I think the cast needs cut tbh, so I'm fully up for Liam/Jen/Joel leaving!

I think Hollyoaks could easily cope with a smaller cast, and I can't imagine it's easy for a relatively small soap to maintain a cast that size. If a cull is going to happen, I'd be hoping for Jen, Liam, Joel, Liberty, Will, Dirk and Theresa. The latter has been reduced to an utterly irredeemable and hateful wannabe gangster moll, who has STILL to be brought to justice or even show any remorse for cold-blooded murder of her cousin's husband. It's impossible to root for her as a character, and she'd only be viable if the writers cut their losses and made an all-out villain. But when we've got the likes of Browning and Mercedes (and I suspect Sienna before too long) doing all that so well right now, do we really need another?

 

In terms of casting, the most pressing problem Hollyoaks has is that right now it's so heavily reliant on one character, which leaves them in quite a precarious position should they ever leave.

And if rumours are to be believed, Brendan will indeed be leaving this year, so they need to start thinking fast. I suspect they're hoping John-Paul will fill the void (don't be surprised if they pair him up with Ste in the future), but if that's the case, they've made an error in judgement because bumming aside they're quite different characters.

 

I still can't get over my QUEEN leaving.