Hollyoaks stars back equality campaign (VIDEO)

Some of Hollyoaks's female star have taken part in a video campaign for International Women's Day, challenging society's sexualisation of women. The stars, including Bianca Hendrickse-Spendlove, Bronagh Waugh and Jessica Forrest, along with male cast members Dan O'Connor and Tom Scurr, reveal what changes - some jokey, some serious - they believe will make men and women equal in society, for weareequals.org. While Hollyoaks is known for its annual babes and hunks calendar, it also includes challenging storylines such as the subject of date rape. Tamaryn Payne, who plays demanding PR student Annalise Appleton, said: "We will know we are equals when wearing a short skirt doesn't mean you are up for it." Bianca, who plays Texas, said equality would be achieved 'When every girl around the world has the opportunity to go to school'. Former Neighbours star Dan, who plays Aussie hunk Ally Grogan, said he would believe there had been real change: "When a woman referees the cup final." The campaign encourages young men and women to enter the equality debate online.

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Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix.

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.