Ste Hay (Kieron Richardson)

[Perdita]

Kieron Richardson has revealed that he has signed a new contract with Hollyoaks.

Following speculation that he would be departing the teen soap, the 24-year-old actor - who plays Ste Hay - denied the rumours to fans on Twitter.

He said: "In answer to ur questions im goin nowhere iv signed a new contract, plus iv been watching these past 2 wks an the show is ace rite now x (sic)"

Richardson previously affirmed his loyalty to the programme back in January this year, after he joined Dancing On Ice.

[moonstorm]

Hollyoaks star Kieron Richardson has confirmed that Ste Hay's ongoing deception will be uncovered by his girlfriend Rae Wilson in a forthcoming episode.

The actor's troubled alter ego is currently expecting a baby with Rae, having downplayed his previous passion with boss Brendan Brady (Emmett Scanlan) and convincing her that he is not gay.

However, in scenes due to air in a fortnight's time, Ste and Brendan find themselves drawn back together while at work - only for Rae to walk in on them.

Speaking in an interview with Soaplife, Richardson explained: "Ste loves Brendan. He's addicted to him. He's in the most obvious clinch with Brendan in the nightclub office when Rae walks in on them. Ste's naked apart from his boxer shorts. I had to have a spray tan for that scene!"

Asked how Rae reacts, he replied: "She's shocked and angry. She'd believed Ste when he assured her he wasn't gay and now she knows he was lying to her."

Richardson also predicted that the surprise moment could have big consequences for Ste and Brendan's relationship.

He said: "Being discovered will have an impact on their affair because Brendan's desperate for it to be a secret… Brendan might decide to stay away from Ste now. It's such a mess."

[alan45]

Brendan Brady has kept many secrets from his sister Cheryl since arriving in the village last summer - but in an episode airing early next month, it's the moment that fans have been waiting for as she finally makes some shocking discoveries.

When Cheryl pays a visit to Ste, the barman realises that she still doesn't know he was the person who put Brendan in hospital. Bracing himself for a backlash, Ste tells Cheryl everything.

Later, Brendan is shocked when Cheryl is aggressive towards him and wonders what's going on. But she can't handle his lies for any longer and flies into a rage.

Soon afterwards, Pete turns up and adds fuel to the fire by revealing something else about Brendan's past. Cheryl can't believe that she hasn't seen the real Brendan sooner, but how will she react when her beloved brother goes missing?

[Perdita]

'Hollyoaks' star Kieron Richardson teases Ste, Brendan future

Kieron Richardson has hinted that Hollyoaks' gay domestic abuse storyline could return to the forefront of the soap in the coming months.

The actor's troubled character Ste Hay embarked on a violent relationship with nightclub boss Brendan Brady (Emmett Scanlan) last year, but he is now in a new romance with fitness instructor Noah Baxter (Law Thompson) after dumping the sinister Irishman.

Ste, Brendan and Noah's love triangle reaches its climax in next week's episodes, leaving the path open for Ste and Brendan's dark relationship to be further explored in the weeks ahead.

Speaking to BBC Radio Manchester, Richardson commented: "Obviously we don't want to rush this storyline because it is quite sensitive. We're not trying to drag it out, but make it as realistic as possible.

"Ste really loves Brendan and he's gone through the domestic abuse thing so far, and he wants to try and get away from that. So instead of reporting it and going to the police, his decision was to just leave him and move on in another relationship - which is with Noah. Obviously that relationship isn't going too well and on-screen in the next couple of weeks, you'll see the result of that.

"So over the next couple of weeks, there's going to be lots more fireworks in the Ste and Noah relationship and Brendan will very much be at the centre of that.

"And then hopefully we'll pick up on the domestic abuse [again]. There will be a result at the end - that people might be happy with, or they might not be happy with. We'll have to keep watching."

Brendan's son Declan Brady, played by Jay Duffy, makes his arrival on screen at the beginning of next month.

[tammyy2j]

So Ste gets back with Brendan

[lizann]

Noah is leaving :cheer: Yay!

[tammyy2j]

Emmett Scanlan reveals to Soaplife how Brendan hides his real life from his newly arrived son Declan...

Brendan has sneakily put an end to Ste's plans to move away with Noah. But his fight to win back his former lover has to be put on hold when his teenage son Declan comes to stay. "Family comes first for Brendan," says Emmett. "He's not the sort of person who'd want his son to know he's gay." So, more secrets and lies...

What are Brendan’s feelings for Ste?
"They haven't changed. There's still this deep attraction and love there but Brendan's very territorial about him, too. If he can't have him he doesn't want anyone else to..."

Which is why he splits up Ste and Noah. Will he try to build a proper relationship with Ste now?
"Can a leopard change its spots? Brendan carries this inner rage and I think his relationship with Ste will be as it always has been. I can't see them walking around Hollyoaks hand in hand."

Nor can we after Brendan's son Declan turns up out of the blue! Is he staying?
"At least for a bit. Brendan's ex-wife Eileen shows up unannounced and says she's going away for a fortnight to a wedding and Declan needs somewhere to stay."

Is Brendan close to his son?
"He wants to be, but he hasn't been around for a lot of the time. He's determined to make the most of this fortnight and use it to get closer to his son."

Will he hide his gay side?
"That - and he'll want to hide the fact that he's a psychopath!"

Will we see a different side to Brendan?
"Yes, a much softer side. My own daughter is in Ireland and I don't see as much of her as I'd like. It hasn't been hard to put myself in Brendan's shoes."

Will Brendan ever be ready to reveal himself as gay?
"I can't imagine it. Brendan doesn't see himself as a gay man. He's been married with kids. He just sees himself as somebody who sleeps with men.."

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks star Kieron Richardson has shared his hope that the soap's gay domestic abuse storyline will have a "positive" effect.

Viewers have seen the 25-year-old's character Ste Hay embark upon a violent relationship with villainous bar owner Brendan Brady (Emmett Scanlan) in a plot that has since come to the fore of the Channel 4 soap.

Speaking to Pink News, Richardson declared his aim to dispel the myth that homosexual men "should be able to handle" aggressive partners.

"The thing is, some people think just because two guys love each other, [if there's domestic abuse] they should be able to handle it," he said. "That's not the message we're trying to give, we're trying to give a positive one out that, if you are going through it, no matter what, you should go to the police and get something done about it.

"Whether you're gay, straight, whatever, and you are going through it, it's just about finding the courage to go and tell someone about it. I know it's hard and I can't really give advice or say, 'Go and do this', so I just hope the storyline is making an impact."

Richardson previously described the Ste-Brendan romance as "a cracking storyline" that could "make a difference to others who are suffering".

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks has a big week lined up for Ste Hay as his mother Pauline makes a surprise return to the village, sending him into turmoil.

Thrown by Pauline's arrival and the fact that his boyfriend Doug Carter (PJ Brennan) invited her, Ste finds his bad temper returning and ends up trashing the deli in a rage - only for ex-lover Brendan Brady (Emmett Scanlan) to unexpectedly come to the rescue.

Digital Spy recently caught up with Kieron Richardson, who plays Ste, to hear about this week's storyline and the latest on the 'Stendan' and 'Stug' love triangle.

How does Pauline's return to the village come about?
"In the build-up to Pauline coming back, Ste is feeling quite low as he thinks that he hasn't really got any friends. There's been a memorial for Riley with a lot of lad banter, which Ste can't join in with. He ends up feeling quite isolated and he turns to drink after that. Ste is just a bit depressed in general, because he doesn't have family he can rely on like Doug does, and Amy has left now too.

"Doug's answer to all of this is to ring up Ste's mum, as he thinks Ste must be missing his family. Doug isn't really aware of the past between Ste and Pauline so he thinks he's doing a good thing, when in actual fact he's opening a big can of worms that Ste thought he'd got rid of.

"When Pauline turns up, it's a complete shock to Ste because they've had no contact at all in the past three years. But all of a sudden, she's there on the doorstep!"

For the benefit of newer viewers, can you remind us of Ste's relationship with his mum?
"What regular viewers will know is that Ste was brought up in an abusive background, with his stepdad beating him up. His mum was an alcoholic, so he's never really had any loving family whatsoever. That explains why he went off the rails, stole cars and beat up Amy - he'd only ever known abuse in his life.

"The last scenes we saw with Pauline involved her stealing money from Il Gnosh, where Ste used to work with Tony. Her parting words were that she wished Ste had never been born, so there's certainly no love lost between them!

"They haven't spoke at all since then, so Pauline doesn't know about Ste's sexuality, she's never met baby Lucas, she doesn't know about Brendan and she definitely doesn't know about Doug. She's got a lot to find out about!"

It soon becomes clear that Pauline hasn't changed her nasty ways. Does Ste stand up to her, or will we see her walk all over him?
"Pauline definitely gets under Ste's skin and she gets him in an emotional state, but I don't think he's afraid to say exactly how he feels about her. It's an interesting situation because the way Ste reacts is something that Doug has never seen before. She takes him back to a place from his past - a bit of a dark place.

"As Ste is struggling to cope, he goes to the deli and smashes up the shop. So I think it's nice that we're keeping bits of the old Ste, and now introducing it into the 'Stug' and 'Stendan' relationship storylines."

How did you find getting into such an angry state for those scenes at the deli?
"I actually think it's great for any actor to get themselves into that place. It's not every day you can come into work and have someone say, 'Here you go - smash up a shop and throw some plates at the walls!' If you've had a bad day or a bad week, it's great to get all of your anger out!"

How does Brendan react when he sees Ste smashing up the deli?
"Well, what's nice is that recently we've understood a lot about Brendan's past and how he's been treated, and now we're revisiting Ste's background. When Brendan finally sees Ste in such an angry state, they have this really nice heart-to-heart in the deli where they're both sitting on the floor.

"Ste says to Brendan, 'We're both the same, really. I've given you a hard time over these past two years for your behaviour, when in actual fact I'm the same as you'. So they have this nice conversation, but then Doug walks in and automatically thinks that something has gone on between Ste and Brendan.

"It actually hasn't, though! If anything, Brendan says to Ste, 'If there's anyone you should be with, it should be Doug'. So we get to see a nice side of Brendan too."

Does Doug see Pauline's true colours, or is he fooled by her?
"I think Doug can pick up on what's going on, but he doesn't fully understand at first. The more that Pauline is there, he does see the way that she's speaking to Ste, and he tells her to watch her behaviour in a few scenes."

Brendan ends up paying Pauline to leave the village. Does Ste know about that?
"No, Ste is completely unaware of that. Recently we've seen Brendan say that he's bought the shop for Ste, he's bought the flat for Ste - and I think this is another example of Brendan trying to control Ste's life without him being aware.

"Brendan is making sure Ste is alright and he obviously sees that Pauline is a problem, so he pays her off to leave him alone."

After so many arguments and problems between Ste and Doug, do you think maybe they're not as well-suited as they thought?
"I think it's just teething problems - as with any relationship, you're going to argue at the beginning. You have a loved-up period, but then there'll be little squabbles. The only thing that's different about this relationship is that Brendan is always looming. It's like there's always three people in the relationship, so it'll be interesting to see how it unfolds."

Could you give a definitive answer over who Ste loves more?
"I still always sit on the fence with this question, because I love working with both Emmett and PJ individually, and they're both very talented actors. The characters of Brendan and Doug have also got completely different qualities in their relationships with Ste.

"With Brendan, I always envisage that they have amazing sex, but they're just not good for each other because there is domestic violence involved. Then with Doug, I always feel that Ste can be himself more, he can have more of a laugh and it's a less controlling relationship. I'd also say Doug is more of a gentle lover towards him.

"So they both have different qualities, and I think Ste is definitely in love with both of them. But I guess it's up to the audience to decide which one he loves the most, because he definitely can't make the decision himself yet."

Being on Twitter, do you get a sense of which relationship is most popular with fans?
"The 'Stendan' relationship has been going on longer than the 'Stug' one, so those fans are really, really passionate. But now the 'Stug' fanbase have got their own thing going on too, and it's really nice that they're also so passionate about the storyline and can't wait to find out what happens next.

"I've also noticed on Twitter that the two fanbases fight with each other and they start picking on each other! I try not to get too involved, but it's nice that they love it and that we can get a reaction."

We asked for questions on Twitter and heard that some 'Stug' fans are losing hope for their future after some of the recent spoilers. Is there anything positive you'd say about those two?
"What I would say is that last week we released a video which said that a marriage is going to happen. For the two of them to get married, they must definitely be in love. It's no secret that there's going to be a big incident at the wedding, but people will have to tune in to see it. It's really exciting, though.

"People think they know the answer to everything, but they don't. Hollyoaks is there to shock, and I think what's coming up is going to leave a lot of people with their jaw wide open. Twitter is going to go off the scale!"

As you're such a big Cheryl Cole fan, another viewer tweeted us to ask what three words you'd say to her if you ever met - apart from 'I love you'!
"I'd love her to follow me on Twitter, so I'd probably say, 'Please follow me' or 'Giz your number!' I don't know why I'm absolutely obsessed with her, but I am. She's on my Twitter profile, I've got her book and fans even send me Cheryl Cole presents all the time. I've been sent Cheryl Cole posters, a Cheryl Cole mug, Cheryl Cole bottle openers. She tweeted me once, but she's still yet to follow me. Maybe it will happen one day!"

[Perdita]

Ste Hay's love triangle was finally resolved on Hollyoaks this week as he chose ex-lover Brendan Brady over husband Doug Carter, travelling over to Dublin to reunite with the Irishman.

Yesterday we brought you Emmett Scanlan's thoughts on the 'Stendan' reunion in an in-depth interview, and now we can present a second reaction chat from Kieron Richardson, who plays Ste.

Here, Kieron chats to Digital Spy about Ste's decision, its aftermath and why he wants his character's edgier side to return!

Are you pleased that Ste and Brendan have finally reunited?
"Yeah, I think it's been two years in the making. It's good that we've held off on doing it for so long, because the audience have wanted it since the day they split up. I think if we'd given it to them straight away, there wouldn't have been as much suspense and excitement - and maybe the relationship would have fizzled out last year.

"The two characters needed to be separated for Brendan to go on his journey and for Ste to go on his own journey as well. Brendan needed to deal with his anger issues, while it's also been nice that Ste had the chance to find love with Doug and try taking the 'right' path. But in actual fact, he just needed to follow his heart. Ste did love Doug, but his first and true love is always going to be Brendan."

There's always a big buzz around 'Stendan', but never more so than this week! Are you pleased with the response?
"Definitely - it's just great to be involved in such a big and unusual storyline. It's been a tangled and twisted love story, which shouldn't have happened but then it did. It's a storyline that the audience have really taken to their hearts.

"The response that we get on Twitter is phenomenal, and for me as an actor, I've loved working with Emmett as well. It's been good all round for everybody!"

Did you enjoy the chance to go over to Dublin to film the reunion scenes?
"Yeah, I never really get to go out of the building usually, so it was brilliant! It was also great to have Emmett there as a little Irish tour guide. He had his daughter Kayla with us, too, and she was working behind the scenes. It was really nice to see Emmett as a dad with Kayla, because he's not anything like his character in real life."

Can Ste and Brendan truly be happy in their relationship now?
"Well, I think that's the exciting thing: what happens now? In the past, when Ste and Brendan were secretly together, they were never able to openly and freely love each other in public. Now that two years have passed and Brendan has come out to everybody, it's great that they can be open and free.

"It's going to be interesting to see where the relationship goes now that there's hopefully going to be no secrets. Is it just going to be a love story, or is there going to be more drama down the road? There always seems to be some kind of dark and sinister thing going on with Brendan, so who knows?"

You've had months of people asking you about whether Ste would end up with Doug or Brendan. Is it a relief to have it finally resolved now?
"Yeah, it is. We were told a long time ago that the story was going to pan out to this point, so I always knew it was coming. It was always hard to be asked whether I preferred 'Stug' or 'Stendan', because all three of us had worked hard on the different relationships. You don't want to favour one over the other, as that would feel disrespectful to the work that we'd done, to the fans of the other relationship, and also to the actors involved.

"I've always sat on the fence, because I do think there are pros and cons to both of the relationships. When I was doing interviews, I always knew that 'Stendan' was going to win in the end. So it's been a tough couple of months trying to keep it a secret, and even at this point I still wouldn't say I preferred one or the other. But I know the fans hate that answer!"

Are there any more scenes coming up with Ste and John Paul?
"As it stands at the moment, there's going to be lots of John Paul and the McQueens. There's a lot of years that he's missed, so he's got a lot of catching up to do there. In terms of Ste and John Paul doing things together, I'm not so sure yet. I'd love to work with James, though, as I think he's a great actor."

How involved will Ste be in the storyline with Brendan and his father Seamus?
"Heavily involved, really. Seamus has turned up and it's a question of whether or not Ste lets Brendan keep him a secret. We have to explore that and it's a great story - what would Seamus's reaction be to knowing that Brendan is gay and in a relationship with this little scrawny guy that runs a deli? There's lots of great things to come.

"Brendan has told Ste a little bit about his past, but obviously Ste doesn't watch the Hollyoaks late-night episodes, so he doesn't know anything about the sexual abuse. Ste's had his own turbulent relationship with his stepdad, so he can kind of relate to Brendan because they've had a similar upbringing. Or so Ste thinks, as he still doesn't know the full story.

"If Ste does find that out, I think it would make him feel a lot more pain for Brendan."

Could Ste stay friends with Doug?
"I don't know - it all depends whether Doug comes back or not! It was quite emotional and fraught when they left each other on screen this week, so if he was to come back, would it be water under the bridge? Or would there still be feelings and emotions there between them?"

This week we saw Ste smashing up a pub with Brendan. Could his bad boy side be making a return?
"I would like that to happen, as I think the character has probably become a bit too good. I'd hate to play him as a bit of a pushover, or too soppy and wet. I don't think you should lose the essence of what the character was when he first came into the show.

"When I read the scene of Ste smashing up the pub, my take on it was that he was in his element - it was taking him back to how he used to be, but in a happy place because he's with the love of his life. They were both doing something they love to do - who wouldn't like to smash a glass or throw tables and chairs at walls?

"I secretly would like the character to go back a bit more to how he used to be, because every storyline that I've done so far has been about love, love, and love. He loved Amy, Doug and Brendan. He loves everyone that he gets with! I'm excited for the future and hopefully some more stuff like that will come out."

What kind of a relationship will Brendan have with Leah and Lucas?
"I think it's going to be confusing for the kids. For the past couple of months, they've had 'Daddy Doug' and the marriage. Now Doug has gone and Brendan is in his shoes, it's quite confusing for the kids, so we have to tell that story as well. Plus, Leah as a character can be quite feisty anyway!"

Do Brendan and Ste move in together?
"It's not actually been said yet. There's some episodes where they're both in Cheryl and Brendan's flat, and some episodes where they're both in the council flat. I think they're both having nights over at each other's houses at the moment."

How are you spending Christmas this year?
"I'm spending it in New York with friends. I've never been before, so I'm quite excited about that. Obviously PJ Brennan is from Brooklyn, so we're going to go to his family house and have Boxing Day dinner there. Then it'll be New Year's Eve in the Big Apple!"


Read more: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s13/hollyoaks/interviews/a446663/hollyoaks-kieron-richardson-on-ste-brendan-doug-outcome-and-more.html#ixzz2Fh9XJNl4

[tammyy2j]

Hollyoaks Ste will end up in bed with George, as he struggles to cope in the wake of Brendan's dramatic departure.

Ste and George's one-night stand comes after Ste turns to the bottle to try and deal with his heartbreak, All About Soap reports.

When a drunk Ste is spotted sitting outside the pub, George offers to take him home. However, one thing leads to another, and the pair end up in bed.

The next day, George is left devastated when Ste tells him that their night didn't mean anything.

To make matters worse, George then confides in Phoebe about his disappointment, but she gets the wrong end of the stick, thinking George slept with John Paul.

Seeking revenge, Phoebe decides to teach JP a lesson by mugging him.

[lizann]

i expected him to get back with doug never george and him

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks star Kieron Richardson has said that his character Ste Hay's life will never be the same again after his latest storyline.

It was recently revealed that Ste's ill mum Pauline would reveal that she was dying and desperately needed her son's help.

Despite there being no love lost between Ste and Pauline, Ste is convinced by Tony, who is suffering from illness himself, to go and visit her. Once he is there, he discovers just how much his mum is suffering, and helps her move out of his childhood home and into the council flat.

During an emotional chat between the pair about Ste's father, Pauline asks Ste to help her die.

Speaking about Ste's reaction to the news, Richardson told All About Soap: "It makes him feel completely numb. She's gone from telling Ste she loves him in one breath, to asking him to kill her in another.

"Pauline's lied so much in the past, so Ste needs to question whether she really does love him or whether she's just using him.

"He turns to his ex, Doug, for some advice about what he should do."

However, Doug surprisingly tells Ste that he should consider Pauline's request and it helps Ste reach a decision.

Richardson said: "Doug's reaction comes as a bit of a shock to Ste because he just assumes he'll say, 'Don't be so ridiculous!' But the advice from Doug helps him decide whether he should assist his mum in her suicide.

"If he does go through with it, it will be because Pauline has manipulated him into doing it. Ste is just so vulnerable at the moment. Anything could happen."

Speaking about the future for Ste, Richardson added: "Without giving too much away, he's going to be very busy and there is going to be lots of tears and snot. There's going to be a big Ste explosion.

"This has definitely been one of my favourite storylines to date and quite challenging for me. What happens in these weeks is just the start of the story.

"There is a lot more to come and Ste's life will never be the same again."

[tammyy2j]

Hollyoaks star Kieron Richardson has revealed that there is a chance of happiness ahead for his troubled character Ste Hay.

Ste is back on screen with big episodes next week as he appears in court over the assisted suicide of his mother Pauline.

To the concern of his loved ones, Ste seems resigned to the prospect of going to prison until some words of encouragement from his ex-partner Doug Carter (PJ Brennan) encourage him to fight.

Asked whether Ste will try to change his life if he walks free, Richardson told Soaplife: "I think so. This will be like a wake-up call for him. It will be a challenge for him to try to turn his life around.

"But his naughty streak is embedded in him, and as long as the temptation is there, he will always want to take the wrong path."

He continued: "You're left thinking, 'How much further can they take Ste?' But in early winter, you will see a reason why Ste has been pushed to the brink. There is finally going to be a light at the end of the tunnel."

Fans know that there are big changes ahead for Ste in the coming weeks as his three half-sisters arrive on screen for the first time.

[tammyy2j]

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[Perdita]

Hollyoaks airs some of its biggest episodes of the year this week as a bomb explodes during Ste Hay and Doug Carter's leaving party at the council flats.

The tragedy takes place after Ste's friend and flatmate Sinead O'Connor (Stephanie Davis) accidentally brings a bag containing the explosive device into the building.

Digital Spy recently caught up with Kieron Richardson, who plays Ste, to hear all the gossip on the highly-anticipated episodes.

What were these explosion scenes like to film?
"When you're doing a stunt, for safety reasons you often have to use stuntmen. What's great about this story, and the beauty of it, is that each cast member is doing their own stunt in the explosion scene. You're going to see each of their faces in order to show what happens in the middle of a bomb.

"The story has got to have heart and everything like that, but we also want to show a beautiful stunt. The only way to do that and make it realistic is to have the actors there doing it for real. Each characters' reaction and experience is shown in slo-mo. You'll see a lot of danger - it's great!"

Some of the scenes were filmed away from the usual set, weren't they?
"Yes. Because Ste's flat is a real building and not just a set, it could never really be done on the usual Hollyoaks set. A replica set had to get knocked up and built in Manchester.

"It was actually a little bit strange to be 30-odd miles away from the genuine set. It melted my head a little bit, because at times I was filming in Ste's flat and thinking I was in Liverpool, and then I stepped outside and I was in Manchester! (Laughs.)"
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The council flat explodes.
© Lime Pictures
The council flat explodes.


When we paid a visit to the Hollyoaks set recently, it was strange to see the flat all boarded up and burned out!
"Well, that's a sad thing as well. For me, I've spent the best part of seven years filming in there every single day. I got to know every nook and cranny, but now I'm not going to be there anymore, so it was a bit surreal and emotional to be saying goodbye to that and also that part of Ste's life.

"It's where so many of Ste's big life moments have taken place. There's been a lot of happiness there but also a lot of doom, so it's actually quite fitting that it's the place where lots of loved characters will be taking their last breath!"

Before this all kicks off, Ste is planning to leave the village with Doug. Is he confident this is the right choice for him?
"I think so. Ste's had a very heavy time this year with everything he's had to deal with, and recently it's continued with getting a suspended sentence and Leah running away, when she found out about Pauline's assisted suicide.

"It just seems to be one thing after another, so Ste thinks that if he stays in the village, his life is just going to spiral completely out of control. Why stay in the village when they can have a good time living it up around the world?"

Does Ste really love Doug?
"I know lots of the fans will say it's not genuine love as Brendan is Ste's genuine love. I can say, hand on heart, that Brendan is the true love of Ste's life, but people need to stop giving Doug a bit of a hard time as well.

"You can't forget that this guy's actually been there for Ste all the time, no matter what Ste's put him through. Doug's always stuck by him, and Ste doesn't have anyone else at this point in his life. Doug is the only one showing him any affection and true love. Even though a lot of the audience don't want it, you've got to think about what's best for Ste at this point, and Doug definitely is."
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Hollyoaks stunt week - PJ Brennan and Kieron Richardson
© Lime Pictures
PJ Brennan and Kieron film the stunt


How do you think the stunt compares to previous ones Hollyoaks have done?
"The bus crash at the wedding last year was so sensational and even filming it took your breath away. Watching it when it went out live was like watching a music video, as everything was so artistically done and beautiful. To win an award for that at the British Soap Awards was incredible.

"The other soaps had to sit back and watch Hollyoaks win that this year, so in my head, I knew that they'd all pull their socks up to be better next year. Everyone always wants to win the 'Spectacular Scene' prize, so I knew that we'd have to be even better than they're going to be! I've watched clips of the explosion and I can safely say that we're in with a good chance again."

Is Ste in a lot of danger?
"Well, the regular viewers will know that the council flat is very small. The bomb is in the kitchen, which isn't really divided from the living room, where most of the characters are, so everyone at the leaving party is in danger. Sinead is particularly close to the bomb - extremely close in fact!

"Upstairs there are more characters because loveable Dodger, crazy Will and his girlfriend Ash are all in the Kanes' flat. There's definitely going to be tragedy…"

Most of our readers will know that Hollyoaks have decided to bring in three sisters for Ste. How do you feel about the producers showing that commitment to your character?
"There's immense pressure. I do watch the show like any other person and I get excited over other storylines, especially when things happen that I didn't know about beforehand.

"When you watch your own performance, you sit back and cringe and question the choices that you've made. I always want to do the best job I can possibly do, and the fact that they're bringing in a full family means that I can't be complacent. I've still got a long way to go yet."
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The Lomax family are shocked to find Tegan has given birth.
© Lime Pictures
Ste's new family


What can we expect from the new family?
"You can't forget the fact that Hollyoaks is a Northern soap, as it's based in Chester. The only Northern family we've had at the heart of the show for many years has been the McQueens. Now we have the Savages and the Roscoes, who are great Southern families, so we did need another Northern family. I'm quite excited because Northerners have got great charm.

"With the things that Kirsty-Leigh [Porter] and Jess [Ellis] are bringing to their characters Leela and Tegan, we've got a bit of comedy coming up. In Leela, there's also a bit of the Jacqui McQueen that's been missing! We've got the innocence of Peri too, and the craziness of the mum and dad as well. There's something there for everybody!"

A lot of the 'Stendan' fans have been saying that Brendan should be mentioned in Ste's scripts more often. Can you see where they're coming from?
"I can definitely see where the audience are coming from. There are Brendan mentions in the show, but they have to be at the right time. If Ste was to mention Brendan in every emotional scene, we wouldn't be able to move Ste forward as a character and move forward as a show. There's no denying that the story was great, it captivated the audience, it was great for the characters and Emmett was probably the best actor I've ever worked with. He's incredible.

"At the same time, for me, I don't want to be stuck in the past and only known for the Ste and Brendan storyline. I've been consciously trying to get away from it a little bit, while also staying true to the story. Brendan was so important in Ste's life, so the mentions have to be at the right moment, rather than just using it to keep the audience happy every now and again. When Ste is at his lowest, that's when there should be mentions of Brendan."

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks airs some of its biggest episodes of the year this week as a bomb explodes during Ste Hay and Doug Carter's leaving party at the council flats.

The tragedy takes place after Ste's friend and flatmate Sinead O'Connor (Stephanie Davis) accidentally brings a bag containing the explosive device into the building.

Digital Spy recently caught up with Kieron Richardson, who plays Ste, to hear all the gossip on the highly-anticipated episodes.

What were these explosion scenes like to film?
"When you're doing a stunt, for safety reasons you often have to use stuntmen. What's great about this story, and the beauty of it, is that each cast member is doing their own stunt in the explosion scene. You're going to see each of their faces in order to show what happens in the middle of a bomb.

"The story has got to have heart and everything like that, but we also want to show a beautiful stunt. The only way to do that and make it realistic is to have the actors there doing it for real. Each characters' reaction and experience is shown in slo-mo. You'll see a lot of danger - it's great!"

Some of the scenes were filmed away from the usual set, weren't they?
"Yes. Because Ste's flat is a real building and not just a set, it could never really be done on the usual Hollyoaks set. A replica set had to get knocked up and built in Manchester.

"It was actually a little bit strange to be 30-odd miles away from the genuine set. It melted my head a little bit, because at times I was filming in Ste's flat and thinking I was in Liverpool, and then I stepped outside and I was in Manchester! (Laughs.)"
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The council flat explodes.
© Lime Pictures
The council flat explodes.


When we paid a visit to the Hollyoaks set recently, it was strange to see the flat all boarded up and burned out!
"Well, that's a sad thing as well. For me, I've spent the best part of seven years filming in there every single day. I got to know every nook and cranny, but now I'm not going to be there anymore, so it was a bit surreal and emotional to be saying goodbye to that and also that part of Ste's life.

"It's where so many of Ste's big life moments have taken place. There's been a lot of happiness there but also a lot of doom, so it's actually quite fitting that it's the place where lots of loved characters will be taking their last breath!"

Before this all kicks off, Ste is planning to leave the village with Doug. Is he confident this is the right choice for him?
"I think so. Ste's had a very heavy time this year with everything he's had to deal with, and recently it's continued with getting a suspended sentence and Leah running away, when she found out about Pauline's assisted suicide.

"It just seems to be one thing after another, so Ste thinks that if he stays in the village, his life is just going to spiral completely out of control. Why stay in the village when they can have a good time living it up around the world?"

Does Ste really love Doug?
"I know lots of the fans will say it's not genuine love as Brendan is Ste's genuine love. I can say, hand on heart, that Brendan is the true love of Ste's life, but people need to stop giving Doug a bit of a hard time as well.

"You can't forget that this guy's actually been there for Ste all the time, no matter what Ste's put him through. Doug's always stuck by him, and Ste doesn't have anyone else at this point in his life. Doug is the only one showing him any affection and true love. Even though a lot of the audience don't want it, you've got to think about what's best for Ste at this point, and Doug definitely is."
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Hollyoaks stunt week - PJ Brennan and Kieron Richardson
© Lime Pictures
PJ Brennan and Kieron film the stunt


How do you think the stunt compares to previous ones Hollyoaks have done?
"The bus crash at the wedding last year was so sensational and even filming it took your breath away. Watching it when it went out live was like watching a music video, as everything was so artistically done and beautiful. To win an award for that at the British Soap Awards was incredible.

"The other soaps had to sit back and watch Hollyoaks win that this year, so in my head, I knew that they'd all pull their socks up to be better next year. Everyone always wants to win the 'Spectacular Scene' prize, so I knew that we'd have to be even better than they're going to be! I've watched clips of the explosion and I can safely say that we're in with a good chance again."

Is Ste in a lot of danger?
"Well, the regular viewers will know that the council flat is very small. The bomb is in the kitchen, which isn't really divided from the living room, where most of the characters are, so everyone at the leaving party is in danger. Sinead is particularly close to the bomb - extremely close in fact!

"Upstairs there are more characters because loveable Dodger, crazy Will and his girlfriend Ash are all in the Kanes' flat. There's definitely going to be tragedy…"

Most of our readers will know that Hollyoaks have decided to bring in three sisters for Ste. How do you feel about the producers showing that commitment to your character?
"There's immense pressure. I do watch the show like any other person and I get excited over other storylines, especially when things happen that I didn't know about beforehand.

"When you watch your own performance, you sit back and cringe and question the choices that you've made. I always want to do the best job I can possibly do, and the fact that they're bringing in a full family means that I can't be complacent. I've still got a long way to go yet."
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The Lomax family are shocked to find Tegan has given birth.
© Lime Pictures
Ste's new family


What can we expect from the new family?
"You can't forget the fact that Hollyoaks is a Northern soap, as it's based in Chester. The only Northern family we've had at the heart of the show for many years has been the McQueens. Now we have the Savages and the Roscoes, who are great Southern families, so we did need another Northern family. I'm quite excited because Northerners have got great charm.

"With the things that Kirsty-Leigh [Porter] and Jess [Ellis] are bringing to their characters Leela and Tegan, we've got a bit of comedy coming up. In Leela, there's also a bit of the Jacqui McQueen that's been missing! We've got the innocence of Peri too, and the craziness of the mum and dad as well. There's something there for everybody!"

A lot of the 'Stendan' fans have been saying that Brendan should be mentioned in Ste's scripts more often. Can you see where they're coming from?
"I can definitely see where the audience are coming from. There are Brendan mentions in the show, but they have to be at the right time. If Ste was to mention Brendan in every emotional scene, we wouldn't be able to move Ste forward as a character and move forward as a show. There's no denying that the story was great, it captivated the audience, it was great for the characters and Emmett was probably the best actor I've ever worked with. He's incredible.

"At the same time, for me, I don't want to be stuck in the past and only known for the Ste and Brendan storyline. I've been consciously trying to get away from it a little bit, while also staying true to the story. Brendan was so important in Ste's life, so the mentions have to be at the right moment, rather than just using it to keep the audience happy every now and again. When Ste is at his lowest, that's when there should be mentions of Brendan."

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks star Kieron Richardson has told Digital Spy that his character Ste Hay has "a very long journey" ahead this year.

Ste has been quieter on screen in recent months, but will soon become much busier again and feature in a number of the show's central storylines.

Speaking to Digital Spy at the launch of Pentahotel Warrington last night (January 30), Richardson explained: "For where we're going and the direction we're taking Ste in, we had to make him quiet for a little bit in order to then give the audience more. When Ste comes back, it's with a bang and it's exciting.

"With what's coming up, it's not just my storyline - it's me involved in lots of different storylines. Each one also kind of intertwines with each other.

"I don't know how the writers and the producers come up with it, but it's like a big massive jigsaw puzzle. It's putting all of the pieces together, and then at the end of this very long journey, will it be a pretty picture that we're looking at or a devastating picture? That's the only way I can describe it."

Viewers have recently seen Ste go into business with his former employer Tony Hutchinson (Nick Pickard), who is setting up a new restaurant in the village.

Richardson continued: "There's lots of stuff with Nick Pickard, because we've got rid of the deli now and it's time to move on from that chapter. Ste and Tony have set up a new business with the new restaurant, The Hutch. But then Ste, being Ste, can't really hold a job down - or it's not long before somebody comes knocking and gets him involved in some kind of risky business.

"The thing is, Ste has to be on his best behaviour, because he's on a two-year suspended sentence after the Pauline storyline. Technically he has to behave, but it's whether or not he can be swayed by temptation. The audience are going to be ripping their hair out, screaming at Ste for making stupid mistakes, which is what they're used to anyway. It's kind of like the old Ste again."

He added: "Ste's storylines will include the Lomax family, Trevor, Sinead, John Paul's story and I think I've even got a scene with Sienna, which is probably something that people never thought would happen. I'm working with everyone in the show, so it's exciting for me to be so busy."

The Pentahotel Warrington launch took place last night (January 30), organised by Mason Media and 20 Ten Entertainment.

[tammyy2j]

Hollyoaks star Kieron Richardson has had a busy few weeks on screen as his alter ego Ste Hay has been caught up in dramas with John Paul McQueen, Sinead Roscoe and the village's gangsters.

Life won't get any easier for Ste over the next few weeks as a darker storyline for him kicks off in May, allowing the popular character to take centre stage in his own right.

Off-screen, Kieron is also in the running for the Best Actor prize in this year's British Soap Awards longlist, which is currently being voted for by fans.

Digital Spy recently caught up with Kieron to hear about Ste's next big storyline, the upcoming 'Who Killed Fraser?' plot, the awards nomination and much more…

Congratulations on the British Soap Award nomination! How are you feeling about being up for Best Actor?
"I feel completely honoured and like a lot of hard work has paid off by having the nomination. We can't get too confident over the awards though, because all of the other shows are nominated so there's really tough competition in every single category - especially with Coronation Street's Roy and Hayley storyline, which really touched people.

"My biggest storyline in the last year was the Ste and Pauline one, but because it was on screen in August last year, I just hope that it hasn't been forgotten about."

Ste has featured on screen quite heavily recently, so are you glad to be busy again?
"Definitely - I hate having days off and I love getting my teeth stuck into a storyline. The beauty of it recently is that Ste has been involved in everyone else's storylines, whether it's John Paul's, Sinead's or anything to do with the Lomax family.

"Ste does have a storyline of his own coming up, but it hasn't even started yet. At the beginning of May we're going to see a little bit of it and I've already had a little viewing of the scenes we've filmed. It's looking incredible and I'm really proud of it."

Can you tell us more?
"Throughout the years, we've done lots of different storylines with Ste and many of those have involved drug deals. If we go back years and years, he used to supply heroin to Sasha and then as soon as Brendan left, he went into dealing ecstasy tablets in the club. More recently, he's been involved with cocaine at the restaurant.

"So we've seen Ste selling drugs a lot, but we've never seen him physically taking drugs. We're changing that now and we're going to see what Ste would be like if he's on drugs himself. I think Ste works best when he's on a downward spiral, so that's what we're going to see a little bit more of.

"After seeing little bits of what we've filmed, I'm really proud of it - especially after being nominated for Best Actor. It's great to have a storyline running at the same time that I can get my teeth stuck into. I want to hopefully show that I am worthy of this nomination and it's not just a wasted one.

"The Best Actor category is tough - Jeremy Sheffield is also representing Hollyoaks, and he's got a massive storyline with Nikki Sanderson at the moment. Nick Pickard is also nominated and he was sensational in Tony's cancer storyline last year. Even though the thing I'm most proud of is the Pauline story, it's nice to have another story coming up so that I can justify the nomination."

What's coming up for Ste in the shorter-term?
"It's quite a dark time for Ste because he's been dealing drugs out of the restaurant. It's something he doesn't really want to do, but he's been forced into it by the local gangsters. Now he's also torched a car for Fraser, not realising that there was a body in the boot and that it was same car that crashed into Sinead. It was the crash which stopped Sinead from seeing baby Katy before she died, so it's a massive deal.

"This has opened up a huge can of worms involving a lot of people. It's a tangled web for Ste, because it's a massive betrayal towards Sinead, his stepmum Sam is involved because she's a police officer, and he's also on a two-year suspended sentence.

"In the next couple of weeks, you'll see that Ste is terrified that he's going to be in trouble for Fraser's crimes - but he can't confess the truth because Fraser is threatening to kill his family. It's a question of how long Ste can keep the truth covered up for, and is he willing to sacrifice seeing his kids again by going to jail to keep them safe?"

Will Ste be a suspect when Fraser is murdered?
"I think nearly every person in the show is going to be a suspect, because Fraser has upset so many people. What's great at the moment is that everyone's storylines are interlinked, and anything that happens has a knock-on effect for something else.

"It wouldn't surprise me if there's a high number of suspects who would want to kill Fraser - you've got Grace, Trevor, Tegan, Sandy, Ste, Freddie, Sinead, Diane and Tony. Every single person in the show has had some involvement with Fraser. Other shows have had whodunits in the past, but I think this is going to be on a really grand scale."

Are the cast aware of who the culprit is yet?
"No - nobody in the building knows apart from the big bosses, the storyliners and the writers. Everyone else is just questioning each other and themselves, wondering if they killed Fraser! You'll pick up scripts, see a clue and wonder whether you've figured it out, but at the moment none of us know."

Would you say Ste is capable of killing someone?
"I think Ste has got really good reasons to in this case, because Fraser is threatening to kill his kids. There's no bigger threat than that. Fraser's actions will also destroy Ste's friendship with Sinead, who is one of the only people he can rely on."

What's it been like to film so many emotional scenes with Steph Davis (Sinead) recently?
"It's been a funny one, really. Me and Steph are really close and we usually have such a laugh on set, but because Sinead's storyline is so harrowing at the moment and very difficult to do, she's had to put herself in quite a dark place for the scenes. In real life if Steph has a problem, I'm a shoulder to cry on and someone to lean on - so now it's happening in the show a little bit too.

"It's been great to watch Steph shine with the baby Katy storyline. I've been watching her performances on screen this week and they really take your breath away. In real life Steph is very bubbly and she's always having a laugh, so she's giving performances that you wouldn't expect and it shows what a great actress she is."

Danny recently turned quite nasty with Ste and threatened him. Can Ste forgive him for that?
"I think it stems from the fact that there's been a massive turnaround with Ste and John Paul's relationship. They used to hate each other and be arch-enemies, but now they've developed these feelings. They've had one kiss but nothing more, so it's always been a 'will they, won't they?' scenario.

"Ste has fallen for John Paul a little bit, but the person who's standing in the way is actually his dad, because Danny's had a secret relationship with John Paul. It's quite difficult to put yourself in that situation - Ste wants love from his dad, but he's not very happy that Danny has been having this relationship and has betrayed the family. We'll have to wait and see what happens, but Danny threatening to kick Ste out of the house was a big blow, because all Ste has ever wanted is a family."

We know that you've recently shot a role in a film called Him Upstairs. What was it like to take on a different project?
"It was great to try something else, because I've only played Ste for these past few years, so I was a bit worried that I would just pick up a script and play it exactly like I would Ste. The film stars Ricky Tomlinson and Gwen Taylor, and the story is based on Alzheimer's.

"I can't say much more at the moment, but it was great to know that I could work with people that I've always admired. I've worked with Gwen Taylor before in Heartbeat and I've always liked Ricky Tomlinson because I'm a massive fan of The Royle Family. The character I'm playing is also completely different to Ste."

Was it a conscious choice to look for something else, or did the producers approach you?
"They approached me - I've been approached to do things a few times, but I've never been able to do anything before now because the timings haven't worked out. Another thing was a remake of Romeo and Juliet in another country, but obviously I couldn't get released from work to do that! It's nice to know that there are other offers out there though, because sometimes I don't know if I'm capable enough to try other things."

The characters in the film are mostly from Liverpool - did you have to do a Scouse accent?
"I practiced one and it wasn't the best, but in the end I didn't end up using it in the film. The director didn't even want to hear it as he said there were enough Scouse accents in the film already!"

When we interviewed Emmett Scanlan late last year, he said that he'd consider coming back to Hollyoaks to complete the 'Stendan' story if you ever left. Are you glad that option is still there?
"It's always a strange situation, because we both get a lot of messages about Emmett saying that he'd come back for Ste's exit - and the fans want it to happen because they want Brendan back in the show.

"But that means they'd have to get rid of me as I'd be leaving, so it's a bit of a catch-22 situation! The fans would get the happy ending but it means that I would have to leave, and that's something I don't want to happen at the moment. I'd hope the viewers don't want that to happen either!"

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks' Ste Hay will find himself in another dangerous situation next month as Grace Black kidnaps him.

Ste, played by Kieron Richardson, is targeted by Grace when she decides to get him to confess to the murder of her father Fraser.

Putting a devious plan into action, Grace takes a friendly approach towards Ste and even offers him some cocaine in the hope that it will get him talking.

Once Grace's latest twisted scheme begins to pay off, she takes a drugged-up Ste back to Trevor's flat and ties him to the bed.

Turning nasty, Grace warns Ste to tell her the truth about Fraser's death if he wants to get out of the situation alive.

How Ste reacts to Grace's ultimatum and whether he does have something to hide over Fraser's demise remains to be seen.

Tamara Wall, who plays Grace, has previously confirmed that her ruthless character will be determined to find someone to blame for Fraser's death. However, she has also refused to rule Grace out as the culprit.

She said earlier this month: "There are so many people in the whodunnit lineup, but Grace is the most obvious suspect. Many people will think it's her, but the list of potential killers goes on and on. Right after Fraser is killed, Grace is on the warpath to try and blame someone for the crime."

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks will air another dramatic week for Ste Hay next week as he is confronted over his ongoing drug issues and finds himself back in the frame for Fraser Black's murder.

Digital Spy this week caught up with Kieron Richardson, who plays Ste, to hear all the gossip on what's in store.

Are you pleased with the viewer response to Ste's drugs storyline so far?
"I'm really pleased with it. It's nice to get any reaction when you do a storyline, but the fact that it's been so positive has been great. Personally I want to push the storyline even more because I think we can go even further with it, so it's exciting to see what the future holds.

"I think the audience like Ste when he's down, dirty, depressed and his life's a mess! The further we can take it down that road, the better."

Are you hoping the writers take their time in exploring the story?
"I hope so. The beauty of playing a character like Ste is that he never just has his own little story. He's got connections with so many people in the village, so he's always delving in and out of other storylines while having his own as well.

"It's nice to see Ste in his own state while still trying to help his friends like Tony. I like that the storyline continues but Ste flips into other people's stuff too."

Why would you say Ste has turned to drugs?
"In the past Ste has tried to go down the straight and narrow by being sensible, and he's also tried to be dodgy by getting into dealings with Freddie. The only answer to him right now is taking drugs to numb everything he's going through after having so many disasters in his life. I think it was inevitable that this would happen eventually."

Ste starts getting involved with John Paul again. How does that come about?
"The McQueens are going through trouble with their accommodation, so they end up descending on the boarding house where Ste lives. Ste is depressed, drinking and on drugs, so he really doesn't want to be putting up with Mercedes and Nana McQueen!

"Ste doesn't want anything to do with John Paul at this point either. Ste thinks that John Paul isn't interested and that nothing he does is good enough, as John Paul seems like this high and mighty professional. It also doesn't help that Ste has a massive hangover on the day they all show up!"

But then Nana McQueen plays matchmaker…
"Yes - I love Nana McQueen's character and she's one of my favourites in the show, so the fact that I got to work with Diane Langton who plays her is fantastic. Nana is the one who tells Ste that he is good enough for her grandson, but he needs to pull his socks up and show John Paul that he loves him. Nana is the thing that pulls them together."

Danny is also hoping to get back with John Paul at this point. Does Ste realise he might have competition?
"Ste knows about their past and it's always been in the back of his head. There's one moment where Ste decides to express his feelings for John Paul and sort himself out, but at that point he sees John Paul and Danny looking friendly. Ste thinks it's a romantic thing, but they're actually just going for a coffee as friends. Ste reads far too much into it!"

John Paul and Danny team up to confront Ste over his drug-taking. What happens?
"Ste is babysitting Matthew for John Paul. John Paul thinks it's great that Ste is showing responsibility and seems to be going down the right track now. It's not until John Paul is tidying Matthew's stuff away that he sees some cocaine in Ste's bedroom. John Paul can't believe it, but Ste insists that he hasn't taken anything - he'd just hidden the drugs away so that Matthew wouldn't find them.

"In the end Ste decides that if John Paul doesn't trust him, he might as well go off and do drugs anyway. John Paul and Danny decide to lock Ste in his bedroom, but he jumps out the window!"

When John Paul catches up with Ste, he finally reveals that he kept him out of the frame for Fraser's murder by hiding the gun. How does Ste react?
"That's another massive shock for Ste. At this point, Ste thinks that he's completely innocent and had nothing to do with killing Fraser, because John Paul lied to him. Ste's surprised when he hears that he did have the gun and John Paul found it and buried it to protect him. It was a massive thing for John Paul to do to make sure that Ste's name was cleared.

"Through all of this happening, the mystery of who killed Fraser comes to the forefront of the show again - and Ste is right in the firing line."

What happens next?
"Ste and John Paul are having a heated conversation, but they realise that somebody has been listening to everything they've been saying - including where the gun is buried. When they get there, the gun is gone and they're left to wonder who overheard the conversation…"

Are you glad that Ste has found a new love interest?
"Ste's been in quite a lot of big love stories in the show, so it's always been about him being in love and then getting his heart broken. It's nice that we've had a period where we've done other things, like the storyline with Pauline last year and the drugs story now.

"The story with John Paul hasn't been an overnight thing. They've had one kiss months ago and that's it so far. It's nice that it hasn't all been about Ste being in a relationship and there's other things involved.

"It just so happens that Ste has got a lot of love to give and the person in his eyeline right now is John Paul. He does have genuine feelings for him, and it would seem that John Paul has feelings for Ste too.

"These two unlikely people who you would never put together do have something there, but because of things getting in the way, there's still a lot they have to work out - so it's a case of will they or won't they ever get together?"

[lizann]

- John Paul meets up with Amy Barnes and asks her to let Ste see Leah and Lucas. They surprise him at the Lomax house, but their timing couldn’t be worse as Ste has been taking drugs. Amy swears that he will never see their children again
- Lockie asks Ste to pay him ‘in kind’ for drugs that he has given him and John Paul overhears. When Ste doesn’t pay up and Lockie wants the drugs back, Ste mixes the dregs of his cocaine with drain cleaner.
- Lockie asks John Paul to go for a drink and offers him drugs - Ste’s tainted drugs
- John Paul is admitted to hospital and Myra warns Ste to stay away from her son
- Ste realises he needs help, but when the local rehab centre is fully booked, he thinks a lifetime behind bars might sort him out instead. He smashes up a car, pushes Tegan to the floor and attacks Lockie.
- Tegan and Leela decide to use the insurance money they received as a result of their parents’ car crash to pay for Ste to go to rehab.
- As John Paul discharges himself from hospital and promises to wait for Ste to get clean, a jealous Lockie tells John Paul that it was Ste who spiked his drugs
- Ste spends 28 days in rehab. Two episodes will feature him in rehab where two characters visit and make revelations that could sent Ste down a dark path

[lizann]

ste is the father of sinead's baby

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks will explore another issue-based storyline next year as show regular Ste Hay is diagnosed as HIV positive.

Ste will hear the news in January after having unprotected sex with a stranger, sparking a long-running story which will explore the consequences for him and how he lives with the condition.

The sensitive plot has been planned by the Channel 4 show's bosses for several months. Cast and producers have worked with the Terrence Higgins Trust, a HIV and sexual health charity, while planning the story.

This will be the first time that a British soap has featured a gay character living with HIV, and Ste's journey will explore the effect that it has on his relationship with John Paul McQueen, his children and his physical and psychological wellbeing.

Hollyoaks' executive producer Bryan Kirkwood commented: "We have wanted to tell this story for a long time and while HIV can affect anyone, infection rates in young gay men remain too high and to ignore that is to do the gay audience a disservice.

"Hollyoaks is in a unique position to be able to talk directly to millions of young viewers and if the safe-sex message is not coming through education, we can help with that both on screen and through multi-platform support.

"2015 is Hollyoaks' 20th year and to make that our 'year of safe sex' felt right for a show built upon telling rites of passage stories. With Ste's HIV and other stories for our teenage characters, we will explore the many implications of unprotected sex and hope to encourage thoughtful debate amongst our audience."

The story will unfold following a one-night stand between Ste and a young man called Connor, who is HIV positive but is unaware of his status. Connor is later diagnosed and breaks the news to Ste, who then has to decide whether to take a HIV test himself.

Will Harris, Head of Media at Terrence Higgins Trust, commented: "We always say that a well-researched, well-told storyline in a national soap is worth any number of health campaigns, especially for a stigmatised condition like HIV. It's important because currently whole generations of young gay men are entering adulthood without the confidence they need to negotiate healthy sex and relationships.

"Until we have a statutory programme of sex and relationships education in all schools, that doesn't just teach 'what goes where' but covers bigger issues like self-esteem and respect for others, preventable scenarios like Ste's will continue to be enacted off-screen all over the country.

"Hollyoaks is sending such an important message, not just for young gay men but for anyone who may not have an up to date understanding of HIV, and we think they can do a lot of good by telling it."

Harris added: "What's so powerful about Ste's story is that it's rooted in reality. Every day in the UK, around eight more gay or bisexual men are told they have contracted HIV, most of them from someone who hadn't yet been diagnosed.

"Ste doesn't use a condom because he doesn't see the risk, yet you're far more likely to contract HIV through unprotected sex with someone who doesn't know their status than someone who knows they have HIV and is on treatment.

"Modern drug treatments can help to manage the condition but the virus finds other ways to impact on people's lives. We each have a responsibility to protect ourselves and our partners by using condoms and testing regularly."

[lizann]

ste could have given it to others like sinead their baby and john paul

[tammyy2j]

Hollyoaks actor Kieron Richardson says his character’s upcoming HIV-related storyline is “very important”.

Last week it was announced Richardson’s character Ste Hay will next year become the first major gay character in a British soap to be diagnosed with HIV.

Speaking on Gaydio’s The Kieron Richardson Show, he said: “Ste’s next storyline is HIV. I’m going to be the first openly gay character to be telling the story.”

“This is the first [time] it’s been done with a gay character. I think it’s massive!

He added: “HIV is on the rise predominantly within the gay community, so I think it’s very important that we do tell this story right now.

“If nothing else, if a few people watch these episodes and go get tested or prevent themselves from giving it to somebody else, it’s a great thing that we’ve achieved.”

Richardson added: “I’m really, really excited about it. Also the very dark side of it as well, we’ve had to do research and speak to people. It really does get to you and you think, ‘some people they go to really dark places’.”

“Not everybody takes to news incredibly well and for some people the eighties stigma is still there. Some people think ‘this is the end of me’.”

Ste will be diagnosed with HIV in January after having sex with a stranger, Connor, who is unaware that he is HIV positive.

Connor will later find out his status, and break the news to Ste on the Channel 4 soap.

The long-running storyline will explore his experiences of living with HIV and has been in the pipeline for several months. Producers have worked with the Terrence Higgins Trust to ensure its sensitivity.

It will explore Ste’s relationship with John-Paul McQueen, and will mark the first time a gay character in a British soap has been diagnosed with HIV.

Eastenders character Joe Wallace, played by Jason Rush, was a character who featured briefly in the BBC1 soap, and who lived with HIV in the early 90s.

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks star Kieron Richardson has discussed his character Ste Hay's upcoming wedding to John Paul.

Viewers will see the couple marry in a special hour-long episode airing on Christmas Eve.

Speaking of the couple's festive ceremony, Richardson said to All About Soap: "It's been an honour. We don't usually do anything special at Christmas like other soaps, but this year we have an hour-long special.

"The beauty about it being on Christmas Eve is that you want to laugh and smile at that time of year, and that is exactly what you'll get.

"The wedding is big and camp - James Sutton and I are even getting dressed up as Geri Halliwell in Union Jack dresses. It's going to be good fun to watch, hopefully!"
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Will John Paul and Ste be brought closer together again?
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John Paul and Ste will marry at Christmas.

Richardson also expressed his delight over Ste and John Paul being the first gay soap couple to marry in a church.

He said: "The fact we've filmed the first gay marriage to take place in a church is amazing.

"With Hollyoaks being 20 years old next year, this is a big thing for us and it's been incredible."

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks bosses have announced that rugby union player Ben Foden has filmed a guest appearance on the soap.

The sportsman will appear as himself in Ste Hay and John Paul McQueen's wedding episode this Christmas.
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Ben Foden
© Lime Pictures
Ben Foden

Foden will help to save the day when a series of last-minute mishaps lead to John Paul (James Sutton) almost missing his own wedding.

Comic scenes in the build-up to the ceremony will see John Paul and newcomer Lockie Campbell (Nick Rhys) find themselves on the run from the law following an eventful stag night.

The mischievous pair hide out in a lorry, but disaster strikes when it drives off and later leaves them stranded in a remote location.

Just when it seems that John Paul's wedding plans are in tatters, he and Lockie manage to hitch a ride back to Chester when Foden and a group of other rugby players take pity on them.
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Ben Foden with Hollyoaks stars Twinnie-Lee Moore and Nick Rhys
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Ben with Hollyoaks stars Twinnie-Lee Moore and Nick Rhys
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Ben Foden filming Hollyoaks on location
© Lime Pictures
Ben Foden filming Hollyoaks on location

Foden filmed his Hollyoaks scenes on location in Liverpool in early November and his cameo will air as part of the show's hour-long Christmas Eve special.

The Chester-born sports star plays as a fullback for Northampton Saints. Away from the pitch, he and his popstar wife Una are currently expecting their second child.

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks star Kieron Richardson spoke further about his upcoming HIV storyline in a live TV interview on This Morning today (January 16).

The actor's alter ego Ste Hay will be diagnosed as HIV positive in scenes airing next week. It is the first time that a British soap has featured a gay character living with HIV.

Ste contracted the condition last year when he had unprotected sex with a student named Connor. As well as promoting safe sex, Ste's story will explore the effect that his HIV status has on his marriage to John Paul McQueen, his children and his physical and psychological wellbeing.

Speaking on ITV's morning show today, Richardson explained: "I've been there [at Hollyoaks] for nine years so you think sometimes, 'Am I a bit washed up now?', but each year it just keeps getting bigger and bigger for the character and it's challenging for me coming into work and doing the storylines."

Asked why this story is particularly important to him, he replied: "I think it's the fact that it hasn't been done with a gay character before, which shocks me a little bit.

"I've got lots of friends that have got HIV as well, so it's nice now that the show is giving a voice to the LGBT community - because it does happen and it is on the rise within our community, so why not tell the story?"
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Ste & John Paul wait for their appointment
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Ste and John Paul decide to get HIV tests

When Connor gets back in contact with Ste next week and suggests that he should get tested, Ste is forced to break the news to John Paul (James Sutton) before they both visit a clinic together.

Richardson continued: "Ste doesn't really want to go. His first initial thought is, 'I'd rather not know, I just want to carry on as normal'. Obviously he's in a relationship and he can't do that, so it's whether or not he's going to decide to go to the clinic - and the outcome is that Ste's positive.

"It's great because this is two people's journeys. It's not just Ste's, it's John Paul's as well - how he deals with his husband having HIV. It's great and then in a couple of weeks' time, the whole village have to find out and it's everyone's reactions."

In real life, Richardson is planning to marry his long-term partner Carl Hyland this year.

Speaking about the upcoming ceremony, he laughed: "The wedding's getting bigger and bigger. My favourite thing when I go to a wedding is I want to see what the bride's wearing and the dress. Unfortunately when you come to my wedding, that's not going to happen because we're not wearing dresses!

"I've decided to have… so far it's gone up to 11 bridesmaids, but they're going to be brides wearing 11 different wedding dresses!"

[tammyy2j]

Kieron Richardson has hinted that there could be another dramatic labour planned for Sinead Roscoe.

The actor's character Ste Hay is currently expecting a baby with Sinead after they had a one-night stand last year.

Richardson today (March 10) revealed the baby's name for the first time and confirmed that the birth won't take place in traditional circumstances.

He told ITV's This Morning: "We can exclusively reveal, after much deliberation, Ste and Sinead have chosen the name of baby Hannah Hay. In true Hollyoaks fashion, there's going to be lots of ups and downs and here's an exclusive for you - Hannah isn't going to be born in a hospital.

"So that's Ste, Sinead and a baby - but Ste's married to John Paul, so how's John Paul going to fit into all this?"

Sinead previously went into labour at the village's abandoned petrol station in 2013, with her then-enemy Esther Bloom helping to deliver the child.

Sinead proved herself as a good mother to her baby daughter Katy, but the youngster tragically died from a heart condition in March last year.

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks teen Harry Thompson is to become a new love interest for Ste Hay, Digital Spy can exclusively confirm.

The pair will become an item later this year in a move that is bound to spark surprise and heartbreak within the village.

Fans saw the first hints of an attraction between Harry (Parry Glasspool) and Ste (Kieron Richardson) in Tuesday's E4 first look episode as they shared an unexpected moment at Diane O'Connor's flat.

While viewers will have to wait a while for things to develop further, the moment was the beginning of a big new storyline for the characters.

What the plot means for Ste's future with his husband John Paul McQueen remains to be seen, leaving fans to wonder whether Ste and Harry's connection will be a clandestine affair or if Ste and John Paul are heading for a shock split.
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Ste and Harry share a moment
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Ste and Harry share a moment
© Lime Pictures

A Hollyoaks source told Digital Spy: "Harry and Ste get together later this year, but their decision could have huge consequences for a number of characters.

"Ste is best friends with Harry's father Tony, but their friendship may not survive once the relationship gets under way. John Paul and Sinead, who both have strong feelings for Ste, will also no doubt have their own parts to play in the story."

Tuesday's E4 airing saw Harry confide in Ste about his ongoing confusion over his sexuality, admitting that he wasn't ready to tell Tony the truth just yet.

Ste promised to support Harry in the meantime, pointing out that he had been through similar experiences himself.

[tammyy2j]

John Paul McQueen and Ste Hay will call time on their short marriage next week following a build-up of problems.

The pair's issues reach a peak as Sinead gives birth to Ste's baby after her waters break at Lindsey and Freddie's wedding.

Although Ste (Kieron Richardson) and John Paul initially take steps to resolve their troubles by making up, they are soon interrupted by the news that Sinead has gone into labour.

When Ste realises that he missed Scott's calls about Sinead due to being preoccupied with John Paul (James Sutton), he is furious and points the blame at his husband.

After Ste later shares a kiss with Sinead as they await the arrival of their baby, he is later forced to face up to the reality of his future with John Paul.

The pair eventually agree that their marriage is over, and Ste is soon supporting Sinead as she gives birth to their baby.

As Ste and Sinead bring their baby back to the flat, she is worried when she discovers he has split with John Paul.

However, a blissfully happy Sinead is reassured when Ste insists he has everything he needs with their new family unit. Where does this leave his future with John Paul?

It was recently confirmed that teenager Harry Thompson would become Ste's new love interest.

[tammyy2j]

Whether you love it or hate it, the 'Starry' pairing has taken centre stage on Hollyoaks lately and Kieron Richardson has now revealed his hopes for the storyline's future.

Richardson's character Ste Hay broke up with his husband John Paul McQueen in the spring and has since played with fire by enjoying a secret affair with teenager Harry Thompson (Parry Glasspool).

Many fans have struggled to accept Ste with other men since his popular partnership with Brendan Brady came to an end in 2013, but Richardson is keeping his fingers crossed that Ste and Harry can build a fanbase of their own.

Speaking to Digital Spy, he explained: "The Ste and Brendan storyline was so popular and so massive, so it's always been a bit of an uphill struggle with every relationship that Ste's had since then. People have always said, 'No, bring back Brendan!'

"They were never really accepting of Doug and they were never really accepting of John Paul. This is the first relationship since where the feedback so far has been on the up a little bit. I'm hoping it can continue like that. It seems like most of the audience are willing for them to get together.

"Emmerdale's Danny Miller has done it twice. He had a really successful on-screen relationship, then left the show, came back in and now has this 'Robron' relationship.

"You can't help but see it! When you're in a gay relationship in a soap, you seem to be all with each other and the fans tag all of your names into the same tweets on Twitter. I see all of the Robron tweets so I think, 'If Danny Miller can do it, so can we!'"


When Ste and John Paul separated a few months ago, they made a promise to meet up in the village on Christmas Day to discuss a possible reunion - one year on from their romantic wedding.

Discussing the possibility, Richardson continued: "Meeting up with John Paul at Christmas keeps getting brought up loads, and it will get a mention. All I can tell you really is that things are happening. Depending on who Ste chooses, his life could go one way or another.

"Everyone likes Ste when he's on a downward spiral, so I'm hoping he goes the bad way! If he goes the nice way he'll be happy and we don't want a happily ever after for Ste - I don't anyway!"

Next week's Hollyoaks episodes will see Ste and Harry play with fire again when they get steamy in a toilet cubicle in a gay bar.

When Harry's father Tony Hutchinson walks in after handing out flyers for his upcoming Hollyoaks Pride event, fans will be left on tenterhooks as they wait to find out how much he sees.


Richardson teased: "It's a massive compromising position! It's Tony's son and his best mate in a cubicle together in a gay club. You'd naturally assume they're together if you saw that. But the outcome of it is actually quite good and quite clever..."

[Perdita]

Haven't been seeing enough of Ste Hay on Hollyoaks recently? Fear not, as the show's producers will be remedying the situation this summer.

Kieron Richardson, who plays Ste, has revealed that he has another big storyline ahead later in the year - which will tie in with his troubled character's ongoing addiction issues.

"I've been told a big secret and I'm not allowed to say anything yet, but this storyline is going to push me to my limits as an actor," Richardson told Inside Soap.

"I'm going to be panicking on set every day because it has to be absolutely right. I think it airs in July and it's to do with Ste's addiction.


"It's going to be incredible and I can't wait until we can start talking about it."
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Leah and Lucas get under Ste's feet as he tries to tidy up.
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Richardson also still knows how to keep the 'Stendan' fans happy - heaping praise on the on-screen relationship he used to share with Emmett J Scanlan.

Asked to name his favourite of Ste's love interests, he replied: "I'm not just saying it because the fans will form some sort of lynch mob if I don't, but it's got to be Brendan. He was Ste's first real love and no matter what hurdles they faced, they never gave up on each other.

"If Emmett hadn't left me to become a Hollywood actor, maybe it could have worked out between them!"

Richardson is up for the Best Actor prize on the longlist for the British Soap Awards this year

[lizann]

he is to go to work as a prostitute

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks favourite Ste Hay will become hooked on crystal meth in a shock new storyline, Digital Spy can exclusively reveal.

Kieron Richardson has already started filming the latest dark direction for his troubled character, who has previously wrestled with addictions to cocaine and alcohol.

Ste's new enemy Cameron Campbell (Cameron Moore) will be responsible for the surprising twist, offering him the drug in a cunning attempt to send him off the rails again.

Cameron's twisted plan works perfectly as Ste starts to become dependent on the Class A drug, sparking a big plot which will be prominent on screen over the summer.

Speaking exclusively to Digital Spy about the story, Richardson revealed: "There's turmoil coming up for Ste because of his relationship with Harry. We'll see Ste at his lowest ever ebb. Cameron knows that Ste has got addiction problems, so he starts twisting the knife and trying to ruin Ste's life.

"Cameron can see that Ste is on the brink of having a drink when he shouldn't because he's got alcohol problems, or picking up a bag of cocaine. So Cameron offers Ste crystal meth.

"In the past we've tackled so many different sides of Ste's addiction, whether it be alcohol or drugs. But getting hooked on crystal meth is the lowest of the low for him - and it's Cameron's fault because he gets him hooked on it in the first place."

The popular actor has been busy researching the plot - even watching Breaking Bad for the first time to see how crystal meth was portrayed on the hit US show.

Richardson laughed: "Three years ago when Breaking Bad was massive and everyone in the world was watching it, I was like: 'I'm not a sheep! I'm not going to watch it!' But then as soon as I heard about this storyline, I ended up being cocooned in my house, literally watching episode after episode of it.

"I also watched a Louis Theroux documentary called The City Addicted to Crystal Meth. It was really sad - people immerse themselves in the drug and it takes over their lives. It messes with their heads and leads to them making terrible choices."

Crystal meth, known officially as methamphetamine, is a stimulant drug which can make users feel exhilarated, alert and awake.

The drug is highly addictive and carries a number of risks, including lowered inhibitions, increased heart rate and increased blood pressure. In more serious cases, there have been reports of crystal meth causing psychosis and brain damage.

Speaking further about how the storyline came about, Richardson added: "It's a collaboration. I had a meeting about what Ste would be getting up to, but it's great when they want your input as well. I was asked what I've most enjoyed doing over the whole time at Hollyoaks - and I think the addiction story has been great.

"We decided that we wanted to push Ste right down to the ground again, so the next step was to go back into the addiction issues but focus on something that he hasn't done before. We also wanted to make it someone else's choice rather than his own, with Cameron being the influence here."

Hollyoaks airs weeknights at 6.30pm on Channel 4, with first look screenings at 7pm on E4.

Kieron has made it onto the shortlist for Best Actor at the British Soap Awards this year and votes can be cast via the ceremony's official website here.

Digital Spy

[lizann]

the show is ste overload, need to write him out for a long rehab stint

[JessicaMad]

the show is ste overload, need to write him out for a long rehab stint

He's the reasons I don't watch anymore, it's basically become Steoaks

[lizann]

is it a tumour he has, why the blackouts?

[jgroup]

Does anyone know if Ste and John Paul ever get a divorce?

[tammyy2j]

Ste Hay’s already fragile world has fallen apart once in Hollyoaks as he has been told that his drug taking has led to him sustaining brain damage – which explains the recent blackouts and memory lapses he has been suffering.

Viewers saw Harry insist that Ste gets a checkup and after a brain scan, Ste was left stunned by the diagnosis. In the wake of the bad news, which could have dramatic implications on Ste’s long term health, Ste will be left feeling low but there is even more heartbreak in store for him as Amy and Ryan announce that they are going for full custody of Leah and Lucas.

The revelation leaves Ste despairing as his condition is unlikely to help his case for being able to provide a more stable home life for Leah and Lucas than Amy and Ryan can. Ryan will make Ste even worse by refusing to let him spend time with Leah but before long, Ste will get his fight back.

Tony is delighted when he attends Citizen’s Advice to find out his rights and as he vows to better himself for Leah and Lucas, he could finally be on the right track.

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[jgroup]

.

[lizann]

Does anyone know if Ste and John Paul ever get a divorce?

not sure and now they uniting

[lizann]

Does anyone know if Ste and John Paul ever get a divorce?

not sure and now they uniting

[Perdita]

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/news/a840149/hollyoaks-spoilers-kieron-richardson-signs-new-contract/

He has signed a new contract

[lizann]

where is ste living? i think him and ryry will be getting close by christmas

[lizann]

Hollyoaks is lining up a radicalisation storyline, which will see Ste Hay groomed by a far-right group.

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The Channel 4 soap will be exploring the issue of radicalisation into far-right extremism in the controversial storyline, examining how far-right extremists target, groom and operate.

As the story continues, Ste's public derision of the Maaliks will attract the wrong sort of attention and he soon becomes befriended by people with a bigger agenda.

Ste's journey to radicalisation into anti-Muslim views – and his later fight to then extricate himself – will begin when stranger Jonny arrives in the village next week.

Former Brookside and X Factor star Ray Quinn has been cast in the role of Jonny, who will befriend Ste with an ulterior motive. Jonny influences Ste during a subtle process of considerable duration – in which Ste is initially completely unaware of Jonny's views.

[lizann]

scott his next fella?

[tammyy2j]

Where is he, he jail or hiding out with Jonny and Stuart?

[tammyy2j]

Kieron is leaving for a while

[danielroxheaps]

He's going for, I think 3 months, to star in a stage version of Band of Gold.

[lizann]

Kieron Richardson has been experiencing "sleepless nights" over his character's big upcoming plot.

During a recent interview with Inside Soap, the Ste Hay actor was asked if he's excited about his character's major new storyline coming up in the New Year, which he previously teased to Digital Spy at the 2023 Inside Soap Awards.

[lizann]

ste cheats on james with new bad boy rex

[lizann]

Teasing what fans can expect from the storyline during a new interview with Inside Soap, Richardson said we're going to hear the name 'Blue' "a lot in the coming weeks".

"They're going to be in quite a lot of people's stories," he added. "Everyone's panicked - Blue is so much bigger than anyone else in the village?"

As for Ste's reaction when he gets out of jail time due to a legal technicality, the actor shared: "It's massively unexpected. It's a shock for him that he gets off, the words the judge uses are that it's an 'unsafe case', so Ste comes out completely bemused and confused at what's going on.