse for trying to scam his sister. In August 2016, it was announced that
Lisa Maxwell had joined the cast of
Hollyoaks in the role of Grace's mother
Tracey. The character was billed as a "train wreck" who has had a difficult life. Her relationship with Grace is difficult and they are estranged. Maxwell had to have a "make-under" to make her appear older. This was to add realism because of the mere thirteen year age gap between Wall and Maxwell. Grace's resentment for Tracey began when she left her two daughters in the care of Fraser. Grace and Clare were brought up in a world of "crime and corruption" that came with Fraser.
Departure and return In July 2023, Wall confirmed that she had been axed from
Hollyoaks after ten years in the role of Grace, with her final scenes airing shortly afterwards. Wall revealed that executive producer Lucy Allan decided to write Grace out of the show. On 24 March 2024, it was announced that Wall had reprised the role of Grace, and would be returning that year. Wall's rehiring followed the appointment of a new executive producer, Hannah Cheers. ==Reception==