Hollyoaks star Malique Thompson-Dwyer has confirmed that his character Prince McQueen will be diagnosed with testicular cancer as part of a long-term storyline.
Before he takes a break from filming the Channel 4 soap to appear on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, Malique told Digital Spy that Prince will still be at the centre of a very dramatic story on screen in the weeks to come.
"This storyline has been one of the most challenging things I've done," he explained. "It's a serious matter that's raising awareness for testicular cancer, so it was something that I had to really sink my teeth into and focus on.
"I had to devote myself to the role, which is why it was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do."
Viewers will follow Prince on a long emotional journey as he is diagnosed with testicular cancer, has a potentially life-saving surgery and copes with the toll of the disease.
"They didn't know if it was cancer at first," he explained. "They had to remove it to see if it was cancerous, but it turned out to be cancer. It's a big deal for him and for the show. I'm looking forward to seeing how people react to the storyline."
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The actor also said: "It's going to be a long storyline. He's had the operation, so it's going to be a long-term thing. Dealing with something like this at a young age is obviously going to affect you. Prince is going to have a tough time."
The Hollyoaks production team are well known for meticulously researching issue-based stories, and this cancer plot is much the same as they put Malique in touch with a real survivor of the disease.
"I did quite a bit of research," he said. "I can't remember his name, but I spoke to a guy who had testicular cancer. He had to have a testicle removed.
"I asked him, 'How did it affect you? How did it affect your family? How did you get over it? How did you come away from it?' A lot of that helped me with my character. I learned a lot from speaking to him."
Hollyoaks airs Mondays through Fridays at 6.30pm on Channel 4, with first-look episodes airing at 7pm on E4.
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