Hollyoaks star Gary Lucy reveals Luke Morgan’s ‘devastating’ exit from the soap as he kisses ex Scarlett

GARY Lucy has teased his “devastating” exit from Hollyoaks, in an exclusive interview with Sun Online.

The actor – who plays recovering alcoholic Luke in the Channel 4 soap – will soon leave the show for a nine month break to tour the country with The Full Monty stage show, and he’s revealed that it’s going to be an ordeal for all involved.

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Speaking exclusively to The Sun Online’s Soap Bubble, Gary said: “It’s definitely going to be devastating for everyone and that’s how it should be.

“It’s a combination of everything that comes together. And then we’ll see what happens when he goes away for a little while.”

But before Luke can leave Hollyoaks, he’s going to be left horrified when ex Scarlett returns as he and new wife Mandy come back from their honeymoon in Florida.

Crashing Luke and Mandy’s happy reunion, Scarlett reenters the fold for her son and reveals he had begged her to come and take him back home, but it later becomes clear she only really wants one thing – Luke.

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Gary explained: “She turns up mainly to get her boy back, you know our son Ollie, and you know in the process she wants to cause a little bit of trouble as Scarlett does.

“They have a little kiss and it causes a lot of trouble. There’s a fight with Mandy and it’s all very dramatic.”

However, in true soap style, Mandy spots the pair kissing and loses it.

“She’ll go absolutely ballistic,” Gary said adding: “She’ll be absolutely mental.”

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Viewers know Mandy has been having an affair with Luke’s best friend Darren behind his back, and so the illicit kiss is just Mandy getting a taste of her own medicine.

And Gary hopes Luke will soon find out about the affair with the most drama possible.

He teased: “I hope he’s going to find out in a really horrendous way.

“I think it’s going to break his heart because it’s his best friend and the love of his life so it’ll be pretty devastating really. There’s a lot of twists and turns until he finds out, if he does find out.”

And while the relationship drama is going on, Luke is going to be faced with a horrific realisation later this year when his 15-year-old son Ollie is groomed and sexually abused by his football coach.

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Bosses at the Channel 4 soap have been working closely with the charity Survivors Manchester, which supports male victims of sexual abuse and rape. They want to make sure the events are portrayed truthfully and sensitively.

The Hollyoaks storyline echoes the case of Barry Bennell, who was jailed earlier this year for 30 years after abusing boys seeking to turn professional.

And Gary has nothing but praise for the soap’s boss for tackling the issue in the same way they did the male rape storyline in 2000 with Luke.

Calling Hollyoaks boss Bryan Kirkwood a “genius”, Gary revealed it was because of Bryan that he returned to the show 15 years after leaving to pick up Luke’s struggle and to follow through with the grooming storyline.

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“It’s not something that I ever thought would happen,” he admitted.

But he’s happy to pass the baton onto his on-screen son – 17-year-old actor Aedan Duckworth – and be a support to him as he tackles the difficult subject.

He said: “I have been to the meetings but as a support to him and someone to talk to because I was 17 when I took on this storyline which actually, I think psychologically was difficult.

“It’s quite heavy duty, and quite hard to get your head around the psychology of grooming.”

* Gary is nominated for Best Actor at this year’s British Soap Awards,

SCENE OF THE WEEK

Emmerdale

Charity Dingle letting her guard down and trusting girlfriend Vanessa Woodfield with a secret she’s carried with her since she was a teenager.

Actress Emma Atkins pulled off an incredible performance as Charity who sobbed after revealing her devastating secret of how DI Bails raped and abused her as a teenager and then returned to blackmail her years later.

The storyline has a long way to run yet but with those scenes from Tuesday’s hour-long special, it’s definitely going to be one to watch.

BIGGEST SOAP NEWS

British Soap Awards nominations

It’s already that time of year again as the favourites from Coronation Street, Emmerdale, EastEnders and Hollyoaks go up against each other for the all-important public and panel votes.

Pat Phelan vs Phil Mitchell, Bethany Platt vs Lacey Turner battle for the big prize – and it’s going to be a massive war of the soaps.

See the list of British Soap Awards 2018 nominations here.

EastEnders exit for Donna Yates

BBC

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They’re dropping like flies over at EastEnders and now another fan favourite has bitten the dust.

Actress Lisa Hammond has revealed she is following her on-screen brother Richard Blackwood and leaving the BBC One soap.

She said: “It’s been so great to play Donna for the past four years.

“I’ve made lifelong friends at EastEnders and will really miss all of the brilliant cast and crew who have always been a pleasure to work with!

“I look forward to what the future brings.”

SPOILER ALERT

What’s coming up next week?

ITV

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Coronation Street is abuzz next week as Daniel Osbourne begins a campaign to Free the Weatherfield One, in this case Anna Windass, after it becomes clear that she was right all along about Pat Phelan, and his wife Eileen suffers a horrifying ordeal as she’s stalked and then attacked in the house.

Troublesome teen Simon Barlow is going to blackmail aunt Toyah Battersby after discovering her secret baby pact with Eva, knicker-stitcher Sinead Tinker mulls the offer to move in with boyfriend Daniel, and chef Robert Preston leaves Michelle Connor devastated when she learns of his steroid addiction.

ITV

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However that’s not the worst thing to happen that week for Michelle as she is set for a cobbles showdown with sister-in-law Carla when she discovers she’s been sleeping with her son Ali Neeson.

And even that pales in comparison to poor Rana Nazir as her own parents try to kidnap her and send her to Pakistan after discovering she’s still with Kate Connor, and David Platt’s rape ordeal continues as he is tormented by the secret.

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ITV

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Over in Emmerdale, Ross Barton’s drug addiction spirals out of control putting son Moses in danger, Liv Flaherty and Gabby Thomas sentenced for spiking Lisa Dingle’s drink as the matriarch’s health suffers and Brenda Walker forces Laurel Thomas to end her affair with Bob Hope as the truth is revealed.

And landlady Chas Dingle to suffer from severe morning sickness as she’s diagnosed with Hyperemesis Gravidarum, the condition Kate Middleton suffered from through two royal pregnancies.

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In EastEnders, Michelle Fowler’s exit revealed as Hunter Owen claims she tried to kiss him, Vincent Hubbard takes drastic action with Aidan Maguire and Phil Mitchell and the soap finally reveals what happened to Kat Slater’s children and husband Alfie Moon.

Hollyoaks is planning a special episode for Peri Lomax’s homelessness storyline, Milo Entwistle is caught stealing and there’s an all new character arriving called Harley.

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