Not even a lethal injection from the Gloved Hand Killer can keep Freddie Roscoe down for long. Like a cat with nine lives, the Hollyoaks rogue is returning to our screens on New Year's Eve - but how much does he remember about his brush with death?
Now in witness protection after the events of the 20th anniversary week, Freddie pops up when Ellie Nightingale sets her sights on him at a nightclub in Brighton. Ellie is bowled over by the 'brooding stranger', but if only she knew the baggage he brings!
Charlie Clapham, who plays Freddie, recently caught up with Digital Spy to reveal some early gossip on his character's comeback.
What kind of reaction did you see when Freddie was 'killed' by Lindsey two months ago?
"It was the biggest and most dramatic reaction that I've experienced so far. I didn't think it would go so crazy. When it looked like Freddie had been killed, there were online petitions set up to bring him back. That was just in the first half an hour after the episode aired, which was quite overwhelming really!
"I was over in LA at the time, so I was looking at my Twitter feed from there and I must have been tweeted over 2,500 times that day."
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Fortunately, you didn't have to pretend to be dead for too long!
"Yeah, first of all the reaction was from people who were upset. When they found out that Freddie was still alive in the next episode, it turned into complete happiness. That's great, because I think it just shows that we kept the fans on their toes and achieved everything we wanted to."
Has there been any negativity from Freddie and Lindsey fans who loved them as a couple?
"What's really lovely is that the 'Frindsey' fans are so hardcore, so they just love Lindsey and Freddie for whatever they do! If Lindsey has tried to kill Freddie, that's just the latest crazy thing that's happened to them.
"I'm so proud of Sophie [Austin, who plays Lindsey] as she's been amazing. It's not an easy thing to play a character for such a long time and then have to portray such a change in them."
When did the producers first tell you that Freddie would be written out for a while?
"They told me a while before, but there is always that worry when there's an ongoing serial killer storyline that you might be next and there won't be a 'finger twitching in the boot' moment. Anyone who works with me knows how much I love it here. Thankfully Bryan Kirkwood and the other producers knew that too and came up with a way for Freddie to come back from the brink.
"They've granted him a rebirth with a chance to come back and freshen things up, and I really appreciate that. It's just awesome at the minute - I'm so happy that I'm staying."
So what's coming up next for Freddie? Will he want revenge on people like Lindsey and Trevor?
"I think Freddie's never been about revenge. I think he just wants to be loved, so I can't see him going back to his old dark ways. Freddie genuinely just wants to open up to someone. He can't really do that with Lindsey, but does he know that yet?
"There are a lot of different things to be played out. What will Freddie remember and when? What will Lindsey feel? Is it a sigh of relief to see him alive? Can he save her? It's a really weird situation!"
Can you share any other gossip?
"I've been working a little bit with Sophie Porley, who plays Ellie. She's fantastic and a breath of fresh air. It's lovely to create chemistry with a new character. Freddie's had a few girlfriends on the show and Ellie is very different. She comes in with a new energy and I'm really looking forward to working more with her."
Looking back, did the white water stunt scenes for the anniversary week take their toll?
"Physically I was just wrecked by them. During the scenes where the Roscoes had to jump off the bridge, I had ligament damage in my ankle from a previous accident. I had my ankle strapped up and I'm scared of heights, so that was very scary.
"To be honest, I would definitely say that if it wasn't for Alfie [Browne-Sykes, who plays Jason] and Charlie [Wernham, who plays Robbie], I wouldn't have done it. They got me through it and they were amazing."
At least you were all in it together!
"Definitely, and I would certainly say that since then, we've probably got a new-found respect for each other on a professional level. I don't mean to be funny, but there's not a lot of people who could have done what we achieved. We were going down a live rapid without any protective headwear. We were jumping off things that were 25 feet high. That's pretty scary stuff."
Was your time in LA just a holiday, or were you networking too?
"It was a little bit of a holiday, but I actually went on an acting course out there at a pretty well-known place called The Ivana Chubbuck Studio. The training I've had so far has taken me here, but I wanted a new approach and something to add to the mantra.
"I studied with a guy called Frantz Turner, and he was just fantastic. He got me looking at my scripts and my approach in a different way. It was great to have that chance to step back from shooting and take a look at myself. I'm only 24, so I need to educate myself and I need to be improving."
Has it changed things for you since returning to filming?
"Well, I've come back and hopefully it pays off and I'll start seeing the benefits as the episodes air. With the character having a break too, any changes can be justified because time has passed and Freddie has changed as well."
Aside from Sophie Porley, who else are you looking forward to working with from the new cast?
"David Easter - I'm buzzing off that guy. I share a dressing room with him and I think he's the absolute epitome of a jobbing professional actor. He's always got a smile on his face and he bounces into work. Hopefully we'll get to share some scenes together!"
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Hollyoaks airs Freddie's return on New Year's Eve at 5.35pm on Channel 4.
