Hollyoaks serves up answers to some pretty big questions next week, including the truth about Tommy Odenkirk’s (Brandon Fellows) obsession with Joel Dexter (Rory Douglas-Speed), as we travel back in time.
The long-running Channel 4 soap is journeying back to fill in some of the blanks of the ‘missing’ year, showcasing what really went on in the village during the elusive gap in time.
One of the big mysteries set to be solved is that of Tommy’s big secret – and more specifically the reason why he’s so obsessed with Joel.
The alleged therapist, as viewers know, has something of a shrine dedicated to the former priest in a locked cupboard at his flat.
Next Monday (April 7), fans will get their answers – as will Joel, who is taken by Tommy to the hospital in a bid to trigger his memory. Upon arrival, Tommy introduces Joel to his brother Billy, who is in a coma.
Joel reels over what Tommy is telling him and the revelation prompts our trip back in time as the ‘missing’ year is revisited in a special flashback episode.
At the time of throwback scenes, Joel and Leela Dexter’s (Kirsty-Leigh Porter) marriage is hanging by a thread.
Leela’s behaviour has changed following Theresa’s (Jorgie Porter) party in the woods while Joel’s grief proves overwhelming – and he heads out to buy some drugs.
Upon doing so, however, he comes face-to-face with dad Warren Fox (Jamie Lomas).
Mercedes McQueen (Jennifer Metcalfe), meanwhile, has been experiencing bowel changes and, after finding blood in her poo, she schedules a colonoscopy and opens up to Leela about her fears.
The former landladyof The Dog accidentally knocks over Leela’s handbag, with a positive pregnancy test falling out. Leela reveals that she was sexually assaulted while drunk, with Mercedes urging her to tell Joel the truth.
Speaking of Joel, he’s at a nightclub nearby – where he spots Tommy being bullied by his brother Billy, which prompts him to intervene.
The question is: just what transpires? And will it have ramifications for Joel?
Elsewhere during the flashback scenes, Freddie Roscoe (Charlie Clapham) races to the hospital after learning that Lexi was injured after being left alone with Curtis.
Dodge Savage (Danny Mac) – who is also seen rekindling his romance with Maxine Minniver (Nikki Sanderson) – watches Freddie and Grace Black (Tamara Wall) from afar.
Later, Freddie is left reeling when he encounters Warren, who enlists the help of Arlo Fielding (Dan Hough) to deliver a letter to Mercedes.
The flashback episode certainly proves very eventful and it will provide some long-awaited context – but the stories simply don’t stop there, with subsequent scenes taking us back to present day, where the drama is aplenty.
Joel is burdened with some distressing new information, Grace plans her own party behind DI Banks’ back and Rex Gallagher (Jonny Labey) continues to manipulate Dillon Ray (Nathaniel Dass) and Frankie Osborne (Isabelle Smith).
