Christine Nelson

Christine "Spike" Nelson is a fictional character from the ''Degrassi'' teen drama franchise. Portrayed by Amanda Stepto, Spike appeared throughout ''Degrassi Junior High'' (1987–89)'', Degrassi High'' (1989–91), and the first nine seasons of ''Degrassi: The Next Generation'' (2001–10). Starting as an unnamed extra before being given a name and storyline, Spike's character largely revolves around her teenage pregnancy and motherhood.

She becomes pregnant in the first season of ''Degrassi Junior High'', and the second season shows the pregnancy's impact on her relationships and education; her relationship with boyfriend Shane McKay (Bill Parrott) is strained, and the PTA has her removed from Degrassi for setting a "bad example". After giving birth to Emma by the third season, Spike is supported with monthly child support payments, which stop when Shane withholds one to attend a concert where he falls off a bridge, landing him in a coma. By ''Degrassi High'', Spike unsuccessfully tries to re-enter the dating scene. In ''Degrassi: The Next Generation'', of which Emma (Miriam McDonald) is a central character, Spike appears in a recurring role and plays a primary role in a number of two-part episodes, including one revisiting Shane. She marries former classmate Snake (Stefan Brogren) and has a second child, though their marriage is briefly marred by Snake's infidelity in season five. Her role gradually recedes until her last appearance in ''Degrassi Takes Manhattan'' in 2010. A novel focused on Spike was published by James Lorimer & Co in December 1988, exploring her storyline and background in further detail.

She was one of the first major pregnant teenagers on television. "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. The character's large spiked hair, which was Stepto's own, became considered a "trademark" of both the character and the actress. 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 earned recognition from critics and scholars for her portrayal of Spike. In 1990, along with her co-stars, she was nominated for the Young Artist Award for Outstanding Young Ensemble Cast for ''Degrassi Junior High''. In 1992, she was nominated for the Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role for ''Degrassi High''.

Spike was one of the show's most popular characters, and her storyline was key to the franchise's later developments. She appears in a total of 113 episodes throughout the franchise.

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