Hollyoaks spoilers follow.
Hollyoaks star Rory Douglas-Speed has officially bid farewell to the soap, following Joel Dexter's brief return. Though it was believed that the actor had exited his role in May, his character reappeared on our screens last month as he reunited with Tony Hutchinson in prison.
Thinking he had killed Tommy Odenkirk, Joel decided to hand himself into the police and has been incarcerated ever since. However, the villagers now know that Jeremy Blake was actually responsible for the murder.
In tonight's episode, Joel is visited by Cleo McQueen, who is pregnant with his baby. He tells he that he is being moved to a prison in Scotland to serve his GBH sentence, after being cleared of the murder charges.
The pair share a warm moment as Cleo promises to keep him involved in their son's life – albeit from a distance. However, Joel's wife Leela decides not to say goodbye to him, and in his final scenes, he dejectedly returns to his cell.
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The episode marks the end of Douglas-Speed's nine-year stint on the soap, which he joined in 2016. Taking to Instagram, the star confirmed his official exit with a fond farewell message.
"Well GOODBYE @hollyoaksofficial it's been the best years of my life! To everybody in that studio that welcomed in me in, I thank you from the bottom of my heart! -and especially the fans! Thank you thank you thank you!" he wrote in the caption.
"Hopefully you’ll catch me in something else soon! ❤️🌈."
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The post features images of the actor on the set of the show, including a snap of him next to the iconic Hollyoaks sign. Other images see Douglas-Speed smiling alongside co-stars Kirsty-Leigh Porter (Leela), Jamie Lomas (Warren Fox) and Richard Blackwood (Felix Westwood).
The comment section was flooded with heartfelt messages from past and present Hollyoaks stars, who wished him well on his next adventure. Anna Passey (Sienna Blake), Oscar Curtis (Lucas Hay), Lucy-Jo Hudson (Donna-Marie Quinn) and Nikki Sanderson (Maxine Minniver) were among those sharing their support.
Meanwhile, Douglas-Speed's fiancée Nadine Mulkerrin (who plays Cleo) added: "I welcomed you in big time lol ❤️ I love you, so proud of you !! Bye Joel! Certified fittest priest in soap."
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
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