Hollyoaks fans left ‘sobbing’ over ‘powerful’ Mercedes McQueen scene after cancer update

Hollyoaks fans were reduced to tears as fan favourite Mercedes McQueen was given just 12 months to live in heartbreaking scenes.

After the Channel 4 soap’s time jump, it was revealed that Mercedes (Jennifer Metcalfe) had been diagnosed with bowel cancer over the previous year. She has already undergone surgery and chemotherapy, but a secondary tumour was found on her liver that the doctors are attempting to treat.

During Tuesday’s (September 24) episode, which is available to watch on Channel 4 online, Mercedes was told the devastating news that the chemo hadn’t worked, and without a specialist drug which was difficult to source, she had at most a year to live.

The episode ended with a powerful scene that involved Mercedes looking at herself in the mirror in a vulnerable state: in her underwear, without her wig and with her stoma bag on show. She then listened to a CD that was put together by her loved ones and danced through her tears as she came to terms with this terrifying news.

Hollyoaks fans were reduced to tears as fan favourite Mercedes McQueen was given just 12 months to live in heartbreaking scenes

Taking to X, formerly know as Twitter, one fan penned: “That end scene was acted and put together so beautifully, but it was such a horrible watch, you could feel Mercedes pain. Jen Metcalfe needs awards for this storyline!” Another added: “That end scene with Mercedes was such a difficult watch! She really needs Nana, Myra and Jacqui right now!.”

A third person posted: “I’m crying at #Hollyoaks having Mercedes dance to Beenie Man’s Rum and Redbull, bless her.” Someone else said: “Actually cried watching today’s @Hollyoaks so powerful.” A fifth said: “This storyline is so heartbreaking sobbed so much watching Mercedes scenes.” A sixth agreed: “Mercedes cancer story is so sad to watch! Jen Metcalfe is giving a terrific performance.”

Mercedes has already undergone surgery and chemotherapy, but a secondary tumour was found on her liver that the doctors are attempting to treat

Opening up about filming the scenes, Jennifer said: “It felt beautiful, awful, draining, amazing, special, exciting, sad, upsetting… every single emotion that you could feel. [In the scene], I go from looking at myself in the mirror and taking it in, getting emotional about it, then I look at my children and I get some strength. So I play this CD, and then all my friends are telling me some nice words that make me laugh.

Mercedes was told the devastating news that the chemo hadn’t worked, and without a specialist drug which was difficult to source, she had at most a year to live

“Then this incredible music plays, and I dance freely. I was like, ‘Wow, how am I going to do this?'” The actress has a personal connection to Mercedes’ cancer storyline and was able to channel this emotion into the harrowing scene.

“My dad died when I was 15 of bowel cancer,” she said, “so there was real, raw trauma there for me that I’ve probably never dealt with. I had to dig a little bit deep into personal experiences.”