Mercedes McQueen (Jennifer Metcalfe) will lay son Bobby Costello (Zak Sutcliffe) to rest in emotional Hollyoaks scenes next week but with tensions running high the funeral service proves eventful.
Bobby, as viewers know, was serving time in prison after he killed Silas Blissett (Jeff Rawle) and Verity Hutchinson (Eva O’Hara) several years ago.
He also attempted to murder Felix Westwood (Richard Blackwood) – who was seeing his mum at the time – as he set a fire in Price Slice, which led to DeMarcus’ (Tomi Ade) life being put in danger.
Bobby escaped captivity earlier this year and reunited with mum Mercedes, who urged him to turn himself in to the police and finish out this sentence so that he could come home to be with her and his sisters.
The teen resolved to do just that but he was subsequently accused of the murder of his social worker Ian Stone, who was killed by Jez Blake (Jeremy Sheffield).
Bobby later discovered that Jez was to blame after Martha (Sherrie Hewson) inadvertently spilled the beans about her murderous son, which prompted a showdown between Bobby and Jez.
One thing led to another, with Bobby determined to hand himself in to the police but when Jez got wind of his plan, he tracked the teen down and killed him in horrifying scenes.
Tony Hutchinson (Nick Pickard), however, believes that he was to blame for Bobby’s death given that he was driving a car along the very road where the boy’s body was found.
Mercedes, meanwhile, was left devastated by her son’s death, seeking comfort in Tony, who confided in Diane (Alex Fletcher) about what he thought he did to Bobby.
Diane assisted him in covering up the crime, crashing the car he was driving and hiding it in the garage, which is currently vacant.
With a few weeks having passed since the tragic event, next week sees Mercedes and the rest of the McQueens prepare for Bobby’s funeral. In a bid to allow others who aren’t able to attend view the service, the decision is made to livestream the funeral.
John Paul (James Sutton), meanwhile, is still struggling with his alcohol addiction and tries to get served at The Dog. Tony and Diane refuse and Mercedes subsequently enters the pub, spooking Tone as she reveals that she knows who killed Bobby.
Is Tony’s secret set to out? Does Mercedes believe that he was to blame? It appears not as Mercedes instead asks Tony to attend the funeral with her for moral support. Conflicted, Tony agrees.
John Paul, meanwhile, recalls a flashback.
On the day of the funeral, Mercedes stands in front of a handful of friends and family and shares some heartfelt words on her beloved Bobby.
A confrontation, however, soon ensues at the funeral, which is being live-streamed to the village, and it leaves one resident feeling very smug.
The question is: just what has unfolded? And why exactly does it please this one mysterious resident?
Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 6am on Channel 4’s streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4.
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