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Torchwood star Kai Owen has joined the cast of Hollyoaks for the McQueen family's dark new storyline.
The Welsh actor has landed the sinister role of Pete, who sexually assaulted Porsche McQueen (Twinnie-Lee Moore) when she was 15.
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Kai Owen as Pete in Hollyoaks
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Kai Owen as Pete
Pete is the ex-boyfriend of Porsche's jailed mother Reenie (Zöe Lucker). He will return to the lives of the McQueen clan later this year, once Reenie is released from jail.
Charming and deceptive, Pete is able to portray himself as a nice guy and manages to fool people into thinking that he is a good influence on wayward Reenie. However, Porsche is aware of the evil that lies beneath his agreeable exterior.
Porsche told Reenie about Pete's assault at the time of the incident, but he managed to convince Reenie that the allegations were false and that Porsche had in fact propositioned him.
Speaking of his casting, Owen told Digital Spy: "Pete is a challenging role to take on. I'm honoured to be part of this storyline and to be able to work with the NSPCC to raise awareness of child abuse to the Hollyoaks audience.
"The cast and crew have been incredibly welcoming and I'm excited to be working with the McQueens, particularly my new family Zöe, Twinnie-Lee, Sarah and Nadine."
Hollyoaks bosses announced the sex abuse storyline earlier this week and have been working closely with the NSPCC to ensure that the issue is explored sensitively on screen.
A Hollyoaks spokesperson recently explained: "The McQueen sisters - Porsche, Celine and Cleo - came to Hollyoaks to escape from an unhappy home life and the memory of Reenie's boyfriend Pete.
"The sisters had never confided in each other about Pete's inappropriate behaviour, which they had all experienced to varying degrees, so the extent of the danger he posed within the family was never revealed.
"When Pete comes back into their lives, troubled Reenie desperately wants him to stay and the girls want their mum to be in a happier place - but letting him into their home brings with it devastating consequences."
The abuse plot will run on screen for the rest of the year, accompanied by online support and information from Hollyoaks and the NSPCC to help those who are affected by the issues raised.
Owen is best known for his regular role as Rhys Williams in Torchwood. His other screen credits include parts in Rocket Man, Being Human and Waterloo Road.
Pete's first Hollyoaks scenes will air in the week commencing Monday, June 1.
Here's a first look at the arrival of Hollyoaks newcomer Pete Buchanan in tonight's E4 episode (June 1).
Pete, played by former Torchwood actor Kai Owen, turns up to throw a spanner in the works just when it looks like the warring McQueen family might be about to make peace.
When Porsche McQueen (Twinnie-Lee Moore) finally relents and decides that her wayward mum Reenie can stay in the village after all, Pete interrupts the emotional moment by arriving out of the blue.
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Pete sees Porsche and Reenie share a hug
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Pete sees Porsche and Reenie share a hug
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Reenie and Pete reunite
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Reenie and Pete reunite
Porsche is naturally horrified to see Pete back on the scene, still haunted by the past after he sexually assaulted her when she was 15.
Continuing to disregard her daughter's feelings, Reenie (Zöe Lucker) wastes little time before bringing Pete back to the McQueen house so that he can be reunited with the rest of the family.
Cleo (Nadine Mulkerrin) is particularly happy to see Pete, but how will everyone react when Porsche bravely reveals her past ordeal?
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Cleo is delighted to have Pete back
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Cleo is delighted to have Pete back
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Reenie hopes life can get back to normal
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Reenie hopes life can get back to normal
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Porsche struggles to cope
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Porsche struggles to cope
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Pete works his charm on Cleo
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Pete works his charm on Cleo
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Where will Cleo's loyalties lie?
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Where will Cleo's loyalties lie?
Hollyoaks airs these scenes tonight (June 1) at 7pm on E4 and tomorrow (June 2) at 6.30pm on Channel 4.
The McQueen clan have been rocked on Hollyoaks this week following the arrival of Reenie's evil partner Pete Buchanan, who sexually abused Porsche when she was 15.
Porsche has bravely spoken up to expose Pete's true colours, but when the rest of the family allow themselves to be swayed by his charm, they are unknowingly allowing a monster into their home.
Digital Spy recently chatted to Kai Owen, who plays Pete, for his insight into the challenging storyline and the drama to come.
How do you feel about taking on such a hard-hitting storyline?
"I knew the nature of the storyline from the start, because my agent called me up to say that a meeting had come up for Hollyoaks with a hard-hitting role. My agent gave me a breakdown of what would be happening and I instantly thought that I wanted to tell this story.
"I could see that it's such an important story to tell and I feel very passionate about it. It's a great chance to raise awareness, so from the start I thought that it would be a great privilege to go in, meet the producers and hopefully get the part. I feel quite privileged to be part of it - it's such a strong storyline with a great cast involved in it. I feel very lucky."
What was the audition process like?
"I think they had a few people in mind for the part, but they got me in for a meeting. I'm interested in criminal psychology anyway, so I went in and met the show's executive producer Bryan Kirkwood and the casting director Rick Laxton.
"I just spoke to them about what I think these abusers are like. I said they seem like nice guys on the surface and they fit in with all walks of life, but behind closed doors they're very manipulative and damaging."
Have you had to do much research personally since getting the role?
"The NSPCC are there for any support and advice that we need with the storyline. We had a workshop with them at the very beginning, just before I started filming. We met some victims of abuse and they were unbelievably inspiring. They told us their stories and I sought their input for how I was going to play Pete.
"They told me a few things that were very, very interesting that I have used so far and some that I plan to use in the future. They said that the abuser can often present themselves as the victim and make people feel very guilty by doing that, so it was very interesting to talk to them about that."
Pete tries to present himself as a nice guy, so are you putting an element of charm into the performance?
"Very much so. Pete is a very charming and very affable guy. He helps a lot of people out in the village. He's a handyman by trade, so he fixes a few things in people's houses and he helps out in the pub too. That means people just see Pete as a good guy.
"Nobody believes Porsche when she makes her accusations against him. It's partly because he saves Reenie. Reenie's world falls apart when Pete isn't around, but as soon as he's back, the house is much more stable - she's got money, she's happier and she doesn't get as drunk as much. Pete just seems to make everyone's lives around him a lot better.
"The two younger girls, Celine and Cleo, love Pete and they like having him around. So he's charming and a normal lad on the surface, but he also has this darkness to him that does come out."
When Porsche makes her accusations, is Pete confident that he can get out of it?
"Pete gets out of it by playing the victim and he puts his case across so that everyone believes him. He admits a little bit of what happened but not the full story. Pete dripfeeds a little bit of a truth into what he says and he apologises for that - but he also blames Porsche by saying that she came onto him.
"This is partly based on what the girls told me at the NSPCC workshop, because Pete becomes very weak and a bit weepy. He seems broken and sad - a very good actor in that situation because he puts on a believable façade. Pete is a chameleon in that way - he can put on his charm, manipulate people and show incredulity when he's accused."
Does Pete show his true colours when he's alone with Porsche?
"There hasn't been much alone time with Porsche yet. We have had a couple of scenes together, but Pete knows that Porsche knows the truth about him. He says that he's not taking the blame for this and he carries on trying to blame her instead. There aren't any winks or snidey remarks, though - Pete is doing nothing wrong in his mind. To him it's the most normal thing in the world."
Does Pete have genuine feelings for Reenie?
"I think Pete does care for Reenie, but I think he also had ulterior motives when they first got together. He spotted a vulnerable target and a family that needed rescuing. Pete went in there to 'help' them - a perfect cover for his fantasies and needs.
"Pete does look after Reenie, but I think he has feelings for the girls more than he does for her. Despite that, he does make Reenie feel better by giving her money and she loves him because he's her knight in shining armour in that way."
What do you make of this story being told on a show with such a young audience?
"It's such an important story for Hollyoaks to tell due to the demographic that watch the show. The statistics show that somebody watching the show will probably be going through the same thing that the McQueen girls are. There will also be a guy out there like Pete watching it.
"If we can get anyone out there to speak out and save them from an absolute hell, then we've done our job. It's so important to get this story right and to tell it well - which we are doing. The NSPCC do great work and I hope we can help by encouraging people in this situation to talk to a friend and get these lowlives accused and convicted."
You have a fanbase already thanks to Torchwood, so have you heard from people who are going to start watching Hollyoaks to see you in it?
"I have! I did a couple of conventions just a couple of weeks ago with the Torchwood cast. Normally we talk about the previous series of Torchwood, but most of my questions were all about Hollyoaks! I think Hollyoaks has gained a good few sci-fi fans, so I might go and see Bryan Kirkwood and say, 'Look, for a future storyline it might be worth adding an element of sci-fi because there's a big audience out there for you!' (Laughs.)"
How does soapland compare to your previous work?
"I tell you one thing - the show is massive. On shows like Torchwood there'll be one filming unit out, occasionally there might be a second if there's a lot to do. Here on Hollyoaks, we have five units out because we have so many episodes to film and it's on every weeknight. It's a big machine, so I'm in all day, every day doing so many scenes for so many episodes.
"It's exciting, it's fast and I'm really enjoying it. I'm enjoying the work and I feel very privileged to be with the cast that I am working closely with. It's great to work with Zöe Lucker, who's just phenomenal, Twinnie-Lee Moore and Sarah George.
"I also want to give a big shout-out to Nadine Mulkerrin, because most of Pete's scenes are with Cleo. She's just incredible. I'm really lucky that I've got them all around me. It's been really good - it's a crazy machine up here but really good fun."
Pete will rightly be hated, so have you prepared yourself for a negative reaction?
"I think there will be a big negative reaction to Pete, but as long as it's to him and not to me, I don't mind that at all! Abusers like Pete are the lowest of the low - and the more that I do this storyline, the more I realise that I'll do anything I can to help the NSPCC. This has to stop and children need help so much. People can abuse Pete as much as they want, because he deserves it!"
Hollyoaks boss Bryan Kirkwood has revealed the long-term plans for the McQueen family's ongoing child abuse storyline, promising that evil Pete Buchanan will get his comeuppance.
Pete (Kai Owen) is currently involved in a secret inappropriate relationship with his youngest stepdaughter Cleo McQueen, having previously groomed her when she was underage. He also sexually assaulted Cleo's older sister Porsche when she was 15.
Dark scenes airing this week will see Cleo (Nadine Mulkerrin) agree to sleep with Pete after he manipulates a situation to get her alone on Porsche's birthday.
Speaking about the future of the plot, Kirkwood explained: "This is an important story for Hollyoaks to tell. What I've learned about our audience is that they've got a huge capacity and appetite for this kind of hard-hitting story.
"In the past, Esther's attempted suicide and John Paul's male rape were stories that we were told were too difficult to explore in a 6.30pm timeslot - but they proved to be two of our most successful stories ever. Both stories helped to change government policy, which is extraordinary for a 6.30pm teatime soap.
"Bolstered by that, we thought that it was right to tackle the issue of child abuse with the vital audience demographic that most need to understand what abuse is and how to get help, which we do with support around the episodes and by working with the NSPCC.
"We've proved that we can tell this kind of story truthfully but in an appropriate way. To play a serious message amidst the camp comedy of a McQueen's birthday is the best way to tell an important story without the audience feeling they are being lectured."
He continued: "The right thing will happen in the end, as we want there to be a positive message. There's still a long way to go with the story. There are a half-dozen characters involved, there are yet more secrets to come out, but it's important to say that it's Hollyoaks and the right thing will happen in the end.
"We knew the end point of the story before we embarked on it. It's not one of those Hollyoaks stories that's going to have a 'surprise twist' - it's told truthfully and at an appropriate pace."
The Hollyoaks team have worked closely with the NSPCC while devising the storyline. The children's charity put cast and writers in contact with real-life survivors in the early stages of the story, and still continues to offer advice on scripts.
Kirkwood added: "The main message for this story is 'no more secrets'. The McQueens are everyone's favourite family in the show, but we're going to see that they're also really bad when it comes to keeping secrets from each other.
"This story goes right back to Nana McQueen's childhood, as we played scenes last year where we discovered that Nana once suffered abuse. Since then, generation after generation have kept secrets. Nobody has spoken up and history has repeated itself. What we'd love to do is help families in similar situations to speak up and stop the secrecy."
Hollyoaks airs weeknights at 6.30pm on Channel 4, with first look screenings at 7pm on E4.
Read more: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s13/hollyoaks/news/a663148/hollyoaks-boss-on-pete-abuse-storyline-the-right-thing-will-happen-in-the-end.html#ixzz3ifC2iZHl
tammyy2j
13-08-2015, 11:03
^ I hope it is very soon
Evil Pete Buchanan tries to use Porsche McQueen's heartbreak to his own advantage in Hollyoaks tonight (August 20).
The twisted character is delighted that life seems to be falling apart for Porsche (Twinnie-Lee Moore) following her discovery of her husband Lockie's scandalous flings.
With Porsche refusing to speak to Lockie, Mercedes or John Paul after their betrayals, a scheming Pete (Kai Owen) is quick to tell her that she should be nicer to him from now on because he's one of the few people she has left.
Smug Lockie (Nick Rhys) is confident that he'll be able to get back into his fiery wife's good books like he always does, but it seems that he may have underestimated Porsche this time as she refuses to forgive him.
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Lockie realises he may have blown it with Porsche
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Lockie realises he may have blown it with Porsche
Mercedes (Jennifer Metcalfe) and John Paul (James Sutton) are also being overly optimistic when they make plans to move back into the McQueen house after being kicked out by Porsche.
When Porsche orders all three of them to stay away from her from now on, Pete backs her up and puts his arm 'supportively' around her. Will Porsche let herself be manipulated by Pete?
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Pete puts his arms around Porsche
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Pete puts his arms around Porsche
Hollyoaks airs these scenes tonight (August 20) at 7pm on E4 and tomorrow (August 21) at 6.30pm on Channel 4.
Read more: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s13/hollyoaks/news/a664329/hollyoaks-spoilers-evil-pete-strikes-again-as-he-tries-to-manipulate-porsche.html#ixzz3jKDlq9w0
Hollyoaks abuser Pete Buchanan will face trial for his crimes in the New Year.
The sinister and deceptive character has featured in one of the soap's biggest storylines over the past few months, grooming his teenage stepdaughter Cleo McQueen. He also sexually assaulted Cleo's older sister Porsche when she was 15.
Producers at the Channel 4 show have worked closely with the NSPCC on the storyline and it still has a while left to run, but Pete (Kai Owen) looks set to finally get his comeuppance in early 2016.
Discussing the plot's future, Hollyoaks' series producer Iain MacLeod has now revealed that middle sister Celine is one to watch in the months ahead.
"It might seem Celine has escaped unscathed. She's not going to be targeted by Pete for abuse, but that's not to say she hasn't suffered the consequences from living with this monster," he told The Sun's TV Soap supplement.
"A lot of her body issues are a result of Pete's step-parenting. She'll feel survivor's guilt that will drive her to do extreme things at New Year and take misguided revenge on Pete."
MacLeod added: "We're also building towards a big, week-long trial in the New Year, when Pete will get what's coming to him. He definitely won't meet his end by the Gloved Hand Killer.
"We want Cleo to stand up and say what has happened to her in the 'correct' way - not setting his house on fire or burying him under a patio - and hope he gets his comeuppance through the proper legal channels."
digitalspy
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