Gaz and Doug return to 'Hollyoaks'

[Perdita]

Bad boys Gaz Bennett and Doug Carter are both returning to Hollyoaks, DS can confirm.

Gaz - played by Joel Goonan - has been absent from screens since August, when he ended up in prison as his wayward behaviour came back to haunt him.

PJ Brennan's character Doug, meanwhile, was introduced as a new student in September, but he left the village in disgrace at the end of Freshers' Week when he was exposed as a drug dealer.

Speculation that both characters would return began yesterday when fans spotted that Goonan and Brennan both appear in a special Christmas music video recorded by the Hollyoaks cast.

Gaz's return will be a cruel blow for Anita Roy (Saira Choudhry), as he previously tormented her with racist bullying for months, pushing her to the edge.

Doug is also unlikely to receive a warm welcome back to the village following the devastating impact of his previous stint, which resulted in no-nonsense Carl Costello (Paul Opacic) warning him to pack his bags or else.

A Hollyoaks source told DS today: "Much to Anita's concern, Gaz will be making a shocking return to the village in the weeks ahead. Doug will also be coming back, but the details of how, why and when he returns are currently being kept under wraps."

[tammyy2j]

Didnt Gaz go to jail for Calvin''s murder?

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks student Doug Carter looked set to be a short-lived villain when he had a destructive five-episode stint on the soap last September, but following a shock return for the character earlier this year, he has since established himself as a fan favourite. Viewers have seen Doug attempt to redeem himself in the village, while back in April, we saw a new side to him as his history with old flame Bex was explored, before the feisty blonde was tragically murdered by sinister Silas. Digital Spy recently chatted to PJ Brennan, who plays Doug, on set at the Hollyoaks Music Show to hear about his thoughts on his alter ego.

Doug is a really complex character - how do you describe him to people?
"The simple version is that he's a drug dealer who's very bad at his job! But I think that's changed over time, and he is very complicated. I think Doug is someone who has the best intentions but doesn't make the best choices, so the situations that he gets himself into are his own fault and his own making, but he's not a bad person at heart. I think that's why I really enjoy playing him - he's not two-dimensional, he has ups and downs, and he has a bad side and a good side."

Originally, Doug was only in the show for a week last September, but did you always know he'd be back?
"No, when I first came in I was told that I'd come in with the Freshers', my character would be the catalyst for changes in everyone else, but I would leave at the end of those five episodes. My episodes aired last September, and then I wasn't told until the beginning of October that I was coming back. Before that, I did have my fingers crossed because I hadn't been killed off, and that's always a good sign! But I actually really enjoyed coming in for that one week - it had a beginning, a middle and an end, so it was a great story to tell."

It was nice that the writers started redeeming Doug pretty much as soon as he returned…
"Yeah, initially I was worried because Doug had nearly killed someone and done some horrible things, so when I was told that I was coming back, I kept wondering how they'd do it and why he wouldn't be rejected by everyone in town! I think it was done quite well, though - he snuck into the student halls and started replacing things that he'd stolen, and I think that set him off on the right foot. He became someone who you could empathise with perhaps a bit more than the first time."

The online fans all seem to love your scenes with Brendan Brady, don't they?
"Yeah! Emmett is fantastic to work with - he definitely deserves the two awards that he received at the Soap Awards, and I'm always happy to work with him. I'm always looking forward to doing scenes with him because he's just the type of actor that I want to work with - he's in the moment, he's challenging, he's free to try things and he's really creative. Also, when I first started at Hollyoaks, he was one of the best people to me. It's my first job out of drama school and he's really, really great. My time here wouldn't have been the same if it wasn't for Emmett, because he's been a great support for me and he's taught me loads."

Are there any more Doug and Brendan scenes on the way?
"We haven't worked together recently, but hopefully it will pick up again. As of now, Doug still thinks that Brendan killed Bex, so I don't know how we'd end up talking to each other again. I hope it happens at some point, though, because our scenes are always really enjoyable."

Many of the fans seemed gutted when Bex was killed by Silas!
"I know! In a way, I think it was really good that the writers did that. I thought that Daisy Turner was fantastic and really, really great to work with, but I liked the surprise of the character being killed. Hollyoaks did their best to keep that a secret until the last minute, and it just heightened the whole story. We knew that we had a very small window of time to make it seem like we had a significant backstory, and I was lucky that Daisy was so giving as an actress, as we immediately had chemistry. I can understand why the audience would be disappointed by Bex being murdered, as Daisy played the character so brilliantly and the character was written so well. If the audience were disappointed, that means they were invested in the character, so hopefully that means everyone did a good job."

Would you like Doug to be involved in Silas's downfall?
"I hope he will be! I have my fingers crossed that Doug will be somehow involved, as I'd love him to be. When I first found out that I was going to get involved in that storyline, I was very excited. I keep saying that I hope a little bit of a Scooby Gang gets together and figures it out, as there's quite a few characters in the village who are involved in some way or another. Maybe those characters could all be brought together in solving the crimes. Also, Jeff Rawle is a fantastic actor and a fantastic guy - working with him is a gift and it doesn't feel like work."

Have you enjoyed the scenes with Doug and his new flatmates too?
"Yeah! They call it the lads' pad and we try to be as laddish as possible. Off-screen, we've all become very close friends, so working with them is always a treat. I think the viewers have already seen some scenes there that have shown a bit of comedy, and a lot of the scenes coming up with the boys in the flat are quite comedic, which I'm happy about. I always want to play a character who can do the whole spectrum - I don't want to be identified as the 'mainly serious' character on the show."

Is it annoying when people think that your American accent isn't real?
"I still get it all the time! I am genuinely American - I lived in America for 21 years. But my accent has changed. When I have friends from back home who come over here, they ask, 'Why are you talking like Madonna? Your voice is different!' I think it's because my inflections are all different, but technically, Doug himself has been abroad for a while so I think it works well with the storyline. It doesn't tick me off when people say that the accent isn't real, though - I just laugh at it now. I still get lots of tweets asking me whether I'm really American!"

Had you been in the UK for a while before Hollyoaks?
"Yes, I moved here in September 2007 to come to drama school. I did a three-year degree at the Central School of Speech and Drama, and I went for the Hollyoaks job in April of last year. I have Irish citizenship and an EU passport, so I don't need a visa or anything like that. I love living here at the moment. I do have plans to go back to America at some point, but right now this is really enjoyable and I'm learning loads on this job. And I love Liverpool - I'm really happy to have moved up north to get a different taste of England outside of London."

Do you get recognised much by Hollyoaks fans?
"Definitely when I'm out in Liverpool! Especially because I live with a few people who work on the show, so we have a tendency to go out as a group, and that makes us more noticeable! But in Liverpool, everyone's really, really, really nice. I'm really awkward with stuff like that, though - I've yet to develop a cool rapport with people when they want to talk to me! But I guess you adapt to it as time goes on."

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks star Joel Goonan has announced that he will be leaving the show.

The 21-year-old wrote on Twitter that he had filmed his final scenes as Gaz Bennett for the Channel 4 soap.

"So that's it," he wrote. "Cast/crew old and new gunna miss u all, had 3 top years and learned a lot! Much love! (sic)"

He later posted to his followers: "Thanks for all your messages x hopefully be in something else soon, fingers crossed."

Goonan made his first appearance as the Hollyoaks villain back in November 2008.

He briefly left the soap in 2010 when Gaz was wrongly imprisoned for the murder of Calvin Valentine (Ricky Whittle), before making his on-screen return in January.

Recent plots have seen Gaz strike up a romance with Heidi Costello (Kim Tiddy) and put her son Seth (Miles Higson) in hospital after selling him illegal steroids.

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks' aspiring businessman Doug Carter finds himself slipping back into shady dealings with bad boy Brendan Brady next week.

The drama plays out after Doug and Ste (Kieron Richardson) hatch a plan to turn the village's empty Cincerity property into a deli - still keen to prove themselves with a new challenge.

However, as the pair have no funds to match their big dreams, meddling Brendan (Emmett Scanlan) swoops in to offer a loan. Realising that there are few other options, Doug secretly accepts Brendan's terms…

Digital Spy recently caught up with PJ Brennan, who plays Doug, to hear his take on the storyline.

What has the Ste and Doug storyline been like to film so far?
"I'm really enjoying it. I've been filming with Kieron now since December last year, and it's great. It's nice to work with someone who I haven't done many scenes with before, and it's going fantastically - there's a lot of good material to work with."

Are you pleased with the fan reaction to 'Stug'?
"Absolutely! While we're filming, we always keep the audience's reaction in mind on some level, and once the episodes started to air, we were both very happy with the feedback. It seemed to be very immediate. We both work really hard, so to get a payoff is really nice.

"I watch the episodes myself too, and I think a nice friendship is developing between Ste and Doug, which is watchable."

Ste and Doug have had a tough start with their ambitions. Despite that, do you think they're a good match as business partners?
"I think it's a perfect pairing. There's a lot of qualities that Ste has that Doug doesn't possess, and vice versa. Within the first few minutes of meeting them as business partners, you might get the impression that they wouldn't work well. But in the end, they balance each other out, and that's what makes it work.

"There's also similarities there - they share a desire to change their lives and make something of themselves, so there is a strong connection between the two of them. On top of that, they both had a rough year last year. They're both committed to changing their lives and proving themselves."

Ste and Doug have a tough bank meeting next week, don't they?
"Yes, they're trying to get a loan to buy the property, but the bank meeting ends up being a disaster! Ste is very nervous as it's not really his forté - it's more Doug's thing. Doug is the more business-minded side of the partnership, while Ste is the one with the practical experience and ability.

"Doug recommends that Ste should get over his nerves by picturing the bank manager naked, but it ends up going haywire as it often does on Hollyoaks. Ste's brain has some sort of glitch, and he starts seeing himself naked, which ruins the meeting!

"In the end, the pair of them have to find other options in terms of financing. They're back to square one, trying to scramble to find the money. To make matters worse, they only have a matter of days, because Tony is going to make a bid himself, so there's already direct competition for the property."

That's when Brendan comes along…
"Yes, Brendan is still obviously pining after Ste. He misses the relationship they had and the control he used to have over Ste. So Brendan wants to tempt Ste and Doug by offering them money to buy the property.

"However, this leads to conflict, because Ste is resolute in not accepting any sort of help from Brendan. Ste's goal is to not only be a success, but to be a success on his own terms - a self-made man."

What does Doug think of Brendan's offer?
"Well, Doug has the same frame of mind as Ste, but he also realises that they won't get very far without the money. It gets tricky, so while Ste outright rejects it, Doug puts the idea in his back pocket. Doug still searches for other ways to get the money, but he's keeping Brendan's offer in the back of his mind.

"Brendan also goes out of his way to eliminate any other options. At one point, Doug goes to Riley in a brief attempt to get financial backing from him, but Brendan finds a way to swoop in at the last minute and eliminate that. In the end, the only outlet left is Brendan, so it turns into a situation where Doug goes behind Ste's back to get the money…"

Doug also gets attacked, doesn't he?
"Yes, this is part of a side-plot involving Brendan and Joel. Joel notices the meetings between Brendan and Doug, and while he can't really figure out what it's about, he wants to be involved. When Doug finally agrees to take the money from Brendan, it comes with a list of demands - so he has to get back into some shady business.

"While Doug is carrying out a deal for Brendan, Joel puts on a mask and attacks Doug, as he's resentful over being left out of the loop. After being attacked, Doug fears that he's messed up and he won't get the money from Brendan."

What happens next?
"The whole incident reminds Doug why he was keeping his distance from Brendan in the first place, because this kind of thing happens. There's always complications and demands where Brendan is concerned - it's never just a favour!

"But Brendan still finds a way to weasel his way back in. He goes behind Doug's back, and finds a way to make sure that Doug and Ste do get the property!"

What does that mean for Doug and Ste's business partnership?
"Doug is faced with the dilemma of whether he should tell Ste. He decides not to, but who knows when the secret will be revealed? Their business partnership was originally very true and genuine, but now there's a secret involved. So next week's episodes build up a tension that will at some point explode!"

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks star Kieron Richardson has teased the future of Ste Hay's surprise new storyline with Doug Carter.

Earlier this week, viewers saw Doug (PJ Brennan) start to question whether he was seeing Ste as more than just a friend as they shared a hug at their new business.

Richardson today (April 13) told Channel 5's Live With Myleene: "Ste didn't have any friends, so he's started this friendship with Doug. And they've now become business partners and maybe something else might happen - a relationship possibly."

Pressed on whether fans can expect a romance for the duo, he continued: "Yeah, I think so! Doug [tries] to set him up on online dating, so when Ste does go on a date with another guy, Doug gets these feelings.

"Is he jealous that he's going on a date with a guy, is he jealous because his friend has been taken away from him? He's questioning all his emotions, and then in the weeks to come you'll find out why."

Doug's unexpected feelings have led to uncertainty over what the future holds for Ste's on-off relationship with Brendan Brady (Emmett Scanlan).

Richardson continued: "Brendan's always going to be in the mix. Obviously last year we did quite a big storyline - it was gay domestic abuse, which is hard to do.

"A lot of 'Stendan' fans, they are desperate for Ste and Brendan to be together. We've got 'Stendan' and 'Stug' - I'm just happy that my name's in both of them! The 'Stendan' fans are going absolutely mental and want Ste and Brendan to be together.

"But I think if we really do take a serious look, it's gay domestic abuse and we can't be seen to promote that. So he'll always be in the mix, but whether they're going to be together is a questionable thing."

Hollyoaks airs weeknights at 6.30pm on Channel 4 with a first look screening at 7pm on E4.

[alan45]

Hollyoaks star PJ Brennan is currently tackling his biggest story on the soap to date as his character Doug Carter wrestles with secret feelings for business partner Ste Hay.

Doug has been hiding his confusion in recent days, but as Ste grows close to new man Adam next week, jealousy leads to Doug confessing his love.

An argument between Doug and Ste later results in a kiss, but is Doug really ready for a relationship with another man? And will there be trouble ahead when Ste's ex-lover Brendan (Emmett Scanlan) finds out what's going on?

Digital Spy recently caught up with PJ for an in-depth chat about the new storyline. Read on to find out what he had to say!

When did you first hear that Doug would develop an attraction to Ste?
"It was ages ago - it was around late summer last year. At that point, the show had storylined up until Christmas leading up to the special Doug episode on Boxing Day. But we also knew that it would eventually lead to Ste and Doug becoming friends, starting a business and then potentially moving beyond that."

What was your initial reaction to the storyline?
"My initial reaction was a bit of trepidation because - even though it's 2012 - there's still a debate in the industry as to whether playing a gay character can typecast you, which made me a bit nervous. But in the end, I had loads of discussions with our producer Emma and we made the decision that we would do it - and we'd try to do it truthfully with as much justice as possible. After a while, you just have to throw any fears out of the window."

As the story was planned so far in advance, were there any early hints in the writing or your performance which viewers may have missed?
"I tried to slip it in sometimes, although I don't really think it was necessary. I think the fact that Doug let Becks go at the end of the Boxing Day episode showed that perhaps she wasn't the love of his life and he was prepared to let her go. That's obviously not an automatic prelude to Doug having a gay relationship, but it maybe showed their partnership in a different light."


The storyline has certainly got people talking as some fans seem really in favour of 'Stug', while others have reservations. What do you make of the viewer reaction so far?
"I anticipated all of the reactions that we've been getting. I usually try to stay off the forum on Digital Spy and reading feedback on Twitter, but I have been taking a look this time because I wanted to see if the reactions that I anticipated were the ones that we got. Not surprisingly, they were.

"In response to some of the reactions, I would love to have the opportunity to say that I wouldn't be interested in doing a story that was cheap, frivolous or just for a 'shock value' moment of a gay kiss. That is not what myself, the producers or anyone else has as a priority.

"I also don't think that the show is suddenly 'turning Doug gay'. The beauty of a soap opera is that you get to see the evolution and journey of characters. There's so much more to come, and we've really worked hard to make it believable and justifiable as to why Doug would be questioning his sexuality at this late stage, although he is only 20."

Knowing that the Ste and Brendan pairing has such a strong following, were you worried that some viewers would turn against Doug?
"Well, I've been lucky so far because the general public either has no feelings or positive feelings towards Doug - I've never really had much hate! I can feel the tide turning a little bit now, but it's fine as any reaction is good. If people are watching, that's what we want.

"I'm very happy that 'Stug' is getting some support and people have already given us a nickname - that's always a good sign! But I'm also confident that we've done the work, and hopefully people who are hesitant about it will come round. 'Stendan' is obviously a very watchable relationship. 'Stug' will be nothing like 'Stendan', but I think it's watchable in its own way."

Does Doug just have a crush on Ste, or are his feelings stronger than that?
"I think it's headed down the path of love - absolute genuine love. But what you'll see in the next few episodes is that Doug really doesn't understand any of it and he's struggling to get to grips with what he's feeling.

"Ste starts dating this other guy named Adam, and Doug develops a possessiveness over Ste as a result. Doug is trying to distinguish whether it's just jealousy because they've spent so much time together recently on the business. But I do think in the end, as time goes by, it could potentially turn into a loving relationship."


Why has Ste caught Doug's eye above anyone else in the village?
"I think it goes back to the fact that there are so many similarities between Ste and Doug. They both have a backstory with Brendan, they're both at the point where they want to turn their lives around, and they've been in close proximity - they've spent loads and loads of time together over the past few months. They hope that they can improve their lives and be happier than they were over the past year.

"There are also going to be moments where you find out what Doug's past is really like. Just because it hasn't been mentioned on the show before, Doug has had a whole lifetime - so there are moments that will be explained and discussed.

"I was recently quoted as saying that this story isn't a gay storyline, but I don't think I meant that in the way that it's come across. It is a gay storyline and I'm not shying away from that. What I meant is that it's a relationship that anyone can tap into and it shouldn't just be disregarded because of its focus on sexuality and homosexuality. I think when you get down to the bare bones, it's just a love story, really."

How easy or difficult will Doug find coming to terms with a possible relationship with another man?
"It certainly won't be easy. Doug is somebody who's quite hard on himself, so it will be a journey and there'll be some very deep low points. You'll have to watch, but there's a very genuine, truthful chain of events that occurs. But hopefully it will lead to Doug being a bit happier and more open."

It's obviously early days, but would Doug be able to accept Ste's children and family life?
"I think so, yeah! We've already had a few scenes where Doug's been to the house and met Leah and Lucas. Because Doug's had a difficult year, it's hard to remember the times when he was a bit more playful and fun-loving. Those moments will pop back up.

"I think the stuff with the kids is something that Doug would want. That's part of Doug's goals - finding purpose, stability and a reason to be around."



Doug and Lynsey's scenes were popular last year. Will their friendship be revisited?
"I can promise the audience that there is resolution to that. I always loved the friendship between Doug and Lynsey as well, and some of the scenes I'm most proud of have been with myself and Karen.

"In the coming weeks, there are very important moments between Doug and Lynsey. There's one scene in particular that I think the audience will appreciate, and it will be coming up on screen in the next month or so.

"Doug and Lynsey's friendship is important and I know that the producers are focused on developing relationships other than just sexual ones. Things like friendship circles are going to become much more important on the show."

It's inevitable that Brendan will find out about Ste and Doug at some point. What can the fans expect from that?
"Obviously there's a lot of drama that will be occurring! I don't think that Brendan is someone who would take that sort of information lightly. Also, Doug still owes Brendan £80,000 for the business - which Ste has no idea about.

"All of the elements are coming together to create the perfect storm, and I think the audience will love it - even the 'Stendan' fans. There's loads of stuff to go around for everybody and we haven't sold anybody short.

"If people are upset about 'Stendan', just be patient as there's loads of stuff coming up. We've been filming so much over the past few months and I'm very proud of it. I've seen some of it back and I think it's some of the best stuff we've done. Working with Kieron and Emmett is just a gift."

[alan45]

Hollyoaks star PJ Brennan is currently tackling his biggest story on the soap to date as his character Doug Carter wrestles with secret feelings for business partner Ste Hay.

Doug has been hiding his confusion in recent days, but as Ste grows close to new man Adam next week, jealousy leads to Doug confessing his love.

An argument between Doug and Ste later results in a kiss, but is Doug really ready for a relationship with another man? And will there be trouble ahead when Ste's ex-lover Brendan (Emmett Scanlan) finds out what's going on?

Digital Spy recently caught up with PJ for an in-depth chat about the new storyline. Read on to find out what he had to say!

When did you first hear that Doug would develop an attraction to Ste?
"It was ages ago - it was around late summer last year. At that point, the show had storylined up until Christmas leading up to the special Doug episode on Boxing Day. But we also knew that it would eventually lead to Ste and Doug becoming friends, starting a business and then potentially moving beyond that."

What was your initial reaction to the storyline?
"My initial reaction was a bit of trepidation because - even though it's 2012 - there's still a debate in the industry as to whether playing a gay character can typecast you, which made me a bit nervous. But in the end, I had loads of discussions with our producer Emma and we made the decision that we would do it - and we'd try to do it truthfully with as much justice as possible. After a while, you just have to throw any fears out of the window."

As the story was planned so far in advance, were there any early hints in the writing or your performance which viewers may have missed?
"I tried to slip it in sometimes, although I don't really think it was necessary. I think the fact that Doug let Becks go at the end of the Boxing Day episode showed that perhaps she wasn't the love of his life and he was prepared to let her go. That's obviously not an automatic prelude to Doug having a gay relationship, but it maybe showed their partnership in a different light."


The storyline has certainly got people talking as some fans seem really in favour of 'Stug', while others have reservations. What do you make of the viewer reaction so far?
"I anticipated all of the reactions that we've been getting. I usually try to stay off the forum on Digital Spy and reading feedback on Twitter, but I have been taking a look this time because I wanted to see if the reactions that I anticipated were the ones that we got. Not surprisingly, they were.

"In response to some of the reactions, I would love to have the opportunity to say that I wouldn't be interested in doing a story that was cheap, frivolous or just for a 'shock value' moment of a gay kiss. That is not what myself, the producers or anyone else has as a priority.

"I also don't think that the show is suddenly 'turning Doug gay'. The beauty of a soap opera is that you get to see the evolution and journey of characters. There's so much more to come, and we've really worked hard to make it believable and justifiable as to why Doug would be questioning his sexuality at this late stage, although he is only 20."

Knowing that the Ste and Brendan pairing has such a strong following, were you worried that some viewers would turn against Doug?
"Well, I've been lucky so far because the general public either has no feelings or positive feelings towards Doug - I've never really had much hate! I can feel the tide turning a little bit now, but it's fine as any reaction is good. If people are watching, that's what we want.

"I'm very happy that 'Stug' is getting some support and people have already given us a nickname - that's always a good sign! But I'm also confident that we've done the work, and hopefully people who are hesitant about it will come round. 'Stendan' is obviously a very watchable relationship. 'Stug' will be nothing like 'Stendan', but I think it's watchable in its own way."

Does Doug just have a crush on Ste, or are his feelings stronger than that?
"I think it's headed down the path of love - absolute genuine love. But what you'll see in the next few episodes is that Doug really doesn't understand any of it and he's struggling to get to grips with what he's feeling.

"Ste starts dating this other guy named Adam, and Doug develops a possessiveness over Ste as a result. Doug is trying to distinguish whether it's just jealousy because they've spent so much time together recently on the business. But I do think in the end, as time goes by, it could potentially turn into a loving relationship."


Why has Ste caught Doug's eye above anyone else in the village?
"I think it goes back to the fact that there are so many similarities between Ste and Doug. They both have a backstory with Brendan, they're both at the point where they want to turn their lives around, and they've been in close proximity - they've spent loads and loads of time together over the past few months. They hope that they can improve their lives and be happier than they were over the past year.

"There are also going to be moments where you find out what Doug's past is really like. Just because it hasn't been mentioned on the show before, Doug has had a whole lifetime - so there are moments that will be explained and discussed.

"I was recently quoted as saying that this story isn't a gay storyline, but I don't think I meant that in the way that it's come across. It is a gay storyline and I'm not shying away from that. What I meant is that it's a relationship that anyone can tap into and it shouldn't just be disregarded because of its focus on sexuality and homosexuality. I think when you get down to the bare bones, it's just a love story, really."

How easy or difficult will Doug find coming to terms with a possible relationship with another man?
"It certainly won't be easy. Doug is somebody who's quite hard on himself, so it will be a journey and there'll be some very deep low points. You'll have to watch, but there's a very genuine, truthful chain of events that occurs. But hopefully it will lead to Doug being a bit happier and more open."

It's obviously early days, but would Doug be able to accept Ste's children and family life?
"I think so, yeah! We've already had a few scenes where Doug's been to the house and met Leah and Lucas. Because Doug's had a difficult year, it's hard to remember the times when he was a bit more playful and fun-loving. Those moments will pop back up.

"I think the stuff with the kids is something that Doug would want. That's part of Doug's goals - finding purpose, stability and a reason to be around."



Doug and Lynsey's scenes were popular last year. Will their friendship be revisited?
"I can promise the audience that there is resolution to that. I always loved the friendship between Doug and Lynsey as well, and some of the scenes I'm most proud of have been with myself and Karen.

"In the coming weeks, there are very important moments between Doug and Lynsey. There's one scene in particular that I think the audience will appreciate, and it will be coming up on screen in the next month or so.

"Doug and Lynsey's friendship is important and I know that the producers are focused on developing relationships other than just sexual ones. Things like friendship circles are going to become much more important on the show."

It's inevitable that Brendan will find out about Ste and Doug at some point. What can the fans expect from that?
"Obviously there's a lot of drama that will be occurring! I don't think that Brendan is someone who would take that sort of information lightly. Also, Doug still owes Brendan £80,000 for the business - which Ste has no idea about.

"All of the elements are coming together to create the perfect storm, and I think the audience will love it - even the 'Stendan' fans. There's loads of stuff to go around for everybody and we haven't sold anybody short.

"If people are upset about 'Stendan', just be patient as there's loads of stuff coming up. We've been filming so much over the past few months and I'm very proud of it. I've seen some of it back and I think it's some of the best stuff we've done. Working with Kieron and Emmett is just a gift."

[Perdita]

P J Brennan has revealed that his Hollyoaks character Doug reveals his homosexuality for the first time next week.

Brennan's alter ego Doug Carter shared a kiss with business partner Ste Hay (Kieron Richardson) earlier this month, but has since been unable to cope with his feelings.

Speaking to Inside Soap, the American actor explained: "Doug has shut himself off from the world - he hasn't been showing up for work and has been hiding away from Texas, Leanne and Denns.

"He's wholly unwilling to deal with the issue at hand - that's very much like Doug - and to everyone else he appears to be slipping into a deep depression.

"What's been cool about filming these scenes is discovering the nice group of people Doug has around him."

Teasing how Doug overcomes his fears, Brennan added: "Texas comes to the forefront, as she's one of the most important people in his life at Hollyoaks.

"There's a lovely moment where she gently coaxes him into telling her the truth about his homosexuality."