Dorothy Hoyle

Dorothy Hoyle was the mother of Charlotte Hoyle, John Stape’s unexpected accomplice in his fumbling plan to steal the identity of emigrating teaching colleague Colin Fishwick and thus be able to re-enter the profession from which he was banned due to his criminal record. Charlotte, who knew both men, found out about the deception and loved the “living dangerously” aspect that it brought to their lives. Tragedy struck though when the real Colin returned from Canada and found out what was going on. In a heated argument, he dropped dead of a heart attack and was buried by John and Charlotte under building works in the Underworld factory. Charlotte, in love with John, started to pester and stalk him and he had no option but to try and carry her along. Invited - or rather summoned - to her house, he was stunned to be introduced to Dorothy and her husband Alan as “Colin” who they had been told was Charlotte’s fiancé. John kept quiet, although he panicked about being invited to their house for Christmas Day. Alan warned John that his daughter was always determined to get her own way and asked him to let her down gently if her genuinely wasn’t committed to their relationship.

The unstable Charlotte started to insist that John leave Fiz and attacked him with a hammer in No. 5. He defended himself and struck her down with the same instrument in a panic when she tried to leave and tell Fiz what was going on. He left her body by the side of the rubble of the tram crash which had occurred the same night, thinking she was dead and was stunned to hear that the rescuers had found that she was alive. Alan and Hoyle arrived at the hospital where she was taken and were told by Doctors that there was no hope of recovery from her diagnosed severe brain damage. They consulted “Colin” who agreed that her life support machine should be switched off.

Despite his best efforts, John was forced to continue associating with the Hoyles, including attending her funeral where he was asked to sit on the front pew as he was “almost family”. A heart-stopping moment occurred when former teaching colleagues Ted and Kathleen recognised him but, on the pretext of needing the toilet, he managed to get away from the Hoyles and speak to them in his own persona. Outside the church though, they heard Alan called Colin’s name to John and he hurriedly explained that Alan was “gaga” and called his own wife “Bernard”. John shot way from the Hoyles as fast as he could but on Christmas Day, they turned up on the Street, asking him to join them for Christmas dinner. Desperate not to be seen by anyone, he hurriedly agreed, but ending up having to guiltily listen as they reminisced about their daughter and eat a second dinner with family and friends afterwards!

List of appearances

 * Episode 7480 (1st December 2010)
 * Episode 7489 (10th December 2010)
 * Episode 7490 (13th December 2010)
 * Episode 7491 (13th December 2010)
 * Episode 7495 (20th December 2010)
 * Episode 7499 (25th December 2010)