Yahoo News Hollyoaks – Kurt Benson character history explained
Hollyoaks spoilers follow.
Hollyoaks reintroduces an original character in shocking circumstances this week, as Jeremy Edwards reprises his role as Kurt Benson.
Kurt was last seen on the Channel 4 soap in 1999 and was presumed dead after an off-screen jet-ski accident, but he's now heading back to the village in a bombshell storyline twist.
Long-term Hollyoaks fans will already know all about Kurt, but if you're a newer viewer, you may need some help getting up to speed. Here's our quick guide to Kurt and the impact he may have now he's back.
Who is Kurt Benson?
Kurt Benson is one of the seven original characters that Hollyoaks focused on when the show launched in October 1995. The early days of Hollyoaks followed the lives and loves of Kurt, Tony, Jambo, Natasha, Louise, Maddie and Dawn.
Cool guy Kurt was one of Hollyoaks' most recognisable characters in the early days, quickly establishing himself as the show's first major heartthrob.
He was known for his charm, cheekiness and his pursuit of the local ladies. Kurt's other passions in life included his love for music – and his motorbike.
In Hollyoaks' backstory, Kurt had been friends with Tony since primary school but they occasionally found themselves at odds, with Kurt's cockiness contrasting with Tony's more submissive nature.
Kurt's main family members in the show were his brother Ollie (Paul Leyshon), who died in a car accident in 1997, and sister Lucy (Kerrie Taylor).
What were Kurt Benson's major Hollyoaks storylines?
In the early days of Hollyoaks, Kurt's storylines revolved around his troubles with his rebellious brother Ollie. He also devoted much of his time to pursuing Natasha, the girl of his dreams.
Tragedy struck in March 1996 when Natasha's drink was spiked with ecstasy during a party and she died of an overdose. Hollyoaks' original villain Rob Hawthorne was involved in the spiking incident, marking the beginning of a dangerous feud between him and the villagers.
Kurt was closely involved in the tensions with Rob, most notably when he left the villain at the mercy of drug dealers. Rob was left with a leg injury when his enemies pushed him from the roof of a car park. He blamed Kurt for this and took revenge by getting Kurt's sister Lucy hooked on heroin.
The Kurt/Rob feud culminated in a Hollyoaks video special (they were a thing in the '90s) called Off On One, set in France, where the rivals ended up having a dangerous showdown on board a speed boat.
Kurt also became romantically involved with Natasha's cousin Ruth Osborne. One major storyline for the couple saw Kurt come to Ruth's rescue when she was receiving unwanted advances from a guy called Spike. Kurt accidentally pushed Spike from some scaffolding and was accused of attempted murder.
In the aftermath of the incident, Kurt was hurt when he felt that Ruth was doubting his innocence. Ruth was keen to show that she was loyal to Kurt and they ultimately tied the knot in May 1997.
Kurt and Ruth were determined to prove they could make their marriage work, and although Kurt was cleared of his charges when he faced trial, their happiness didn't last.
By the time 1998 arrived, Kurt and Ruth's relationship came under threat from repeated tensions between them. These culminated in Kurt kissing Kate Patrick in July 1998.
Kurt was initially plagued with guilt over his infidelity, but his connection with Kate went further as they started an affair.
At the end of 1998, Ruth was horrified to discover Kurt's betrayal and broke up with him. There was hope of a reconciliation when they had a heart-to-heart a few weeks later, but they ultimately agreed that there was no way forward for their marriage.
Kurt's split from Ruth led to him leaving Hollyoaks at the start of 1999 and this was the last time that he was seen in the show for 14 years. In September 1999, word reached the village that he had been killed in a jet-ski accident.
When did Kurt Benson return to Hollyoaks?
Kurt made a shock return to Hollyoaks in 2013, appearing in the sixth series of Hollyoaks Later.
The late-night episodes that year focused on Tony, who took a trip abroad with some old friends after he had been diagnosed with cancer.
Kurt's comeback saw him appear as a guardian angel figure for Tony at a time of crisis. At the time, Tony was dealing with the stresses of his illness – and being pursued by a dangerous villain played by Danny Dyer.
Doing publicity for Hollyoaks Later at the time, Jeremy floated the possibility of a permanent return for Kurt.
He told Bang Showbiz: "I didn't die on screen so it would be easy for Kurt to come back.
"I could make up a story in about half an hour and I'm not even a script writer.
"If people on the internet go, 'Oh, I wish he was there', then the bosses may well take that onboard. I will cross that bridge when I come to it, though."
Looks like the producers listened – well, eventually.
What is Kurt's return storyline?
Hollyoaks announced in late September that Jeremy Edwards would be reprising his role as Kurt in time for the show's 25th anniversary.
At the time, it wasn't clear whether Kurt was returning as a ghost again, or would be miraculously back from the dead. However, Jeremy later clarified that Kurt is making a proper return this time and is not just a figment of Tony's imagination.
Wednesday's E4 first look episode (October 21) will see Kurt explain all to Tony, Darren, Mandy and Cindy – including setting the record straight over who died in the jet-ski accident.
Jeremy recently told Inside Soap: "I had always clung on to the idea that he wasn't dead, so I'm very happy it's not the end of him.
"The story we've gone with is great and totally plausible and it makes you ask a lot of questions. What's Kurt running from?
"There are some wonderful scenes with Nick where Kurt has to explain himself to him and just says, 'I'm tired of running. I just wanted to come home,' which is very sweet.
"And Tony welcomes him with open arms, because Tony's the nicest man in world!"
Future episodes will also see Kurt develop a romantic spark with Tony's sister Verity and come up with a new money-making scheme for The Hutch.
Hollyoaks currently airs new episodes from Mondays to Thursdays at 6.30pm on Channel 4, with first look screenings at 7pm on E4. Classic episodes, titled Hollyoaks Favourites, air on Fridays at 7pm on E4.
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