"It's Late", the episode that began her pregnancy storyline, won an International Emmy, the award of which inspired the name of Spike's daughter.

Like her co-stars, Amanda Stepto's public image was directly affected by her portrayal of Spike, as she was often conflated with the character and mistaken as being legitimately pregnant.

Several episodes about her pregnancy were banned from airing on the BBC in the United Kingdom, where Degrassi Junior High experienced its highest viewership.

Amanda Stepto noticed an audition for Degrassi Junior High when she was attending the Etobicoke School of the Arts,[6] where she minored in drama.

[12] In 2019, she recalled making approximately $50 daily for her role in Degrassi Junior High, as actors were paid based on how many lines they would have per episode.

[15] According to Stepto, Neil Hope, who played Derek "Wheels" Wheeler, began calling her "Spike" on set, which also inspired the character's name.

[18] Stephanie Kaye was considered for the storyline, however due to the nature of the character, it was decided against by the writers; Stepto explained: "You can't just say the promiscuous girls get pregnant.".

"[19] In an episode of Degrassi Talks, Stepto noted that she initially thought the plotline was unrealistic in the context of the wealth of information on sexually transmitted diseases and contraception.

[20] Toronto Star's Catherine Dunphy noted that during the initial readthrough of "It's Late", the episode that began her pregnancy storyline, Stepto's castmates "snickered".

"[19] Other aspects from Stepto that were translated to the character included her support for animal rights,[1] and the scrutiny that she experienced in public due to her spiked hairstyle.

[ep 1] The character's storyline begins in the episode "It's Late", where after a sexual encounter with Shane McKay (Bill Parrott), she becomes pregnant.

This development causes their relationship to deteriorate, with the former now having to deal with the consequences of teenage pregnancy, and the latter fearing the reaction of his conservative parents (his father being a minister).

[ep 7] Later, a friend persuades him to withhold payment to attend a punk rock concert, where he is later found unconscious at the bottom of a bridge causing him neurological damage, and making him estranged completely from Spike and Emma.

[ep 10] By the season finale, her grades are failing and Ms. Avery (Michelle Goodeve), who delivers her report card to her mother's salon, suggests she take correspondence courses.

Spike initially balks at the idea of having a future and blames Emma for her troubles, prompting Ms. Avery to tell her to count her blessings and appreciate having her baby, as not everyone is as lucky to have one.

[ep 12] She later meets a Grade 11 Irish student named Patrick (Vincent Walsh)[32] who happens to wear the same Pogues T-shirt as her.

[ep 15] After Liz's date with Tim O'Connor (Keith White) goes wrong when he kisses her good night, reawakening her memories of childhood sexual abuse, Spike attempts to talk to her in the library about it.

[ep 17] Later on, in the lead-up to the school semi-formal dance, she develops romantic feelings towards Archie "Snake" Simpson (Stefan Brogren) but is unrequited as he is taking Michelle Accette (Maureen McKay).

[ep 20] Spike has a recurring role in Degrassi: The Next Generation, as Emma (now played by Miriam McDonald, as opposed to several unrelated infants in the previous series) is a central character.

[ep 24] In the show's fifth season, after Emma catches Snake kissing principal Daphne Hatzilakos, an angered Spike kicks him out of the house, and she falls into a depression.

[ep 26] After a failed attempt by Emma and Manny to reconcile the two with a dinner, Snake is successfully able to be allowed back by singing Spike their favorite song at the shopping mall.

A tie-in mass-market paperback novelization of Spike's story, written by Loretta Castellarin and Ken Roberts, was released in December 1988[19][18] and reprinted with an updated cover in 2006.

The novel is in first-person[36] and explores her character in greater detail, providing exposition to the relationship between Spike and Shane as well as her home life.

[10][44] Amanda Stepto was acclaimed for her portrayal,[45] and the character has been cited as a "fan favourite" by the Vancouver Sun[46] and a "trailblazer" by women's magazine Chatelaine.

[51]I mean I used to get fan mail and people would send me baby clothes, and uh, stuffed animals and stuff like that...and sometimes I'm like, "yeah...[this is] crazy, but...well maybe my character's that realistic".

[61] According to Stepto, the fame and recognition she received caused her confusion in dealing with public scrutiny, which she already had been experiencing prior to the show because of her hairstyle.

[49] Because of the popularity of her character, Stepto was chosen as a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood in Alberta in 1992, and she gave talks at schools across the province during the summer of 1993.

[75] However, writer Yan Moore realized that Emma Nelson would be attending junior high school, and the show was re-tooled (with the original ideas mostly retained) as a revival of Degrassi.

[78] Frontman and Asian Man Records founder Mike Park is a fan of the Degrassi series and has admitted an affection for Stepto and her character, and co-hosts a podcast named after the song.

[79] In an episode of the Comedy Central series Tosh.0, a segment focuses on a math teacher who has an unhealthy obsession with Stepto and her Degrassi character and frequently makes musical tribute videos to her.