Hollyoaks fans fear beloved character has been axed as Channel 4 soap star drops major clue

Hollyoaks star Rory Douglas-Speed has hinted that he could be following in the footsteps of Stephanie Waring who left the Channel 4 show as fans spot two hard-hitting clues

Hollyoaks fans have been left in a state of panic after Rory Douglas-Speed, who plays Joel Dexter, has given the huge clue that he may be leaving the show.

If his hints are to be true, this will follow other stars including Stephanie Waring as the struggling show has planned to kill of an astonishing 20 characters from the Channel 4 soap.Also, the hit show has been hit by scheduling changes as it will now be cut from being on air five times a week to three.

Rory has played Joel Dexter since 2016 but he has now shared a number of cryptic clues, leaving fans worried about hos future. The first clue was a selection of head shots which actors use to entice directors and casting agents for future roles. And he captioned the post with a number of emojis including a film camera, a lightning bolt and a zipped-mouth smiley.

On the back of his post one fan wrote: "I hope this doesn’t mean you’re leaving ‘Oaks!" And another said: "Don’t say new headshots mean you’re leaving the Oaks??" Meanwhile a third added: "I hope you don’t get axed from Hollyoaks.”" The second clue came after he waved goodby to his curly locks, which was a trademark of his character in the Channel 4 soap.

And while some loved the new look, others were a bit dismayed. Fellow Hollyoaks star Gregory Finnegan, who has also been on the show since 2016, also shared head shots with his followers sparking concern of a departure. And one person said on X, also known as Twitter: "Aw god is this a sign you are leaving hollyoaks new headshots."

While another said: "If he has had headshots done it means he will be leaving Hollyoaks in September I'm not happy about this." And a third added: "You and a bunch of others from the Hollyoaks cast getting new headshots are getting me worried, I know Hollyoaks will axe a bunch from the cast for next season, I really hope you are not one of them."

Last month singer Jamelia quit her role as Sharon Bailey despite being offered the opportunity to extend her time on the show. Her character was seen leaving the village for a brand new start in Dubai, even though her mum Pear, played by Dawn Hope, and daughter Zoe, played by Garcia Brown, were adamant she should not leave. In the same month, Lizzie Chen-Williams, played by Lily Best, tragically died in the arms of her dad Dave on his wedding day.

In 2022, it was revealed that Rory was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. In an interview at that time he said: " “I was only a young lad when I was diagnosed - around eight or nine, so as you can imagine it was definitely a shock.But the support and assistance provided by the NHS was just amazing; really, if it wasn’t for them I don’t think I would have adjusted so quickly."

He added: " One of the biggest myths about Type 1 diabetes is that it’s caused by your lifestyle, which is simply not true. Essentially, Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, where the body's immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin."

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