Ash Kane

She’s a really cool character. She's really fun to play because she doesn’t have any high heels, doesn’t care what she looks like – I get to wear messy makeup all the time, which is cool. She’s a bit of a rock chick, makes her different from some of the other characters.

— Holly Weston on Ash.[7]

She was initially described as a "wild party girl" and a "rock chick and rebel".[6] E4.com described Ash stating that when she is around, "things get wild". You will never find Ash opting for a night indoors unless there is "alcohol, heavy metal and ill advised flashing" involved. Though Ash feels guilty over her antics the next morning, she convinces herself that it is part of the university student lifestyle. Ash has a brother, Callum Kane (Laurie Duncan) who she attempts to play the "responsible older sister" for.[8]

Weston has described Ash as "a bit of a child". She explained that her character "gets drunk a lot" and is "always hungover! She just wants to have a good time really". However, she opined that Ash actually has more depth to her persona,[7] explaining that underneath the partying she has got "a bit of a heart" and has her "head screwed on".[2] While she is attempting to have a good time, she also studies psychology, so she is "sussing everyone out". Weston said that Ash starts to have a "little play with people" because she knows what "they're thinking before they do". However at first, viewers do not realise she studies the subject because of the way she acts. Ash embarrasses herself during her first week because she drinks to much alcohol, so she "regrets it" afterwards, Weston added that real life university freshers can identify with the way she feels.[7] Weston later gave advice to the National Union of Students, stating that new freshers should surround themselves with friends if they are going to go out drinking. She noted that Ash does not get into "unsafe situations because she surrounds herself with her new-found friends".[9] Weston added that Ash is "independent" and is not tied down in a relationship. She explained that her character "doesn’t go in" for romances and instead is "out to have a laugh and be round her friends".[10] Weston said that she loves that Ash just "doesn't care". She explained that when she first got the role on the serial she "wondered whether I'd have to wear loads of make-up, be dolled up all the time and wear heels! But it's really nice to be a little bit different. It's fun to play a cooler, messier character".[4] Weston commented that she and the character have their similarities, although she wishes she had the "guts" to carry out "some things that Ash does" and she is not as wild as her on screen persona.[4]

Ash immediately strikes up a friendship with Will Savage (James Atherton), however he is in a relationship with Theresa McQueen (Jorgie Porter). Theresa becomes jealous of Will's new formed friendships, Porter said that Theresa "notices his growing bond with Ash" and she soon realises "she is not his number one priority anymore" when he opts to go partying with Ash and the freshers over meeting Theresa.[11] Weston said that she read initial viewer reactions to Ash via internet forums. She said she felt worried because Ash was criticised, as viewers thought she was going to steal Will away from Theresa. She also cringed when she watched her first scenes with Will, because she was trying to "put on a sexy voice" on.[1] Weston has said that Ash begins to hope the pair could become more than friends but she is unsure what Will thinks on the situation. She said that the storyline becomes a "kind of a 'will they, won't they?' scenario". Weston was unsure how Will would react towards Ash's feelings although she said Will "seems to care" for Ash.[4] Atherton also explained that the spark could be explored further. He added that the romance has been "underlying" since Ash and Will met and has been "continuing to brew" as the storyline progresses.[12] Weston later said that there is some kind of "hidden romance" between Ash and Will. She said that the "balance always hits one way or the other" with the pairing, adding that during the storyline in which Ash helps Will organise a festival, viewers see "what Ash thinks about the situation". Although Weston had previously thought Will liked Ash more than she liked him, she said it may now "be going the other way".[13]

Ash and Annalise Appleton (Tamaryn Payne) meet through Will. Weston explained that although the pair are not best friends they "get on strangely well, considering they both pretend that they can’t stand each other!" The characters "wind each other up" and at times Annalise is "really horrible" towards Ash, but Weston felt that Ash realises Annalise does not mean it which prevents her from snapping at Annalise.[2] Payne added that the relationships starts off "very rocky" but it progresses to a "love/hate – or even more of a love/love" relationship. She explained that Annalise cares about Ash but she finds her to be a "bit intimidating, because Ash gets on well with the guys really naturally, but Annalise doesn’t. Ash has got something that Annalise hasn’t, she’s just cool, and finds everything a bit easier".[2] Weston explained that the pair argue, with one occasion when the pair "really get to each other" leading to Ash calling Annalise a bitch which differs from their usual "snide comments" to each other. Payne added that during the argument the pair "both said everything that they thought of each other, really nasty stuff!" She commented that she enjoys filming scenes with the two characters due to her real life friendship with Weston.[2]

Ash is introduced along with brother Callum. Hollyoaks' executive producer Emma Smithwick said that the siblings are "quite reserved and they keep themselves to themselves" which she felt needed to be explained. She felt that to explore the reasoning behind their behaviour viewers would need to learn more about "where they come from and their family life"[14] which would involve introducing "satellite" family members.[15] The character's background was explored via the introduction of her family. Weston welcomed the growth of the Kane family because of their similarities, with each one having "dark and moody" traits.[4] Weston said she would like to further explore the family saying that "there’s definitely a lot of hidden stuff there that we haven’t seen yet, especially with the dad, who we don’t really know much about".[13] Duncan said that Callum and Ash have always got on well and he "loves his sister very, very much". He added that Ash is Callum's best friend as she has helped him through a lot "over the years".[16]

On 20 March 2012 Digital Spy reported that the serial would explore the Kane family when Ash collapses and is diagnosed with meningitis.[17] For the storyline Weston conducted research on the subject as she was unsure how Ash would be affected while she had the illness and she wanted to portray the role with realism.[4] Hollyoaks worked closely with Meningitis trust when developing the storyline, with the trust aiming to raise awareness of meningitis in young adults.[18] Weston backed Meningitis UK's Trust Your Instincts campaign which aims to raise awareness of symptoms, with the actress portraying Ash as having some of the "classic symptoms" during the storyline. Weston explained that in the buildup Ash returns from a night out and everybody "just think she’s drunk. So she wakes up with a hangover, which is so typical of Ash, and everyone’s ignoring her while she’s going: ‘No, I feel really ill, and I didn’t drink that much.’ Then she’s on the floor and they call the ambulance. [...] it’s quite serious, because they induce a coma".[2] Weston explained that Ash's illness is the bacterial meningitis which is "really serious - you can die within a few hours of getting it".[4] Ash becomes comatose with the illness. Weston said that she found these scenes difficult to film despite her presumption that the scenes would be "easy". She explained that the scenes were difficult as she found it hard to lie straight, stay awake and be aware of what was happening around her.[19] Ash recovers and wakes from her coma.

During the storyline Ash's family are affected in different ways. Weston revealed that the serial build up to the storyline by having Ash argue with her sister, Lacey (Georgia Bourke), so that when Ash becomes ill Lacey would feel guilty.[4] When Ash is hospitalised her mother, Martha (Carli Norris), is also affected and does not cope well, forcing Callum to take over his mother's duties. Norris explained that although Martha would "die for her children" she is like a child herself and when she is required to support her family she can not handle it.[20] Weston expressed that during the storyline viewers would see why Ash and Callum moan about Martha, explaining that viewers discover she has an alcohol problem.[4] On how Callum is affected, Weston said that they are close as brother and sister which is proved within the storyline. She said that they usually pretend like they do not get on and Ash speaks to Callum like he is "the annoying little brother" but "underneath it all, you can see how much they care about each other". Weston felt that it was nice to explore a new side of their relationship during the storyline.[4]