Hollyoaks is set to continue its winning streak with a unmissable year lined up, as previewed in a brand new trailer.
The Channel 4 soap has been hot property since new bosses Hannah Cheers and Angelo Abelo took the reins, taking it back to basics and delivering Drama with a capital D – the kind we’ve all come to expect from the serial.
A special hour-long offering, which can be viewed now on Channel 4’s streaming platform, is the launchpad for this exciting new era, kicking things off with a devastating crash.
Secrets were exposed, lives were put on the line and three deaths were confirmed, with a fourth life hanging in the balance.
But the high-octane drama doesn’t stop there, with the usual post-credit sequence dropped in favour of a new trailer, which teases what fans can expect and I can safely say that we’re in for a one epic year ahead.
The intense trailer has certainly upped my excitement levels. With so much previewed, you might be struggling to process it all so I’m here to take you through all the big developments, with a deep dive of the shocking extravaganza.
Warren seeks revenge after Ella’s death
Warren Fox struggles to come to terms with the devastating loss of his beloved daughter Ella Richardson, who perished in the Dee Valley bypass collision.
The mechanic holds one person responsible and one person only and that’s Felix Westwood, who was in the process of seeking revenge on he and Mercedes McQueen over their affair at the time of the crash.
The trailer confirms that Warren, with some assistance from Norma Crow, will bide his time and devise a plot for revenge, which will climax with a deadly shooting as he takes action against his former best mate.
But will there be more blood shed? Will Warren murder Felix out of revenge? Or is it Felix that will get the upper hand and takes him out?
Ste falls apart over the crash
It’s not just Warren that struggles to come to terms with the events of the crash, as Ste Hay is forced to accept that he is responsible for Ella’s demise.
The much-loved character took his eyes off the road for a split second to check on Leah Barnes, who was choking in the back seat on her own vomit. It was at this point that his car collided with an unknown object, which was later confirmed to be Ella, with Leela Lomax finding the teen dead at the side of the road.
Ste is seen in the trailer assisting in carrying the coffin at Ella’s funeral and the guilt of what he’s done will no doubt take a huge toll on him.
What’s more, there’s an altercation with an unknown character at The Folly on the cards, with Ste threatening to kill the person in question, who knows he was driving the car that led to Ella’s death.
But will Ste follow through on such a threat? What’s more, will Warren find out that it wasn’t actually Felix that was to blame for the crash? If so, Ste had better start running because Warren is clearly not letting this one slide.
Hannah and Suzanne Ashworth return with big news for Darren
Darren Osborne gets the shock of his life when ex-wife Hannah Ashworth rocks up in the village after 13 years away. But that’s not even the biggest shock, as he subsequently learns that Suzanne, Hannah’s mum, gave birth to twins that are biologically his.
Suzanne, meanwhile, also stages her comeback, determined to know what’s going on, but just how will Darren process the news that he’s got two children in the village in Jack Jnr and Frankie that he doesn’t really know at all?
Hannah was initially thought to be back for a short stint but an update earlier this week confirmed that the character will be returning in a much more regular capacity, ensuring drama aplenty for the Osbornes.
But it’s not just Darren that her presence causes problems for…
Carter and John Paul exposed
Carter Shepherd, the school’s headteacher who is struggling with his sexuality, has been having a romantic affair with John Paul McQueen for a number of months now, despite the fact that he’s also practising conversion therapy.
Hannah, however, walks in on the two kissing, as previewed in the new trailer, leaving Carter worried that his secrets will spill out, with a subsequent altercation resulting in Hannah lying unconscious on the floor.
Sienna wants answers about Rafe’s vanishing
Sienna Blake was heartbroken when Rafe Harcourt called off their wedding but she remains unaware of the real reason why he did so, which is, as fans know, because he was actually in love with her and was keen to put a stop to the charade that Dilly was making him take part in.
Horrified at the prospect of Sienna being chosen over her Dilly lashed out with violence, which resulted in Rafe ending up dead. Sienna will become suspicious of her so-called sister-in-law, with upcoming scenes seeing her ordering Dilly to come clean.
Dilly is then seen running through the village in a coat that is very not-Dilly, which hints that she’s trying not to be seen. Is she disposing of the body at this stage? Or has she perhaps been caught out?
That remains to be seen but it’s not just Sienna that needs to worry about her…
Liberty is back – but in serious danger
Liberty Savage stages her long-awaited comeback to Hollyoaks in the coming weeks, as she arrives at Harcourt manor in the hopes of being reunited with Sienna. Little does she know, however, that she’s in major danger as Dilly is waiting on her and knocks her unconscious.
Will Liberty be found before it’s too late? Or will sinister Dilly decide to take her revenge on Lib, knowing Sienna would be totally destroyed to lose her sister?
Patrick Blake returns
Hollyoaks fans were left in shock last year when Metro confirmed the return of Patrick Blake, with series star Jeremy Sheffield reprising his role. But despite Hollyoaks’ penchant for bringing people back from the dead, Patrick isn’t actually back.
The exact way in which he returns remains to be seen but the trailer gives us our first glimpse of Jeremy back in character, confirming the long-held theory that Patrick has a connection to Dilly.
The Patrick we see, which is presumably a figment of Dilly’s imagination, reveals that he wants Dilly to finish what he started, which largely implies that the revenge plot on Sienna is only just beginning.
Money troubles for the McQueens
Myra McQueen is back in the fold and there’s soon conflict aplenty, with Goldie finding a bag of cash, which seemingly belongs to the matriarch. The question is: just who owns the cash? And is it all above board?
Given this is the McQueen clan, I’m going to say no.
Joel’s life hangs in the balance
Joel Dexter fights for his life following the horrific scenes at the crash which saw him mowed down by an oncoming vehicle. At the hospital, Leela Lomax and Cleo McQueen will go to war over who it is that belongs with the fireman but their attention is soon elsewhere when their beloved Joel flatlines.
Cleo races to the rescue and performs CPR, but will she be able to save her soulmate? If so, just who will Joel choose to be with? He was all set to marry Leela and start a life with her but with Cleo back in town everything has changed.
Romeo’s fate
Romeo Nightingale faces the consequences over his role in Rayne Royce’s demise, with scenes in the trailer seeing him being taken out of the Dee Valley courthouse in handcuffs with photographers grabbing a picture or two of him.
But with the DJ having lashed out in self-defence following Rayne’s abuse, will he be able to explain what led to the influencer’s demise? Or will he be going to prison for a very long time?
Either way, it’s safe to assume that Prince McQueen, who thought he committed the crime, won’t be happy with best mate Romeo, who allowed him to take the fall and had a hand in destroying evidence that could’ve exonerated him.
Dave rushed to hospital
Dave Chen-Williams’ life will be left hanging in the balance, with Lizzie and partner Cindy Cunningham rushing him to hospital. But just what happens to him? And will he be okay?
Marie, Rita Simons’ character, arrives
Hollyoaks fans have been dying to know about who it is that Rita Simons will play and the brand new trailer has finally given us our first look at the former EastEnders star in action as she breaks into the McQueens backyard and steals Mercedes’ signature dress.
It’s safe to say that Mercedes won’t be pleased when she finds out about this. Could she prove to be a new enemy?
We’ll just have to wait and see but Metro can confirm that Rita will be playing the role of Marie, who is Joel’s mum!
Hollyoaks streams weeknights at 7:30pm on Channel 4’s streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4.
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