Hollyoaks is set for its biggest ever cast revamp later this year, to mark the soap's 10th birthday.

Head of scripts, David Hanson, is to introduce a hoard of new characters while axing some familiar and well-established faces in the process.

Cassie Powney, who plays Mel Burton, told PA: "It's all been running along as per usual. It's always exciting when something new happens, there's that sense of excitement like, 'Ooh, what's going to happen? Is anything going to change?'

"The storylines coming up are very gritty. They're filming some late nights as we speak and they're really intense,"

She added: "Our family are involved in a totally separate thing. The two brothers (Justin and Ali) are involved in a bit of a drama. And then there's a completely different plot, which Connie (who plays twin sister Sophie) and me may or may not be involved with."

As yet, the characters and actors to be culled have not been named, however, rumours suggest that Kelly Greenwood (Zara Morgan) and Ben Gerrard (Cameron Clark) will not have their contracts renewed.