Hollyoaks star Charlie Clapham calls for show spin-off to return

Hollyoaks star Charlie Clapham has called for the return of show spin-off Hollyoaks Later.

The follow-up series began airing in 2008, and showcased scenes from the village that weren't fit for pre-watershed viewing — including sex scenes, violence and shocking character deaths.

Hollyoaks Later concluded in 2013, before a special one-off episode was broadcast in 2020.

Speaking to The Mirror, Clapham — who recently reprised his role as Freddie Roscoe after seven years — called for the popular series to make a return amid the huge changes being made to the soap's format.

darren osborne and freddie roscoe in hollyoaks

Lime Pictures

"The only thing I'd say is missing right now is the Laters at some point in the year. There is so much stuff happening that I think it might need that different time slot," he said.

"They're like their own standalone on-off movie. I would go to the cinema to watch a Hollyoaks Later, they can be that good. They've got enough characters at the minute where people would tune into that.

"You can just imagine what it might be like at 10pm viewing time now, it'd be something you could watch on Netflix. I'd be really excited at the prospect of something like that."

He concluded: "We need that fuse, the dynamite is there it just needs someone to bring it up in the story room!"

charlie clapham as freddie roscoe, returns to hollyoaks

Lime Pictures/Ray Burmiston

The long-running show is facing a major change to its production model following Channel 4's decision to reduce the weekly episodes from five to three this September.

As a result, production company Lime Pictures confirmed that up to 135 jobs are likely to be lost.

Following the news, Steph Waring, who plays Cindy Cunningham, revealed that she has been axed from the soap after 28 years.

Multiple unions have issued statements on the scheduling change, with the head of Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications and Theatre Union (Bectu) branding the decision "a huge loss for the whole sector".

Hollyoaks streams first online via Channel 4 each weekday at 7.30pm. Episodes then air on E4 the following day, before getting their YouTube premiere a week after that.

Selected omnibus episodes are available via Prime Video.