'Extraordinary' special Hollyoaks episode for Juliet and Peri in tragic story

Hollyoaks is planning a special episode centring on much loved couple Juliet Nightingale (Niamh Blackshaw) and Peri Lomax (Ruby O’Donnell) as part of the ongoing cancer storyline.

Described as ’emotional’ and ‘extraordinary’, the edition of the Channel 4 soap will see the characters take a trip to Brighton, in a day that will be fun but bittersweet.

‘It is a huge emotional story,’ Hollyoaks boss Lucy Allan said to Metro.co.uk when we sat down for an interview recently.

‘We talked about Juliet: the fighter! It was important for us that Juliet doesn’t lose Juliet through this story.

‘What I can tell you is that we are off to Brighton to film a special episode for Juliet and Peri – we really wanted to see the joy of those two as a couple. We know they are massive fan favourites, people love them together.

‘The Brighton shoot is going to be great – Hollyoaks getting out on location! Getting those production values in there but also seeing carefree young characters having a great time.

‘They will meet an extraordinary character on their travels that will bring them back to the village, who you will know from another show!

‘In fact, I think from recently winning another show. That will be a joy for us before we delve into the realities of Juliet’s situation.’

The story, which has seen Juliet diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, has struck a chord with viewers, with cancer affecting one in two people in some way.

And there is an emotional journey ahead for Juliet and those who love her, from mum Donna-Marie (Lucy Jo-Hudson) to brother Romeo (Owen Warner).

‘The reality is that cancer touches nearly all of us,’ Lucy continued. ‘For Juliet, it makes her angry – it’s not fair. It’s an injustice.

‘But we also wanted to look at the articulation of it for Juliet and Peri, and Peri as a nurse. What does that mean? You go into a profession where you save people and now you’ve got a sick partner? How does that manifest?

‘It’s also extraordinarily challenging for Donna-Marie and James. Donna-Marie and Juliet’s relationship will be really challenged through this story – how do you repair the fact that you were absent for all those years – all those Christmases and birthdays – and now you’re confronted by someone ill in front of you that you don’t know in that way?

‘You weren’t the person who sat up with them all through the night when they were 6 years old – that was Romeo.’

And speaking of Romeo, as realities hit home, how will he cope?

‘I’ve just read some extraordinary scenes between Romeo and Juliet, where we’ve got Romeo distracting himself into a new romance with Rayne,’ Lucy revealed to us.

‘Romeo is forced to admit that, all his life, it’s been him and Juliet – this is really tricky stuff for him to deal with: he’s a really emotional character, but he’s always needed that really feisty sister.

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‘Niamh is doing extraordinary stuff in terms of performance, she is so compelling as a performer, we know it’s a story we can really trust her to deliver on.

‘We talked about the way that Juliet is the unexpected lynchpin of the family – she is the one who knocks heads and won’t let them all disappear into the winds.’

It’s clear that there are tears of both joy and pain ahead, as the acclaimed storyline plays out through 2023.

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