HOLLYOAKS fans have been left furious after soap bosses revealed that Martha Blake is set to become a serial killer.
Many viewers feel that the new plotline has been overdone and is an example of lazy writing at this point.
Others also complained that the killing rampage is just being used as an excuse to axe characters as Hollyoaks bosses previously admitted that they are culling twenty actors.
The Sun exclusively revealed that Sherrie Hewson is going to make history by playing the oldest serial killer on the soap come September.
A source shared that the star, 73, is delighted to get the chance to be at the center of such a huge story.
They added: “She can’t wait to get her hands dirty with the blood of characters.
“Hollyoaks is at its best when there’s a major villain on the loose and Martha is going to top them all. She’s just as twisted as her murderous great-granddaughter Nico.
“She may be worse. No one’s safe with Martha around.”
However, fans have been less than impressed with the update.
One person groaned: “Typical Hollyoaks that she couldn’t just be a nice wee granny making up for lost time with Dilly, Sienna and the forgotten about Minnie.”
Another protested: “Why? Who thought this would be a good idea?”
A third added: “If in doubt wheel out a serial killer storyline. Hollyoaks is so predictable.”
Someone else said they thought the move will be the soap’s “nail in the coffin”.
A long time viewer shared their thoughts on the motivation behind the decision, saying: “With all the changes forced on Hollyoaks lately, not to mention the fact that the viewing figures have never been lower, I understand that the producers have probably panicked and thought that another serial killer will help.
“After all, Silas was popular and they’re probably hoping they can strike lucky again.
“But those of us who’ve been watching the show for years have sat through multiple serial killer stories in the last decade alone and when you do something too often, it loses any impact it might have once had.”
Hollyoaks has had an old-age murderer before in Silas Blissett (Jeff Rawle), who was 72 during his 2020 killings.
Then last year Corrie viewers saw Stephen Reid (Todd Boyce) kill three characters when he was in his mid-sixties.
