Sarah Barnes is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Loui Batley.

Sarah was introduced by executive producer David Hanson as part of the Barnes family.

Auditions were held for the part of Sarah, the eldest daughter of the Barnes family and actress Loui Batley secured the role.

On 1 July 2009, Digital Spy reported that Loui Batley had quit the soap and would leave towards the end of the year.

The Hollyoaks website officially announced on 23 July 2009 that both Batley and Lister would leave towards the end of that year.

Their final storyline was described as "a tragic curtain call for one of them", stating that either Sarah or Zoë would die.

[3] She made it clear to Kirkwood and new executive producer Lucy Allan that she would leave afterward.

Allan then came up with the idea of writing Batley out of the serial in its sister show Hollyoaks Later.

"[4] In 2007, Sarah discovered fiancé Craig Dean's (Guy Burnet) affair with best friend John Paul McQueen (James Sutton), in the storyline dubbed "McDean".

[5] Sarah walked in on the pair kissing, A Hollyoaks spokesperson stated in an interview with Digital Spy, "John Paul's sick of all the lies and decides enough is enough.

Batley said: "John Paul was her confidante and she thought they were best friends - it's hard to say which part made more of an impact on her.

[9] Batley also gave her views on how Sarah should have developed, opining it would have been good for her to spend more time on her own, be herself and learn who she really is.

"[9] Alongside Batley's departure, it was that revealed Lister, who plays Zoe, would also leave the show.

[13] Lister was the only cast member out of her, Batley and Kelly who performed the aired skydiving for real.

[11] A Hollyoaks producer released two pictures of funeral wreaths, one reading 'Zoe' and the other 'Sarah', in order to confuse viewers further as to whom the victim would be.

When executive producer Bryan Kirkwood described the exit to Batley, she thought it was a "perfect and amazing" end for Sarah.

Sarah accepts that it was just a drunken mistake and supports John Paul when he comes out as gay.

Sarah's perfect world comes crashing down around her when she walks in on John Paul and Craig kissing at their engagement party.

Sarah is devastated to learn that they had an affair and that Craig gave John Paul a watch while she had to buy her own engagement ring.

Sarah is later disgusted to learn that John Paul has changed his mind about being with Craig and tears into him for stealing her fiancé for nothing.

Sarah finds an odd friend in Elliot Bevan (Garnon Davies), who develops feelings for her.

They, and Nancy, then set off on a holiday to Zoë's old school so that she could make a speech on careers to current students.

Arriving back in Hollyoaks, Sarah makes Zoë leave for a trip to give them space.

Whilst working at a dance class Persephone Hart (Elizabeth Hadley) claims that Sarah has assaulted her.

Sarah breaks up with Lydia when she catches her kissing ex-girlfriend Charlotte Lau (Amy Yamazaki).

Kris Green of Digital Spy described the skydive as one of the best stunts he had seen in a long time, adding that the reaction to Sarah's death made him shed a tear and that the episode on a whole was "amazing".

[16] At the 2010 Inside Soap Awards the storyline gained nominations for Batley in the categories of "Best Exit" and "Best Stunt".

Turns out that wasn't the brightest idea she'd ever had - her jealous girlfriend Lydia finally polished her off good and proper.

"[18] Olly Riachards men's lifestyle magazine FHM commented on Sarah stating: "the one who fell out of a plane and splatted all across the ground, leading to a really drawn out and really boring plotline"[19] Holy Soap opined that Batley "livened up screens as lesbian temptress Sarah Barnes."

[8] Asian News International included Sarah and Zoe second on their top ten "girl-on-girl kisses on TV" list.