Hollyoaks spoilers follow for Friday’s (May 3) episode that is now available to view on Channel 4 streaming. The episode in question will air on E4 on Monday May 6 at 7pm.
Lucas Hay (Oscar Curtis) bravely opened up to dad Ste (Kieron Richardson) about his sexuality, finally accepting who he is as he came out in powerful scenes.
The much-loved teen, as viewers know, has struggled to come to terms with his feelings for best mate Dillon Ray (Nathaniel Dass), with the two boys having almost kissed on a number of occasions.
Carter Shepherd (David Ames), however, spotted the closeness between the two lads and made it his mission to keep them apart, preying on vulnerable and confused Lucas, subjecting him to months worth of conversion therapy.
With his sins set to be exposed, the school headmaster attempted to kidnap Lucas earlier this week but Dillon intervened and, in a bid to stop Lucas from leaving, he told him that he loved him.
Utterly confused, Lucas lashed out, brutally attacking Dillon, but he soon came to regret his actions and – worried that he’d killed his one true love – he proceeded to self-harm, which left him unconscious.
Both boys were rushed to hospital, with Carter’s heinous crimes being exposed as the head teacher was taken away in handcuffs.
Dillon woke in the hospital and, knowing what Lucas has been through, he decided to keep shtum about who it was that attacked him.
Lucas, meanwhile, regained consciousness to find sinister Declan Hawthorne (Alan Turkington) by his side, with the church leader urging him to remember their twisted teachings.
After getting caught up at The Loft, Ste returned to the hospital, overwhelmed to see his son awake as he gave him the biggest hug.
Lucas was taken aback to learn that Ste was there all night, with such a thing going against what Declan and Carter had preached, with the two manipulators claiming that Ste doesn’t care about him.
Ste, however, was very concerned – and he was particularly horrified to learn the extent of Carter’s brainwashing, with Lucas adamant that he needs the sinister headmaster’s help, believing there’s something wrong with him.
In a bid to make him understand that he’d been gaslit and lied to, Ste recalled his own ordeal at the hands of far-right extremists Jonny Baxter and Stuart Sumner, detailing the methods they used to radicalise him, drip-feeding poison in his ear so slowly that he didn’t even know it was happening.
Such methods were also utilised by Carter and Declan in brainwashing Lucas into thinking that being gay is wrong.
Lucas, however, recalled an incident a few months back in which Ste joked about how he was glad his son wasn’t gay, claiming that his life would be a ‘living hell’.
Ste, who is also gay, was at a loss for words, realising the impact that such a comment – which wasn’t intended to cause malice – had had on his son. The concerned dad even came to suspect that such a comment could have played a role in his Lucas being manipulated by Carter and was therefore adamant that he didn’t mean it – and that he shouldn’t have said it.
Opening up about his own coming out experience, Ste said that while it is absolutely hard, it’s also very ‘liberating’.
Liberation is of course a far cry from what Carter and Declan claimed accepting your sexuality would entail, with the church leaders repeatedly branding such a thing an ‘abomination’. Slowly but surely, however, Lucas started to see that what Ste was saying was the truth and, as the conversation turned to Dillon, he revealed his regret over attacking his best mate.
‘I care about him so much, dad’, he said. ‘I really care. And Dillon, he told me that he loved me. But more than friends.’
Ste smiled and showed Lucas a picture of both he and Leah Barnes (Eli-May Demircan) from when they were children, revealing that – as a dad – he wanted nothing more than for them grow up to be whoever they wanted to be.
‘To get there, you have to be honest with yourself’, he continued. ‘And when you’re ready, I am going to be right here by your side.’
Contemplating a future where he could finally be himself, Lucas fought tears and took a deep breath. In highly emotional scenes – helmed by shining star Oscar Curtis’ best performance to date – the teen came out to his dad.
‘I’m gay’, he bravely said.
Ste, super proud, gave his son the biggest hug, as Lucas sobbed in his arms, having finally accepted who he is.
Hollyoaks streams weeknights at 7:30pm on Channel 4’s streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4.
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