Hollyoaks are adept at pulling off casting coups you didn't see coming - Linda 'Sue Ellen from Dallas' Gray as Marnie Nightingale's mum, and Ray 'Cheeky chappy crooner from X Factor' Quinn as a terrifying far right extremist come to mind, and this week sees Joe 'McGann brother from The Upper Hand' McGann make his debut as suave surgeon, Edward Hutchinson.

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hollyoaks edward hutchinson

Despite being dad to the soap's longest-serving character, Tony Hutchinson, Edward has barely been mentioned before. That's because he abandoned Tone many years ago and there's no love lost between father and son. None of that really matters initially as Tony is still incarcerated at the pig farm, so charismatic Edward can spin any old story about why he walked out.

His charm offensive quickly wins over the locals, but there's a deliciously dark side to the character who we've been forewarned will be the village's next villain.

hollyoaks tony breda

Talking of Tony, Edward's arrival may herald the end of his ordeal as the prisoner of poisonous pensioner Breda McQueen. There's a sense the serial killer is unravelling as her family start to question her erratic behaviour (better late than never) leading to a revealing visit to a psychiatrist in which the nanny almost confesses to her crimes.

But with Breda's reign of terror confirmed to stretch on until January, let's assume Tony will sucking on those drug-laced lollipops for a while yet.

hollyoaks cindy and woody

Elsewhere, there's another newcomer joining Joe McGann in the cast, but bringing something altogether different to the table. Reality star Jake Quickenden spends most of his scenes as hunky workman Woody - hired to start building Cindy Cunningham's 'Grande Bizarre' covered market - in a tabard barely covering the ripped torso we were previously treated to in I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and Dancing On Ice.

Cougar Cindy likes what she sees, but not what she hears when Woody stands in the way of her new business by quoting council regulations she's happily ignored.

Time to use her feminine charms - and a 30 grand bribe - to fast-track the building work, which has catastrophic consequences that cause this year's annual stunt disaster. But more on that next week…

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Authors

Johnathon HughesSoaps Writer, RadioTimes.com
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