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One thing that I don't understand is that Hollyoaks are apparently having to make all these cuts (20 characters going according to reports) yet they seem to be adding to the cast at an alarming rate. In the last few months we've had returns from Suzanne, Hannah, Frankie, JJ, Grace, Freddie, Lexi, with a return from Robbie still to come. Not to mention new characters like Mick Johnson from Brookside. What's going on?!

It's important to remember that these returns would have been planned months ago, well before news of the cuts was broken. I'd be surprised if any of these characters, other than perhaps the Ashworth's survived. However, in saying that, I did hear that Grace was meant to be back for good, but even this decision was possibly made before they knew they had to cut people. Everything could still change...

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With the news that Cindy is going to be leaving, where do you think this leaves Tom? I know they don't really interact much these days but she's his only family in the show and he doesn't have Yazz anymore. I did think he might be leaving as I saw a post on Instagram stories from the mother of Isabella Hibbert who plays Steph and she said it had been a difficult few weeks for Isabella and that she'd had a meeting with her acting agency. I wondered if she'd been told she was leaving?

I think that Tom's future is probably uncertain because, as you say, they don't seem to know what to do with him (sending him on comedy dates with Suzanne and Sally this week surely proves that!) However, you could argue that Tom is a bigger character in terms of the show's history than Cindy is ('little Tom' was a big part of the show in the 2000s and Ellis Hollins was always winning awards for them) and I'm not sure if they'd want to lose him. Then again, if they don't know what to do with him, maybe they should just cut their losses? It'd be a shame for Ellis as Hollyoaks will be pretty much all he's ever known as he's been there for 20 years now.

Interesting info about Isabella Hibbert. Certainly sounds ominous...

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I have a feeling Glynis Barber will leave Hollyoaks and that Warren will kill Norma

I can definitely see Norma being one of the departures. After Warren goes, there's pretty much nothing left for her.

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Where do you think this Frankie and JJ story is heading? This time jump will hasten the story no matter what but I habe this feeling that Suzanne won't believe Frankie at all and defend JJ completely. I would like to also note that this story has been very strong and so well acted as well. Yes it's so dark but it breaks such a taboo.

I agree it's been very well done so far and the actors playing JJ and Frankie have been brilliant.

In terms of where the story goes next, I think it's a given that Suzanne won't believe Frankie when the truth comes out (however, I would hope she would come round eventually). I wonder if they'll use the time jump as a way of sending JJ to prison and then bring him back looking to make amends? Either that, or he and Suzanne will have moved away and Frankie will stay with the Osborne's.

There's also the possibility that they won't resolve it before the time jump and will have the reveal take place afterwards. If they don't want to rush through it, this could be an option as the abuse has been going on for years anyway.

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I can't believe the news about Stephanie Waring! Gutted!

I know! I totally appreciate that the team are having to make some difficult decisions, but I do feel that this is a mistake. The show is going through a hugely turbulent time. They'll need to make sure that current viewers keep watching and also ensure the quality is there so that lapsed viewers want to tune back in. That's not going to happen if they axe recognisable faces who span several different eras of the show.

I did have an inkling that Cindy might be vulnerable given that she doesn't have any family in the show other than Tom and since the departures of Grace and Zara, she's got no real friends. However, I had hoped that her longevity would mean she'd be kept on.

I can only hope now that they give her a decent exit and Cindy's not lost in the time jump.

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I don’t think Ross Adams left, I think he was quietly axed like the Esther actress

Given that they've just axed Steph Waring, I wouldn't be surprised...

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Grace is coming back!!!! This makes me happy because Tamara Wall should NEVER have been axed by Lucy Allan that was a disgraceful decision by Lucy.

I was also pleased to see that Grace is coming back! I'm assuming it's just a short return, but it'll still be good to see her again!

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Do you think Lime Pictures would create another soap if Hollyoaks gets axed? I think all soaps are struggling right now

Never say never, but it's probably quite unlikely. As you say, soaps are struggling right now and I don't think there's an appetite for a new one.

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It’s very telling that the long serving cast members are quitting due to the changes coming at Hollyoaks. I never expected Ross Adams to go it must be awful at Hollyoaks at the moment due to all the cast and crew who are being called in to be told they no longer have a job there :(

Jamie Lomas and Ross Adams will be just the start, unfortunately. I'm not sure whether they've decided to leave as a direct result of the changes or if they were considering leaving anyway. I suppose there's also the possibility that the changes could have made any decision easier for them. If they were thinking about leaving anyway and were happy to go, that's one less person the producers have to sack and it saves a colleague's job in the process.

The uncertainty must be awful. One thing's for sure, Hollyoaks is going to look like a very different show by the end of the year...

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I think James is on his way out as Gregory Finnegan has been posting on his instagram lately memories of his time at Hollyoaks is he hinting that he’s going? 👀

It wouldn't surprise me, unfortunately. James is now the last Nightingale standing and I can't say I've ever really bought into his relationship with Ste.

I hope he's not going, but it wouldn't surprise me if he did.

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I could have sworn that Suzanne used to work as a nurse! What's she doing fanny-ing around in a shop?!

You're right, Suzanne did used to work as a nurse. I might have missed something, but I'm not sure if it's been mentioned or not why nursing is not an option for her now. Maybe she quit or was struck off?

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I know it’s an important storyline but I cannot watch the Frankie & JJ storyline. It hits a little too close to home for me.

I'm sorry to hear that this story is close to home for you :( It's been tough enough for me to watch so I can only imagine how difficult it must be if you've got experience of it.

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I honestly don't understand why fans of other soaps are gloating about Hollyoaks being cut down to 3 episodes a week. Have a little compassion, these are people's jobs!

Yeah, it's something that I don't get either.

If you don't like Hollyoaks/ don't watch it, then surely the show being on/not being on has absolutely no baring on your life?

Then there's the fact that the soap genre seems like it's in quite a precarious position right now. In the last 2 years, Doctors, Holby City and Neighbours have all been axed (albeit Neighbours was brought back on streaming) and Hollyoaks has been moved off a main channel and had it's episode count reduced. Corrie and Emmerdale are both seeing drops year on year in their viewing figures (quite significant drops in Corrie's case) whilst EastEnders, despite it's resurgence, seems stuck in 3rd place in the ratings. Corrie and Emmerdale have also, like Hollyoaks, experienced budget cuts over the last 12 months...

I imagine that all of those who work across the soaps are aware of how things are at the moment and when one soap goes, or undergoes these changes, they'll all feel it. They'll all be aware that it could be them next...

Some people are quite snobby when it comes to soaps and look down their noses at them, but they do a lot for the tv industry, for talent both in front of and behind the camera. In the case of all soaps bar EastEnders, there's also the fact that they offer these opportunities outside of London. A lot of very talented people work on soaps and a lot of these people have gone on/will go on to do great things elsewhere in the industry, too.

For every soap that goes, or has it's episode number reduced, that's less of these opportunities, and I don't think that's anything to be celebrated.

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With Hollyoaks having to cut some of the cast I'm really worried that they'll be forced to axe some of the longest serving cast as they'll be on more money and cost more. Surely this will just end up ruining the show?

I believe that every actor on Hollyoaks gets paid the same fee per episode regardless of longevity, so luckily this shouldn't be an issue.

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So I have heard Hollyoaks might be moving to 3 days a week. Personally this sounds like another nail in the coffin for the show. Off the main channel and cutting episodes. But at the same time Hollyoaks has suffered with 5 days a week in recent years so maybe it might be a good thing. Who knows?

I'm struggling to see it as anything other than another nail in the show's coffin.

In some ways, it might be a good thing and we could see a more streamlined cast and an end to block storytelling. However, the optics of this are terrible, especially coming just months after the show lost its Channel 4 slot. There's the risk that new and lapsed viewers will be reluctant to give the show a chance, and existing viewers could decide to give up. After all, shows that are performing well don't generally get moved off a main channel and have their episode count reduced. What's the point of investing in a show if the perception is that it's on its last legs?

At the end of the day, I feel very sorry for all of those who stand to lose their jobs. The atmosphere on set at the moment must be terrible.

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Is Kieron Richardson leaving Hollyoaks? Because how can Ste get away with killing Ella even if it was due to saving his daughter? The amount of lies and covering up Ste has done will be found out eventually surely this is going to end with him going to prison if not then he’s getting killed by Warren once he finds out. Ste will need to do a runner if Warren finds out.

I'm wondering if they're now going to go down the 'shock twist' route and say that Ste didn't hit Ella after all. It's pretty much the only way out of this that keeps the character.

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I can’t see Hollyoaks getting rid of Ste because I feel he is their “favourite” let’s be honest and he is one of the biggest characters on the show regardless of what everyone thinks of him unless Kieron has decided to leave on his own accord but I can’t see that either as he has a family to support and loves being at Hollyoaks. So I have no idea how this story with Ste will play out as I can’t see them getting rid of him or Kieron quitting.

I'm starting to wonder if he didn't actually hit Ella after all? Maybe he hit something else and then ran over her boot, hence how it ended up in his wheel? Like you, I can't see them getting rid of Ste, or Kieron having quit, and it would be absolutely ridiculous if Ste got away with killing a child, accidentally or not.