Hollyoaks star Emma Rigby agrees to permanent return as Hannah Ashworth

Hollyoaks star Emma Rigby has agreed to a permanent contract on the soap ahead of her return as Hannah Ashworth.

It was reported back in November that Rigby would be returning to the soap after a 14-year absence, reprising the role that she first played in 2005.

The return was originally envisaged as a guest stint, but The Sun has now reported that Rigby’s stay will be extended, with the actress agreeing to a long-term contract.

emma rigby
Karwai Tang - Getty Images

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“She had a number of conversations with bosses and has since signed a year- long contract,” said a spokesperson for the soap. “Everyone is over the moon to have her back permanently.

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“Bosses were so happy when she agreed to return for a few weeks so to have her back as a regular cast member again is very exciting. She’s got some big things coming up.”

Rigby isn’t the only star returning to the Channel 4 soap, with Charlie Clapham reprising his role as Freddie Roscoe. The character was last seen in the village back in 2017, but the actor recently teased that his comeback will be dramatic.

“I feel very grateful and really excited,” he said. I loved working here before. It was a huge part of my life in my early 20s and I did a lot of growing up at the time. It's a genuinely great place to work.

hollyoaks, hannah, emma rigby
Lime Pictures

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“It's very explosive. I don't know how to say this without being too R-rated, but Freddie is always in a position where he's either about to run, fight someone or potentially have sex! There's those three in every single scene.

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“From what I've read and heard, Freddie is as glorious and flawed as he was before. It's going to be great to play that out. It just makes any interaction that Freddie has with older characters great as there's a history there, and it's brilliant with the new characters too.”

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

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