# UK Soap and Drama Discussion > Hollyoaks > Spoilers >  Cleo McQueen

## Perdita

Hollyoaks bosses have cast Nadine Mulkerrin in the role of newcomer Cleo McQueen, Digital Spy can exclusively confirm.

Cleo is the teenage sister of recent arrivals Porsche and Celine, who made their first appearances on screen in November as part of a shake-up for the McQueen clan.

Nadine Mulkerrin as Cleo McQueen in Hollyoaks
Â© Lime Pictures
Nadine Mulkerrin as Cleo McQueen

Billed as a "brainbox", Cleo is very different to her sisters and will bring a new flavour to the family once she makes her debut.

As a new recruit for the sixth form at Hollyoaks High, Cleo will also be featuring in storylines with the show's teenage group - who will soon include Trevor Royle's son Dylan, Tony Hutchinson's son Harry and another young character who will be part of new family The Lovedays.

Hollyoaks' executive producer Bryan Kirkwood recently told Digital Spy: "Hollyoaks High with its teachers and pupils is still a significant part of the show with Tom, Peri, Nico and newcomer Dylan. Cleo McQueen and Harry Hutchison - played by the fantastic Parry Glasspool - will be joining Holly in the sixth form alongside Zack Loveday. 

"While I am pleased that the show has grown up and tells stories for all of the cast, I'd like to find a better balance and explore more rites of passage teen stories as well."

The casting of Cleo completes the new branch of the McQueen family, who are the nieces of fan favourite Myra.

Mulkerrin has previously played the role of Chloe in BBC One sitcom In With The Flynns. She has also had guest parts in Waterloo Road, Doctors and Still Open All Hours.

Cleo will make her first appearance on Monday, January 26 at 6.30pm on Channel 4.

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tammyy2j (02-01-2015)

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## tammyy2j

I wonder will we see their McQueen's mother or father (not sure which one is related to Myra i.e. brother or sister)

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## tammyy2j

Hollyoaks sex abuse storyline will take another dark turn over the summer as newcomer Pete Buchanan develops an inappropriate relationship with teenager Cleo McQueen.

Nadine Mulkerrin, who plays Cleo, has confirmed the news to Digital Spy - revealing that the McQueens' decision to let Pete back into their lives will have disturbing consequences.

Pete (Kai Owen) has recently moved back in with the McQueens, despite Cleo's older sister Porsche bravely telling her loved ones how he sexually assaulted her when she was 15.

Now reunited with his partner Reenie and acting as a stepfather figure to the McQueen girls, Pete will turn his attentions to Cleo over the coming months. 

While Porsche could see that Pete's interest in her was wrong, he will find it much easier to manipulate 17-year-old Cleo - building on an inappropriate connection from their past.
Speaking to Digital Spy at the launch of Pentahotel Derby, Mulkerrin explained: "There are lots of layers to what's going to happen to Cleo. I think the storyline will push boundaries. Cleo turns 18 during this story, so then it raises questions of whether she's an adult who's consenting to this. It's not as simple as her being abused or being a victim.

"Cleo is being abused and manipulated - but in her mind, she actually thinks she's in a relationship with her stepdad. It should raise questions and raise conversation. 

"I feel very passionately about the storyline that we're telling. It's close to home for me personally, so all I want is to do it well. If even one young person is watching Hollyoaks and thinking, 'Oh my God, that happens to me and now I want to speak out and tell somebody', then we've done our jobs well."

Cast and producers at Hollyoaks have worked closely with the NSPCC on the long-running storyline and will be fronting a 'No More Secrets' campaign to encourage victims of sexual abuse to speak out.

Discussing the reaction to the story so far, Mulkerrin continued: "I think what we're doing with the story will become a lot clearer as time goes on, but the audience know from the get-go that Pete's not a very nice man. Porsche has obviously told everyone what Pete is like, but no-one believes her. Over time, there'll be little things from Pete that everybody else can see but Cleo maybe can't.

"On Twitter I'm seeing a few people saying, 'Cleo's thick, Cleo's stupid, what's she doing?' That's good because we want people to question why she is doing what she's doing, but it's not as easy as that. This has gone on for a long period of time so she actually trusts Pete.


"We knew from the get-go when I auditioned for this role that the story coming up would be pretty heavy. We have so much support from the producers, and the cast working on the storyline are very closely-knit. Kai as Pete has obviously taken on such a huge thing, but he's amazing. 

"I think we're very lucky that we can all stay so positive on set when actually the content's quite dark. Some of the stuff that me and Kai have to do together is actually really hard, but because we have such a good working relationship, it actually makes it easier."

Mulkerrin kept tight-lipped on what Cleo's storyline with Pete will mean for her on-off relationship with fellow student Harry Thompson (Parry Glasspool) in the long-run.

She said: "I definitely know that in Cleo's mind, her and Harry is one thing, while her and Pete is a totally different thing. Whether those two worlds collide is something that we're going to have to wait and see. 

"At the moment, it's two worlds running alongside each other. Cleo and Harry is still maybe ongoing, and Cleo and Pete likewise. That's why the lines get blurred."

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## lizann

looks like nathan for her now

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## Perdita

Hollyoaks revisits Cleo McQueen's abuse storyline next week as she makes the devastating decision to contact evil Pete Buchanan again.

Cleo (Nadine Mulkerrin) has turned her life around in recent months after years of being under Pete's spell, but she slips back into old habits after some tragic news.

Next week's Hollyoaks episodes see Celine McQueen's body get found in a lake as Killer Cameron's dark storyline finally comes to a head.

While we can't give away what happens to Cameron, news of Celine's terrible fate does later make its way back to the village - leaving the McQueens inconsolable as they deal with the cruel loss of another family member.

Celine McQueen is held captive in the shack in Hollyoaks
Â©  LIME PICTURES
Of course, the news is particularly upsetting for Cleo, as she struggles to come to terms with the sad thought that she'll never see her sister again. Although Cleo starts out in denial over what she's heard, she's crushed as reality hits her.

Needing someone to talk to, Cleo ends up making contact with Pete - who's currently in jail - to make herself feel better.

With Pete in possession of a contraband phone, he's able to see Cleo's messages and get back in touch with her. So could Pete start to manipulate Cleo again? Or can her loved ones step in before she makes a terrible mistake?

Pete gets jealous over Cleo and Harry
Â©  LIME PICTURES
Pete was sent to jail with a seven-year sentence last June, when he was finally made to pay for his abuse of Cleo. The scenes saw Kai Owen, who played Pete, bow out from Hollyoaks after a one-year stint.

Digital Spy

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## tammyy2j

Poor Cleo losing Celine and now Nathan but at least she has Joel

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## lizann

now drugs for her, all misery

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## Perdita

Hollyoaks fans were stunned this week as nice girl Cleo McQueen turned to the dark side by taking heroin with her troublesome cousin Bart.

Thursday's E4 first-look episode saw Cleo's secret exposed to Joel Dexter and Warren Fox when she collapsed and was rushed to hospital, where she vowed never to make the same mistake again.

Of course, the big question now is whether she can rebuild her life or if she'll end up breaking that promise.

Digital Spy recently caught up with Nadine Mulkerrin, who plays Cleo, for her first interview about the surprising new storyline twist.

How do you feel about taking on this storyline?

"I always feel lucky to be part of any serious storyline like this, so I was buzzing really. It's a new challenge for me â and for Cleo it's been caused by a build-up of things. She's still grieving for her sister Celine and also for Nathan, who died right in front of her eyes.

"Cleo is also confused about her feelings for Joel. On top of that, she knows that she made a real fool of herself when she went on her night out at The Loft this week.

"Bart has come into her life like a whirlwind and has told her that heroin makes you forget. She's clinging onto that and once again she's reaching out to the wrong kind of people, so this is a downward spiral for Cleo."

Cleo has a reputation for being one of the show's good girls. Were you worried about losing that?

"I think it's good when you have a character like Cleo who is sensible but sometimes makes really bad decisions. We're pushing the limits with her by making her do really stupid and dangerous things.

"I was worried about all of the little girls who love Cleo and look up to her, but if the audience are watching her downfall and getting concerned about it, hopefully she's teaching them a lesson about the dangers of heroin."

Bart McQueen panics after Cleo McQueen suffers an overdose in Hollyoaks
Â©  LIME PICTURES
Will this be an ongoing storyline for Cleo?

"There'll certainly be more temptations for Cleo and she's obviously in a really dark place, so that does continue and it's not just over in an instant. As for whether Cleo takes heroin again, I'm not sure what they've got planned. But I do know these two innocent characters â Cleo and Joel â are getting increasingly wrapped up with Warren and Sienna."

Can you tell us about the research you did for this week's scenes?

"I watched some quite horrible videos on YouTube and I also researched the effects of heroin and how it makes you feel. Even for the scenes where Cleo had taken heroin the day before, I had to think about showing the comedown from that and how it makes your body feel.

"It's the worst hangover in the history of hangovers, so I had to keep that in mind when I was doing all of my other scenes. But I like a good challenge, so I enjoyed doing the storyline."

What kind of impact would you like this story to have?

"I think Cleo's problems all stem from the abuse that she's received in the past. We're reminding people that it's a long-lasting effect and it does follow you later on in life. It affects your decisions, your relationships and how you handle rejection.

"Even before this, Cleo was turning to alcohol. She's been getting drunk and I think when you start turning to substances to numb your pain, those substances end up getting stronger and stronger.

"Turning to heroin is obviously incredibly dangerous, but her cousin is on it too so it's accessible for her. But it's such a horrible life-destroying drug and it's shocking for the audience, because out of any Hollyoaks character, people really wouldn't have expected Cleo to get hooked on heroin."

Bart McQueen and Joel Dexter panic over Cleo's overdose in Hollyoaks
Â©  LIME PICTURES
Have you enjoyed working with Jonny Clarke (Bart) on the storyline?

"Yeah, he's lovely. While we've been working together, I've felt that we've had a really good chemistry. My first scenes were shouting at him over drugs so we were thrown into the deep end! But he's a really nice lad and we got on well."

It may be a bit controversial, but would you like anything to happen between Cleo and Joel?

"Well Joel is a priest and God is the love of his life, but I do definitely think something could be brewing between them. There's certainly a twinkle in her eye when she looks at Joel."

What's Rory (Joel) been like to work with?

"Absolutely lovely. He's got such a positive energy on set. He's always giggling in the middle of a take. I'm normally really professional, but he's got this amazing ability to push me over the edge so I can't stop laughing."

Nathan Nightingale organises a film night for Cleo McQueen in Hollyoaks
Â©  LIME PICTURES
What kind of reaction did you see to Nathan's death recently?

"We'd kept the whole thing top-secret and it didn't get leaked â Jared even went to his own funeral to keep it under wraps â so the response I got was that everyone was gutted. They felt a bit cheated that Nathan and Cleo never got together.

"People were really rooting for that, which is nice because it shows people are invested in the characters. But she's already onto the next thing now, she's over Nathan!"

So many characters around Cleo have left recently. Has that been weird for you?

"It is strange, because I came in with Kai Owen (Pete), Zoe Lucker (Reenie) and all of my on-screen sisters. I'm the only one left now, but the great thing about Hollyoaks is that it's just a big machine that keeps on going.

"New people are always being brought in and when people do leave, you're always so busy with your next storyline. But I think if Amanda Clapham, who plays Holly, goes I'll be very upset!

"Amanda, Parry [Harry] and Duayne [Zack] are the people I'm really close to. I'll feel like I've got no mates if they go, so they can't ever leave!"

Digital Spy

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## lizann

bulimia storyline for her

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## lizann

nadine and co star rory have had a baby boy reggie

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## lizann

her exit was bad, she should have outed mitchell

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## lizann

back for a toby romance but is she also a blackmailer?

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## Perdita

https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hol...ine-mulkerrin/

Hollyoaks has confirmed an exit story for Cleo McQueen as the actress who plays her, Nadine Mulkerrin, is getting ready to welcome her second child.

Mulkerrin, who has been playing Cleo since 2015, confirmed back in December that she and her co-star Rory Douglas-Speed (Joel Dexter) were expecting their second baby together. The news came before the soap aired a big development for Cleo and Joel in which they shared a kiss at a vigil, before Joel told her that it wasn't right.

Of course, Mulkerrin is now on maternity leave, so Hollyoaks has come up with an exit story for Dee Valley nurse Cleo.

In the coming weeks, Misbah Maalik (Harvey Virdi) will inform Cleo that she has been offered a research project in India, which Misbah had previously put her forward for.

Shocked by the news, Cleo comes to the realisation that if she was to accept the opportunity, then she would be expected to move to India as soon as possible.

Following scenes will then see Cleo confide in Theresa (Jorgie Porter) and Olivia Bradshaw (Emily Burnett), who both have differing opinions on what she should do.

Since the story has been confirmed as Cleo's exit from the show, we imagine Cleo could be taking the job and moving to India.

Mulkerrin and Douglas-Speed announced that they were expecting on Christmas Day 2021, with the former posting pictures on Instagram of their first child Reggie looking at pictures of the baby scan.

"This better not be my only gift mum," Nadine jokingly captioned the sweet photo.

Hollyoaks now streams first on All 4, with new episodes dropping each weekday morning. The show airs Mondays to Fridays at 6.30pm on Channel 4, and at 7pm on E4.

Selected omnibus episodes are available via Amazon Prime Video.

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