Hollyoaks in 2023 will see new faces, flings and fears in the village, the new trailer for the soap reveals.
An hour-long special episode of the series will see Eric’s hate campaign against the women of the fictional suburb of Chester hit its peak.
In the trailer, Eric, played by Shadow And Bone actor Angus Castle-Doughty, is seen taking Maxine captive and holding a crossbow in The Dog at his sister Verity’s wake.
Eric says in the trailer: “Women don’t see me, now you see me, soon they’ll all see me.”
Fuelled by his “misogynistic beliefs of feeling ignored by women”, the soap said he will likely cause Diane, Lizzie, Serena, Cindy, Zara, Maxine, and Zoe to be in danger or become hostages.
Mason, who is set to be caught for posting pictures of Leah online, is seen in a hospital bed, injured, as he warns his parents of Eric’s plan.
Elsewhere, I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here 2022 runner-up Owen Warner will return from Spain to play Romeo once again in the soap.
He will be in a shared house with a line-up of roommates that now includes Rayne, played by Jemma Donovan, Lacey, played by Annabelle Davis, Prince played by Malique Thompson Dwyer and Nadira played by Ashling O’Shea.
Donovan, who formerly starred in long-running Australian soap Neighbours, arrives on a Vespa to support best friend Davis, the daughter of actors Warwick and Samantha Davis, whose character has a job interview with Dee Valley Law’s James Nightingale.
2023 will also see Felix turn into Mercedes’s love interest as he gives her a shoulder to cry on despite putting her son, Bobby, being behind bars.
Felix, who kisses Mercedes in the trailer, can also be heard saying: “It wasn’t John Paul that grassed up Bobby, it was me.”
Juliet continues to push family and friends away after her lymphoma diagnosis.
Her ex-fiancee Peri offers her support and encourages her to lean on people as her best friend Imran’s treatment at the eating disorder clinic leads to the pair forming a close bond on their road to recovery.
Hollyoaks airs on E4, Channel 4 and All 4.