3 days ago
Hollyoaks boss reveals how Sun's Soaps Editor sparked supervillain Clare Devine's return
HOLLYOAKS boss Hannah Cheers has revealed what sparked off iconic supervillain Clare Devine's return - and it turns out it's me.
The executive producer had just been announced as the Channel 4 soap's new boss and was in full planning mode for the show's changes when I ran into her at an awards show last summer.
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And like I do every time I see a soap boss - I used my time wisely by asking/demanding/begging for the return of my favourite characters.
But for the time ever it actually happened.
I sat down with Hannah on set earlier this month for a set visit where she revealed how our conversation in the hotel bar had sparked off the most iconic comeback since Kim Tate popped back to Emmerdale.
She told me: 'It was you! It was the conversation we had in the hotel in Manchester that started it off.
'We were talking and you said, when are you going to bring Clare back? And I was like, oh my god, it's a million dollar question, everyone talks about it.
'And I said to you, because at the time we didn't have any plans, because obviously we were working towards the transition, and I was trying to filter people out, and trying to re-engineer stories, and trying to make sense of all of that, and knew that it wasn't possible right there and then.
'But the interesting thing that I said to you was, tell me what it is about Clare that is so important to you, and so iconic, and you said, because she's the only character who actually doesn't give a hell about what she does. She enjoys being evil and so I took inspiration from that with Grace's story.'
She added: 'In terms of Clare, you know, again, I took on board massively what you said about she enjoys being evil and we're never going to come away from that because she does.
'However, in bringing Clare in 2025, what I spoke to Gemma about right at the beginning was 'I'm not doing this and just bringing in the third iteration of like Clare that is two dimensional and that only has that layer and level to her.
'Not that she didn't in the past, but she, as you said, she rarely had true, true feeling and true kind of like selflessness. She had nothing, nothing selfless about her.
'And she doesn't now, except now she has a reason to have experienced and make herself vulnerable and be susceptible to that.
'So we do see a different layer. She doesn't like showing it.'
Viewers know that Clare's return has seen her arrive with a child - Tori - who she and DI Banks effectively kidnapped from her grandfather Dodger.
'Clare absolutely sees herself as that child's mother,' Hannah added.
'And that's also what's quite enjoyable. And it's so galling to everyone else in the community. So that has given her the chink in the armour.'
And Hannah also revealed that Clare will play a big part in the 30th anniversary in October - and clash with Tori's great-grandfather - serial killer Jez Blake.
'Well, yes, obviously we've got two kind of Hollyoaks titans here,' she teased.
'We've got kind of very iconic Hollyoaks faces. And it's not an accident that they are both in the show in the run up to the 30th anniversary.'
There will also be a classic Hollyoaks stunt for the 30th - which won't be limited to one episode - more a celebration over the entire month of October.
Hannah said: 'You can't do a Hollyoaks commemoration without some kind of spectacle. So there will be a stunt.'
And it's not just the Blakes that Clare has to deal with - her original, tiny nemesis Tom Cunningham is back to take her on.
'How could we possibly bring in Clare Devine and not have her original nemesis in the show?' Hannah laughed.
From Hollyoaks to Hollywood
James Corden played a caretaker in the early days of the soap.
The former American TV host doesn't have much positive to say about his time on the soap, claiming it was "hell on earth."
Since his short-lived time on the show he has gone on to bigger things including smash hit comedy Gavin and Stacey.
Rachel Shenton joined the soap as aspiring glamour model Mitzeee Minniver in 2010.
Over two years her character was sent to prison, got pregnant and had a number of romantic affairs.
Since leaving Hollyoaks she has won an Oscar for best live action short film, The Silent Child.
Rachel has also starred in White Gold and All Creatures Great and Small
Emmett J. Scanlan played gangster turned anti-hero Brendan Brady.
Emmett played the love interest of Steve Hayes, with their romance delighting fans until it turned violent.
Since his departure Emmett has appeared in Peaky Blinders, The Fall, Gangs of London and even appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy
Emma Rigby joined Hollyoaks when she was 15 as Hannah Ahsworth.
Hannah's eating disorder storyline was the first of it's kind on TV while other plots included being caught in a fire, gangland drug dealing and running away.
Since leaving the soap in 2010 Emma has gone on to star in ABCs Once Upon a Time in Wonderland as the Red Queen. Other roles include guest appearances in Death In Paradise, Ripper Street and Fresh Meat
Nico Mirallegro got his big break with Hollyoaks starring as emo Barry 'Newt' Newton.
Nico's main storyline in the soap was developing schizophrenia which culminated in a suicide pact.
He left the soap in 2010 and went on to star in My Mad Fat Diary, Our Girl, Rillington Place, The Ark and Common, Penance, as well as the Mike Leigh movie Peterloo and was nominated for a Bafta for his role in period drama The Village.
Ricky Whittle used Hollyoaks as a stepping stone to break America.
He played one of the soap's resident hunks, Calvin Valentine, from 2006 to 2011 - when he was killed off at his wedding.
After leaving the soap Ricky cracked America starring in teen drama The 100 and America Gods.
He also appeared in Strictly Come Dancing in 2009.
Warren Brown joined Hollyoaks in 2005 for a year as evil Andy Holt.
His stint on the show consisted of date rape storylines and a crime spree, before eventually being killed off.
After leaving Hollyoaks, Warren became a big hitter in TV playing DS Justin Ripley in Luther, as well as major roles in a number of dramas including Liar, The Responder, Homefront and Good Cop.
Wallis Day played Holly Cunningham in the soap for years before leaving.
In 2021 Wallis won the role of Batwoman in DC's series, taking over from Ruby Rose.
'Again, it's a kind of nod to the past and celebration of all things Hollyoaks.
'Tom has the upper hand to start with, which I think is what's so surprising about this story. And there's a surprise reveal of how we first finds Tom.'
