Hollyoaks star Leo Cole has addressed the intense scenes he's played since joining the soap as trans character Ro Hutchinson. The role of Ro, previously played by Ava Webster, has been recently recast, with trans actor Cole taking over.
Following recent scenes in the soap where Ro's brother Ant made some hurtful comments about him, the actor shared a powerful Instagram post to mark this year's Transgender Awareness Week (13-19 November).
"With it being Transgender Awareness Week, I wanted to take a moment to talk about a scene that aired on Hollyoaks last night," Cole began.
"My character was confronted with the line 'What do you know about being a man? You were born a girl'," he continued, adding that this kind of abuse is "something many trans people, unfortunately, hear in real life".
"Filming this wasn't easy, but it felt necessary and meaningful," the soap star added.
Related: Best streaming services
What to Read Next
Cole went on to thank his co-stars Alex Fletcher and Brook Debio, who play Ro's mum Diane and brother Ant.
"I'm genuinely so grateful for the support I had while filming this. @alexfletcher00 and @brookdebio were incredible to work with, and they approached such a heavy scene with real care and respect," Cole said.
"The whole team on set made sure I felt safe, supported, and understood. It honestly feels like a family, and that made all the difference."
Cole reiterated the importance of such impactful scenes to "help start conversations, raise awareness, and shed light on the realities that trans people face every day".
"If this scene helps even one person feel seen or less alone, then it's worth it," he concluded. "To every trans person watching, you're valid, you're strong, and you deserve respect and dignity."
Debio, who recently took over the role of abusive Ant from William Thompson, commented on the post, writing: "You're doing great brother".
The third Hutchinson sibling, Dee Dee, has also been recast and is now portrayed by Chloe Atkinson after Lacey Findlay played her between 2017 and 2025.
Hollyoaks airs on Mondays-Wednesdays with its Channel 4 streamingpremiere 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.
If you've been affected by the issues raised in this story, organisations who can offer support for readers in the UK include Mermaids. Those in the US are encouraged to visit Trans Lifeline or The Trevor Project.
