James Redmond among returnees for Hollyoaks' 30th anniversary
James Redmond, Natalie Casey and John Pickard will return to Hollyoaks for the show's 30th anniversary.
James Redmond is returning to Hollyoaks.
The 53-year-old actor is set to reprise his role as Rory 'Finn' Finnigan - a part he played solidly between 1997 and 2002 before making brief returns in 2013, 2015, and 2018 -for the soap's 30th anniversary celebrations in October.
And James won't be the other fan favourite returning to the village for the milestone celebration because John Pickard is also reprising his role as Dominic Reilly and Natalie Casey will be back as Carol Groves.
While it is unclear how the trio will be returning, all three have links to show stalwart Tony Hutchinson, who not only is Dom's half-brother on the soap but is played by John's real life sibling Nick Pickard.
A source told The Sun Online: “They were all hugely popular characters in the 90s and had to be a part of the anniversary.
“Hollyoaks might have a lot of younger viewers now but bosses really wanted to remember the 90s roots, so there’s set to be some real nostalgia coming up.”
The stars have already begun filming their scenes.
Natalie starred in Hollyoaks in 1996 but she left her role as Carol - who had a will they/won't they relationship with Tony - in 2000 when she departed the village to be a cruise ship performer.
John was part of the cast from 2005 to 2010 but returned in 2016 for a series of Hollyoaks Later that was set in Spain, where Dom was living, and followed his alter ego, along with Tony and Finn as they crossed paths with a mobster named The White Man, who was played by Danny Dyer.
It was revealed at the weekend that Hollyoaks' 30th anniversary will also be marked with a special crossover episode with Brookside, marking the latter show's return to TV after it was axed in 2003.
Hollyoaks Executive Producer Hannah Cheers said: “This episode is a love letter to both Hollyoaks and Brookside.
“Brookside gave birth to Hollyoaks — it grew up on the same site and eventually took over its sets.
“For everyone at Lime Pictures (originally Mersey TV), Hollyoaks’ history is deeply rooted in Brookside, and its legacy lives on through our crew and, of course, some of our cast.
“This special feels like both a moving and fitting tribute to our origin story and a chance for fans to revisit much-loved Brookside characters in honour of that legacy.
“These iconic Brookside characters are soap archetypes that helped define British TV; soap archetypes that new generations are still discovering now through Hollyoaks.
"As a lifelong soap fan who grew up watching with my mum, I was passionate about revisiting Brookside for the anniversary. With Sir Phil’s blessing — after I had the privilege of pitching the idea to him — and the support of Channel 4, we’re able to make it happen.
“Writer Steve Hughes, who began his career on Brookside, has reimagined where these characters are more than twenty years on. We hope audiences will enjoy welcoming these old friends back into their homes once again.”
Filming will take place next month after exceptional permision was granted by the Liverpool Film Office and the owner of the close, because the iconic street is now home to residents. Those living on the road in West Derby have been invited to share lunch with the cast and crew.
