Hollyoaks serves up answers to some pretty big questions next week, including the truth about Tommy Odenkirk’s (Brandon Fellows) obsession with Joel Dexter (Rory Douglas-Speed), as we travel back in time.

The long-running Channel 4 soap is journeying back to fill in some of the blanks of the ‘missing’ year, showcasing what really went on in the village during the elusive gap in time.

One of the big mysteries set to be solved is that of Tommy’s big secret – and more specifically the reason why he’s so obsessed with Joel.

The alleged therapist, as viewers know, has something of a shrine dedicated to the former priest in a locked cupboard at his flat.

Next Monday (April 7), fans will get their answers – as will Joel, who is taken by Tommy to the hospital in a bid to trigger his memory. Upon arrival, Tommy introduces Joel to his brother Billy, who is in a coma.

Joel reels over what Tommy is telling him and the revelation prompts our trip back in time as the ‘missing’ year is revisited in a special flashback episode.

At the time of throwback scenes, Joel and Leela Dexter’s (Kirsty-Leigh Porter) marriage is hanging by a thread.

Leela’s behaviour changed following Theresa McQueen’s (Jorgie Porter) party in the woods while Joel’s grief proves overwhelming – and he heads out to buy some drugs.

Upon doing so, however, he comes face-to-face with dad Warren Fox (Jamie Lomas).

Mercedes McQueen (Jennifer Metcalfe), meanwhile, has been experiencing bowel changes and, after finding blood in her poo, she schedules a colonoscopy and opens up to Leela about her fears.

The former landladyof The Dog accidentally knocks over Leela’s handbag, with a positive pregnancy test falling out. Leela reveals that she was sexually assaulted while drunk, with Mercedes urging her to tell Joel the truth.

Speaking of Joel, he’s at a nightclub nearby – where he spots Tommy being bullied by his brother Billy, which prompts him to intervene.

The question is: just what transpires? And will it have ramifications for Joel?

Elsewhere during the flashback scenes, Freddie Roscoe (Charlie Clapham) races to the hospital after learning that Lexi was injured after being left alone with Curtis.

Dodge Savage (Danny Mac) – who is also seen rekindling his romance with Maxine Minniver (Nikki Sanderson) – watches Freddie and Grace Black (Tamara Wall) from afar.

Later, Freddie is left reeling when he encounters Warren, who enlists the help of Arlo Fielding (Dan Hough) to deliver a letter to Mercedes.

The flashback episode certainly proves very eventful and it will provide some long-awaited context – but the stories simply don’t stop there, with subsequent scenes taking us back to present day, where the drama is aplenty.

Joel is burdened with some distressing new information, Grace plans her own party behind DI Banks’ back and Rex Gallagher (Jonny Labey) continues to manipulate Dillon Ray (Nathaniel Dass) and Frankie Osborne (Isabelle Smith).

Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 6am on Channel 4’s streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4.

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Grace Black (Tamara Wall) desperately tries to cover her tracks in Hollyoaks next week after a party which Frankie Osborne (Isabelle Smith) and Dillon Ray (Nathaniel Dass) attend ends in disaster.

Dillon and Frankie, as viewers know, are being groomed by Grace and Rex Gallagher (Jonny Labey), who are running a child exploitation operation in the village with DI Banks.

Rex set his sights on Dillon earlier this year while Grace targeted niece Frankie, deeming her ‘perfect’ in bone-chilling scenes after what she’d been through last year.

The storyline in question took its darkest turn yet last month, with Grace manipulating the teens into having sex with party-goers, claiming it was Frankie’s opportunity to take back control.

Despite the prospect of losing son Curtis this week, Grace isn’t slowing down with her operation. If anything, she ups the ante as she plans a party of her own – without DI Banks’ knowledge.

Rex, meanwhile, grows doubtful that Robbie Roscoe (Charlie Wernham) – who they took hostage last month – is the mole, giving him one last chance to come clean as he threatens Lexi’s life.

When Robbie makes it clear that he knows nothing, Rex tasks Dodger Savage (Danny Mac) with getting rid of him.

Despite previously pushing to get involved in dodgy deals, Rex has displayed doubts in recent weeks, determined to get out of the criminal underworld in favour of a life with Ste Hay (Kieron Richardson).

But upcoming scenes will see him manipulate Frankie and Dillon once more, inviting them to Grace’s upcoming party at The Loft, claiming that he will protect them.

Dillon and Frankie have doubts about the whole thing but, feeling like they’ve got no choice, they head to the nightclub.

What exactly happens while they’re there remains to be seen but the whole thing ends in a disaster, with Grace determined to cover up the atrocity by buying Frankie and Dillon’s silence.

Will her efforts work?

Dillon, meanwhile, receives a visit from Donny Clark (Louis Emerick), who turns up with a kind gesture in a bid to show the teen the love that his family has for him.

Will this leave Dillon with food for thought?

Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 6am on Channel 4’s streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4.

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Hollyoaks spoilers follow for Monday’s (March 31) episode that is now available to view on Channel 4 streaming. The episode in question will air on E4 on at 7pm.

Marie Fielding (Rita Simons) was left reeling in the wake of her engagement party after fiancé Tony Hutchinson (Nick Pickard) smacked Arlo (Dan Hough) across the face.

Tony, as viewers know, discovered moments earlier that Arlo had been bullying Ro (Ava Webster) for months, cruelly encouraging the teen to take his own life.

Enraged, Tony saw red and retaliated in the heat of the moment, leaving Marie in shock as she berated him for assaulting a child.

Diane (Alex Fletcher), who long suspected that Arlo was her son’s abuser, attempted to make Marie see that her child is a bully, while Tony told his fiancee that she’s letting history repeat after ‘turning a blind eye’ to Abe’s (Tyler Conti) abusive nature.

But Marie refused to accept that Arlo was a bully, ordering Tony out of her home. Ro, meanwhile, berated his dad for causing a scene, claiming he’s made the situation much worse.

In a bid to make things right, the restaurateur took himself to the police station, where he confessed to slapping Arlo, revealing all about Ro’s ordeal at the hands of the abuser.

The police agreed to investigate. Over at 2 Oakdale Drive, Marie consoled Arlo, who feigned shock over Tony’s accusations. The police arrived on their doorstep and took Arlo in for questioning, much to the dismay of Marie, who claimed her son was the victim.

However, she soon saw Arlo for who he truly is as the detective quizzed him on his bullying of Ro, prompting him to admit that he did instruct Ro to take his own life.

Marie was horrified.

Arlo, however, soon used his confession to his advantage, claiming he resorted to bullying Ro in a bid to get back at Tony, accusing him of abuse.

Tony was left reeling when the police arrived to arrest him based on Arlo’s allegations. Will he be able to prove his innocence? Will Arlo finally pay for his crimes?

Or is this the beginning of another ordeal for the Hutchinsons?

The episode in question featured a number of big developments across various storylines, including a new twist for mystery therapist Tommy Odenkirk (Brandon Fellows) while poor Ste Hay (Kieron Richardson) was gaslit by Rex Gallagher (Jonny Labey).

Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 6am on Channel 4’s streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4.

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Hollyoaks spoilers follow for Wednesday’s (March 25) episode that is now available to view on Channel 4 streaming. The episode in question will air on E4 on at 7pm.

The scales well and truly fell from Tony Hutchinson’s (Nick Pickard) eyes as he came to realise that Diane’s (Alex Fletcher) theory about Arlo Fielding (Dan Hough) being Ro’s (Ava Webster) bully was correct.

Arlo, as viewers know, has been bullying Ro for months, misgendering the teen and catfishing him online.

With Tony having started a relationship with Marie (Rita Simons), the abuse escalated further, with Ro living under the same roof as his bully.

Diane came to suspect that Ro was being bullied at school and at once stage was convinced that Arlo was to blame – but her son swiftly threw her off the scent, fearful of what Arlo might do in retaliation.

But in horrifying scenes earlier this week, Diane finally discovered the truth after she saw the disturbing texts on Ro’s phone from Arlo – and heard the pings coming from the abuser’s bedroom every time a reply was sent to the number.

Without wasting a moment, Diane relayed her discovery to Tony.

The chef, however, refused to believe her claims that Arlo is their son’s bully, convinced that his ex had the wrong end of the stick.

He finally saw the truth, however, during his engagement party to Marie, after evil Arlo delivered a speech welcoming Tony into the family. The public speech pivoted to Ro, with Arlo branding the teen his ‘new best friend’.

The truth of the situation was all in the subtext and, as Ro shuddered at the thought of a life under the same roof as Arlo, Tony saw all he needed to see.

In unexpected scenes, the former councillor headed straight for the stage at The Hutch and slapped Arlo across the face, prompting quite the response from all those in attendance.

The question is: will Arlo face the music for the torment he’s caused? Or will it be Tony who will be left having to pay the price due to his actions?

The episode in question is certainly a dramatic one, with wonderful performances from all involved, and it sets the scene perfectly for next week’s events.

Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 6am on Channel 4’s streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4.

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Former Hollyoaks star Ali Bastian has revealed her hopes of returning to work after announcing that she is cancer free.

The actress, who portrayed Becca Dean on the Channel 4 soap, shared her breast cancer diagnosis in September last year.

The 43-year-old discovered the lump while breastfeeding daughter Isabella.

At first, doctors thought the lump to be a blocked duct but, following a round of antibiotics, she had further tests done at a specialist clinic, which ultimately confirmed the presence of cancerous cells.

Ali documented her cancer battle on social media, sharing updates with her followers. In December, she rang the bell after five months of treatment and, earlier this month, she revealed that she is cancer-free.

‘I wanted to update you all,’ the former Doctors star wrote on Instagram at the time. ‘I’m on to my final week of radio therapy which should mark the end my active treatment – I hope and pray for good!

‘I had my mastectomy in January which was thankfully a success and has healed really well, it proved that my chemo had worked.

‘As I sit here right now, I’m free from Cancer. I can’t even believe it.’

Ali has now spoken about the future, revealing that she’d love to do some acting work again – particularly in Ireland, where she resides with her husband David O’Mahoney.

‘Honestly, I can’t wait to set foot on a set again,’ she told RTE Guide. ‘That’s my happy place. I’d love to explore the possibility of working more in Ireland because it would be an absolute joy.

‘There’s so many exciting things going on here – independent films and lots of creativity and people doing really good work.’

Ali rose to fame on Channel 4’s Hollyoaks, playing Becca Dean, who featured in several huge storylines, including an inappropriate relationship with student Justin Burton.

‘I think the fantastic thing – and remains to be the fantastic thing – about Hollyoaks is that I think they go for it with storylines, and break new ground,’ she told Metro.co.uk when Hollyoaks re-aired select episodes from the storyline in question during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ali also starred in Doctors as Becky Clarke and played Sally Armstrong in The Bill.

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Hollyoaks spoilers follow for Tuesday’s (March 24) episode that is now available to view on Channel 4 streaming. The episode in question will air on E4 on at 7pm.

Sienna Blake (Anna Passey) was convinced that a diagnosis of motor neurone disease was imminent following an unexpected collapse at her flat.

The former high school teacher was excited about the prospect of going on holiday with Cleo McQueen (Nadine Mulkerrin) when she fell to the floor.

An ambulance was summoned and Sienna was raced to hospital, where doctors confirmed that she was experiencing temporary paralysis.

Sienna, however, feared that her ordeal was proof that she has motor neurone disease, recalling Patrick Blake’s (Jeremy Sheffield) diagnosis and subsequent ordeal.

Jez (also Jeremy Sheffield) was adamant that she wait for confirmation from doctors before jumping to conclusions but Sienna insisted that he take her concerns seriously.

Cleo, meanwhile, popped by to see Sienna, having received word of her hospitalisation, promising to be there for her.

Fearful of what the future holds, Sienna pulled away from Cleo and urged her to stay away, saying some cruel words in order to ensure her new flame got the message.

As soon as Cleo left, Sienna burst into tears, clearly devastated at the prospect of missing out of a future with the McQueen.

Will Sienna’s fears come to pass?

That remains to be seen but next week her health concerns continue to grow, with Jez and Martha Blake (Sherrie Hewson) seriously worried about her.

Jez confides in new therapist Tommy Odenkirk (Brandon Fellows) that he’s struggling with his emotions while trying to support Sienna.

But will Tommy – who is harbouring a secret of his own – provide any good advice for the concerned father?

Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 6am on Channel 4’s streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4.

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Grace Black (Tamara Wall) is left terrified in Hollyoaks next week as her beloved son Curtis vanishes without a trace.

The discovery is made towards the end of next week’s episodes of the Channel 4 soap, with hardened gangster Grace left panicked after she’s unable to locate her beloved child.

The question is: just where is Curtis?

Grace, as viewers know, has sunk to new depths following her return to the dark side, taking over the child exploitation operation that DI Banks was running.

With Rex Gallagher (Jonny Labey) by her side, Grace decided to show just how ruthless she is as she targeted ‘niece’ Frankie Osborne (Isabelle Smith), despite knowing about her ordeal at the hands of her twin brother.

Rex proceeded to groom Dillon Ray (Nathaniel Dass), with both he and Frankie invited to a party by Grace – which saw the teens manipulated into having sex with the party-goers for cash.

Has someone retaliated against Grace for her twisted behaviour and taken Curtis? Or is there another explanation?

Grace’s involvement in the exploitation storyline has left fans convinced that there is no way back for the character, stating that she cannot be redeemed.

‘Grace can’t be redeemed,’ said social media user Maria following last Wednesday’s (March 19) episode.

‘She’s legit manipulating a vulnerable 17 year old into thinking she needs to do this to take her power back after being sexually abused. She’s legit profiting off it.’

Tasha Louise, meanwhile, shared a classic picture of Grace Black, writing: ‘I want this Grace back, she’s always been a baddie but I’m so gutted they’ve made her character irredeemable this way.’

Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 6am on Channel 4’s streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4.

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Rex Gallagher (Jonny Labey) uses Ste Hay’s (Kieron Richardson) psychosis to manipulate him in Hollyoaks next week, claiming that he has imagined a very real conversation.

Ste, as viewers know, was diagnosed with psychosis following a year-long coma as he struggled to accept that husband James Nightingale (Gregory Finnegan) was dead.

Rex, who has long had hopes of a future with Ste, vowed to support him in the aftermath, with the two men recently moving in together.

Ste urged his new beau to be honest with him from here on out to give them the best chance of success, but he remains unaware of what Rex up to.

As fans are aware, Rex is working for Grace Black (Tamara Wall), grooming the teens of the eponymous village as part of a child exploitation operation, targeting Frankie Osborne (Isabelle Smith) and Dillon Ray (Nathaniel Dass).

The gangster has been having second thoughts, however, having started to like the prospect of a life with Ste – and next week, he tells Grace that he wants out.

Ste, meanwhile, overhears a conversation and – coming to believe Rex has a target on his back – he swiftly shares the update with his boyfriend.

Not wanting Ste to know about his involvement in the illegal operation, Rex proceeds to gaslight his partner into believing that he simply imagined it.

Afterwards, Rex turns his attention to Freddie Roscoe (Charlie Clapham), confronting him over a phone call, before ultimately informing Grace that he no longer wants a life of crime.

Grace, however, manipulates him once more.

Dillon, meanwhile, finds himself tasks with another job from Rex – which leaves Donny Clark (Louis Emerick) suspicious when he spots the two together.

Determined to get answers, Donny questions Dillon about his involvement with Rex, locating a vape in the process. Rex arrives in the nick of time to stop Donny from getting any more information.

The question is: will the detective find out the truth? And will Rex be forced to explain all to Ste?

Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 6am on Channel 4’s streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4.

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Former Hollyoaks star Sarah Jayne Dunn, 43, has branded adult site OnlyFans ‘safer’ than the Channel 4 soap.

The actress played Mandy Richardson in the show on and off from 1996 until 2021, when she was axed after refusing to shut down her OnlyFans account.

During her time on the show, she was at the centre of some extremely hard hitting storylines, including ones that saw Mandy report her father for rape, deal with the deaths of her family members and give birth prematurely.

Mandy jetted off to LA in early 2022 after a co-star allegedly reported Sarah’s account on the adult website to Hollyoaks bosses, leading to her firing.

However, Sarah Jayne has said she has ‘no regrets’ over her decision to swap careers, previously explaining to Metro that she enjoys being herself instead of playing a character.

‘I think I’ve just found like a really nice space for me to be me to be creative, to be expressive, to be Sarah, as opposed to a character,’ she enthused.

Now, she has spoken out about safety features on the website that have left her feeling safer than during her time on Hollyoaks, after show bosses were unable to do anything about a terrifying stalking ordeal that saw the actress bombarded with ‘disturbing’ messages during her time on the show.

‘[OnlyFans] has actually been a much safer space than the likes of Instagram or TikTok or any of the other platforms that I use and that I am active on,’ she told The Sun.

‘I was getting horrendous messages on Instagram through an account, really disturbing that I went to Hollyoaks with and I contacted the police about. But they don’t do anything and they can’t do anything. And that’s terrifying.’

Sarah continued to the publication: ‘I went to Hollyoaks and it was a case of “right, just send us what he sent you'” And then I went to the police and there’s not much they can do, it’s really scary actually.’

She went on to explain how settings on OnlyFans mean that messages she is sent are pixelated, giving her the choice of whether or not to view them.

Metro has reached out to Hollyoaks for comment.

The actress previously addressed how she felt the Hollyoaks bosses’ decision to axe her was hypocritical, pointing out that she had done racy magazine photoshoots to promote the show.

‘I’d been sexualised and been made an object of sexual desire for my entire adult life. 

‘To then be told I couldn’t do it on my own terms? That was really the bit that stung because it just didn’t make sense to me.

‘I had spent years going on set, being put in short skirts and having a camera pan up and, you know, almost upskirt me and things like that.

‘And then you’d have directors manhandling you and feeling uncomfortable… to be told that I couldn’t take control myself was the biggest kick in the teeth.’

Former Hollyoaks stars Lucy-Jo Hudson and Owen Warner have reunited for a new project.

The two played mother and son Donna-Marie Quinn and Romeo Nightingale in the Channel 4 soap, first arriving in 2018.

Lucy-Jo left the show in September 2023, when the character decided to depart the village for rehab, fearing that her addiction issues would destroy her relationship with her children.

Six months later, Owen made his exit – on horseback (yes, really) – after escaping prison on a murder charge.

Ironically, the character that Romeo murdered is played by Owen’s real life girlfriend Jemma Donovan.

Now he’s working on a top secret new project, that he has penned himself.

While exact details are yet to be released, we do know that he will be starring in the short film, and reuniting with his on-screen mum Lucy-Jo.

The 41 year old actress, who found fame as Coronation Street’s Katy Harris, has shared a number of snaps of them filming ‘something special’ together.

‘Back filming something special with @_owenwarner’ she wrote on Instagram.

‘We haven’t worked together for a couple of years now…. But yesterday we were back on location shooting a short film that Owen has written himself

‘I cannot wait to show you all…. But I have a few [behind the scenes] for you to check out…. 

‘Do you have any idea what it’s about?’

The photos show the two sat on some decking in a wooded area, with other pictures seeming to show them wearing lab coats in a photography studio.

A clapperboard has revealed that the film is titled ‘Goodb.Ai’, suggesting that it may centre around artificial intelligence.

Owen shared his love for Lucy-Jo, commenting: ‘You smashed it as per usual, it was amazing to work together again.’

Jemma Donovan added a number of love heart emojis, with Lucy replying: ‘So lovely to see you Jem.’

Liberty Savage star Jessamy Stoddart added: ‘Obsessed.’

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Hollyoaks fans have been speculating the whereabouts of Dodger Savage (Danny Mac) following his return to screens earlier this year.

Viewers of the Channel 4 soap went into meltdown late last year upon confirmation that the fan-favourite would be staging a comeback after a decade.

On reprising the role that made him a household name, Danny Mac said at the time: ‘After a decade away, I’m thrilled to be returning and reuniting with my incredible co-stars, old friends and a character very close to my heart.’

Dodger made his on-screen return in January, where it was revealed that he’d been working undercover as a cop as part of a secret investigation – which is directly tied to the ongoing child exploitation storyline.

Believing him to be a villain, Donny Clarke (Louis Emerick) hauled him in for questioning, where Dodger confirmed his status as an undercover cop.

After a number of brief, sporadic appearances – including a short-lived revisitation of his romance with Maxine Minniver (Nikki Sanderson) – Dodger vanished from our screens, which has left fans convinced that we’ve seen the last of him already.

‘Where’s Dodger gone,’ said fan Roscoe Barnes on X, formerly known as Twitter, while fellow user @Lovesoapsntv wrote: ‘Is dodger even there. I saw him for 2 seconds and that’s it.’

Dodger, however, isn’t going anywhere, nor has star Danny Mac left. Metro understands that he will return to screens soon and his lack of appearances thus far is likely due to the undercover nature of his job and as the exploitation story gets underway.

As viewers know, the narrative in question escalated dramatically this past week, as Grace Black (Tamara Wall) and Rex Gallagher (Jonny Labey) groomed Frankie Osborne (Isabelle Smith) and Dillon Ray (Nathaniel Dass).

With the storyline now officially set in motion, it’s only a matter of time before Dodger is back on our screens.

And there will be lots of material for star Danny to get his teeth into as, in addition to the police investigation, there’s a whole new chapter to the Blake dynasty that Dodger is yet to be privy to.

Jez (Jeremy Sheffield), as viewers know, was confirmed to be Sienna Blake’s (Anna Passey) biological father last year, which means that he is also Dodger’s.

There’s also the fact that Jez is a serial killer! Sienna, as fans will recall, spotted Dodger in the village two months ago after his brief return, and she desperately wanted to reconnect with him after she was forced by Jez to cover up the murder of her beloved cousin Dilly Harcourt (Emma Johnsey-Smith).

So there is a lot for Dodger to piece together. Danny hinted that it would be quite some time before the Blake dynamic was revisited on his part when Metro chatted to him earlier in the year.

‘In terms of my filming, that moment hasn’t happened,’ he told us. ‘I did some filming at the end of last year and I’ll be jumping back in within a few weeks. I really don’t know, I’m as excited and intrigued as everybody else.

Dodger, as viewers know, has avoided making contact with his loved ones due to his undercover duties, with the exception of Maxine.

So fans can expect drama aplenty when he stages his return!

Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 6am on Channel 4’s streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4.

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Real-life soap couple Nikki Sanderson and Anthony Quinlan have enjoyed a loved-up holiday together after she announced she would be leaving Hollyoaks. 

Last month, the actress shocked fans when she revealed she’d quit her role as Maxine Minniver in the Channel 4 soap. 

She later jetted off on a romantic getaway with boyfriend Anthony, who shot to fame as Gilly Roach on Hollyoaks between 2005 and 2011 – though the two didn’t cross paths on the soap as he’d departed for pastures new by the time Nikki had landed her role.

The couple, who first went public with their relationship in 2022, both shared a carousel of pictures of their trip to Cyprus on Instagram. 

Anthony, who is also known for his role as Pete Barton in Emmerdale, wrote: ‘Spent a week living our best lives… eating, relaxing, and pretending we don’t have responsibilities. 

‘Fully recharged but want to go back!’

Nikki commented: ‘The BEST time with you… always ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️.’

Earlier this month, Nikki opened up about her decision to leave Hollyoaks after 12 years, revealing it was an ‘incredibly difficult’ decision to walk away. 

‘Maxine is a huge, huge part of my life – and a part of my life that I’ve loved,’ she said. 

‘It’s difficult to think, “It’s time”, and it wasn’t an instant or overnight decision, it took me a long time to make it and it was something I genuinely fought with myself about, but I’m lucky that I could talk to people around me and get people’s opinions.

‘I’m grateful that I’ve had the stability for so long, now I’ve just got to embrace the instability of not knowing what’s next.’

Speaking to OK! Magazine, Nikki said that her recent 40th birthday played a part in her decision. 

She said: ‘I know I’m older, and time is going fast, but I want to embrace it and be excited about my forties. 

‘I’m more confident and comfortable in myself than I used to be, and I want to make the most of whatever exciting things might come my way.’

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Hollyoaks fans have branded Grace Black (Tamara Wall) ‘irredeemable’ after she groomed vulnerable teens Frankie Osborne (Isabelle Smith) and Dillon Ray (Nathaniel Dass) as part of her child exploitation operation.

The gangster returned to her villainous roots last year, taking control of the human trafficking racket after Freddie Roscoe (Charlie Clapham) left her for Mercedes McQueen (Jennifer Metcalfe).

The storyline took another dark turn when she proceeded to target Frankie – her own niece through marriage – branding her ‘perfect’ for the operation due to her vulnerability after the abuse she suffered at the hands of twin brother JJ (Ryan Mulvey).

Grace wasted little time in gaslighting the teen, with unsettling scenes this week seeing her encourage a concerned Frankie to have sex with men in exchange for money, manipulating her into thinking it would help her take back control after her ordeal.

While Grace is no stranger to criminality and ruthlessness, her humanity has previously outweighed her villainy, thus fans reckon she’s gone too far this time – and is now past the point of redemption.

X/Twitter user Roscoe Barnes wrote: ‘Incredibly dark episode tonight. Surely there’s no way back now for Grace and Rex (who is more complex than I even thought after his confession to Ste).’

Fellow social media user Maria echoed such a sentiment, writing: ‘Grace can’t be redeemed. She’s legit manipulating a vulnerable 17 year old into thinking she needs to do this to take her power back after being sexually abused. She’s legit profiting off it.’

Tasha Louise, meanwhile, shared a classic picture of Grace Black, writing: ‘I want this Grace back, she’s always been a baddie but I’m so gutted they’ve made her character irredeemable this way.

Michelle concurred with such a statement, writing: ‘The old grace would never do this to frankie after supporting her through her ordeal with JJ.’

Danny added: ‘This episode made me feel sick for Dillon and Frankie. Leave my poor babies alone. And honestly are we supposed to just accept that this is Grace now?????’

Discussing Grace’s gaslighting, actress Isabelle Smith – who plays Frankie – told Metro: ‘[Frankie] does kind of trust Grace. She’s had some decent one on one chats with her. She’s basically her auntie, so I think that Frankie thinks she’s in safe hands.

‘You would do, you wouldn’t even question it and the kind of gaslighting situations that are going on are making Frankie think that it’s all her idea and she wants to do this and she wants to go down this path.

‘I think that’s hard for the audience to maybe get their heads around but I think it’ll make sense in the end.’

Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 6am on Channel 4’s streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4.

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Hollyoaks spoilers follow for Wednesday’s (March 19) episode that is now available to view on Channel 4 streaming. The episode in question will air on E4 on at 7pm.

Grace Black (Tamara Wall) provided Frankie Osborne (Isabelle Smith) and Dillon Ray (Nathaniel Dass) with drugs and encouraged them to have sex with her party-goers as part of her ongoing child exploration operation.

The former nightclub owner is overseeing said operation with DI Banks and brother Rex Gallagher (Jonny Labey), with the latter having groomed Dillon into carrying out illegal activities for him.

Frankie, meanwhile, was deemed ‘perfect’ by Grace in bone-chilling scenes earlier this year, with the gangster intent on using what the teen has been through in the past two years to groom her.

After successfully keeping Frankie apart from dad Darren (Ashley Taylor Dawson), Grace invited her and Dillon to a party, branding the former the guest of honour.

Frankie was excited, as was Dillon, unaware of what awaited for them when they turned up at the venue. Upon arrival, Grace gave them drugs and encouraged them to let off some steam as they mingled with the partygoers.

Dillon, however, soon worked out what was going on after he crossed paths with Cooper – who previously paid Rex to sleep with the teen.

Armed with newfound knowledge, Dillon confronted Grace, who used the opportunity to manipulate Frankie further into her web.

”You’re at a party, you’re laughing, you’re having fun’, said Grace to Fankie, determined to get her on side – no matter what it took.

‘You’re not the scared little girl you were yesterday. I thought that’s what you wanted?’.

Using her ordeal at the hands of abusive brother JJ (Ryan Mulvey), Grace claimed that sleeping with men for money would allow Frankie the chance to ‘enjoy being with a man consensually for the first time’.

Frankie came away from the conversation believing that Grace was being nice, unaware that the gangster was grooming her.

Dillon wasn’t sold on the plan but – with Grace’s words in her head – Frankie believed that she was ‘finally in control’ as she took a party-goer’s hand and led him to another room.

Dillon, meanwhile, was led away to another room by Cooper, who was keen to spend another night with him. Grace looked on with glee in sinister scenes.

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Dillon Ray (Nathaniel Dass) makes a huge discovery in upcoming Hollyoaks scenes and before he and Frankie Osborne (Isabelle Smith) have the chance to process it, they find themselves on the cusp of making another.

The teens, as viewers know, are being groomed by Grace Black (Tamara Wall) and Rex Gallagher (Jonny Labey) as part of the former’s child exploitation operation.

Grace upped the ante earlier this week, determined to get Frankie on side after branding her ‘perfect’ for the operation due to the ordeal she suffered at the hands of twin brother JJ (Ryan Mulvey) last year.

Unaware of Grace’s true intentions, Frankie was appreciative of the gangster’s advice, believing she had her best intentions at heart.

Grace subsequently invited Frankie and Dillon to a party, much to the teens’ delight, but little do they know what’s in store for them.

Wednesday’s (March 19) edition of the Channel 4 soap – which will be available to stream from 6am or airs on E4 at 7pm – sees Frankie and Dillon arrive at the venue, excited for a good night.

But the above clip, taken from the episode in question, sees Dillon come to realise what Grace is really up to as he discovers that Cooper – the man he slept with previously – paid Rex to have sex with him.

The news knocks Dillon for six and thus he wastes little time in seeking out Frankie, taking her to a quiet location in the house to fill her in on what he’s learned.

Their conversation, however, is interrupted by screams from inside one of the rooms nearby. In an unexpected twist, Robbie Roscoe (Charlie Wenrham) is seen tied up and screaming at the top of his lungs, desperate to be freed.

Robbie, as viewers will recall, was thought to have been disposed of by Grace after she came to believe that he was a mole working to take down her operation.

Will Frankie and Dillon successfully free Robbie?

Either way, will the teens find a way out of this situation? Now that Dillon has put two and two together, will he confront Rex and Grace?

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Lucas Hay (Oscar Curtis) is keen to check in on Dillon Ray (Nathaniel Dass) in Hollyoaks next week following their split but Rex Gallagher (Jonny Labey) is quick to deter him.

Dillon, as viewers know, has been targeted by Rex, who is manipulating and grooming him on behalf of Grace Black (Tamara Wall), who is running a child exploitation operation within the village.

Lucas struggled to sit by and watch Dillon be lured into a life of crime and thus he urged his boyfriend to stay away from Rex, reiterating that the gangster cannot be trusted.

Things spiralled earlier this month when Lucas was rushed to hospital after taking drugs, with Dillon leaving him outside the hospital when he needed him the most.

Heartbroken, Lucas called things off and moved back in with Ste (Kieron Richardson), but he was left reeling when he discovered that his dad was romantically involved with sinister Rex.

Despite his reservations, Lucas told Ste that he doesn’t have any objections to him pursing a relationship with Rex – but it’s clear that the teen is still wary of the gangster.

And despite cutting ties with Dillon, Lucas struggles to stay away, knowing that his former boyfriend is still under Rex’s spell.

Next week, he is worried about Dillon and, getting wind of his concerns, Rex does his utmost to deter the teen from reaching out, successfully doing so.

The question is: just how long with Rex be able to keep Lucas at bay?

Oscar Curtis, who plays Lucas, previously told me that Lucas will continue to keep an eye on Dillon from afar – even though they’re not together any more – so it’s safe to assume that Rex’s card is marked.

‘Ultimately Lucas wants the best for Dillon’, said Oscar in our exclusive chat last week. ‘And he sees Rex as the issue. 

‘[Looking out for each other] is something that will always happen. For both Dillon and Lucas, it’s always going to be that one ex you can’t get over. Or you know that one relationship where they’re always breaking up and getting back together? It feels like that.’

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Sienna Blake (Anna Passey) is rushed to hospital in Hollyoaks next week after she collapses in the village.

The former high school teacher is on cloud nine in scenes currently on screens as she explores a future with Cleo McQueen (Nadine Mulkerrin), following their unexpected kiss last month.

The romance hasn’t quite received a seal of approval from their loved ones, with Jez (Jeremy Sheffield) concerned about his daughter’s closeness with Cleo.

Martha (Sherrie Hewson) displays similar doubts and upcoming scenes will see her and Myra McQueen (Nicole Barber-Lane) interrupt Cleo and Sienna’s date at The Hutch to voice their concerns.

What happens in the immediate aftermath remains to be seen but it seems Sienna isn’t letting the unwanted advice stop her from making her own decisions as she spontaneously surprises Cleo by booking flights to join her in Bali.

Cleo, as viewers know, is intent on going to Bali with Peri Lomax (Ruby O’Donnell), with the two having planned the holiday last week.

Peri isn’t pleased about Sienna’s decision to join them and thus she has a word with Cleo, asking whether or not the florist can really be trusted.

Martha, meanwhile, pleads with Sienna to call things off with Cleo, anxious that she might let slip about the family’s murderous secrets.

Will she do as Martha asks? Or will Sienna stick to her guns and do what is right for her?

The jury is still out on that one but what we can tell you is that Sienna subsequently collapses – and she’s unable to get back up.

The show legend screams for help, with Joel Dexter (Rory Douglas-Speed) rushing to her aid while Martha and Liberty Savage (Jessamy Stoddart) are horrified to see Sienna being loaded onto an ambulance stretcher.

Will Sienna be okay? And just what has happened?

Later in the week, Sienna is up walking and ready to be discharged, with Jez and Martha sighing in relief. But Sienna isn’t quite as optimistic as she admits that she’s scared of what the future holds.

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Hollyoaks has shed some light on Tommy Odenkirk’s (Brandon Fellows) true identity and what he’s really up to after fans suspected a big twist regarding the character’s motives.

The therapist, as viewers know, has been seeing a number of residents in a supposedly professional capacity since rocking up in the eponymous village earlier this month.

Leela Dexter (Kirsty-Leigh Porter) is among his clients, with the firefighter having decided to seek some emotional help and guidance in the wake of her rape ordeal last year.

But it soon became apparent that there was much more to Tommy than meets the eye, with the newcomer swiftly becoming the subject of fan speculation after he attempted to kiss Leela during one of their sessions.

At first, it seemed like he was trying to drive a wedge between her and husband Joel Dexter (Rory Douglas-Speed) in a bid to win her affection but a big twist at the close of Monday’s (March 17) episode confirmed that it’s not actually Leela that Tommy is obsessed with – it’s Joel.

Fans can expect more to be revealed in the upcoming flashback episode that will explore the events of the ‘missing’ year.

You needn’t wait until then to get some answers, however, as Metro caught up with actor Brandon Fellows for a debrief following that chilling cliffhanger to discuss all-things Tommy and his motives.

Hi Brandon! By the time this chat goes out it will have been revealed that Tommy isn’t who he says he is and he’s got an obsession with Joel. What is going on?

We saw Tommy come on to Leela in the session [last week], and after that the audience will be thinking: ‘Why has he done that?’ It’s a ‘Tommy-wanting-to-see-what-Joel-has’ sort of thing. It’s revealed that behind a cupboard is a collage of photos of Joel and there’s a chicken shop outfit.

Tommy has two alter egos. He has his therapy attire but we find out he has a double life and is working in a chicken shop. And then it’s revealed that it’s Joel who he’s obsessed with and he’s been creating this collage of photos of him that he’s been working on for god knows how long.

So he’s not an actual therapist?

He’s not a proper therapist! He’s been struck off due to gross misconduct previously. He was a therapist before but he’s practising therapy now when he shouldn’t be practising. He’s not a real therapist. He shouldn’t be doing it at all.

You get to see the mask drop and you get to see the real Tommy [in these scenes]. And there is a badge with another name – he has a completely different identity.

How much did you know about Tommy’s story when you landed the part?

I didn’t really know much, to be honest. I knew that he was a therapist and I knew it was going into a different direction. You get a character breakdown when you audition, but with soaps the scripts are always changing. Of course the storyline’s always been there, but when you audition they keep everything very quiet, on the down-low. 

I did a screen test with Kirsty-Leigh Porter for my final round audition and even in the audition process they changed it from Leela to another name. It’s all kept very under wraps until you get the job. 

The ‘not knowing’ of it all – did that help you get into character since Tommy himself was also harbouring a secret?

It really did. And now knowing Tommy’s back-story… we’ll eventually find out the reason for his obsession, which I’m really excited for the audience to see.

When we first meet Tommy he’s very lonely and he doesn’t have anybody. Even in his flat it’s so minimalistic, there’s no love there. The audience will notice the flat is very bare, there’s not a flower in sight.

How do you think the fans will react to Tommy and what’s to come?

They are going to love to hate Tommy. One hundred percent. I think they are going to potentially feel sorry for him in certain moments, but that will quickly shift when they realise some of the stuff he is doing is completely wrong. He shouldn’t be doing the things that he’s doing. It’s going to be interesting to see that stuff play out.

Should fans be worried for Joel?

That is a good question! [laughs]. Tommy I don’t think sees it like that, definitely not. But the audience will a hundred percent be worried for Joel, I think. Tommy definitely has his manipulative techniques to get what he wants. Working with Jez as well … everybody knows what Jez is like as a character and what he does. Tommy works with Jez to manipulate and get what he wants, really. 

You mentioned Tommy and Jez – can you tell me anything more about that dynamic?

I cannot wait for the audience to see it. Those two characters are as strange as each other. They’re both weird and sinister – and with the manipulative thing, Tommy gives Jez a good run for his money, that’s what I will say!

The audience will definitely see that facade slip with Tommy and the mask drops. Tommy is very manipulative in everything that he does and as the episodes go on you’ll see that he is doing what he can to get what he wants – which is Joel. 

What’s it been like working so closely with Kirsty-Leigh Porter and Rory Douglas-Speed on this story?

They’re an absolutely brilliant duo to work with. They are lovely and they’ve made me feel so welcomed. Working with two actors who’ve been in the show for such a long time, I couldn’t have asked for two better actors to join Hollyoaks with. They’re brilliant!

Leela and Joel have become such a fan favourite couple over the past year. Do you expect some backlash from the fans if Tommy comes between them?

One hundred percent, I am prepared! [laughs]. That is going to be an interesting one to see the how the audience reacts. But it’s always fun playing a baddy! [laughs].

Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 6am on Channel 4’s streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4.

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Hollyoaks spoilers follow for Monday’s (March 17) episode that is now available to view on Channel 4 streaming. The episode in question will air on E4 on at 7pm.

Mercedes McQueen (Jennifer Metcalfe) was left in tears as Cleo (Nadine Mulkerrin) shared some news about her cancer treatment, confirming that the chemo is working.

The former landlady of The Dog In The Pond, as viewers know, was diagnosed with bowel cancer during the ‘missing’ year and has been receiving treatment for months.

It’s been a tough journey, with Mercedes believing that she wouldn’t see her beloved twins grow up.

This ultimately informed her decision to take the blame for the murder of Abe Fielding (Tyler Conti) as she hoped it would spare cousin Cleo – who was prime suspect at the time – of spending her life in prison.

Abe’s real killer was none other than Jez Blake (Jeremy Sheffield), who has claimed the lives of countless others over the years.

Grace Black (Tamara Wall), however, subsequently shot his dead body when she found him in the woods, planting the gun she used on Mercedes, setting her up for the crime.

But Monday’s offering of the Channel 4 soap has changed the game significantly, with Cleo left reeling when Peri Lomax (Ruby O’Donnell) looked at Mercedes’ blood results – and confirmed it’s good news.

Cleo shared the update with Mercedes, who broke down in tears with relief, with Jennifer Metcalfe delivering yet another powerhouse performance in the process.

Mercedes, however, soon realised that she needs to do whatever it takes to secure her freedom now that she stands a fighting chance of beating the cancer.

Metro isn’t going to give away what her next move entails as you’ll just have to watch the episode to find out, but the outing of the long-running soap contains a number of big twists across various storylines, so it’s definitely one to watch.

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Former Hollyoaks star David Ames has revealed that he had to make an emergency hospital dash after waking up in extreme pain.

The actor, 41, played twisted headmaster Carter Shepherd on the Channel 4 soap for a year prior to his exit in 2024.

The sinister character got his comeuppance after kidnapping John Paul McQueen (James Sutton) and attempting to baptise him in a murky lake.

JP was previously in a secret relationship with Carter, who was repressing his sexuality and practising conversion therapy on students Lucas Hay (Oscar Curtis) – who was coming to terms with the fact he is gay – and Ro Hutchinson (Ava Webster), who had told his parents he is trans.

After subjecting poor Lucas to months of wicked ideologies, his actions were exposed during Pride week when he attempted to abduct the teen.

Despite being arrested, he was hellbent on revenge, and employed one of his cronies to bundle John Paul into the back of a van.

David – who is no stranger to soapland having portrayed Dominic Copeland in Holby City for eleven years – shared the news of his ill health on Instagram yesterday.

‘Waking up in absolute agony with possible kidney stones is not how I planned to start my day’ he wrote, alongside a picture of his arm hooked up to a number of tubes.

‘But here we are.’

In a further snap, he seemed in good spirits as he shared a picture of some water soluble lubricating jelly and joked: ‘Didn’t even buy me a drink…’

Later, he thanked fans for supporting his fundraiser in memory of friend Allison and charity Breast Cancer Now, ahead of running this year’s London Marathon.

‘I’m so moved by your messages of support and donations’ he said.

‘Thank you from the bottom of my heart.’

Last year, upon his ‘Oaks exit, he thanked co-stars and crew for their support over his 12 month stint – and praised the soap’s writers for tackling conversion therapy.

‘Just over a year ago, I was approached to have a meeting about playing Carter Shepherd in Hollyoaks’ he began.

‘I was informed he would be a troubled character and that over the course of 12 months, he would become darker, more sinister and ultimately a big ol’ villain.

‘We took on the controversial subject of conversion therapy. Something our present Conservative government STILL have yet to ban.

‘A heinous, damaging practice of using religion, pseudo-psychology and other questionable ‘therapies’ to attempt to reprogram someone, specifically those in the LGBTQ+ community.

‘This is quite a feat in a soap as the subject is so nuanced and heavy. But I’m incredibly proud of what we managed to achieve.’

He concluded: ‘Thank you to everyone at Hollyoaks for being a welcoming environment from the start. [Executive producers] Hannah, Angelo and everyone at the helm. Costume, makeup, art dept, everyone!

‘I had a blast and I miss working with you all.’

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Hollyoaks has paid tribute to legendary Nana McQueen star Diane Langton following her death at the age of 78.

The actress, known for her roles in Hollyoaks and Heartbeat, played Marlena ‘Nana’ McQueen for 18 years, becoming one of the Channel 4 soap’s most loved characters in the process.

Nana was last seen on our screens at Christmas time when she paid a visit to the village with daughter Myra (Nicole Barber-Lane) to see Mercedes (Jennifer Metcalfe) in the wake of her bowel cancer diagnosis.

The much-loved matriarch was at the centre of Wednesday’s (March 12) edition of the E4 serial, which can be streamed now on the broadcaster’s online service, which featured a heartfelt tribute to her.

The episode in question very much centred on the McQueen clan, who staged an intervention to save Mercedes after she confessed to the murder of Abe Fielding (Tyler Conti) in a bid to keep Cleo (Nadine Mulkerrin) out of prison.

Myra arrived back in the village to try make Mercy reconsider, with John Paul (James Sutton) adamant that Nana couldn’t lose another granddaughter.

Speaking of John Paul, the deputy head teacher subsequently got engaged to Jez (Jeremy Sheffield) and shortly afterwards he received a phone call from Nana, who could be heard celebrating his good news.

As the credits rolled on the instalment, a special post-credit sequence – the first since the show was reduced in length in September – paid tribute to the beloved cast member, with a number of images of the star as Nana in all her glitzy glory, doing what she does best in lighting up the screen.

The sequence was accompanied by a rendition of Somewhere Over The Rainbow and a few archival lines of dialogue from the lady herself.

‘I love living with you all,’ she could be heard saying, no doubt about her beloved McQueens. ‘I love this silly little village. I’ve had some of my best catfights out there. I love you sweetheart, I always will. Love Nana’.

The matriarch’s signature laugh could be heard as a touching message from the soap itself appeared on the screen, which read: ‘In loving memory of Diane Langton.’

‘Night night Di. Forever in our hearts’.

Replacing the usual final shot of The Dog in The Pond, Hollyoaks opted instead for a leopard print backdrop in tribute of Nana’s signature style.

Always on hand to offer advice to those who needed it the most, Nana’s heart of gold and kind demeanour proved pivotal in shaping the McQueens into the iconic clan they are today and, though her presence will be missed, her impact and legacy will live on.

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Hollyoaks spoilers follow for Wednesday’s (March 12) episode that is now available to view on Channel 4 streaming. The episode in question will air on E4 on at 7pm.

Leela Dexter (Kirsty-Leigh Porter) was left devastated to discover that a video of her rape ordeal – recorded by rapist Abe Fielding (Tyler Conti) – was being circulated around the village.

The discovery came just moments after she patched things up with Joel Dexter (Rory Douglas-Speed) after fearing that he was starting to fall for ex Cleo McQueen (Nadine Mulkerrin) once again.

Leela confided these fears in new therapist Tommy Odenkirk (Brandon Fellows), who she’s been seeing in the wake of her ordeal.

Tommy, however, misread the signals earlier this week and went in for a kiss.

Wednesday’s (March 11) edition of the Channel 4 soap saw him apologise for his actions but Leela wasn’t interested, berating him for betraying her trust.

Leela subsequently told Joel about her decision to see a therapist, with her partner proud that she sought help when she needed it.

But things took an unexpected and devastating turn later in the evening, with Leela receiving word that the video Abe captured of her ordeal had been sent to everyone in the village.

The question is: just who is responsible?

Leela, as viewers know, was raped by Abe during the ‘missing’ year. The ordeal came to light last year after she confided in Mercedes (Jennifer Metcalfe).

Abe subsequently revealed that he raped Leela during a livestream online, with Joel horrified to learn what his brother had done to Leela.

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Hollyoaks actor and reality TV star Paul Danan died at his Bristol home from a cocktail of drugs including cocaine and heroin, an inquest opening has heard.

The actor, known for his role as Sol Patrick in the show, died at the age of 46 in January.

His management confirmed the news in a statement, writing at the time: ‘It is with heavy hearts that we share the tragic news of the passing of @pauldanan at just 46 years old.

‘Known for his television presence, exceptional talent, and unwavering kindness, Paul was a beacon of light to so many. His untimely departure will leave irreplaceable voids in the lives of all who knew him.’

‘During this difficult time, we kindly request respect and privacy for Paul’s family, friends, and colleagues. No further comments will be made at this time.’

An inquest into Paul’s death was opened and adjourned on Tuesday morning at Avon’s Coroner’s Court.

Coroner’s officer Alexis Camp told the hearing that the actor was pronounced dead at his home in Bristol, on January 15, at 5:20pm.

His body was identified by his partner, Melissa Crooks.

Alexis Camp stated: ‘The circumstances are that Mr Danan was found unresponsive at his home address. Emergency services attended and confirmed he had sadly died. A post-mortem has taken place and samples have been removed for further analysis.’

The court heard that the provisional cause of his death is a combined toxicity of heroin, methadone, codeine, pregabalin, cocaine, zopiclone, contributed to by benzodiazepine use.

Ms Camp added: ‘I understand there are no family concerns’.

She also said that statements will be taken from Paul’s GP, police, his family, the ambulance service, and inquiries are ongoing with Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust.

‘No note was left’, she said.

The coroner also set a provisional date of May 28 for the full inquest hearing.

Paul had opened up about his battle with drug and alcohol addiction on a number of occasions, but had previously said that he had been clean for more than three years.

Last year he revealed that he had to receive CPR in a touch-and-go moment.

Recalling the events, Paul previously said: ‘I’m upstairs, puffing away on my vape, then suddenly I lost my breath and collapsed.

‘My family called for an ambulance and started giving me CPR, then police arrived and took over before paramedics took me to hospital.

‘I was on a machine in ICU and ended up with pneumonia. My family were warned I might not make it through the night. I’m so lucky.’

Hollyoaks fans have been watching in horror as vicious predator Grace Black (Tamara Wall) has been grooming youngsters into a child sex exploitation racket – including her own ‘niece’ Frankie Osborne.

Recovering after the trial of her brother JJ, who sexually abused her for years in secret, Frankie is particularly vulnerable, which is what has made her a prime target for Grace and her fellow groomers.

Isabelle Smith, the talented and award-winning actress behind Frankie, has told Metro that things are only about to get worse.

Grace twists the screws once more at a party she invites Frankie and Dillon (Nathaniel Dass) to, looping them into dangerous situations, with viewers learning the true extent and reach of her evil ring.

But it’s just the beginning, warns Isabelle, as she explains to me what comes next and reflects on her recent journey of playing long-suffering Frankie.

How did you feel when you were told about this storyline?

I felt incredibly grateful that I was being trusted with another topic of conversation storyline. It’s something we haven’t done before and something that needs to be spoken about.

It is still leading on from the SSA storyline where we’re showing the exploitation side and the grooming side of these survivors that can be perceived as more vulnerable in society. I was apprehensive at first to take on another big storyline, but very privileged.

Frankie is vulnerable and these are the kind of people that they target, isn’t it?

I did a lot of research with Hannah [Cheers], our executive producer and we went to a Channel 4 event which was also partnering with the NSPCC and we were speaking to some of the police commissioners there and they were saying how important a storyline like this is, because after the trial has finished there’s no support for survivors.

Especially for somebody as young as Frankie, you feel like you don’t know where to turn. Quite a lot of the time their vulnerability can get taken advantage of and they can head down the wrong path, so I think it was really important for us to show that the effects of what had happened to her were still present.

We wanted to show that side of it rather than just leave it there and forget anything had ever happened.

Did you learn a lot from your research? It must have been quite harrowing at times.

Massively, and it some cases it can be quite upsetting as well, which is why I’m so fortunate that I’ve got such a good support team here at Hollyoaks and in my own family as well.

I continue to do my research and still work with the charity SARSAS, who I’ve worked with from the beginning.

Hearing survivors speak their truths and their stories is so impactful and that is the reason we’re doing this story. Speaking to them makes me want to succeed in this storyline even more.

Hollyoaks makes sure you always feel safe and comfortable doing stories like this?

Definitely. I’ve got so much support, from the channel, from production, from digital, from press, from everybody. And also from the cast. I know Tam [Tamara Wall] is playing a baddie but we have the best working relationship, inside and outside of work, so we support each other.

There’s a lot of gaslighting and manipulation from Tam’s character Grace. What kind of relationship does Frankie have with her?

I think Frankie has trust issues from childhood and I think she’s never been able to know who she can fully trust.

Coming into her dad’s life and them having a rocky relationship at the start, she’s learning who to trust and who is her friend but she’s still struggling a little bit and I think her vulnerability is being taken advantage of a little bit here.

She does kind of trust Grace. She’s had some decent one on one chats with her. She’s basically her auntie, so I think that Frankie thinks she’s in safe hands.

You would do, you wouldn’t even question it and the kind of gaslighting situations that are going on are making Frankie think that it’s all her idea and she wants to do this and she wants to go down this path. I think that’s hard for the audience to maybe get their heads around but I think it’ll make sense in the end.

Do you feel it’s important that the viewers are on board with this being an authentic thing to happen?

Massively. This whole storyline is completely charity-led. The writing team have done all their research, we’ve researched playing these characters and I really do think this is as close to the truth as we’re allowed to show before 9PM on Channel 4!

This Is Not Right

On November 25, 2024 Metro launched This Is Not Right, a year-long campaign to address the relentless epidemic of violence against women.

With the help of our partners at Women's Aid, This Is Not Right aims to shine a light on the sheer scale of this national emergency.

You can find more articles here, and if you want to share your story with us, you can send us an email at vaw@metro.co.uk.

Read more:

• Introducing This Is Not Right: Metro's year-long violence against women campaign
• Remembering the women killed by men in 2024

This is, sadly, the reality of some children in the UK and if we’re not going to put it on the screen people are never going to be aware of it.

There are a lot of layers to this story, with characters like Jacob being victims but also made to be perpetrators…

It took me a while to get my head around everything and understand the aspect of the grooming gang and the layers and hierarchies that are within that. Ultimately it’s an important story that we need to tell.

Can you talk about her decision to move out of Darren’s?

Ultimately the people grooming Frankie want to drive a wedge between her and her family, which is common in these situations. They try and get you away from people you feel close to and people you feel safe with and get you into a false sense of security where you think you can have anything you want and do anything you want.

You get offered drugs and it becomes this kind of cycle that you get yourself into and becomes your normal routine. Because everybody around you is doing that you just think it’s normal and cool and fun. You’re having a good time at first and then it starts taking a more sinister turn and you realise you’ve not got your family around you any more and you haven’t seen them in weeks and you don’t even feel like you can go back and speak to them, because what would you say?

You’ve gone AWOL for however many weeks. That’s what the groomers want to happen to you. They want you to become even more vulnerable than you already are so that it’s easier for them.

I think that it is easy for Frankie to come away from Darren because of the whole thing she thinks has happened with him and Kat. She’s solely led on the fact that he’s betrayed Nancy, who’s her mother figure and who she really respects.

She can’t bring herself to go back in that house and be near him and all the destruction that’s going on at home, so she is turning to drink and drugs and she’s kind of fallen into the trap, really.

Grace tries to sell this to Frankie as a lifestyle. This is the point where Frankie falls deeper into it, isn’t it?

She definitely falls deeper into it after having that conversation with Grace. Grace is somebody she looks up to. She’s a strong, independent female, everything that Frankie hopes to be.

And at the end of the day it’s her auntie. If my auntie said something to me I’d have no reason to believe it wasn’t true. I think Frankie is really falling deeper and deeper.

It’s just not wanting to let her down, as well. She wants to impress her. She feels a little bit pressured but at the same time Grace it’s made out like it’s Frankie’s decision in the end. That gaslighting that we’re seeing at the start of the storyline definitely carries on all the way through and Frankie falls victim to that.

We discover that the scale of this is a lot bigger than Frankie realises and involves more people than just her and Dillon.

It’s definitely a scary situation that they’ve got themselves into and they’re going to find it quite tricky to remove themselves from that. The wider scale that we wanted to show is just how horrific these rings are but it does happen, unfortunately.

We see it starting off on a small scale, when Frankie and Dillon are drinking and taking drugs and having parties and then it really does get a little bit out of control.

How important is it that this story plays out over a longer timeframe?

When I took this storyline on I was specific that I wanted to work with the charities and make sure that young females out there who could relate to Frankie’s SSA storyline still felt they were supported.

We did a lot of work behind the scenes to ensure that if you think something that is happening to Frankie and Dillon might be happening to you or somebody you know, there is support and help available. We’re working really closely with charities to make sure this doesn’t happen to anybody else.

How do you prepare for the very heavy and intense scenes you’ve been involved in?

We get scripts maybe two or three weeks in advance. I always read everything, action my scripts, thinking about my objective in the scene and my overall objective in the episode. Then I leave it, because I’ve done my prep, I’ve done the work.

Then the night before – because you can’t learn anything longer than the night before because things change and things happen – because I’ve done my prep the lines go into my head, fortunately quite easily.

When I get on to set I’ve got my back story of what I want to do and then I let Frankie’s raw emotion take over. Just from what I know about the victims and survivors and through working with the charity, I’ve got all of that in the background so I’m able to let whatever comes out in the moment come out.

How do you wind down when you’re not working?

Away from work I like to annoy my boyfriend! And just drop in on my family unannounced when they’re all working from home. In the week all my friends have nine to five jobs.

My other best friend is on Corrie so our schedules never line up so I drop in unannounced on family members working from home. I like to walk, I like to read. I’ve got a new cat that I rescued, so I’m spending lots of time with him at the moment.

He’s called Toad because he’s got massive cheeks. The shelter named him, but when we saw him we thought we can not change that name, it’s the best name ever! And I’ve just decided to redecorate my apartment so I’m keeping busy! I can’t sit still, I have to be doing something at all times.

Do you still have pinch-me moments when you realise the sort of impact your storyline has had?

It is quite overwhelming for me sometimes because I think when I started Hollyoaks I was literally working in a supermarket. To fast forward a year and however many months, I’ve been nominated for all the insane awards against amazing other actors and been lucky enough to win some is alien to me.

We’ve had a massive impact on the charity – from the first episode until now the amount of people who rang in to report their abusers is insane and I feel so incredibly proud that I’ve been able to give these survivors a voice. I still have people messaging me now saying ‘Thanks to you I’ve been able to come forward.’

I read every single message that I get and the lovely people who write me letters at work, I reply to them and to know what impact I’ve had on someone’s life is beyond anything I ever could have wanted as an actor. It’s a very nice feeling.

Word of Sienna Blake’s (Anna Passey) and Cleo McQueen’s (Nadine Mulkerrin) romance spreads in Hollyoaks and not everyone is over the moon about it, with questions asked by confused villagers.

Unexpected sparks flew between the two women last month after Sienna provided the perfect safe space and advice for Cleo in the wake of her ordeal at Abe Fielding’s (Tyler Conti) hands.

Sienna subsequently headed off on a half-term holiday with the twins, returning to the village earlier this week, where she came face-to-face with Cleo once more – and it’s safe to say the chemistry certainly hasn’t fizzled out.

Later this week, Cleo decides to take a chance on romance as she asks Sienna to be her date to an event and it seems that Sienna is very much on board with this idea as next week sees the two in each other’s orbit once more.

Cleo and Peri Lomax (Ruby O’Donnell) plan a holiday in Bali together, with Cleo joking that she might not return home and this leaves Sienna feeling a little deflated, having clearly caught feelings for the nurse.

Romance subsequently blossoms, however, with the pair going on a date, which knocks Jez (Jeremy Sheffield) for six, leaving the killer gardener somewhat concerned.

And he’s not the only one taken aback to learn of Cleo and Sienna’s romance, with Martha (Sherrie Hewson) agreeing to keep an eye on the date at The Hutch.

Myra (Nicole Barber-Lane) and Prince (Malique Thompson-Dwyer), meanwhile, are taken aback to learn that Cleo is dating a woman and therefore they make their way to voice their feelings.

A heated showdown ensues, with Myra and Martha getting on the wrong side of one another as they’re forced to defend their families.

The question is: will this put a dampener on Cleo and Sienna’s romance? Will their feuding clans ultimately drive a wedge between them?

Or will they fight to be together?

Hollyoaks star Anna Passey previously discussed the prospect of a long-term future for the couple with Metro, saying: ‘I am a huge fan of [Cleo and Sienna]! 

When Sienna gets a partner in the village I always think: “Is this person good for her? We’re going to get the story, but – as a human – are they a good match?” and I think Cleo is a resounding yes.

‘She would be so good for Sienna and they’d bring out the best in her.

‘I think some of Sienna’s previous partners have been at their best when Sienna has been at her worst and vice versa so I would love for it to be a thing. ‘

Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 7am on Channel 4’s streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4.

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Former Hollyoaks star Jamie Lomas has paid tribute to his mum Helen on International Women’s Day – her 75th birthday.

The actor, 49, is best known for portraying Warren Fox in the Channel 4 soap across two stints between 2006 and 2024.

He is also set to reprise the part for a special episode that looks at what the character has been up to in the intervening ‘missing’ year, which was triggered by a historic time jump in September, sky-rocketing the action permanently one year into the future.

‘There’s a lot the fans don’t know about the missing year and I’m excited to be a part of the special episode’, said actor Jamie Lomas as he discussed reprising his iconic role.

‘I always love coming back home to Hollyoaks.’

Warren was last seen hightailing it out of the country after a showdown with Dave Chen-Williams (Dominic Power), who was revealed to be none other than revered gangster Blue.

Blue had made his life a living hell, murdering mum Noma Crow (Glynis Barber) in cold blood and threatened the lives of his loved ones.

The special episode will also detail Mercedes McQueen’s (Jennifer Metcalfe) diagnosis with bowel cancer and Joel Dexter’s (Rory Douglas-Speed) relapse.

Now, ahead of his return, Jamie has penned an emotional Instagram post celebrating his mother.

The star, whose sister is former Emmerdale actress Charley Webb, wrote: ‘So today we celebrated my mums 75th birthday. Although she has severe dementia and has had it for 10 years now, she is still our mum and we love her so much.

‘Dementia can be very cruel and very frustrating for family members, but we remember, that she was once like me and you and unfortunately her mind just doesn’t work the same anymore.

‘You only get one mum and just remember that time is precious. Don’t ever forget that your mum loved you before the world even knew you existed.’

He concluded: ‘I love you mum. Happy 75th birthday.’

Charley, who played Debbie Dingle in the long-running ITV show added: ‘Fams.’

Coronation Street’s Brooke Vincent wrote: ‘Happy Birthday to the Icon.’

A number of Jamie’s Hollyoaks co-stars, including Ross Adams, Chelsee Healey and Alex Fletcher, added their support.

Anthony Quinlan, who appeared alongside both Jamie and Charley, said: ‘Happy Birthday Helen ❤️ sending love to you all mate.’

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Lucas Hay (Oscar Curtis) was left devastated in Hollyoaks earlier this week when Dillon Ray (Nathaniel Dass) abandoned him outside the hospital at a time when he needed him the most.

Dillon, as viewers know, is being groomed by the sinister Rex Gallagher (Jonny Labey), who is preying on the teen’s vulnerabilities by offering him a lifestyle he’s always dreamed of.

Rex is working with Grace Black (Tamara Wall), who is overseeing a child exploitation operation in the village, with Dillon and Frankie Osborne (Isabelle Smith) both having been targeted.

Lucas knows full well that Rex cannot be trusted and he’s desperately tried to make Dillon and Frankie see such a thing to no avail.

Heartbroken in the wake of Dillon leaving him at the hospital, Lucas broke up with his boyfriend – just weeks after their long-awaited reunion.

The child exploitation story is only just beginning, with the hold Rex has over Dillon and Frankie set to intensify.

But with Lucas having his eyes wide open where Rex is concerned, will he prove instrumental in exposing his and Grace’s heinous scheme? What’s more, what does life look like for Lucas post-Dillon? Is HayRay really no more?

I caught up with Lucas star Oscar Curtis for a chat to pose those questions to him and more as we talked about what’s coming up for his character in the coming weeks.

Hi Oscar! It’s been a busy few months for Lucas. What’s it been like exploring these darker storylines and did you change anything in how you approached playing Lucas pre and post time jump?

I’ve enjoyed playing the darker stuff! That’s been fun to be a part of. I think Lucas has become softer and more emotional and has less of that hard shell that he had, so subconsciously that has been woven throughout [how I play] each scene. I would like to see that feistiness and anger even come out in Lucas more often!

Rex has caused so much trouble for Lucas and Dillon. But Lucas can see through him in a way that other characters can’t. Did what he went through with Carter make him more aware of manipulation like Rex’s?

Yes, I think so. He can see through the facade of Rex. The facade of this happy-go-lucky family guy. If anything it’s frustrating for Lucas that no-one else can see it. I think he starts to question his own validity because no-one else can see it.

This past week, Lucas was rushed to hospital – and Dillon abandoned him outside. How did that make Lucas feel?

It was heartbreaking. Especially because they’ve been through so much as a couple so for it to get to a stage like this… it’s even worse because you’re looking at it from a point of view of ‘How can it get worse than cheating on him with his sister?’ And not to forget Lucas beating up Dillon too.

They’ve been through so much in their short past but this was the worst thing because it’s a matter of life and death.

Is that what ultimately pushed Lucas to break up with Dillon?

Yes. Lucas sees that Dillon’s got a love for partying and drugs. That kind of dark lifestyle. It’s more than his love for Lucas – and that is the final point in Lucas’ head. I wouldn’t say it’s in his heart though because he still very much loves Dillon but he knows what’s right for him.

But with Lucas, when he loves someone unconditionally, it is unconditional. No matter how much wrong he does, Lucas somehow manages to find the light – he sees the light in Dillon’s darkness.

And Dillon as a character is getting much darker. They’ve passed the baton, so to speak, from Lucas to Dillon in terms of who is the troubled kid, who is the aggressor – the one starting issues.

This is the second time Lucas and Dillon have split up. Is there any chance of a reunion in the future?

I think there is always a chance for a reunion. Especially for two people that not only the fans love but as characters they are kind of synonymous with one another, you know? They just get each other very well. There’s always hope of a redemption arc. Hopefully!

How did you feel when you found out that Lucas and Dillon were going to split so soon after their reunion?

It’s soap so there is always high drama. There is always breaking up and getting back together. It’s part of the journey that comes with drama – the chaos. And Lucas being the son of Ste, I think there’s always going to be some drama!

You mentioned the dynamic between Lucas and Dillon shifting this year in comparison to last, has that been nice to switch things up?

Yes, it has been nice to have it slightly lighter!

Though I am hoping that Lucas decides to snap back into his old self – I think he should stand up for himself a bit more!

Lucas had a very strong support network around him last year when he was going through so much. With Dillon, Frankie and even Ste now under Rex’s spell, will he find himself feeling isolated and lonely?

I think Lucas definitely finds himself isolated. He throws himself into his work at The Hutch. But he also doubles down on how he feels. He’s not going to let Rex [get away with this]. Because he can see it so clearly.

He knows Dillon very well so he notices the slight changes and he knows that Rex is involved in what’s happening. He draws together what’s happening without really knowing. It’s a gut instinct.

So even though they’re not together at the moment, will Lucas continue to keep an eye on Dillon from afar?

One hundred percent. He’s watching from afar, despite how much Dillon has wronged him. Ultimately Lucas wants the best for Dillon. And he sees Rex as the issue.

[Looking out for each other] is something that will always happen. For both Dillon and Lucas, it’s always going to be that one ex you can’t get over. Or you know that one relationship where they’re always breaking up and getting back together? It feels like that.

Could Lucas play a role in exposing Rex and what he’s up to?

Let’s hope so. Let’s hope so!

You’ve had some really intense and dramatic scenes with Nate [Dass] who plays Dillon and you’ve both done incredible work together. What’s it been like building this relationship and finding that dynamic?

Me and Nate are best friends – outside of work and inside of work, so it’s very natural. We just go on set with the same end goal: I want to act the best for him and he wants to act the best for me. It’s always quite simple when we film together!

The fans are still very much Team HayRay! What does that support mean to you?

Ah, it’s just amazing. It’s really amazing to have such a strong fanbase. With soap, a lot of people come in and go out. And with relationships, people can just pick up on ones that become the new craze. But the fans have stood by HayRay, despite them being on and off so much. It’s a really rewarding feeling and I’m really grateful.

Finally – the big question! – what can you tell me about what’s coming up for Lucas?

There is going to be a lot, I’ll say that! And also, it’s going to get scary… and intense and emotional – but not exactly in a break-up sense. I think it’s going to get emotional in a ‘life and death situation’ sense.

Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 6am on Channel 4’s streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4.

If you’ve got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@metro.co.uk – we’d love to hear from you.

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Hollyoaks actress Isabelle Smith has called out elitism in the acting industry and called for more support of actors from a working-class background.

The 23-year-old star, who has played Frankie Osborne since last year, was speaking as Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy visited the set of the Channel 4 soap in Childwall, Liverpool.

‘It’s not very easy to get a job… especially in an arts industry,’ she said.

‘I was fortunate enough to land this job, but now I’m in a position where most of my money goes to pay off my maintenance loan and my student loan, and that comes with a very high level of interest that is placed on top of the extortionate amount of money that I already owe.’

She continued (via Press Association): ‘There’s no grants really in place any more, the scholarship scheme is very underfunded, and I just think it’s already hard enough for a working-class female to get into this industry, as the first person in my family to go into an arts industry, and then you have this added cost weighing over your head.’

Isabelle noted the ‘misconception’ that actors earn a lot, calling the profession ‘an elitist industry’. 

She said the government should also support ‘working-class [actors] just a little bit more.’

Isabelle added: ‘People have paid to go to private school, or to RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts) whatever. You’re constantly having to prove yourself into every room that you’re going into because you’ve maybe not had the same education as other people that you are sat next to.

‘If we just made it a little bit more accessible, I think people would be astounded at the difference that it actually makes.’

Nandy replied: ‘I really love that I was thinking when you were talking that you’re so recognisable [to] your generation.

‘And it would be great if we could do, not just a programme of government support for working-class young people to be able to break into the arts.

‘But we could also run a campaign on it, with people like you fronting it up to say, “Look, you can do this, and actually, you don’t have to struggle as much as you did, because there’s support available for it”.’

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John Paul McQueen (James Sutton) will receive an unexpected proposal from Jez Blake (Jeremy Sheffield) in Hollyoaks next week when the serial killer gets down on one knee to pop the question.

The Hollyoaks high deputy head grows rather concerned about how little he and Jez are communicating in upcoming scenes.

What with all the murders, not to mention Ste Hay’s (Kieron Richardson) accusations of him being a killer, Jez has been somewhat preoccupied in recent weeks – and it certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed by John Paul.

Little does John Paul know, however, that Jez is seeing new therapist Tommy (Brandon Fellows) and, during the sessions, the gardener opens up about his past relationship with Patrick, detailing his inability to confide in people after his twin brother stole the love of his life.

Tommy, who is somewhat distracted during the session after he made a pass at Leela Dexter (Kirsty-Leigh Porter) previously, listens intently and subsequently offers advice, encouraging Jez to make things work with John Paul.

Such advice leaves the killer with food for thought and therefore he decides to take action, acquiring an engagement ring.

Wanting to show John Paul just how much he cares, he then gets down on one knee and proposes to his beau right outside the hospital.

John Paul is rendered well and truly speechless. The question is: will he say yes?

Jez, as viewers know, has claimed the lives of countless people over the years, with Dilly Harcourt (Emma Johnsey-Smith) and Abe Fielding (Tyler Conti) having recently been added to the list.

If John Paul says yes, will he find himself in danger of becoming the next victim of the killer? Or does Jez care too much about JP to allow such a thing to happen?

You’ll just have to keep watching to find out.

Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 7am on Channel 4’s streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4.

If you’ve got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@metro.co.uk – we’d love to hear from you.

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Hollyoaks star Ali Bastian has shared the wonderful news she is now cancer free.

The actress, who portrayed Becca Dean on the Channel 4 soap, shared her breast cancer diagnosis in September last year.

At first, doctors believed the lump to be a blocked duct but, following a round of antibiotics, she had further tests done at a specialist clinic, which ultimately confirmed the presence of cancerous cells.

Following the emotional and overwhelming journey, Ali has now revealed to her followers on Instagram that she is now free from cancer.

Amazing.

Taking to the social media platform, the star wrote a moving message in the caption that said: ‘Thank you so much for all your Birthday messages last week, I’m honestly so grateful for all the love and support from my little corner of social media.

‘I wanted to update you all. I’m on to my final week of radio therapy which should mark the end my active treatment – I hope and pray for good! I had my mastectomy in January which was thankfully a success and has healed really well, it proved that my chemo had worked.

‘As I sit here right now, I’m free from Cancer. I can’t even believe it.’

She added: ‘I have the most incredible team at CUH and I’m so grateful for every single one of them. The nurses who have given me compassion, time and space to share and talk about my experience of a very challenging treatment pathway… one that although we thank god exists, is not only a lot for the body to process but an awful lot to process mentally and emotionally.

‘My consultants – golly, to be surrounded by such excellence. We used to joke on TV sets when we all started to take ourselves a bit too seriously “come on guys, we’re not curing cancer here.” Well these incredible men and women dedicate their lives to doing just that, at least that is what they hope for, for all of us.

‘I hope one day their dreams are realised for everyone touched by this. Another shout out for Stef in the Dunmanway who makes tea for all the chemo patients…thank you for taking time to know us as we pass through the clinic week after week.’

‘You make an incredible difference to a lonely journey, as do all the onc nurses who are not only incredible but the hand holds, the tears, the laughs and the kindness will never be forgotten. To be coming out of the other side of this feels unreal, after the shock of a diagnosis it’s hard to let in the light and believe that it might just be ok.

Concluding the post, Ali wrote: ‘The road back to my life won’t be a linear one… and I will share with you as always, as much of my truth of this experience as I can. I am so, so grateful for all of your support. People with cancer, experiencing cancer treatment need love. Full stop. Unconditional, arms around you love and support.

‘I’ve really felt that from you all, also in my day to day life… from the most unexpected of places. When it’s dark, look for stars.’

As expected the comments section on Ali’s post are full of kind and supportive messages.

Dawn Steele, who played Ange Goddard in BBC One’s Holby City, said: ‘Sending so much love to you Ali’, while former Hollyoaks star Sarah Jayne Dunn wrote: ‘You are incredible’.

‘You are stunning inside and out, but most importantly super strong and such an inspiration to all women’, a fan penned, echoing so many other comments.