Russ is fun loving and laid back, but he has a tendency to be rather lazy.
2004 Moves in with brother Sam (then known as Liam), sister Nicole and mum Carrie. Signs up for a course at the HCC after being bullied into it by his mum.
2005 Has a testicle removed after discovering a cancerous lump. Estranged dad Rob turns up. Falls for Dannii Carbone but their relationship is rocked when she is drug-raped by Andy Holt.
2006 Dannii leaves. Has a fling with Sophie Burton, who is killed in a fire at The Dog started by his rapist brother Sam, while Russ is bedding Mercedes McQueen. His family leaves but he stays and moves in with Mercedes and her family.
2007 Dannii returns to win him back but he insists he loves Mercedes. Marries Mercedes but dumps her when he discovers she cheated on him with Warren Fox. Nearly dies from CO2 poisoning from a faulty boiler at a student party. Has one-night stand with married sister-in-law Tina Reilly.
2008 Hooks up with sexy blonde postwoman Caroline.
Born in 1980 and brought up in Berkshire, Stuart wanted to be a photographer when he was a teenager but he was spotted by a model scout and began a successful career in modelling working for top model agency Models One. As well as modelling for couturier Ralph Lauren, he also appeared in several music videos for the likes of girl band Precious and Welsh rocker Tom Jones.
It wasn't long before Stuart’s career took a different path after he filmed a Pepsi ad directed by Hollywood director Michael Bay. The director noticed that Stuart had an untapped talent for acting, so Stuart took his advice and was soon signed up for his first acting job as Sam Armstrong on TV soap Night & Day.
Stuart took up acting lessons after starting on Night & Day but he was out of a job when the soap finished in 2003. He auditioned for the role of Dan Hunter in Hollyoaks and was instead asked to play Russ.
Stuart was rumoured to have had a brief relationship with 60s pop icon Lulu in 2002, although both parties later denied it. Stuart later dated Liberty X singer Jessica Taylor for two years and they split in 2005.
Stuart is a keen surfer and he lives in Liverpool.
