A stressed-out Mercedes McQueen turns to drugs at Max's birthday celebrations and causes an embarrassing scene
Cracking up under the strain of the car crash she caused, Hollyoaks' Mercedes McQueen (Jennifer Metcalfe) has turned to drugs again.
Mercedes and Liam Donovan (Jude Monk McGowan) have so far managed to keep their involvement of the smash which nearly killed Grace Black, a secret. Harry Thompson (Parry Glasspool) is currently the main suspect but Mercedes is struggling with her guilt and fuelled with self-loathing she is battling to stay on the wagon.
Now her stepson Max Owen is coming to stay and the McQueen family are throwing a party to celebrate his birthday.
When Max, who Mercedes was raising as her own following Russ Owen’s murder, arrives and clearly feel uncomfortable around her, it’s too much for Mercedes who breaks down and secretly slopes off to the bathroom where she takes more drugs.
A hyped up Mercedes then re-appears and makes a big scene at the party with her manic behaviour and it’s not long before her husband Sylver (David Tag) realises she’s back on the drugs!
Meanwhile James Nightingale (Gregory Finnegan) who has become increasingly suspicious of his boyfriend Harry Thompson (Parry Glasspool), keeps attempting to unlock Harry’s phone to find out what he’s been up to. Will he succeed or will he listen to his mum Marnie (Lysette Anthony) who tells him to stop being so mistrusting of Harry?
Elsewhere, following his date with doctor Levi Rochester (Cerith Flinn), Nana McQueen urges Scott Drinkwell (Ross Adams) to be honest with the medic about his drag act.
Levi, who hates drag acts, still has no idea that it was Scott who he saw perform at The Dog the other night. Will Scott tell him the truth and risk scaring Levi off? Or will he take the easy route and stay quiet?
Plus Nancy Osborne (Jessica Fox) has set up a girls only book club to try and cheer up Sinead O’Connor (Stephanie Davies), but Sinead is less that impressed when they start reading Jane Austen and angrily slams the famed novelist for her sexist values!
Hollyoaks is shown weekdays on C4 at 6.30pm with the next episode following on E4
