Mercedes McQueen’s (Jennifer Metcalfe) life hangs in the balance in Hollyoaks next week when she collapses at home.
The much-loved village legend, as viewers know, is undergoing chemotherapy treatment for bowel cancer after she was diagnosed during the ‘missing’ year.
The McQueen clan has rallied around her, offering her the support she needs at such a tough time.
Prince (Malique Thompson-Dwyer), however, finds himself distracted in the wake of Dilly Harcourt’s (Emma Johnsey-Smith) vanishing and he grows determined to work out what happened to her.
Dilly, as fans know by now, was devastatingly killed by evil Jez (Jeremy Blake)
Sienna Blake (Anna Passey) gets involved in Prince’s investigation and urges him to stop looking, telling him that his search is not advisable, with subsequent scenes seeing her attempt to seduce him.
Heartbroken, Prince returns home to the McQueen residence, which is eerily quiet, and he’s horrified to find Mercedes out cold on the floor, having collapsed.
The matriarch is rushed to hospital, where doctors confirm that she’s contracted an infection, telling the family that the next 24 hours are critical.
Myra (Nicole Barber Lane) does her best to assure Mercy that everything is okay but she sees through her lies and thus, fearing the worst, she asks her family to take her home.
Peri Lomax (Ruby O’Donnell) breaks the painful truth to her friend Cleo (Nadine Mulkerrin) about Mercedes’ condition as John Paul (James Sutton) arrives.
John Paul respects Mercedes’ wishes and, against Myra’s concerns, he agrees to take her home.
The question is: will Mercedes be okay? The family rally around her and support her during the tough 24 hours which follow, in scenes which were previewed in the New Year Trailer.
It’s certainly going to be an emotional watch.
