‘Mercedes might take a bullet,’ warns Hollyoaks’ Jennifer Metcalfe

Hollyoaks’ Jennifer Metcalfe tells Soaplife about Mercedes’ resurrection - and how she nearly gets killed for real.

Mercedes McQueen is back – and talk about making an entrance! After faking her own death, Mercedes has been living it up in France. But her high life comes to an end when Trevor Royle and Darren Osborne (Ashley Taylor Dawson) bundle her into the boot of a car. Back in Hollyoaks, she must face the cops and dices with death when she wrestles a gun from Joe’s hand.

“When I read what was going to happen, I was like, ‘Fantastic! Put me in that boot and get me back!’” laughs Jennifer. “She doesn’t come in quietly and she risks going to prison and getting killed.” It’s business as usual, then…

What has Mercedes been up to in France?

“She has Grace’s £50,000 and she’s been living it up. However, she’s had to do it undercover, so it’s been a lonely time.”

How does she feel about being back in the village?

“She doesn’t want to go back as she knows she’ll probably get into trouble with the police for faking her own death, but Trevor [Greg Wood] doesn’t give her a choice. She doesn’t want to go to the police, either, but Trevor threatens to kill Phoebe [Mandip Gill] if she refuses.”

Is she arrested?

No, she lives to fight another day. She turns on the waterworks and it does the trick. For now…”

Does that work with her family, too?

“There’s a mixed reaction. Mercedes is expecting open arms and cries of ‘The little Princess is back!’ But Porsche [Twinnie-Lee Moore] ends up slapping her. Theresa [Jorgie Porter], however, is made up.”

Will Mercedes stick around?

“She wants to go back to France, but Phoebe tells her she can’t because Nana [Diane Langton] was in a fire and she’s now in hospital fighting for her life. All Mercedes’ plans have to be binned and she has to get herself to the hospital.”

So she’s back for good?

“Yes. I’ve loved my time off, but I’ve come back all guns blazing and I’m really excited about what’s to come for Mercedes.”

How does Mercedes stop Joe from killing Freddie and Lindsey?

“Mercedes ends up in The Dog car park, when there’s a stand-off between Grace [Tamara Wall], Freddie [Charlie Clapham], Lindsey [Sophie Austin] and Joe [Ayden Callaghan], who wants to shoot Freddie. If that happened, it would draw more attention to Mercedes’ mess and, as much as she hates Freddie, she doesn’t want him dead. So, she whacks the gun out of Joe’s hand.”

But the gun goes off…

“Yes, and Mercedes might take a bullet. You’ll have to tune in and see…”

Hollyoaks, Channel 5.