Hollyoaks confirms another set change after epic 30th anniversary story
"It looks fantastic."
Hollyoaks spoilers follow.
Hollyoaks star Kieron Richardson has revealed another set change on the way in the aftermath of last year’s dramatic 30th anniversary storyline. Kieron shared the first teaser in a new video released on the Hollyoaks socials, which shows him uncovering secrets on the Channel 4 soap’s set in Liverpool.
The actor, who plays Ste Hay, confirmed that building work is currently under way at Hollyoaks HQ.
Digital Spy understands that the Love Boat, which once took pride of place on the river outside The Dog, is being rebuilt. But will it remain a bar and restaurant or take on a new purpose?
“It looks fantastic,” Kieron explained. “What I can tell you is for 2026, this location is going to be the heart of the drama and it’s getting some new residents. “They are going to be…”
Sadly, in a cruel twist of fate, Kieron’s next words were drowned out by construction noises. What are the odds?
So, could this be connected to the arrival of the new Keane family, headed up by familiar soap faces Matthew Wolfenden and Rebecca Ryan? Or could some existing villagers be heading to the new location?
Hollyoaks released the video to celebrate the upcoming return of behind-the-scenes set tours. After a successful run last year, show bosses are once again welcoming fans into the Lime Pictures base in Childwall, Liverpool, to see how the show is made.
“If you come to the official Hollyoaks set tour starting this weekend, you can see this location for the very first time,” Kieron said.
“Try and guess who’s moving in. And also, when you’re walking around these sets, you never know who you’re going to bump into…”
The Love Boat was destroyed in October last year after a plane crash caused by Clare Devine and Jez Blake. The dramatic storyline was written in for Hollyoaks‘ 30th anniversary and led to the death of fan favourite Peri Lomax.
Lime Pictures
Speaking after her final scenes aired, Ruby O’Donnell – who played Peri – told us: “They told me the plan with the 30th, and obviously I was shocked about the death part, but I knew it was going to be pretty epic and you can’t really say no to that, you know?
“Peri’s a character that can’t just leave in the back of a taxi. She deserves a bigger exit than that, whether it’s a death or not.”
