James Nightingale (Gregory Finnegan) has staged a bold and triumphant return to Hollyoaks, revealing to the entire village that he is alive during Leah Barnes' houseboat warming party. The much-loved lawyer, who previously returned from the dead last year to surprise husband Ste Hay (Kieron Richardson), had quietly disappeared after Ste chose to be with Rex Gallagher (Jonny Labey). Now, following Rex's demise, James is back with a new air of confidence.
James Returns at Leah's Party
In upcoming scenes, Leah Barnes (Charlotte Alex Riley) suggests a party to celebrate her and Imran Maalik's (Ijaz Rana) move into the houseboat. This is the third event Leah has thrown since her comeback, and she hopes it will cheer everyone up in the village. As the party gets underway, the couple survey their kingdom from up top while Imran delivers a speech. James decides this is the perfect event for his comeback.
Suspicion and Questions
Leela Dexter (Kirsty-Leigh Porter) is immediately suspicious of James' reappearance and grows determined to find out what exactly has led to it. The question remains: is she correct to be wary? Is there more to James' return than meets the eye? What specifically made him certain now was the right time to emerge from the shadows? And how will Ste, who is grieving the loss of Rex, feel about James being back in the village – and potentially back in his life?
Future Possibilities for James and Ste
The recent Summer Trailer confirmed more passion for the duo, hinting that Ste may decide to give things between himself and James another go. Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 6am on Channel 4's streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4.
