Hollyoaks actor Callum Kerr has celebrated a new beginning, marrying his fiancée Lauren Stacy in a beautiful Scottish ceremony less than a year after the devastating deaths of his mother and stepfather.
A Joyous Day Amidst Heartbreak
The couple exchanged vows at a picturesque castle in the Scottish Highlands, surrounded by close family and friends. Callum, known for playing PC George Kiss on the Channel 4 soap, honoured his heritage by wearing a traditional black and green kilt. His bride, Lauren, looked radiant in a sophisticated pencil-strapped wedding gown.
Photographs from the day show the pair beaming with happiness, raising a glass to their guests and even being lifted onto the shoulders of friends in a jubilant celebration. The wedding marks a poignant moment of happiness for Callum, coming just 11 months after his mother, Dawn Searle, 56, and stepfather, Andrew Searle, 62, were found dead at their home in southwest France on 7 February 2025.
A Soap Star's Career and Personal Journey
Callum Kerr joined the cast of Hollyoaks in 2020, but his character was killed off in 2021. Since leaving the soap, he has appeared in Netflix's Virgin River and pursued a career as a country rock singer. The wedding was attended by several of his former Hollyoaks colleagues, including Nadine Mulkerrin (Cleo McQueen), Owen Warner (Romeo Nightingale), and Billy Price (Sid Sumner).
The actor had proposed to Lauren in 2024, after the couple welcomed their daughter in December 2023. He had previously shared in his mother's happiness, having given her away at her own wedding to Andrew in France in 2023, posting a heartfelt message wishing them a "tremendous life together".
The Shadow of a French Tragedy
The joyous wedding is set against the backdrop of an ongoing tragedy. French authorities have treated the deaths of Dawn and Andrew Searle as a homicide. Investigators revealed that Dawn was found partially dressed outside their home, having suffered multiple blows and a significant skull wound. Andrew was discovered inside, hanged and with a gag in his mouth.
The couple, originally from East Lothian, Scotland, had been popular members of their small French community in Les Pesquies, Toulouse. Reports suggested Mr. Searle's former work as an organised crime investigator may have made them a target. The investigation continues as Callum and Lauren start their married life.
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