Gerard McCarthy hopes his new role in a Shakespeare play will prove to doubters that the Hollyoaks cast can act. The Northern Irish actor, who has finished filming scenes as Kris Fisher in the Channel 4 soap, will play Fenton in The Merry Wives Of Windsor at the Globe. Speaking before Richard Fleeshman's opening night in Legally Blonde, The Musical, Gerard said: "For whatever reason our soap has this reputation for being full of beautiful people who can't really act." He went on: "I'm delighted that by the time I go on stage at the Globe I'll still be on screen in Hollyoaks. I'm actually quite proud of that. And for everybody who slags us off I'll go like that (makes two-fingered gesture)." Gerard admitted his first stab at Shakespeare is a huge change from the teen soap, where he has spent four years. "It's a bit of a massive change but that's what I wanted to do. I wanted to leave the show and do something as far removed from Hollyoaks as I could get. I didn't think it would be that far removed!" He added: "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous but the nerves are balanced by the excitement, so I'm hoping the excitement will win out in the end and get me through." Gerard will make his stage debut on August 14. The play runs at The Globe until October 2, before touring in Los Angeles and New York. Click here to watch whatsontv.co.uk's weekly soaps video preview, the Soap Scoop
