Hollyoaks spoilers follow.
Hollyoaks star Nathaniel Dass has spoken to Digital Spy about his character Dillon Ray’s surprise baby storyline.
Last week, the Channel 4 soap confirmed that Dillon is the father of Leah Barnes’s newborn baby boy James.
In the show’s first episodes following the one-year time jump, Leah gave birth and many of the villagers assumed that absent character Charlie Dean was the father.
The real story was revealed to viewers when Dillon reacted badly to the news that Leah’s father Ste Hay would be taking on responsibility for the baby.
Related: Best streaming services
Dillon warned Leah that he’d never forgive her if their secret came out – confirming that he’d cheated on Lucas with his boyfriend’s sister.
Speaking exclusively to Digital Spy on the red carpet at the Inside Soap Awards this week, Nathaniel hinted at a rocky road ahead for Dillon and Lucas’s romance.
He told us: “I don’t think it’s something that the fans, nor us, expected to happen. It’s a big shock and it’s going to cause a lot of tension, let’s say, between the two characters.
“We thought Dillon and Lucas were tight, they were solid, but I think it’s the biggest bump in the road you could throw at these two characters, who you thought were so happy.
“It’s thrown them completely off course and it’s going to provide some serious challenges for the two of them.”
Related: Exclusive – Hollyoaks star Kieron Richardson reveals dark James twist for Ste
Asked whether Dillon is still the good guy that fans knew, Nathaniel replied: “I don’t think it’s as simple as good and bad people, especially in soaps! Everyone makes mistakes, people do bad things, and at the end of the day, I think it’s how you deal with it, that makes you a good or bad character.
“I think however Dillon responds to the situation that he’s been put in – and Lucas as well, however they respond to the situation, that’s going to show their true colours.”
The Inside Soap Awards took place in London on Monday night and saw Hollyoaks star Isabelle Smith, who plays Frankie Osborne, triumph in the Best Newcomer category.
Hollyoaks airs on Mondays-Wednesdays with its Channel 4 streaming premiere at 7am, then an E4 broadcast the same night at 7pm. Full episodes are also released on YouTube a week after their Channel 4 release.
Selected omnibus episodes are available via Prime Video.
Read more Hollyoaks spoilers on our dedicated homepage