Joanne (Rachel Leskovac)

[Perdita]

Former Coronation Street star Rachel Leskovac is returning to the soap world with a regular role on Hollyoaks, Digital Spy can exclusively reveal.

The actress has joined the Channel 4 soap's cast in the role of Joanne, a lawyer who once had a secret affair with Louis Loveday (Karl Collins).
http://i2.cdnds.net/15/41/618x537/soaps-rachel-leskovac_1.jpg
Rachel Leskovac at the TV Choice Awards in September 2014
© Rex Features / David Fisher/REX Shutterstock
Rachel Leskovac

Hollyoaks fans have already seen Joanne make a brief appearance on screen, as she featured in the Loveday family's special flashback episode last month.

The one-off 'soap bubble' episode showed that Joanne worked alongside Louis's wife Simone (Jacqueline Boatswain) at a law firm 14 years ago. The ladies appeared to be on good terms, but in reality Joanne was sleeping with Louis behind her back.

Louis has managed to keep his infidelity under wraps for all this time, but his secret finally comes under threat when Joanne arrives in the Hollyoaks village later this year.

Speaking exclusively to Digital Spy, Leskovac commented: "I am thrilled to be playing Joanne in Hollyoaks. She's an interesting character with a lot of depth and intensity, but she's also very vulnerable too. She is challenging to play and I welcome that.

"From the first time I met Karl Collins and Jacqueline Boatswain, there was an instant chemistry and respect and they are fantastic to work with. I am delighted to be in a storyline with the Loveday family as they are such a lovely, dynamic family and awesome, generous actors to boot.

"We do have such a giggle on set but still remain professional - you've got to enjoy what you do! I am loving being part of the show and all the cast and crew have been very welcoming and friendly."

When Joanne turns up to see Louis, she reveals that she's desperate for money and needs his help.

Knowing that Simone can never find out what happened between them, Louis will feel the pressure to stay in Joanne's good books. Could she be about to stir up some serious trouble for the Loveday family?

A Hollyoaks insider told Digital Spy: "Louis is stunned when Joanne appears out of the blue. He's always kept quiet about their affair, in part because the fling prevented him from picking up his daughter Lisa from school on the day she went missing 14 years ago.

"After living with her own guilt over Lisa's disappearance for all these years, the truth about what Louis was up to that day would be devastating for Simone for more reason than one."

Leskovac is best known to soap fans for her roles as Natasha Blakeman in Coronation Street and serial killer nurse Kelly Yorke in Holby City. She also starred in 2014's acclaimed crime drama Happy Valley.

[tammyy2j]

Joanne turns up at Louis's door and he reluctantly tells her that he will meet her at the folly. He covers to his family that the letters have been coming from an old school friend as a joke. Joanne tells Louis that her husband has left her with huge debts and she needs five grand.

Louis gives Joanne £200, but it's not enough and Joanne threatens to tell Simone about their affair. Later, Simone gets a mystery phone call.

[lizann]

all secrets come out in the end especially dirty secrets

[tammyy2j]

Hollyoaks fans can expect a fearsome new alliance as Simone Loveday and Mercedes McQueen team up to bring down Joanne Cardsley.

Jacqueline Boatswain, who plays Simone, has dropped the juicy spoiler in the show's latest behind-the-scenes 'Hollygoss' video - which you can watch in full at the top of the page.

Simone holds a very bitter grudge against Joanne after the bunny boiler had an affair with her husband Louis many years ago. Things have only got worse with all of Joanne's attempts to cause trouble since then.

Mercedes has her own vendetta against Joanne as they were love rivals for Joe Roscoe before he died. She'll also be particularly furious next week after discovering that Joanne was partly responsible for Joe's tragic demise.

Speaking today, Jacqueline teased: "It's time that Joanne got her comeuppance. And there is some sweet, sweet, sweet revenge coming her way.

"Simone is about to find herself an unlikely ally in someone who hates Joanne as much as she does. And that someone is going to take her down.

"So it's out with the old fake friends and in with the new, fierce, fabulous ones. And who fits that description better than Mercedes McQueen?"

We already know to expect an epic showdown when Mercedes confronts Joanne over Joe's death next week, but what role will Simone play in dishing out revenge?

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks star Rachel Leskovac has left the show after more than a year in the role of Joanne Cardsley.

Bunny boiler Joanne made her final appearance in Friday night's E4 first look episode (December 2), going out with a bang as she finally faced justice over the death of Joe Roscoe.

Joanne got her much-deserved comeuppance after Mercedes McQueen (Jennifer Metcalfe) hatched a cunning plan against her, just as she was planning to leave the village after an explosive week.

When Mercedes confronted Joanne and put pressure on her to admit her recent crimes, she was secretly wearing a wire with the police waiting just around the corner. Nice one, Mercy!

This meant that Joanne was quickly arrested by the authorities after saying too much - a fitting punishment after she'd contributed towards Joe Roscoe's ferris wheel death and recently stabbed Simone Loveday too.

While Rachel has now left the Hollyoaks cast, she's holding out hope that her character could be reformed some day. We'll let fans be the judge of that one!

Rachel explained: "I have absolutely loved every minute of filming on Hollyoaks. It has been one of the most fun times of my career so far and I've made some friends for life.

"Playing a character like Joanne has been a challenge because trying to create a protagonist that the audience can sympathise with, while she tries to tear well-loved couples apart, is difficult - but hopefully I've achieved that.

"It may not be the last we see of Joanne, she could come back reformed and start a community choir!"

Former Coronation Street star Rachel joined Hollyoaks in September 2015, initially appearing in the Loveday family's special flashback episode before later moving to the village to cause chaos.


Digital Spy