Sylver’s funeral is a difficult day for Mercedes McQueen (Jennifer Metcalfe) as she struggles with some shocking revelations, then son Bobby Costello (Jayden Fox) goes missing.
James Nightingale (Gregory Finnegan) takes another big risk, Dave Chen-Williams (Dominic Power) tells his family the truth about Maxine Minniver (Nikki Sanderson) and Serena Chen-Williams (Emma Lau) makes a big mistake.
Here are all your Hollyoaks spoilers for 31st January – 4th February 2022.
Funeral bombshells
!["EMBARGO]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/01/HO-C4-EP-5779-MERCEDES-CHER-THERESA-NANA-GOLDIE-CLEO-JOHN-PAUL-EMBARGOED-UNTIL-25TH-JANUARY-b21e2f6.jpg?quality=90&crop=38px%2C27px%2C3923px%2C2613px&resize=620%2C413" "\"EMBARGO")
The emotional aftershocks of the superb stunt week continue to reverberate as the McQueens gather to say goodbye to gentle giant Sylver. Considering this is Hollyoaks’ most chaotic family you know it won’t be a quiet send-off, and the run-up to the funeral is fraught with complications.
Mercedes is horrified when Bobby cruelly tells his mum Sylver didn’t love her, leading to a shocking outburst from the widow during the service. Imagine how she’d feel if she knew the part her son left in her husband’s death… And as Cher McQueen (Bethannie Hare) reflects on her father’s passing, she makes a decision that leaves everyone reeling.
Bobby runs away
!["EMBARGO]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/01/HO-C4-EP-5779-MERCEDES-CHER-BOBBY-GOLDIE-JOHN-PAUL-EMBARGOED-UNTIL-25TH-JANUARY-@LIMEPICTURES-5-1afd4fa.jpg?quality=90&crop=58px%2C40px%2C5884px%2C3919px&resize=620%2C413" "\"EMBARGO")
More red flags around Bobby’s developing demon child vibes emerge when Mercedes learns his school are worried about his unusual behaviour. Does leaving his stepdad to be crushed by falling rubble in a burning building constitute as ‘unusual’?
Seeking advice Mercy asks psychologist Honour Chen-Williams (Vera Chok) to assess the lad, who deduces he’s struggling with his loss more than he’s letting on and may need professional help. Burying her head in the sand Mercedes refuses to face up to her boy’s issues, but as tempers flare and Bobby runs away the situation gets a whole lot worse.
James takes a big risk
!["EMBARGO]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/01/HO-C4-EP-5778-JAMES-EMBARGOED-UNTIL-25TH-JANUARY-05548a9.jpg?quality=90&crop=38px%2C27px%2C3923px%2C2613px&resize=620%2C413" "\"EMBARGO")
Grief also grips the Nightingales who mourn Marnie at the second funeral of the week, causing James to lash out and make even more bad decisions in an attempt to distract himself from the pain of his mother’s tragic passing.
First he tries to frame Becky Quentin (Katie McGlynn) for stealing donation money raised for victims of the explosion, thus driving her out of the village, then gives into his gambling habit at a poker night organised by Damon Kinsella (Jacob Roberts), another local dangerously addicted to placing a bet. Bad boy Ethan Williams (Matthew-James Bailey) also attends and the evening ends in financial disaster for one of the players – who’s luck has run out?
Dave’s secret revealed
!["hollyoaks]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/12/DOMINIC-01-6bd3c41.jpg?quality=90&crop=58px%2C0px%2C5884px%2C3919px&resize=620%2C413" "\"hollyoaks")
Everyman Dave is accused of having an affair by his own children after they spy him in a clandestine chat with a young woman he clearly didn’t want anyone else to see. Forced to confess to his disapproving offspring, he explains the lady in question isn’t his bit on the side, it’s their long-lost half-sister Maxine.
With the secret exposed, the newly-arrived blended family have a mixed reaction to one of their new neighbours being Dave’s secret love child. Lizzie Chen-Williams (Lily Best) is especially stung as it stokes her insecurity about Dave not being her biological father. Bet the brood are regretting moving to Hollyoaks already.
Elsewhere on Hollyoaks
!["SERENA"]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/01/SERENA-8e23017.jpg?quality=90&crop=17px%2C621px%2C3966px%2C2642px&resize=620%2C413" "\"SERENA\"")
- As well as dealing with her dad’s blast from the past, Serena must also contend with an awkward moment that leaves her beyond embarrassed. Deciding to tell Sid Sumner (Billy Price) her true feelings, regardless of his burgeoning romance with Lizzie, she plants a sneaky kiss on him while he changes into a red dragon outfit as part of the village’s Lunar New Year celebrations. Except it’s not Sid, it’s Imran Maalik (Ijaz Rana)! Oops.
- Toby Faroe (Bobby Gordon) has been in a coma since the explosion – though considering he confessed to killing cousin Lisa and framing his brother just before the blast, his furious family haven’t bothered keeping a bedside vigil. After some wise words from Cleo McQueen (Nadine Mulkerrin), conflicted DeMarcus Westwood (Tomi Ade) decides to go and see his unconscious sibling in hospital to air how angry he is at his actions – will he regret the visit?