Dennis Savage (Joe Tracini)

Hollyoaks bosses have cast Joe Pasquale's son Joe Tracini as a new member of the Savage family, Digital Spy can confirm.

The 23-year-old is about to begin filming with the Channel 4 soap in the role of Denis Savage, a new regular character.

Tracini revealed the news on his Twitter page, explaining that he starts work at the show's base in Liverpool next week and will also be added into the Hollyoaks title sequence.

Meanwhile, a Hollyoaks spokesperson confirmed Tracini's casting to Digital Spy today but said that it was too early to reveal any details about the character of Denis.

However, a show source promised that Tracini has "great comic timing".

Hollyoaks unveiled the first member of the Savage family last December, when actress and singer-songwriter Abi Phillips took on the role of Theresa McQueen's best friend Liberty.

Earlier this year, meanwhile, viewers were introduced to Liberty's brothers Dodger and Will, played by Danny Mac and James Atherton, as well as her dad Dirk (David Kennedy).

Tracini has previously portrayed the roles of Darren "DK" Karrimore in BBC Three comedy Coming of Age and Spike Bannon in Boomerang's My Spy Family.

This is what he looks like :)

What Happened to Dad Savage

Another brother for Liberty

Hollyoaks adds another member to the Savage clan next week as Dodger, Will and Liberty's cousin Dennis turns up in the village.

Dennis's sudden appearance comes as a surprise to his relatives, but it quickly becomes clear that he's keen to stick around in the area after being kicked out by his mum.

Confident and eccentric, Dennis soon takes a shine to bunny boiler Leanne Holiday - which makes things awkward when he moves in with her and Texas!

Dennis is played by Joe Tracini, best known for his previous roles as Darren 'DK' Karrimore in Coming of Age and Spike Bannon in My Spy Family. Here, Joe chats to Digital Spy about joining Hollyoaks and the part of Dennis.

You've been filming at Hollyoaks for a couple of months now. How's it all going?
"I love it up here. I didn't really know what to expect, as I've never really come into an existing cast before. With everything that I've done over the past seven years, I've joined at the start of the show and then seen it through to the end. So especially as Hollyoaks is so successful, I didn't know how they'd take to a new person and whether I'd be sitting in the corner on my own, not speaking to anyone!

"But they've been very lovely. I'm quite far away from home up here, but everyone's been really kind to me, they've taken me in and they've shown me how it works up here. I absolutely love working here - I really, really do."

How did the role come about?
"Hollyoaks phoned earlier in the year around March, asking me to come in to meet them and have a chat. We looked through the parts they had coming up and there wasn't anything there for me, but then they wrote Dennis for me. Apparently it's the first time they've ever done that, which is nice of them! It's really lovely.

"What's great is that they've put me in with the Savage family - with Dodger and Will. I think I fit in quite well with them. Not visually - I don't look like I come from the same gene pool as Danny Mac! But I get on with them really well."

Had you ever watched the show before joining?
"I had on and off. I've had various friends come into the show in the past few years. One of my best friends, Amy Yamazaki, was in it for two years - I started watching it a lot more when she came into the show. I know the show has really picked up and gone into another league recently - the viewing figures have been going up and up, and for good reason. The cast is so strong at the moment."

What kind of a character is Dennis?
"Well, he's certainly got an overinflated opinion of himself! He thinks that he's definitely as good looking as Dodger for a start, which is not true at all! He also loves crosswords and he works in a phone shop. He's relatively intelligent, but even though he's 23, he's lived with his mum for his whole life and he's never really grown up. I don't think he's had many friends to be honest, and I can see why!

"Dennis has a real tendency to make situations very awkward as well. He does have good intentions, but things often seem to go wrong when he's around."

Is Dennis just planning to pay a quick visit initially, or does he know from the start that he's there to stay?
"When he turns up, nobody knows that he's coming and he doesn't seem to have any intentions of leaving anytime soon. Basically, his mum's chucked him out because she's a bit sick of having him around the house, so he decides to go up and see the family. I don't think he's got a particular plan for how long he's going to stay, but he definitely knows he's not just staying for a couple of days.

"Dodger, in particular, is not very happy about that - so he shifts him off and makes sure that Dennis moves in with some other people as quickly as possible, especially as there's hardly any room in the caravan. Dodger shifts him out of the way as soon as he possibly can."

What does Will think about Dennis?
"Well, I think everybody's got that goofy little cousin who you can put up with at Christmas, but that's about it! It's fine when you're 6, but now that you're adults, you don't really want to talk to them! Dennis and Will haven't really got anything in common. Dennis can be quite taxing, too - he's grating after a short period of time. Well, that's the nice way of putting it!"

Does Liberty like him?
"Liberty loves him. Liberty tends to just go through life and accept things, so she's a big fan of Dennis's, which is nice. But Dennis is very unaware that he grates on anyone. He thinks that he's just being himself and having a nice time, when actually he's doing everyone's head in!"

Will Dennis be bringing a lot of light relief to the show?
"Oh yeah, completely. They've definitely not brought me in to start murdering people or anything like that! So I've been trying to be as vaguely humorous as possible. But what's quite nice - especially as they wrote the character with me in mind - is that it feels quite real and it's not slapstick. There's actually quite a lot of heart to him, and I've been getting as much serious stuff as I have humorous stuff. There's been a really nice balance."


Dennis is confident but does he actually have any success with the ladies in the village?
"I don't think he's the best at picking them! He's one of those people who will stay single until someone shows that they're interested and then he'll go for it. He ends up aiming his interest towards Leanne, but it doesn't go particularly well. But he doesn't give up! Dennis moves in with Leanne and Texas and it becomes very uncomfortable for all of them because he's so fixated on Leanne."

Has it been easy to settle into a new city for the role?
"I've lived in London for the past seven or eight years, but one of the things that I was most excited about was coming up here, as I've never spent any time in Liverpool before. I love it up here."

This is the first time that you've done a soap. Has it felt quite different from your previous work?
"Definitely. I've only really done sitcoms for the past six years. With sitcoms, even if you're doing a six-episode single camera shoot, you'll always get at least a week's rehearsal time. So the main change has been to not have that at all.

"It's a whole new way of working, but that's really exciting as an actor - especially when they're trying to give me funny stuff. It's a tight timeframe to make it funny which can be difficult, but it's fun and it's exciting. To be honest, I'm just lucky that they pay me for this. I'm waiting for the day where they wake up and realise I'd do this for free!"

Who are your best friends on set?
"I really get on well with everyone. Me, Danny and James [Atherton] hang about a lot. All of the new Freshers who have come in are all brilliant as well - I really get on with them. What's great is that even though there are so many different ages here, everybody gets on well with everybody else. We're like a little team up here, which is not what I was expecting to happen at all. I'm really pleased about it and I'm looking forward to staying for a while longer!"

Hollyoaks star Joe Tracini has revealed that his character's unrequited love storyline will come to a head later this year.

The actor's alter ego Dennis Savage has been harbouring feelings for flatmate Leanne Holiday (Jessica Forrest) for some time, but has never yet succeeded in winning her over.

However, Tracini told Inside Soap that Leanne will eventually realise just how much Dennis cares for her.

He commented: "Dennis and I have a lot in common - he puts his all into any relationship and doesn't take it lightly. He wants to make Leanne happy and will do anything to achieve that.

"She just thinks he's having a laugh, but in the coming months, Leanne realises that he isn't mucking about - and it's up to her what happens between them."

Tracini also discussed the on-screen dynamic of the Savage clan, who are expected to have bigger storylines over the summer.

He said: "I absolutely love being a part of the Savage family. What's nice about it is that we're all on the same wavelength and have a proper laugh.

"We genuinely spend time together outside of work, too. All of us just enjoy each other's company and hopefully that's reflected on screen too."

Hollyoaks joker Dennis Savage finally gets a chance to prove himself to his family next week as they battle to raise funds for a new place to live.

While Will's idea is to throw an Enchanted Forest-themed music festival in the village to come up with the cash, it's Dennis who is left to save the day as he heads to Liverpool to track down singer-songwriter Maverick Sabre as a headline act.

Fans will see the story begin in an E4 special titled 'Chasing Rainbows' next Thursday (June 7), before Maverick Sabre pops up on the main 6.30pm show to perform at the Savage Party the following evening.

Digital Spy recently caught up with Joe Tracini, who plays Dennis, to hear about the storyline and his character's future.

What was it like to film these special episodes with Maverick Sabre?
"It was really nice and Maverick Sabre was a lovely bloke - he was very friendly and really up for getting involved. I can imagine that a lot of people would come up for this, want to do the music and that's it. But he was really up for having a laugh as well.

"You'll see that he's in next Friday's (June 8) episode for his performance at the music event, but he's also in the E4 special on the Thursday. We had a really good time filming the episodes and he was so much fun to work with - a really personable bloke."

The whole story centres around a dispute between Dodger and Will over how to raise some cash. Does Dennis take a side?
"Dennis is a little bit split - he gets involved in both camps, especially because he's a character who just wants to be loved anyway! He normally rests with Dodger most of the time, but in this case he tries to keep involved with both of them, just so he doesn't upset anybody."

When Dennis takes control of the situation by finding a headliner for the event, is he trying to prove himself to the Savages?
"He is! Over the next few episodes, you'll see that Dennis feels like he's really not a part of the family. So when he gets a chance to prove himself, he takes it and runs with it. He doesn't know exactly what he's going to do, but he tries his best because he doesn't feel particularly accepted."

What can you tell us about the E4 special 'Chasing Rainbows', where Dennis sets off to find Maverick Sabre?
"The episode only goes out once - it airs on Thursday (June 7) instead of the first-look, and it doesn't go out on Channel 4. We shot it all on different cameras, there's an original script and it's a complete entity of its own.

"We shot it all on-location in Liverpool in various different clubs and streets. It was really, really good fun - we had a great week doing it and I'm really looking forward to seeing it for myself. I think it's one of my favourite things that I've done since I've got here."

How does the attempt to track down Maverick Sabre go?
"Dennis, Leanne, Scott and Barney all go on the trip, and you'll see that there's quite a lot of tension between Scott and Barney - they're doing each other's crackers in quite a lot! There's a bit of tension between Dennis and Leanne, too.

"It's a tense half-hour, really - lots goes on! But by the end, it's really, really nice. It was a lovely script to work with."

How do they convince Maverick Sabre to come to Hollyoaks?
"Well, first of all they have to find him! Dennis says at the start of the episode that he knows Maverick Sabre, and at no point do you find out whether he actually does or not! The whole time, nobody's particularly sure whether he's just winding them up.

"They need to find out where Maverick Sabre's going to be, and then do their best to get him to come and play at the gig."

It sounds like you had the most scenes with Maverick, so were the rest of the cast envious?!
"Well, I have to admit, Calvin who plays Scott had a lot more in common with Maverick Sabre than me! They were chatting about music and I didn't have a clue what they were on about, so I think Maverick probably would have preferred to spend a bit more time with Calvin, to be honest!

"But what was great about Maverick was that there's a lot of sitting around waiting in this job, and he wasn't one of those people who buggers off with his people and sits in a room on his own. He stayed on set and we just had a really nice couple of days. He relaxed into the whole thing, rather than just concentrating on his performance - which incidentally, was brilliant."

On a separate note, Leanne recently told Dennis that she has no feelings for him. Was that the end for their storyline?
"Well, Dennis put an extreme amount of effort into that for quite a while, and I don't think that's the end of it. His feelings aren't going to go away completely and he's still going to give it a bash. But maybe just not as full-on as he's done in the past! I don't think he's going to give up completely."

As you've had some more serious scenes recently, have you enjoyed exploring Dennis's hidden depths?
"I really have. Dennis acts like an idiot a lot, but I don't think you can ever laugh at someone if you don't like them, and you can't like them if they're not real. When I first came here to Hollyoaks, I wanted Dennis to be as real as possible and not a caricature - I think that's really important in a show like this.

"I genuinely really like the fact that they've given us the chance to do more serious stuff, and I've got more of that coming up. It's nice to have a balance and it's nice to have a challenge."

You've also got the dynamic at the flat with Dennis's housemates…
"I love that, especially with all the stuff they've got going on at the moment too. They're great to work with, particularly PJ [Brennan] who plays Doug. I always say to Peej that it's like working with a 'proper actor' when I work with him. PJ really thinks about it and he's got his process, whereas I'm just there and seeing what happens - I don't know what's going on! I absolutely love working with him and I think he's brilliant."

Do you think the Savages are becoming a bigger force in the show now?
"I think so. Performance-wise, I think Danny [Mac] and James [Atherton] are both bloody brilliant, and I think the dynamic of the family is quite a real one. It's quite a believable group of people and a relatable one at that.

"It's lovely that they're pushing the family a lot more and they've got a lot more coming up - they've got some really exciting stuff on the way. It's nice to have the chance to play that and make it as real as possible."

In real life, you're housemates with Emmett Scanlan (Brendan Brady). What's he like to live with?
"Intolerable! (Laughs) I stand by Emmett being certainly one of the best actors I've ever worked with - I'm sure that'll take a lot of beating in the rest of my career. As a person, he is a wonderful human being, but he is genuinely intolerable to live with - that's the only word I'll use for it!

"He meditates a lot, but normally when people meditate they come out of it and they're feeling quite relaxed, but he gets angry! He's like the Incredible Hulk - he's always angry!"

Is it true that there's some Dennis and Brendan scenes coming up?
"Yeah, we had an episode the other week where we had a couple of scenes - it wasn't too much, but it was a little bit. We enjoyed that immensely.

"It took us quite a long time to film it, because Emmett calls me 'Funny Little Face Man', and all he has to do is look at my face and he starts uncontrollably laughing! It can go on for anything from ten seconds to five minutes, so that was pretty taxing! Those scenes will be coming up soon, but I'm sure it'll just be a reflection of our real-life relationship, which is me talking and him making me terrified!"

Hollyoaks' Savage family are back with a bang later this week as they have finally found somewhere to stay.

Viewers recently saw the clan bid a sad farewell to the village after the money raised from Will's music festival was stolen, putting them back to square one as they were homeless and broke.

However, the Savages make a surprise return in the coming days as they begin living on a houseboat right outside the newly-refurbished Dog In the Pond!

Jack and Darren Osborne are furious over their antics, but is there anything they can do about it?

Dennis is back the 21st of June, he wont be back happy his beloved Leanne is in jail

he went off to work on the oil rigs to help buy a house for will, forgot about him

Dennis Savage and Leanne Holiday could be about to get a happy ending with a romantic proposal on the way in Hollyoaks.

As we reported at the weekend, next week's episodes see troubled Anna Savage get the blame for Texas Longford's murder when scheming Patrick and Sienna team up to frame her, wanting her to be locked away for good.

Although it's bad news for Anna, the surprising development does mean that wrongly-accused Leanne (Jessica Forrest) is freed as the authorities are finally forced to accept that she didn't kill Texas.

Dennis (Joe Tracini) - who returns to the village later this week - is naturally thrilled over the news, having spent days protesting Leanne's innocence.

After being released, loopy Leanne starts to see Dennis in a new light as she knows that he had faith in her all along.

When Leanne declares her love for Dennis, he can't believe his luck and immediately pops the question. As the pair then become a proper couple and begin excitedly planning their wedding, are they going to be a match made in heaven?

.

Hollyoaks welcomes back Dennis Savage this week as he finally returns to the village after working away on an oil rig.

Dennis is his usual upbeat self as he arrives back, but he is soon faced with a few unpleasant surprises as he learns of Texas's murder and Leanne's prison ordeal.

Joe Tracini, who plays Dennis, recently caught up with Digital Spy to give us the lowdown on his character's comeback.

How does it feel to be back filming at Hollyoaks again?
"It feels great! I was gone for six months which was ages, but I do love it in this building. It's a bit different for me now because quite a few of my friends have left the show, but there's still a really nice vibe about the place and we're all having a good time. I'm over the moon to be back."

Did you enjoy the time off?
"I did enjoy the time off as I kept myself busy doing other stuff, but I really love what I do here at Hollyoaks. As much as I write and do other things, I enjoy acting more than anything else and I was really looking forward to coming back. I act because I'm not very good at anything else, so when I'm not acting, everything seems a bit pointless!"

Lots of people have been emailing us asking where Dennis is! Are you pleased that people seem to have missed him?
"It's really lovely that people care! The thing about soaps - which I've never really experienced with anything else - is that you're in people's houses every night when they're eating their dinner, so the viewers get really invested in the characters. It is nice that people have been asking when Dennis will be back, but I try not to think about it too much because I might get above my station!"

Is Dennis pleased to be back in the village?
"Well, Dennis has been off earning some money on an oil rig, so he's completely unaware of everything that's kicked off while he's been away. He's very happy at first but he finds out very quickly about Texas's death and Leanne - who's the love of his life - being in prison for the crime.

"Dennis is not happy and doesn't even consider the fact that Leanne might actually have done it. He doesn't hang about with trying to get her out of prison again!"

Does Dennis have any ideas on how he can help Leanne?
"Dennis has a million ideas, but none of them are particularly thought through! He literally tries to get as much help and support as he can from the various people in the village. You'll see that he runs around trying his best to get Leanne out in any way he can. But he hasn't come up with a Venn diagram or anything - he's literally flying by the seat of his pants!"

Does Dennis get much support with his crusade?
"Dennis does manage to get some support from the village, but obviously there are a lot of people who think that Leanne really did kill Texas. Those people aren't particularly forthcoming, but the people closest to Dennis are happy to help.

"They're also happy to see Dennis back in general, as he's quite a character! It's all been pretty gloomy with lots of people dying and having fights, so everyone's probably happy to see Dennis back being relatively chirpy!"

Is Will nervous about Dennis trying to clear Leanne's name?
"Yeah, Will is not happy! It's a funny one, as Will likes Dennis and Dennis likes Will in return. Will tries to stop Dennis from getting involved, so it's all a bit awkward!"

The good news is that Leanne is freed and Dennis proposes to her! How does that come about?
"Obviously Dennis loves Leanne and he has done for a long time. The main turning point is that Leanne has seen Dennis go to such a big effort to get her out of prison, when for the past two years she hasn't wanted much to do with him. When she comes out of prison, Leanne also says how much she's been thinking about Dennis. Basically she expresses a light interest and Dennis says, 'Well you might as well marry me, then!' He doesn't hang about and it's a lovely little scene.

"I also have to say that I'm delighted to be working with Jess [Forrest, who plays Leanne] again. I was really lucky when I joined the show and they put me with her, because we get along so well. I also think she's a brilliant actress. I've been watching the prison stuff recently and thought she was fantastic."

We've seen in the past that Leanne has taken an interest in Dennis before changing her mind again! Will things be different this time around?
"I think that's the plan! Leanne herself is different this time round after everything that's happened to her, and I think she feels a level of safety around Dennis. Also, Dennis has grown up a bit as well. He's still awkward and a bit of an idiot, but he has matured a bit.

"The main thing is that Dennis and Leanne make each other better people, and they both see that. Leanne also sees that while everyone else around her has been so inconsistent, Dennis will always be there for her. I think there's a level of settling there as well, to be honest with you. Leanne decides she's been in the village for two years and hasn't had much luck with men, so Dennis will do!"

Here, Soap Scoop presents some bonus snippets from Joe on life at Hollyoaks, the other ongoing Savage plots, and more!

Is there more coming up for Dennis and Doug's friendship?
"There are bits and bobs. When Dennis comes back, Doug is one of the first people that he sees. It's actually Doug who tells Dennis about Texas's murder. I've always liked working with PJ."

Would you like Dennis to be involved in Will's downfall?
"Absolutely! Will is a nasty piece of work so if he does get his comeuppance, it'd be great to be there when it happens and maybe have a hand in letting everyone know that he's not a pleasant man! But you never know - he might just kill people for 15 years. I'd quite like to see how he'd do that, to be honest!"

Were you shocked when you found out that Will would become a killer?
"It was a surprise, but when you watched it play out on screen, they really did spend a lot of time exploring where it all came from. They didn't rush it. Sometimes things have a tendency to be done quickly, but in this case they really did build the story up over a year. Texas's death really was one big accident, but there's no going back from it for Will now!"

How do you feel about the Savages becoming a bigger presence in the village?
"It's great. I think the family clicked together straight away and I've always loved working with them. It's nice to do more and also to have a nice balance. We do light-hearted stuff but then we also get serious scenes.

"It's nice to have Anna Passey and Jeremy Sheffield in the mix too as the Blakes, because they're lovely as well. Well, not so much Jeremy as he's a giant and I'm five foot four, and it really does hit my insecurities as a man when I stand next to him! (Laughs.)"

After you lived together for a while, are you missing Emmett Scanlan (Brendan)?
"The day that I miss Emmett Scanlan is a very sad day! I still speak to him, but not much as he's a taxing man! No, the answer is I don't miss him - not even a little bit! (Laughs.)

"I do think that the hole Emmett left in the show has been very successfully filled by everyone. There's obviously an element of missing him, because he was such a big presence. But I think the show has done really well to move on from that and build up new stories. The show has really flourished even with Emmett gone. And that's not any disrespect to Emmett - I disrespect him in my own time!"

Who have you made friends with from the new cast?
"I do like all of them, which I was quite shocked by! I wasn't sure at first as they're all incredibly attractive and I thought, 'This is probably a bit much!' I really get on with Charlie Wernham [who plays Robbie], as he's a really sweet lad. I constantly irritate him about the fact that he was on Britain's Got Talent and didn't get to the final!

"Ayden Callaghan [who plays Joe] is a lovely bloke too. He's got really happy eyes! It doesn't matter how he's feeling, his eyes are always happy! Fab who plays Ziggy is also great - he just walks around loving life, which is wonderful to see. But they're all a wonderful bunch up here at the moment - we're all having a great time."

Dodger might need a friend when he arrives back in the village. Could Dennis take on that role?
"Absolutely! When I first came into Hollyoaks, they really pushed how much Dennis loves Dodger. Obviously Dennis doesn't really understand the ins and outs of everything that's happened, but he's always going to be there for Dodger. Dennis also likes to be around to provide a comparison to Dodger's face, to make him look even better - which makes Dodger happy!"

Hollyoaks Dennis Savage will stage his fiancée Leanne Holiday's graduation next week, after letting her down by missing the real ceremony.

Dennis (Joe Tracini) is preoccupied with helping Dodger recover the mattress with a secret stash of money that he had thrown away unwittingly.

However, Leanne (Jessica Forest) is devastated when Dennis ends up missing her graduation as a result of this and ends up calling off their engagement.

Feeling guilty, Dennis is determined to make it up to her and stages his own graduation ceremony for her at the Lad's Pad.

Leanne is overwhelmed with Dennis's efforts and forgives him for his earlier absence.

For our latest Inside Soap Awards chat, Digital Spy caught up with Joe Tracini, who is nominated in the 'Funniest Male' category for his role as Dennis Savage.

Here, the actor tells us who he's backing to win the prize this year, why things are about to go wrong for Dennis and Leanne, and how the best story for his character is yet to come.

How do you feel about being in the running for 'Funniest Male'?
"It feels really nice. It's always really sweet to have people thinking of you when these things are put together. You get into a habit of just constantly working, as lovely as that is, and it's easy to forget that you're making telly. It's great when something like this crops up and you find out that people appreciate what you're doing. It feeds my ego a stupid amount, so I'm very happy!"

You're up against seven other nominees, so have you thought about your chances of winning the award?
"Not in the slightest have I thought about winning! If anything, I've been pushing on Twitter for Dan Tetsell to win, who is my fellow nominee from Hollyoaks. I've been a fan of his for years and I think he's brilliant playing Jim McGinn in the show. I think Dan should win all awards, to be honest!"

Hollyoaks usually does pretty well at the Inside Soap Awards, so do you think it's in with a good chance again this year?
"I think it deserves to be. The show is really strong at the moment and we're currently filming some really exciting stuff to come. I think in the past year, it's been stronger than it has been in a long time. Hollyoaks definitely deserves to win some awards and we've got such a large following now, which we're very proud of.

"It'd be lovely to win, but even if we don't, it doesn't mean that we're just going to be pants from now on! We're still going to work as hard as we can whatever happens."

Dennis's relationship with Leanne runs into trouble next week. What can you tell us about that?
"Dennis misses Leanne's graduation and it's very awkward. It's because Dodger finds a mattress stuffed full of money while clearing out a house. Unfortunately, the mattress gets in Dennis's way, so he gets rid of it as he doesn't know about the money!

"Dodger is distraught when he finds out that Dennis has chucked the mattress in a skip, so basically Dennis has to try his hardest to search through the skip to get it back - while wearing a suit on the way to the graduation! When Dennis misses the ceremony, it puts a strain on his relationship. It's a real shame, because Dennis does try hard, but this time he's really let the love of his life down."

But then Dennis comes up with a fake graduation to make up for it…
"Yes, Dennis tries his best to please everyone, so he does a graduation at home for Leanne. He wants her to feel like the only person in the world, so he steals a lectern, puts it in the lads' pad and makes it a really special moment for Leanne. He even tip-exes out her graduation certificate to make it even better, which is actually slightly illegal and doesn't count!"

Why does Dennis then end up buying a run-down house in the village?
"Dodger says to Dennis that he can't keep hold of the money they've found. It's £100,000 and Nana McQueen is after the cash, so it really needs to be invested so it's out of their hands. Dennis decides to invest it into a house, and to say the house is unpleasant is an understatement - it's really not nice! However, Dennis moves some people in and hilarity ensues!"

Are you hoping Dennis and Leanne are going to get a big on-screen wedding in the show?
"I don't think Dennis is, but Leanne certainly is, even though it'll be her third time in a wedding dress! She wants the big guns out, but unfortunately Dennis has spent all of his money investing in a rubbish house! He'll try his hardest to make her happy, as he has done for two years, so they'll definitely plan a big do."

We asked our @soapscoop followers on Twitter to submit their questions and @trixie_ayla wanted to know whether Dennis, Doug and Leanne will grow close to discovering Will's killer secret?
"I'd like to think so! It's so hard to go to work every day knowing that Will is a murderer! I think it would probably be the plan that we'll all find out about Will, but who knows? Maybe he'll just stay around for ten years killing people while the rest of us act like idiots!

"I would really love to be involved. I'm hopelessly going around trying to be funny all the time, so it'd be lovely to be involved in some serious stuff as well - also because I love James Atherton and I think he's great."

We also had a question from @proudofkieron, who wanted to know which member of the cast you'd like more scenes with?
"Charlie Wernham who plays Robbie Roscoe, purely because I want to poke him in the face when he's trying to work!"

Another user called @TeamJorgiePDOI wanted to ask you what the most exciting thing about playing Dennis is?
"I love the name Team Jorgie! The most exciting thing about playing Dennis is that he actually used to be a secret agent. Nobody knows that - he was a spy for MI6! To be honest, I think it's such a deep secret that nobody will ever find out!"

Finally, @Murphy945 asked us which of Dennis's storylines has been your favourite?
"It's the storyline I'm currently filming, which I can't say anything about, so unfortunately it's a really pants answer! All I can say is that it's very exciting and not at all because of me!

"It's a really, really good time to be a fan of Hollyoaks, because it's all going to kick right off very soon. I'm really lucky to be involved in what's coming up and I'm really fortunate to be part of a show that's looking so promising."

he discovers patrick is abusing maxine

he is leaving if twitter is true

Hollyoaks star Joe Tracini has announced that he is leaving the soap later this year.

The actor, who plays Dennis Savage, revealed the news on his Twitter page on Thursday (April 24).
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Joe Tracini as Dennis Savage in Hollyoaks
© Lime Pictures
Joe Tracini as Dennis Savage

He told fans: "I want to tell you all from me that I'll be leaving Hollyoaks at the end of the year. It's an amazing place to work, and I'll miss it!"

Tracini, who joined Hollyoaks in late 2011, has not yet revealed any other information about his upcoming departure.
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Dennis wakes up in a compromising position after his drunken night with Blessing and Dodger
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Joe as Dennis in Hollyoaks

Dennis has been at the centre of the show's comedy storylines since joining the village two and a half years ago, with many of his early plots revolving around his crush on Leanne Holiday (Jessica Forrest).

The funnyman also featured in a more serious plotline late last year as Leanne tragically died just weeks after they finally got together.

Tracini has already confirmed his first post-Hollyoaks project as he has signed up for the role of Buttons in a Christmas production of Cinderella at the Wolverhampton Grand theatre.

I hope he don't die

Hollyoaks stars Joe Tracini and Modupe Adeyeye have discussed their characters' relationship and upcoming storylines.

The pair, who play Dennis Savage and Blessing Chambers in the soap, are currently growing closer. However, Dennis is still unaware that Blessing is a transsexual female.

In an interview with transexual filmmaker Lewis Hancox for Channel 4, Adeyeye revealed why Blessing confessed her secret to Tony.

"She's at a point where she's so stressed and she needs someone to release to and Tony's just there," she said. "As much as she'd love to be honest with Dennis, she's not going to do that because she's scare of losing him.

"She will definitely tell Dennis, I think it's just one of those things, if you really love someone and you really have a great bond with them, I think it's harder to tell them the truth than someone you don't care about."

She added: "I feel like she wants to tell Dennis and she will eventually but it's taking so much time because she doesn't want to lose him - she's scared of losing him."

Speaking about how Dennis will react to Blessing's eventual confession, Tracini said: "At first he's obviously shocked because there's a lot of stuff that happens in the weeks coming up to that.

"I think from all of the things he could have gone through in his head, this just doesn't enter into it. I always think 'how would I react' and I haven't got a clue. I'd like to react quite well and do the right thing and listen to my heart and all that stuff, but I don't know. I don't know what I'd do.

"I hope that in human beings just as a thing is that if you fall in love with the person, it doesn't matter about anything else because you love them and not anything else."

Speaking about the future of their relationship, Tracini added: "It's going to be the both of them just trying to deal with what's happened. It's certainly not something Dennis has been through. I don't know if it's something that Blessing has been through but certainly not to this level.

"It's just watching them struggle with finding a balance between both of their personalities and what they're both going through and at the same time trying to stay together through it because they love each other."

Hollyoaks star Joe Tracini has revealed that there is a more serious storyline ahead for his comic character Dennis Savage.

Dennis will face a sombre time next month as the one-year anniversary of Leanne Holiday's death arrives.

Leanne died in hospital in October last year after being caught up in the council flats explosion. She tied the knot with Dennis in a deathbed wedding before slipping away.

Tracini told Inside Soap: "The anniversary of Leanne's death is approaching and Dennis realises that he hasn't dealt with it properly. Then he finds out some information about her death that he wasn't aware of, so he goes looking for revenge - he needs some closure.

"Dennis is not particularly experienced in revenge though, so things aren't set to get too nasty. At the end of the day, he'll always be a nice bloke."

Show bosses also announced today (September 23) that Dennis's father Charles will be joining Hollyoaks as a new doctor for Dee Valley Hospital. Actor Andrew Greenough will be playing the character.
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Andrew Greenough as Doctor Charles S'avage in Hollyoaks
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Andrew Greenough as Doctor Charles S'avage

Charles's arrival will no doubt mean a busier time on screen for Dennis in the build-up to his departure from the Channel 4 soap.

Discussing his exit plot, Tracini added: "I can't talk about when or how it's going to happen. I can make something up about him going to Switzerland to be a goat farmer if you like? I think that's one of the few things that hasn't been done on Hollyoaks yet!

"I've filmed some really nice stuff over the past few weeks, so it's going to be very exciting when all of that comes on screen. I'm looking forward to seeing it."

I hope Dennis don't die

Joe Tracini has filmed his final scenes as Dennis Savage for Hollyoaks.

The actor tweeted a series of messages detailing his last day on the set of the Channel 4 soap.

Big chapter closed today.
Will miss my awkward, chubby, fictional counterpart.
At least i'm still awkward and chubby. pic.twitter.com/AK47cIkzPk

— Joe Tracini (@joetracini) October 10, 2014


Earlier this year, Tracini confirmed his intention to leave the soap at the end of 2014.

He said: "I want to tell you all from me that I'll be leaving Hollyoaks at the end of the year. It's an amazing place to work, and I'll miss it!"

Some more 'I'm leaving so look at me and my work mates' pictures for you all because I want some attention. pic.twitter.com/Sn4ao3dKKB

— Joe Tracini (@joetracini) October 9, 2014


Tracini tweeted several pictures of himself with cast-mates, including Danny Mac, who plays his on-screen brother Mark "Dodger" Savage, before writing: "Big chapter closed today. Will miss my awkward, chubby, fictional counterpart. At least I'm still awkward and chubby."

I love him. @dannymaconline. pic.twitter.com/jAJrCJRcr5

— Joe Tracini (@joetracini) October 10, 2014

Meanwhile, Hollyoaks has dramatic scenes lined up for Dennis Savage after he hears that Trevor Royle was to blame for the death of his wife Leanne Holiday.

Dennis (Joe Tracini) makes the discovery as he marks the first anniversary of Leanne's death in an emotional week.

Although Dennis is struggling as the sad date looms, he tries to hide how he is feeling around his current love interest Blessing Chambers. However, Blessing inadvertently makes matters much worse when she accidentally mistakes a box of Leanne's belongings for antiques emporium stock and sells the lot.

Blessing is mortified when she finds out what she has done and goes along to Leanne's grave with Dennis to make amends. While there, they are both confused to see an emotional Trevor (Greg Wood) at the cemetery, secretly apologising to Leanne for his involvement in the explosion that killed her.

Dennis doesn't realise what Trevor's motives are until he speaks to Sinead Roscoe and she tells him that the bad boy was responsible for the bomb at the flats.

A shocked Dennis goes straight to the police with what he knows, but when they refuse to reopen the investigation, he breaks into Trevor and Grace's place, turns on the gas and threatens to blow up the flat!
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Dennis breaks into Trevor and Grace's flat
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Dennis breaks into Trevor and Grace's flat
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Dennis confronts Trevor
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Dennis confronts Trevor
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Trevor and Grace are shocked by Dennis
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Trevor and Grace are shocked by Dennis
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Dennis is inconsolable
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Dennis is inconsolable

Hollyoaks airs these scenes on Friday, October 24 at 6.30pm on Channel 4.

Hollyoaks joker Dennis Savage features in dramatic scenes next week as he threatens to blow up Trevor Royle and Grace Black's flat.

Dennis has an angry showdown with the village's gangsters after discovering that Trevor was partly responsible for the death of his wife Leanne in last year's Hollyoaks Blast.

The surprising events play out on the first anniversary of Leanne's death, which brings up unresolved grief for Dennis as he realises that he hasn't truly moved on from the tragedy.

Digital Spy recently caught up with Joe Tracini, who plays Dennis, for his thoughts on the storyline and his character's other current plots.

This story is a bit more serious than usual for Dennis. Have you enjoyed filming it?
"I have - I always enjoy doing the serious stuff. I loved doing the scenes where Leanne snuffed it and I absolutely love doing anything that's still related to that. It was hard work, because I really went for it when we did that last year."

Are you glad that the show's writers haven't forgotten Leanne?
"I am, as I think that it's important. It's something that I've always tried to keep in mind when I'm playing Dennis. Things do move along quickly in soaps and people move on to new relationships more quickly than they do in real life - unless they're overly attractive, which I am not!

"It was important to give a sense of realism to it and make sure that we did remember Leanne, so we've always mentioned her as the year has gone on."

How is Dennis feeling as the anniversary of Leanne's death approaches?
"He's not feeling great! I think what Dennis realises is that he never really dealt with it properly. He picked himself up, moved on and didn't really think about the gravity of it all. When he gets to the anniversary and nobody else remembers, he realises that his feelings of loss are still quite raw.

"It hits Dennis quite hard, especially when Blessing picks up a box of Leanne's stuff by accident and starts flogging it at the antiques emporium! She only realises what it is when she finds a picture of Dennis and Leanne in there. Dennis gets the right hump about that and he's really hurt by it all."
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Dennis realises something is wrong with Blessing
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Dennis is in for a shock

How does Dennis feel when he later sees Trevor at Leanne's grave?
"Blessing forces Dennis to go to the grave, so when he sees Trevor there he's pleased at first. He's glad to see that Trevor has remembered that Leanne died when nobody else did. Dennis doesn't think about it and realise that actually Trevor isn't a very nice man!

"It's only later on when Trevor and Sinead argue in the pub that things change. Dennis asks what it was all about, so Sinead tells him that it was Trevor's bomb that killed Leanne. It's devastating for Dennis and he didn't see it coming at all. It's a kick in the stomach!"

Can you tell us about Dennis's attempts to get revenge?
"Dennis goes quite inward with the whole thing because he doesn't know what to do. He's not great at revenge because he's a silly sod!

"Dennis sees Trevor and Grace walking around in the village and it hits home that his girlfriend is dead while Trevor's isn't, so that gives him the hump! He follows them into their flat, turns the gas on and picks up a box of matches. It's quite out of character, but if people are grief-stricken, maybe they will blow stuff up!"

Was it a challenge to take Dennis to such an extreme place?
"It was. It's hard because it takes six hours to do those scenes. Some people do those kinds of stories all the time, but I don't. It's hard work when you've got to get really worked up and shout!

"Well, there are harder jobs in the world, but it is quite difficult as when you're used to just messing about and walking into walls, you do have a responsibility not to be really bad at the other stuff. You try to make it as real as possible, which isn't easy but it's fun."
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Dennis confronts Trevor
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Dennis confronts Trevor

Does Trevor show any remorse for his actions?
"Absolutely - he really does. Things do come to a head between Dennis and Trevor, and you end up seeing a different side to Trevor because of that. You see a much softer side to him. You've seen that over the past year anyway, but there's some really nice scenes where you do see Trevor's delicate side. That's really nice when he's a big, burly Mancunian bloke like he is - it's nice to see a soft side!"

Have you enjoyed working with Greg Wood on the storyline?
"Yeah, I really like working with Greg - he's good fun! Although I don't like working with tall people! (Laughs.) I'm only 5 foot 4, so I try to stay as far away from Greg as possible, but I like to laugh at him from afar!"

Would you like Dennis to get his revenge?
"I don't think it's the way to deal with things! If you're going to deal with a problem, the solution isn't to blow stuff up! If it does go that way, I don't think he'd get much solace from it. Dennis would be much better talking it out with Trevor."

What was your reaction when you found out that Hollyoaks were bringing in Dennis's dad Dr S'avage?
"I was really pleased, because we've never really heard much about Dennis's family. He just turned up a bit awkwardly three years ago. I was over the moon when I heard what was coming up. I got to audition a load of people for the role as well, which was lovely. I didn't have any particular opinion or sway in it, but it was nice to experience that side of things too.

"I've really enjoyed working with Andrew Greenough in the stuff we've had together. He's a lovely man and he does look like me in a few years' time, but I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not!"
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Blessing and Dr Savage try to stop Dennis
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Blessing and Dr S'avage try to stop Dennis

What kind of dynamic can we expect between Dennis and Dr S'avage?
"Dennis's dad just upped and left years ago because he wanted to have a career instead of kids. It was a bit late for that, so Dennis was on his own! Dennis isn't happy and it's quite awkward because his dad is the last person he wants to see. Much like Dennis, Dr S'avage is an idiot, so he didn't realise that he was taking a job in the same village that his son and brother live in!

"I think me and Andrew both know why we're in the show - we're there for a bit of light relief and we take advantage of that. We've played about with it and tried to get as much light in it as possible, because it can be a bit doom and gloom - particularly me when I'm knocking on about Leanne! There are some scenes which are very serious but we decided to have a laugh with them, so it's hopefully more pleasant to watch."

Can Dennis and Dr S'avage make things up?
"Oh yeah, there is a chance they can make things up but there's also a chance that they won't and it'll just be really awkward forever!"

People were quite surprised when you announced that you'd be leaving Hollyoaks. Why did you decide to go?
"Initially I only came in for six months and I've loved being on the show. After three years, I just thought it was time to move on and try a couple of other things.

"I've really loved the opportunities I've had at Hollyoaks to work out if I can really act or not. The jury is very much still out on that, but I've been really busy this year, so I thought it was the right time for me to see if I can get off and do other things. I might not do other things, but I'll give it a bash!"

Is there a part of you that's sad to see the Dennis and Blessing story end?
"Absolutely. It's one of those storylines I felt a real responsibility with, because you're talking about things that people really are going through. I took that really seriously right from the beginning.

"We did a lot of workshops with a group called All About Trans, which is a support network for people going through that at whatever stage. When you're dealing with an issue that people could be struggling with, I think you have a responsibility not to screw it up. I am sad that we'll be finishing that, because it is very important and it's been nice to be involved in that."
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Dennis is suspicious of Blessing
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Dennis and Blessing

Would you say it's been making a positive impact?
"Very much so from what I've heard. It was important to do it as realistically as possible. You do have a tendency on shows like these to go bigger and more brash, but here it was important to keep it real and I think we've succeeded in that to the best of our ability."

Would you like to return to the show at some point?
"I'd like the door to be left open. It might not be left open - Dennis might die in a freak farmyard accident, but I won't hold your breath on that one! Personally I'd like it to be left open because you never know what will happen, and I'm pretty sure I'd prefer to come back to Hollyoaks than go to I'm A Celebrity!"

What are your hopes for the future?
"As long as I keep breathing I'm happy! I don't set the bar high, to be honest with you! As long as I'm in a position where I can genuinely be a happy person, then that's enough for me."

Hollyoaks will air Joe Tracini's final scenes in the role of Dennis Savage next week.

The actor filmed his exit from the Channel 4 soap a month ago and will soon bow out in scenes shot specially on-location away from the village.

As previously reported, upcoming scenes see Dennis embark on a desperate mission to find his on-off girlfriend Blessing Chambers (Modupe Adeyeye) following her recent departure from the village.

The pair remain on rocky ground once they come face-to-face again, until Dennis reaches a final decision on whether or not they have a future.

Show bosses are currently keeping tight-lipped about exactly how Dennis leaves and whether Blessing will join him when he goes.

Tracini told Inside Soap: "The reason I came into the show was for a bit of light relief amid all the drama, so I would like Dennis to leave on a happy note.

"Sadly, there's a rule at Hollyoaks that nobody can be happy for more than four days, so we'll just have to wait and see how it all pans out!"

Tracini announced his departure from Hollyoaks in April and is departing after three years with the show.

Hollyoaks airs Dennis's final episode on Friday, November 21 at 6.30pm on Channel 4.

poor dennis deserves a happy ending but think he dies too

he is returning