Hollyoaks Abigail's dark side exposed after Cleo split
Hollyoaks exposes a darker side to Abigail after Cleo ends their relationship, while her growing focus on Dee Dee raises serious safeguarding concerns.
Abigail has presented a very different side of herself since arriving in Hollyoaks, but her reaction to Cleo ending their relationship has given viewers one of the clearest indications yet that there is much more beneath the surface.
Cleo recently made the decision that she did not want their relationship to continue. Abigail did not take the rejection well, and her anger eventually erupted when she smashed up a bathroom in a private outburst.
The moment matters because Cleo had been involved with a woman who appeared composed and capable of maintaining control around other people. Once that relationship was taken away from Abigail, viewers were given a glimpse of the intensity she had been keeping out of sight.
It also changes how some of Abigail's quieter scenes can now be viewed. While her relationship with Cleo has been breaking apart, Abigail has been seen observing Dee Dee, with the teenager set to become central to her story.
What is becoming clearer is that Abigail is not simply the character viewers first met. The bathroom outburst has shown how she can react when she loses control of a situation, while the confirmed Dee Dee storyline will reveal a far more serious abuse of the trust placed in her as an adult.
That makes the contrast with Cleo particularly interesting. Cleo is an adult who has been able to decide that she no longer wants a relationship with Abigail, while Dee Dee is a grieving teenager who will see Abigail as a trusted adult offering support.
The forthcoming story will therefore reveal Abigail through a completely different relationship and a far more serious imbalance of power. Her behaviour around Cleo has given viewers a warning about the character, but what happens with Dee Dee will move the story into safeguarding territory.
If you have been affected by grooming or are worried about a young person, support is available. Contact Childline on 0800 1111 or the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000, and call 999 if someone is in immediate danger.
Hollyoaks is available through Channel 4 streaming, E4 and YouTube. Follow all the latest Hollyoaks news on SoapLandTV. Images: Lime Pictures.
