‘Juliet’s naïve and vulnerable’
A quickie with... Hollyoaks’ Niamh Blackshaw
Why do you think Jordan targeted Juliet?
She’s very confident and witty, she knows what to say and how to play the game. She’s also very easy to manipulate. Juliet cuts off her family and she thinks she’s in control, but she’s not – she’s vulnerable and naïve, and that’s the perfect mix.
In the flash-forward to NYE 2020, it’s revealed she’s in love with Peri. Have you filmed much of this development yet?
We’ve filmed the seeds of it. The way Juliet interacts with Peri suggests that her feelings are more than platonic. Peri is still very oblivious to Juliet’s feelings. She thinks that Juliet’s just this little kid that’s going out with her foster brother Sid.
What are Juliet’s feelings towards Sid?
She loves him as much as you can love someone that you’re not attracted to. They’re in this together and they’re always going to be best friends. I really hope that Sid doesn’t get too upset that Juliet can’t reciprocate his feelings, so that they can develop a friendship.
What can you say about next week’s episodes?
Next week, Juliet and Sid go on a trip to deliver some drugs to one of Jordan’s contacts. They end up going with Ollie and Imran as a cover, so it looks like they’re just a group of friends having a nice weekend. Meanwhile, Juliet and Sid go to a “trap house” to deliver the drugs, and in return, receive some money for Jordan. While they’re there, Juliet gets into a situation with another girl, and her actions put her in a position where she can be further blackmailed by Jordan. The game changes for Juliet and Sid after this, as they see what they’re getting into.