Hollyoaks reveals Ste's future after Rex Gallagher's shocking exit

 Another upsetting loss…

Hollyoaks star Kieron Richardson has spoken about Rex Gallagher's shocking death storyline for the first time. Kieron's character Ste Hay was left devastated in Monday's episode (20 July) as he learned that his husband had been gunned down at the local garage.

Hollyoaks bosses had kept fans guessing about Rex's fate after the gun cliffhanger aired last week, but the tragic outcome has now been officially confirmed and Jonny Labey – who played Rex – has left the show.

I'm quite used to saying goodbye to my dead husbands!" he laughed. "Some of them come back from the dead, so you never know!

But no, it was obviously sad and Jonny's an amazing actor. We got on really well and he's done such a good job with this current storyline.

"So, to where we've got to now, it's quite sad that the relationship is going to be no more. Ste is used to loss and bereavement, especially from husbands.

"How many is it? Harry was a husband and Harry died. Doug was a husband and he died. James was a husband and he died but he came back. John Paul is the only survivor! Maybe that was the one that was meant to be – is John Paul the one that got away?"

Later this month, we'll see James make his return to the village – and we know from Hollyoaks' recent summer trailer that it's only a matter of time before Ste gives in to temptation with him again.

However, Kieron also warned that it won't be plain sailing for them to get to that point…

Ever since we found out that James survived in a separate hospital to Ste, every time that he's jumped back in for an episode or two, you think it's going to go well with Ste and James," Kieron continued.

But Ste is [always] like: 'Get away from me! I don't want to see you ever again!' So I think the next time that Ste and James actually see each other, I think we're going to get more of that.

"James might think he's coming to the rescue to save Ste, but Ste doesn't want saving because he's in shock. He can't quite get his head around the fact that one minute something was happening between the couple – were they going to make up and get back together, or was that going to be it?

"Then all of a sudden, James is there to come to the rescue. Well, I don't think that's what Ste wants or needs right now."