Hollyoaks fans up and down the country couldn’t help shedding a tear as Brendan Brady (Emmett J Scanlan) returned to screens in a special edition of the Channel 4 soap.

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With filming currently halted due to the coronavirus pandemic, the show has been airing re-runs of old episodes, and last night’s Hollyoaks Favourites centred on the famed bad boy.

The instalment, which originally aired in 2013, saw Brady open up to Ste (Kieron Richardson) about the abuse he suffered when he was a child.

And although heavy in content, fans were delighted to see him back on TV once again.

In a recent interview Ste actor Kieron Richardson was asked why he thought "Stendan" (Ste and Brandan) have such a huge fanbase.

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He replied, “When Brendan came into the show, he was a character that the audience had never seen in Hollyoaks before. People would notice him because he was very different. Even if it was just down to the moustache…

“You also had Ste’s storyline with Amy, which was teenage domestic abuse," he continued. "The fact that there was a chance that these characters, Brendan and Ste, could get together, was very exciting. They were the last people that you’d think would be in a relationship and be happy together. The fact that it was gay domestic abuse, coming off the back of teenage domestic abuse, was incredible. It made the abuser the victim."

He added: “The story went through Ste and Brendan’s backstories. I think the fans wanted them to get together, to show that it might be possible to have the happily ever after. Even after all these years, people still make fan fiction, and try to presume what the characters would be up to now, hoping that if Brendan were to come back one day, they would get their happily ever after.”

Scanlan exited the show in March 2013 when Brady was sent to prison.

To remain on air for as long as possible, Channel 4 is only airing new episodes of Hollyoaks on Mondays and Tuesdays. The Wednesday, Thursday and Friday slots are now occupied by Hollyoaks Favourites re-runs.

A spokesperson for Hollyoaks previously said: “Soaps are an important part of people’s lives and we have 25 years of Hollyoaks Favourites to revisit over coming weeks, celebrating the history of the show that you love.

“We will remain as present as ever on our social platforms so please keep in touch with us here, stay safe and take care of yourselves. Thank you for your ongoing support.”

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Visit our dedicated Hollyoaks page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch check out our TV guide.

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