A MAJOR Hollyoaks star has quit the soap eight years after joining the cast.
Actor Theo Graham – who has played Hunter McQueen in the soap since 2016 – told bosses about his decision to leave last year and has already filmed his devastating final scenes.
The Sun can exclusively reveal that Hunter will be killed off in a dramatic storyline.
Hunter’s final scenes have already been shot and will air in the coming weeks.
A source said: “Theo knew when he returned in 2022 that he was only going to stay for a short stint.
“He made his decision a while ago and bosses were happy to come up with a fitting and final exit for him and Hunter.
“He’s definitely missed on set and he loved his time at Hollyoaks but he can’t wait to take on other roles again.”
Theo originally joined the show as one of Goldie McQueen’s twin sons in 2016 alongside on-screen brother Malique Thompson-Dwyer.
He quit in 2018 and went on to star Doctors, Fate: The Winx Saga on Netflix and Flatmates on the BBC.
The actor made a return to Hollyoaks in 2022.
The Sun can also reveal that actress Chelsee Healey agreed to return early from maternity leave for a short stint filming her on-screen son’s funeral.
It comes as The Sun exclusively revealed how twenty cast members are being axed from the soap amid job cuts following Channel 4’s decision to slash episodes to just three 20 minutes editions per week.
Those affected have now been told and actress Stephanie Waring, who plays original character Cindy Cunningham in the soap, has told how she was left devastated by the decision to end her contract.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun, Steph said: “I was learning all week of the people who were going, and I remember crying at one of them, and I had this gut feeling that I would be too.
“But another part of me was thinking ‘I’ve just signed a year-long contract, surely it won’t be me’. Everyone was telling me I would be fine as I’m an original character.”
She added: “I just left and cried uncontrollably.
“I went into make-up and I fell into two of my co-star’s arms who held me as I sobbed until I calmed down a bit.”
