Scott-Pendlebury was invited to join the show's regular cast following the departure of Nell Mangel (Vivean Gray). Hilary plays a similar role to Nell. Scott-Pendlebury told David Brown from "TV Week" that "I was warned that playing an unpleasant character, I might get unpleasantness on the street." This did not concern the actress because she was "delighted" to get the opportunity to play Hilary. The show soon invested in a backstory for the character. They played a storyline in which she had an illegitimate child. Matt Williams (Ashley Paske) was introduced into the show when he tracks Hilary down. She had become pregnant with Matt following a short romance when she was aged twenty. Hilary rejects Matt because she feels ashamed and fears a negative reaction from her Neighbours. But he decides to stay and convinces Hilary to tell the Robinson family the truth. They go onto create a strong relationship. A writer from Neighbours.com assessed that "her slightly 'hard-edged' approach to life was softened slightly" through her relationship with Matt.