Hollyoaks Star Oscar Curtis Sparks Exit Rumours with Poignant Social Media Post
Hollyoaks actor Oscar Curtis has ignited speculation that he may be leaving the popular Channel 4 soap opera after sharing a cryptic social media update. The star, who portrays Lucas Hay, posted an Instagram story that has fans fearing his character's exit from the show.
Social Media Tease Fuels Departure Theories
In the Instagram story, Oscar Curtis shared an image of a box filled with personal items placed on the floor next to a bed. He captioned it with the words: "Packing up… gotta keep the essentials with me." This poignant post comes amid ongoing rumours that Lucas Hay's time in Hollyoaks could be drawing to a close, following a series of intense and difficult storylines for the character.
Oscar Curtis joined Hollyoaks in 2023, taking over the role of Lucas Hay from William Hall. Lucas is the son of Ste Hay and Amy Burns, and his character has been central to some of the soap's most harrowing plots recently.
Recent Storylines Hint at Character's Uncertain Future
Lucas Hay has been involved in several dramatic arcs, including attacking his father Ste, played by Kieron Richardson, and stalking his ex-boyfriend Dillon Ray, portrayed by Nathaniel Dass. The storyline escalated over Christmas when it was revealed that Ste and Dillon had an affair behind Lucas's back, leading to a explosive confrontation.
This culminated in Lucas being jailed for taking his father hostage. In a recent interview with Metro, Oscar Curtis discussed his character's future, hinting that Lucas will "want to change his environment" quickly. He suggested that Lucas might plead guilty as advised by Dillon, who visited him in jail and urged him to accept responsibility.
Curtis explained: "I don't think Lucas will want to stay where he is. He's put in certain situations by different characters and he's got this internal battle of 'do I do the right thing and serve out my sentence?' or 'do I go down this other route which has been presented to me?'"
Fan Reactions and Predictions on Social Media
Fans have taken to platforms like Reddit to share their theories about Lucas Hay's potential departure. One fan speculated: "Lucas will be sectioned at psych ward and stay there for weeks or months. He will be on temporary leave and come back as a whole new person."
Another disagreed, writing: "Looking at some of the crimes some characters have committed and some sticking around for years, I don't think there's any reason to believe Lucas will be leaving. He might do temporary and then come back. I can see Lucas going on a similar path to Sienna."
A third fan added: "I think the only way Lucas is going is by getting sectioned at the mental health unit. I don't think he's leaving HO—but could imagine him going to London to stay with Mike and Zoe if Ste really couldn't be around him anymore."
Oscar Curtis Reflects on Challenging Role
In his interview, Oscar Curtis emphasised his commitment to doing justice to the complex storylines. He said: "I just wanted to do the whole story justice. With the whole Ste, Dillon Lucas thing, we had to pull it out of the bag. I really had to dig deep for it but it's those kind of scenes that as an actor you really want."
He also expressed a desire for deeper character exploration, noting: "I think it would be really good if Hollyoaks had a storyline where we see the internal workings of Lucas's mind and see how it functions—the reason why he acts like this, why he lovebombs and gets attached to characters and puts everything on them."
Previously, Curtis has been praised for his performances in powerful scenes, including a coming out moment and a brain tumour diagnosis storyline. However, the current speculation centres on whether his time on the soap is ending.
What's Next for Lucas Hay?
As fans await official confirmation, the uncertainty continues. Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 6am on Channel 4's streaming platform, with episodes airing on TV at 7pm on E4. Whether Oscar Curtis is indeed packing up for good or simply teasing a temporary exit remains to be seen, but his social media post has certainly set the rumour mill in motion.
