Hollyoaks has confirmed that Imran Maalik (Ijaz Rana) and Cindy Cunningham (Stephanie Waring) were behind the kidnapping of Ste Hay (Kieron Richardson). The revelation came in a special flashback episode aired on Monday, October 19, which is now available on Channel 4 streaming and will air on E4 at 7pm.
Flashback to LA
The episode took viewers back one year to Los Angeles, where Imran first met Cindy at a therapist's office. After a chance encounter, Imran asked Cindy for coffee, and a passionate romance developed. The two bonded over shared tragedies, with Cindy revealing that Mandy Richardson (Sarah Jayne Dunn) never got over the death of Ella (Erin Palmer), who was killed by Ste. Imran reflected on his father Kashif's death and his belief that James Nightingale (Gregory Finnegan) was responsible.
The conversation also touched on Ste's radicalisation by a far-right group and the torment he caused Imran's family. They discussed seeking revenge. When Imran met Leah (Charlotte Alex Riley), Cindy encouraged him to pursue happiness with her, ending the LA segment.
The Kidnapping Plot Unfolds
Back in the village, Imran discovered Leah's infidelity on his wedding day and sought comfort from Cindy. After overhearing Gemma Johnson (Tisha Merry) orchestrating the kidnapping of Mercedes McQueen (Jennifer Metcalfe), Imran saw an opportunity for revenge on Ste. He contacted Gemma's associate Brick, threatening his family, and instructed him to kidnap Ste from the shopping centre.
Cindy assisted by spending the afternoon with James on the day Ste vanished, allowing Imran to plant evidence in James's car and load an AI video onto his laptop. Brick later realised Imran was using AI to fake his mother's danger and withdrew, leading Imran to enlist Lucas (Oscar Curtis) to move Ste.
Lucas's Dilemma and Aftermath
Lucas was horrified to learn Imran was behind his dad's kidnapping but was blackmailed into compliance when Imran threatened to expose Lucas's role in Rex Gallagher's (Jonny Labey) death. Lucas then went to Gemma, who agreed to move Ste, leading to her arrest. Lucas later absconded out of fear, and Imran left him trapped under scaffolding to die.
Cindy had cold feet and urged Imran to stop, but he planted further evidence on James, leading to James's arrest. The full picture of Ste's disappearance is now clear, but questions remain: will Imran get away with it, will his romance with Cindy be exposed, and will Ste be found in time?
