HOLLYOAKS has announced a special episode for Stand Up To Cancer.
The special charity instalment will revolve around Jennifer Metcalfe‘s infamous alter-ego, Mercedes McQueen.
Jennifer, 41, has played the long-running character on-screen for nearly two decades.
The actress first joined the Channel 4 serial drama in 2006 and has also starred in the spin-off, Hollyoaks Later between 2008 and 2020.
She survived the the highly-publicised time jump following a string of cuts to both the cast and the behind-the-scenes crew.
However, when the soap returned it was revealed that her character was battling an aggressive form of bowel cancer.
Her current storyline focuses on the fan favourite as she suffers from the side effects of chemotherapy treatment.
This is all while juggling the demands of being both a single mother and pillar of support for many within her circle.
Now has been revealed that the commercial network will air a very special episode dedicated to raising awareness around cancer.
The dedicated edition will air tonight and viewers will see Mercedes’ friends and family rally around to support her through the next round of treatment.
They will all be wearing t-shirts that are emblazoned with the slogan ‘Strong, Sexy & Surviving,’ in the famous McQueen family leopard print.
Hollyoaks has also launched a special collaboration with Stand Up To Cancer where viewers can purchase bespoke designed t-shirts, worn by characters within the show.
The dedicated t-shirts are being sold to raise awareness for bowel cancer as the storyline continues to grip viewers on air.
Alongside the t-shirts that feature on the show, fitted jumpers, oversized jumpers, unisex hoodies, relaxed hoodies and tote bags will also be available.
Speaking about the upcoming collaboration, Jennifer gushed: “I’m really pleased that within the storyline, as well as raising vital awareness, we are able to support Stand Up To Cancer.
“I think that the statement of the t-shirts sum up everything about Mercedes and how she has approached her treatment for bowel cancer – like she does everything in her life – bold and in her own way.”
Jennifer Metcalfe has played the fan favourite role of Mercedes McQueen since 2006. We look back at some of the biggest moment.
In her early years, Mercedes embarks on a sexual relationship with local gangster Warren Fox (Jamie Lomas) behind the back of Russ Owen (Stuart Manning).
Warren is sent to prison for the attack on Clare Devine (Gemma Bissix) and Mercedes is his alibi, but she initially refuses to give him an alibi in case Russ found out that she slept with him.
In the same year when she sleeps with Tony Hutchinson (Nick Pickard) who was the boyfriend of her sister Jacqui (Claire Cooper). He was left devastated after she decided to get an abortion when she found out she was pregnant with his baby.
By October 2008, Mercedes developed feelings for Malachy Fisher (Glen Wallace) who she discovers is HIV positive. After finding out the bombshell, she walked home alone when she was kidnapped by her psychotic brother Niall Rafferty (Barry Sloane).
Throughout her time on Hollyoaks, Mercedes developed a reputation for promiscuity where she embarked on many affairs.
In 2011 she gave birth to a son named Bobby after her fiance Riley Costello (Rob Norbury) died. He was killed when corrupt police officer Simon Walker (Neil Newbon) fired a gun during his feud. with Brendan Brady (Emmett J. Scanlan).
In February 2015, Mercedes found herself hiding out in France after she faked her death to frame Freddie Roscoe (Charlie Clapham) for her ‘murder’. While she was in hiding she had a one night stand with his brother Joe Roscoe (Ayden Callaghan). But four months later she discovered that she was pregnant with his baby. But later in November, she didn’t feel the baby move and at the hospital the doctors revealed her baby had died. She later imagined a grown up version of him in July 2017.
Over the years Mercedes has been the target of Silas Blissett (Jeff Rawle) who killed 17 village residents over his decades-long reign of terror. In June 2022 held Mercedes and Olivia Bradshaw (Emily Burnett) hostage as he started to play games with the McQueen’s. This was until her son Bobby Costello (Jayden Fox) pushed him onto his life-size electric chess-board during a power surge when he brought the family to The Folly.
Hollyoaks continues on E4 and is available to watch back on demand and on YouTube.
