AS entertaining as Hollyoaks can be on a Sunday morning with a hangover, it's not the type of show associated with producing the top stars of tomorrow.

At best, the Cheshire-based show has spawned a few soap stars and the odd Fame Academy contestant, but that could all be about to change.

"I was very lucky to get the role of Dannii," says Christina Baily, 26, who played Dannii Carbone in the programme for two years.

"I trained to be a professional actress but it's still a performance at the end of the day and I really enjoyed it. It was great to do something like that but I like variety, which is why I'm enjoying theatre so much now."

Since leaving Hollyoaks last year, Christina, who was a catwalk model before being signed up the Channel 4 programme, has done nothing but theatre work - a large chunk of which has been Shakespeare. I get the impression she is trying to shake off her Hollyoaks image.

"It wasn't really my bag," she says with a laugh.

"All those lads mags interviews and everything, but I loved the acting side of it and it was great fun. They're all a really good group of people, but I didn't want to stay any longer and get labelled."

Although as posh student Dannii, Christina did get to act out the role of a rape victim, she was desperate to develop her career and move into something more challenging.

With an MA in acting from Arts Ed in London, Christina was well placed to perform as Celia in the Philanthropist, Time in the Conways and Miranda in the Tempest.

But her latest role as JJ in Anne Cassidy's Looking For JJ could be her most challenging to date.

The play started off life as a novel and became an instant hit with young adults before being adapted by Marcus Romer for the stage.

It's unlike many productions on the provincial theatre circuit because it's aimed at young people - not a demographic usually associated with stage plays. But it's also very, very dark.

Looking For JJ is about a child that is murdered by another child and is reputedly based in part on the cases of Mary Bell and the boys who killed toddler Jamie Bulger. A newspaper article about the Jamie Bulger case was the catalyst that enabled Cassidy to build on an existing idea she had for a novel.

The play integrates music, design and the latest technology to produce a more visual performance.

"It blurs the lines between theatre and film," says Christina.

"It's a lot like watching something on the TV. Some plays can be really boring at the theatre, but this play really involves the audience. There's lots of conversation and it's explained to you all the way through in an every day dialogue."

The production will be touring throughout the UK until next year, when it will be on stage in London for five weeks.

Christina says she has no firm plans for her career after that, but with gritty, serious theatre roles like this one at her disposal, it seems unlikely she will end up a typical Hollyoaks has-been.

Looking For JJ Tuesday, October 9 until Saturday, October 13 Palace Theatre London Road, Westcliff Various times Tickets: £8.50 01702 351135