Yahoo News Hollyoaks airs heartbreaking Lucas scenes in conversion therapy story
The following article contains discussion of themes including self-harm.
Hollyoaks spoilers follow from Wednesday's episode on Channel 4 streaming, which doesn't air on E4 until Thursday.
Lucas Hay has started to self-harm after being manipulated by Carter Shepherd in Hollyoaks.
The Hollyoaks High headteacher and his associate Declan Hawthorne have been trying to warp young Lucas's mind, by convincing him that homosexuality is a sin.
Carter has openly discouraged Lucas from pursuing his feelings for friend Dillon Ray and questioned whether Lucas's dads' marriage is morally correct.
In Wednesday's first-look episode (February 28), Carter took this manipulation to a new level by taking Lucas to meet Declan at his church.
Related: Hollyoaks' Oscar Curtis reveals real-life friendship with co-star he doesn't share scenes with
In this meeting, Declan tried to pressure Lucas into believing that his romantic feelings for Dillon were immoral.
The two men continued their heinous tactics by arguing that James and Ste's marriage had actively harmed Lucas's life.
Lucas was even told that his mother Amy Barnes's tragic death could have been prevented if Ste wasn't gay.
"If either of these men had sought the help of people like us, we could have got them the support they needed," Declan claimed.
"And, that way, your mum would still be around."
The teen was given a Bible and encouraged to read it by the two men, leaving him hurt and confused when he got home.
Lucas was greeted by a letter from Ste asking him to check in once he was settled, along with a note that Dillon had dropped off a watch for him.
While Lucas was originally happy by the gesture from Dillon, he soon remembered what the two men had told him about his romantic feelings.
A tortured Lucas smashed the watch and began self-harming in a harrowing conclusion to the episode.
New cast member Alan Turkington recently spoke to Digital Spy about the toxic impact his character Declan will have over Lucas and others.
"We've already filmed some incredibly intense scenes, including those in Declan's first episode," the actor told us.
"He's a toxically religious man who fervently believes in the therapy he is advocating. He feels that these men have lost their way, when really it's he who has 'strayed from the righteous path'."
Hollyoaks streams first online via Channel 4 each weekday at 7.30pm. Episodes then air on E4 the following day, before getting their YouTube premiere a week after that.
Selected omnibus episodes are available via Prime Video.
Read more Hollyoaks spoilers on our dedicated homepage
If you've been affected by the issues raised in this story, organisations who can offer support include the NHS, Samaritans on 116 123 or Mind on 0300 123 3393. Readers in the US are encouraged to visit mentalhealth.gov.
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