Kieron Richardson has come out as gay in an interview with ITV's This Morning.
The Hollyoaks actor, who also appeared on Dancing On Ice, divulged his sexuality to Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby.
Richardson also revealed that his character Ste would be involved in a plot in which he would question his feelings for Brendan Brady (Emmett Scanlan)
The soap confirmed that the plot would see the pair form an "unusual friendship" as Ste becomes captivated by the bad boy.
The pair kiss on a night out but a disgusted Brendan then rejects Ste, who later admits that he has been attracted to another male before when he spent time in a young offenders' institute.
However, the long-term storyline is set to take a shocking twist when Brendan beats Ste up badly, marking the beginning of a turbulent and troubled relationship.
Hollyoaks series producer Paul Marquess said: "This is a long running storyline and while it is dark to begin with, the lessons that Ste learns are ultimately positive and life affirming.
"This story is about not being afraid to be who you are and while this is something Brendan struggles with, Ste is refreshingly accepting of his feelings towards another man," he continued. "I hope viewers will be glued throughout the twists and turns as we unravel how Brendan came to be the twisted person we have been watching on screen."
Richardson admitted that he was "shocked" to learn about the storyline but added that he was honoured to be given the plot.
He added: "Having understood the long-term storyline I am honoured and very excited to have been given this challenge. Brendan is a dangerous character and it will be interesting to see how Ste copes when he himself is the victim of domestic violence.”
Scanlan confessed that he is glad that Brendan is a becoming "a complex character" and "not a gratuitous soap villain, but a multi-layered character with depth, a troubled past and an unsure future".
He continued: "I hope that as the storyline develops, viewers will be able to understand why Brendan has become the villain they see today. Brendan is compelled to manipulate and control everyone who crosses his path. At the moment this makes him dangerous but when we identify why he behaves this way, we will discover his vulnerabilities and this is exciting..."
The scenes will air later next month.
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