Hollyoaks' Mercedes McQueen to make shock exit decision after John Paul relapse

He's not to be trusted around Matthew-Jesus.

By Dan Seddon

7 Feb 2023

Lime Pictures

Hollyoaks spoilers follow.

Mercedes McQueen has had enough of her brother John Paul's drinking in upcoming Hollyoaks scenes.

Set to air next week, these new scenes see Goldie McQueen intent on throwing an anti-Valentine's day bash for everyone to enjoy. Mercedes sneakily tips some booze into her mocktail, and her brother John Paul ends up mistakenly drinking alcohol again.

John Paul, who had been sober from alcohol for some time, doesn't realise his mistake until it's too late.

He then attempts to mask his drinking relapse, but the wheels quickly fall off that plan when he doesn't recall telling his son Matthew-Jesus that they'd spend the day together, leaving the youngster feeling let down.

There's a simmering tension at the McQueen HQ as the party clean-up leads Mercedes to discover that John Paul continued to drink after the anti-Valentine's bash. He returns home with more alcohol, pointing the blame at his incredulous sister.

Mercedes dishes out some home truths, but they just bounce off John Paul.

More than a little bit inebriated, John Paul later takes his son out of school for a play in the park. He ends up knocking Matthew-Jesus to the ground, resulting in the boy getting bruised.

The schoolboy is forced to get his dad home, where his family confronts him.

Lime Pictures

Regretting how she handled situations with her own son Bobby, Mercedes makes the drastic decision to book Matthew-Jesus a one-way ticket to Alicante, where Myra lives.

Can John Paul work to resume his sobriety journey?

Hollyoaks streams first on All 4, with new episodes dropping each weekday morning. The show airs Mondays to Fridays at 6.30pm on Channel 4, and at 7pm on E4.

Selected omnibus episodes are available via Prime Video.

Alcohol Change UK offers information, advice, and support with their questions about drinking and the problems that can sometimes be caused by alcohol. For more information, visit Alcohol Change UK's website. Drinkline also offers free, confidential advice to anyone who is concerned about their own or someone else's drinking on 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am–8pm, weekends 11am–4pm).

Readers can also contact Drinkaware.