Cindy Nightingale (née Cunningham , previously Longford and Hutchinson and savage) is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Stephanie Waring. She made her first on-screen appearance on 4 December 1995, then played by Laura Crossley, as the youngest daughter of Gordon (Bernard Latham) and Angela Cunningham (Liz Stooke). In 1996, Crossley quit the serial and the role was recast to actress Stephanie Waring. Waring remained with the soap until 2001, when she quit the role. Waring reprised the role briefly in 2002 and 2004 before returning to Hollyoaks as a full-time character in June 2008, reintroduced by series producer Bryan Kirkwood. In 2010, Waring became pregnant and her character was temporarily written out for Waring's maternity leave. Waring confirmed on her Twitter page at the beginning of December that she had received scripts for her return to the show. She returned to filming in January 2011 and returned on 9 March 2011. Waring has been nominated for several awards for her part as Cindy. Cindy has had many major storylines including teen pregnancy, the death of several family members, marriages to Tony Hutchinson, Alistair Longford, Mac Nightingale, and Dirk Savage, being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and discovering she has a secret teenage son, Alfie Nightingale. During her time on the show she has had three bigamous marraiges due to marryin Mac in 20 and never divorced him. She then married Tony Hutchinson, Alistair Longford and Dirk Savage in the following years.