Hollyoaks shakes up Mitzeee Minniver's life once again next week as her sister Maxine arrives in the village unexpectedly.
Played by former Coronation Street actress Nikki Sanderson, newcomer Maxine hasn't been in contact with Mitzeee (Rachel Shenton) for years after they fell out over a man - which leads to fireworks when they come face-to-face again.
A downbeat Mitzeee has just been released from prison on bail when she realises that Maxine is back in her life. Could Maxine's arrival be just what Mitzeee needs, or will old wounds be reopened?
Digital Spy recently caught up with Nikki to hear more about the role of Maxine and how she's finding her new soap job.
How is your time at Hollyoaks going so far?
"It's going brilliantly and I'm having a fantastic time working with everybody. Hollyoaks is a wonderful place to work as everybody is so nice and welcoming. I feel like I've settled in really well and I've been really lucky with how it's all turned out."
Were you friends with any of the cast before joining the show?
"I wasn't friends with anybody, but I have met people briefly in the past at different events. I suppose I was quite lucky in that sense, because it meant that the experience wasn't quite so new to me. Since joining, though, I would actually class some of the cast as my friends now, rather than just work acquaintances.
"Everyone is so lovely on the show and there's a great atmosphere. Within cast, crew and production, everyone gets on so well. I've made friends with people very quickly."
What was your first day on set like?
"My first day was brilliant! I was filming with Rachel Shenton who plays Mitzeee, and Nicole Barber-Lane who plays Myra McQueen. It was brilliant and the pair of them were great with me. I had a really good day and I came away thinking, 'If every day is like this then I'm sorted!' It's been like that every day since then, too.
"One of those first scenes was filming in the McQueen house and that was quite good, because it's an iconic place for Hollyoaks and I was working with two fantastic people from the show. The scenes weren't too complex so I felt like I was eased in quite well!"
Did you audition for Hollyoaks or did they approach you to play Maxine?
"It was actually a bit of both, to be honest. I didn't actually audition at Hollyoaks. I was doing a play in Manchester called Fetish Nights Re:Bound and the writer of that play, Rob Ellis, actually writes for Hollyoaks as well. A few people from Hollyoaks came to watch the show, and it was from watching me in the play that they approached me regarding playing the role of Maxine.
"After that, we had a meeting and it went from there because Rob was writing a new character into Hollyoaks. I'm really lucky."
Had you watched the show much before joining?
"Yeah, I've always watched Hollyoaks. I must admit, I didn't watch every single episode, but I did watch the show when I could. Once I got the role, that was when I started watching every single episode because I wanted to learn who everybody was, the threads between them and how the characters all worked together. I was cramming a lot in so that I could learn more about it."
Has it been easy to adjust back into the fast-paced soap world?
"Yeah, it has been - I think it's like riding a bike! I found it quite easy and it was more a case of learning how everything works at Hollyoaks and getting used to the building, because it's huge and I was trying not to get lost! That's what I had to pick up, but I slotted back into the filming schedule quite quickly."
How would you describe the character of Maxine?
"Maxine is a really interesting character to play. I think she has got a heart and she is lovely, but she just doesn't show it at first! When she first arrives, she's more interested in herself and how everyone should fit into her life, rather than her fitting into theirs.
"She's also a little bit of a conwoman. Maxine comes in with a bang and cons pretty much everybody in the village in her first day. She thinks it's fine as she's never going to see them again, only to see them later on in the pub and have to face the music! Everyone she conned is there, and you'll see that everything goes a little bit wrong for Maxine - especially when she sees her sister…"
What is the relationship between Maxine and Mitzeee like?
"In the past, Maxine has done the dirty on her sister by stealing her fiancé five years before. She hasn't actually spoken to Mitzeee since then, but she turns up and expects to be welcomed with open arms - quite ignorantly considering what she's done in the past.
"So Maxine doesn't quite get the reception she was expecting from Mitzeee. You'll also notice that Maxine calls her sister 'Ann', because she's never known her as Mitzeee."
Does Maxine now feel guilty for what she did to Mitzeee five years ago?
"I don't think she does at first, as she's quite ignorant and quite selfish. Maxine thinks that Mitzeee should get over it as it was such a long time ago. It's only as Maxine starts speaking to Ann that she realises the impact it had on her life.
"That's when Maxine stops and thinks about it. She realises that she actually did cause a lot of pain for her younger sister. I don't think she'd realised what she'd caused until now. Maxine was looking after number one, but she sees that she did the wrong thing and maybe she shouldn't have turned up to see Mitzeee after all."
There are a few single guys in the village at the moment. Will any of them catch Maxine's eye?
"I don't think I can tell you that just yet! Let's just say that Maxine has just finished with her fiancé and I'm sure at some point in the future, a few people will catch Maxine's eye. Maybe they'll catch Mitzeee's eye too! I think there's going to be a lot of fun between the sisters."
Mitzeee has become a lot more serious following her recent troubles. Will Maxine's arrival see Mitzeee back to her old self?
"We'll have to see! What I will say is that Maxine and Mitzeee are very, very similar, as they grew up together.
"Through all of the negative and quite horrible stuff that Mitzeee has been through, understandably she's gone a little bit more into her shell. But with the arrival of Maxine, we'll just have to wait and see whether she can cheer her up and bring Mitzeee back."
Have Hollyoaks given you room to put your own stamp on Maxine?
"Well to be honest, the character has been fantastic from the beginning and the storylines that I'm getting are brilliant. Hollyoaks are really good in the sense that you can have input and speak to the scriptwriters and story editors, but so far I haven't needed to do anything like that. I'm really enjoying playing the role and doing the things that they've written for her."
Seven years on from Coronation Street, do you have fond memories of the show?
"Oh gosh yes, of course I do. I'll always think of Coronation Street very highly and it will always have a special place in my heart. I was there for a long time, I still speak to people there and I still watch the show. I'll always have fond memories of it."
Have any of your Corrie friends been in touch to congratulate you for your Hollyoaks role?
"Yeah, I've had a few messages. I'm very grateful that I've had those messages congratulating me and wishing me luck - it's lovely. I think it's always nice when people are there for you and I've had some very encouraging things said to me."
Love many, trust few, always paddle your own canoe