Hollyoaks to air new issue-based storyline for Cleo McQueen after traumatic childbirth

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Hollyoaks is working with the charity Action on Postpartum Psychosis to create a storyline featuring Cleo McQueen, played by Nadine Mulkerrin.

This week, a character discovered her lover, Dodger Savage, had been sexually assaulted, which triggered early labor. She is carrying the baby of her ex-boyfriend, Joel Dexter.

She was quickly taken to the hospital and soon gave birth to her baby, Joseph. However, when Sienna Blake (Anna Passey) tried to give her the baby, her condition suddenly worsened, and she began to bleed heavily.

While all of this was happening, Joel’s mother, Marie Fielding, played by Rita Simons, was secretly planning to kidnap baby Joseph from the hospital and begin a fresh start for them both at an address on Brookside Close.

She confided in longtime Brookie locals Sheila and Billy Corkhill (played by Sue Johnston and John McArdle) that she was pregnant with Tony Hutchinson’s (Nick Pickard) baby, but she was secretly using a fake pregnancy bump.

Following some heartfelt advice from Diane (who was actually Alex Fletcher in disguise), she abandoned her scheme and joined Billy in his car, hoping for a fresh start on the well-known cul-de-sac. She confessed she had a lot to explain, starting with the fact that she hadn’t been pregnant after all.

Now that Cleo was awake, Sienna brought her to meet Joseph, but she didn’t seem to know who he was – she didn’t recognize her own son.

In the next few episodes, Cleo will leave the hospital, but her premature baby will remain in the NICU for specialized care. Cleo will struggle with feeling disoriented and become anxious about her ability to breastfeed.

Sienna’s family – Dodger and the McQueens – became worried about her behavior and had her admitted to a hospital’s psychiatric unit.

Actress Mulkerrin discussed the new storyline, explaining that playing a new mother and the challenges that come with it – particularly the impact on mental health – has been a demanding but rewarding experience.

We worked with the organization Action on Postpartum Psychosis while developing this story, and learning about real-life experiences was incredibly moving. It’s heartbreaking to think about what Cleo is going through.

As a fan, I was so glad to hear Dr. Jess Heron, the CEO of Action on Postpartum Psychosis, say that shows like Hollyoaks really help by showing postpartum psychosis in a realistic and careful way. It’s amazing when popular TV gets it right!

As more people become aware, loved ones and healthcare workers will be better equipped to recognize the symptoms and get immediate, specialized emergency care.

She added that they appreciate Hollyoaks helping to raise awareness and for carefully creating a storyline that was both sensitive and accurate.

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2025-10-30 12:09