Diane Hutchinson (Alex Fletcher) makes an unexpected Hollyoaks return next week when Ant (Brook Debio), Ro (Leo Cole) and Dee Dee (Chloe Atkinson) receive messages from their mum on the day of their 16th birthday.
No, you’re crying.
Diane, a staple of the Channel 4 soap for 16 years, passed away in May after a battle with ovarian cancer, just weeks after learning that her diagnosis was terminal.
The landlady of The Dog died in bed while listening to the voices of beloved husband Tony (Nick Pickard) and her kids as they read Eva a bedtime story.
Losing the matriarch of the clan has proven difficult for the Hutchinsons, particularly daughter Dee Dee, whose last conversation with mum Diane wasn’t exactly a pleasant one.
Her subsequent actions left Tony worried for her wellbeing, though the patriarch remains unaware that his daughter is being groomed by her teacher Abigail (Brooke Vincent).
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With Dee Dee, Ant and Ro’s 16th birthday approaching, Tony suggests a joint birthday for them all.
And on the morning of the party, he gives them the ultimate gift in the form of voice message recorded by mum Diane prior to their death.
In typical Diane fashion, the legendary pub landlady’s words of wisdom are spot on and it proves emotional for all those involved.
Diane’s final scenes aired in May, bringing to an end star Alex Fletcher’s 16 years on the show.
Discussing her final scenes, Alex told Metro in May: ‘It’s hit very different, I’m not going to lie. It’s a bit surreal. That’s the only word I can use to describe it. It’s like having an out of body of experience.
‘It is surreal and I am gutted. It’s sad watching myself go through that because I put my heart and soul into that storyline and I was sad to leave everyone.
‘And I’m gutted for Diane! Every time I did the scenes I kept thinking: ‘Oh my god!’ – I felt like I was her friend and when I thought of it like that, I’d get choked. But I’d be thinking: ‘I can’t do every scene sobbing’ because that’s not the reality of the situation. People are actually really brave when they’re going through cancer, it can sometimes be everybody else that crumbles.
‘At times I was trying to [stay strong] and that was really hard. Especially with crew members and Nick Pickard – and all Diane’s kids, who have recently been recast. All that closeness, you think ‘oh god, I’ll never get to do this again’.
Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 6am on Channel 4’s streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4.
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