Hollyoaks Ste spirals as Rex grief triggers devastating relapse
Hollyoaks Ste struggles to cope with Rex’s death as his grief becomes overwhelming, pushing him back towards alcohol and increasingly destructive behaviour.
Ste’s grief over Rex takes a devastating toll in Hollyoaks as he struggles to control his emotions and turns back to alcohol in an attempt to escape everything happening around him.
Rex’s death has left Ste searching desperately for answers, but the emotional impact is becoming increasingly difficult for him to manage. Rather than processing what has happened, Ste begins trying to block out his feelings, setting him on a dangerous path.
Kieron Richardson has explained that Ste’s relapse comes when he can no longer control his emotions. Alcohol becomes an escape when everything in his head feels overwhelming, particularly because thoughts of Rex remain so painful.
Things worsen when Ste sees Jonah spending time with James. Jonah is unaware that Ste should not be drinking and suggests having some wine to calm the situation down, but Ste instead takes hold of a bottle and begins drinking.
Once he starts, his emotions rapidly take over. Ste becomes increasingly distressed and eventually convinces himself that James could have been responsible for Rex’s death, showing just how deeply his grief and suspicions have become tangled together.
Kieron has also indicated that Ste knows drinking is not helping him, even while he continues doing it. His behaviour begins affecting those around him as he becomes increasingly difficult to reason with, leaving the people closest to him facing the consequences of his downward spiral.
There is another painful complication too. Ste remains determined to discover what really happened to Rex, meaning his grief is unlikely to disappear while so many questions remain unanswered.
The storyline puts Ste in an especially vulnerable position. He is grieving, drinking again and becoming consumed by his search for the truth, while the people around him struggle to work out how best to help him.
With Ste already losing control, Rex’s death may continue to push him towards increasingly risky decisions before he gets anywhere close to the answers he desperately wants.
Hollyoaks streams on Channel 4. Follow all the latest Hollyoaks news on SoapLandTV. Images: Lime Pictures.
