“What Hannah does next is unexpected!”
RETURNING HOLLYOAKS STAR EMMA RIGBY REFLECTS ON BEING BACK IN THE VILLAGE – AND THIS TIME, SHE’S ALL GROWN UP…
Hannah Ashworth is back in the village this week – after being hired by Carter to sleep with Lucas! When she was in Hollyoaks a few months ago, Hannah discovered the truth about Carter’s sexuality, and only agreed to keep it secret if he paid her to leave. But now she’s back, and being paid by the head teacher to have sex with one of his pupils…
We know from the recent Hollyoaks trailer that Hannah is working with her secret boyfriend, Robbie Roscoe, to rip-off unsuspecting men. So will she set her sights on anyone else in the village? Star Emma Rigby gives us the low-down, and reveals that she’s delighted to be returning to our screens as Hannah…
Hi Emma! It’s great to see Hannah in the village again – how does it feel for you to be back?
I’m absolutely thrilled to make a return – nothing has changed at all! It feels as though I’ve been in a time vortex, as if it was just yesterday that I was here in a school uniform! It’s lovely to see all the cast and crew again, there’s so many of the same people – but also a lot of new people who are lovely. It’s also funny for me to be the adult!
We loved the reunion between Hannah and John Paul when you first returned. What was that like for you and James Sutton to film?
It was actually quite touching, there was genuine emotion between the two of us. We have a real fondness for one another – there’s a love and a nice, easy rapport together. I have great memories of us both, and of course Guy Burnett [who played Craig Dean]. So yes, it’s great to be back working with James.
Your on-screen mum, Suzanne Hall, is also back. Was it nice for you to return together?
Suzanne is the most incredible woman. She is such a lovely human being. I was really close to all of the cast members who played the Ashworths – we were like a real family, so we’ve always kept in touch. I’m really glad that I’ve come back with Suzanne, and I know she is super-excited to return too. We also have the new addition of the twins, and
that was even a shock for me! I was like, “Do I have a brother and sister?”. That happened around the time I first left, so it was exciting.
Have you enjoyed catching-up with Ashley Taylor Dawson and Jessica Fox who play Darren and Nancy as well?
Ashley and Jess are just amazing, I love both of their commitment to the show. It’s not changed since we were originally together. They’re still so behind the characters, they love what they do and they love what we create, so I think it’s really wonderful to see that. It was so fun to be able to reunite with them! Ash and I were just bursting out laughing all the time, and I have him to thank for my return.
How has your character evolved over the years?
I love the twist of Hannah taking Carter’s money and leaving. It’s something you wouldn’t think she would do. That’s exciting for me – I like that progression, and the idea that there are different facets to a person’s character. You don’t know what you would do in that situation, and you can be pushed to do anything. It’s a nice exploration. I love acting, so it’s great to be back on set every day. Acting back on the show is like coming home, it’s very nostalgic.
What can we expect from Hannah now she’s back for longer?
I would just say it’s very unexpected, which I absolutely love. I think it’s incredibly relatable, and will really resonate with a lot of the audience – so watch this space!
And what’s it like to be back in Liverpool?
I’ve never been happier to be in the north! I’ve always loved the north-west, it’s my home and where my roots are. Everybody is so lovely here, and has so much personality. They’re really great, hardworking people so it’s brilliant to be back amongst them.