Hollyoaks' Lucas Hay returns to the village after spending a year in young offenders for assaulting predator JJ Osborne - but he could be in for a shock

Hollyoaks‘ Lucas hay is set to make his return to the village next week, after he was sent to a young offenders institute during the show’s time jump.

The son of Ste Hay, played by Oscar Curtis, was sent away after assaulting with JJ Osborne after he found out he had been sexually abusing his own sister, Lucas’s best friend Frankie.

The show recently jumped forward a year to explain a change to its formatting, and Lucas is set to return from young offenders next week.

But a lot has changed during Lucas’s time away, after it was revealed that his boyfriend Dillon is the father of his sister Leah’s baby.

In Wednesday’s episode, Lucas is seen arriving in the village with a bag on his back as he is welcomed back with open arms by Frankie.

Hollyoaks’ Lucas hay is set to make his return to the village next week, after he was sent to a young offenders institute during the show’s time jump

But a lot has changed during Lucas’s time away, after it was revealed that his boyfriend Dillon is the father of his sister Leah’s baby

Later at the Lomaxes’ house, Lucas is reunited with dad Ste and meets his nephew baby James for the first time. He shares how much he missed his dad and feared he would never get him back.

In another reunion, Lucas prepares to see his boyfriend Dillon – but what he does not know is that his beau is actually the father of his nephew.

This means that while Lucas was away in young offenders, his boyfriend slept with his sister.

Ahead of the pair being reunited, Lucas is reassured by Leela that his boyfriend desperately missed him and looked after his sister when she was pregnant.

Later in the episode, Dillon is seen trying to talk Frankie out of telling Lucas he’s baby James’ dad at Price Slice.

But Frankie’s not for keeping secrets and she is torn when she sees Dillon and Lucas reunited.

Hollyoaks recently kicked off their new major scheduling shake-up as it will go down from five to just three episodes per week.

It has taken a year-long time jump, with 20 cast members sadly being axed due to the ongoing Channel 4 cuts.

In Wednesday’s episode, Lucas is seen arriving in the village with a bag on his back as he is welcomed back with open arms by Frankie

In another reunion, Lucas prepares to see his boyfriend Dillon – but what he does not know is that his beau is actually the father of his nephew

Later at the Lomaxes’ house, Lucas is reunited with dad Ste and meets his nephew baby James for the first time

The channel said that they were making the change because it is the ‘optimum pattern to keep heartland audiences hooked and attract new ones in a highly saturated content market’ based on Channel 4 data.

They claim that their research shows that most regular soap viewers watch an average of three episodes per week.

MDs of Lime Pictures, Kate Little and Claire Poyser, said: ‘Given the success of the new streaming-first model, we are delighted that Hollyoaks remains at the forefront of Channel 4’s digital first strategy, bringing authentic, unexpected and untold stories that inspire younger audiences in a way that they want to consume them.

‘Evidently there are implications that will mean we have to reshape Hollyoaks’ production model and amidst the buoying news for the future of the show and its audience, we must also acknowledge that a reduction in cast and crew, will be very difficult and we will support everyone in that process.’

The budget cuts have forced Channel 4 bosses to carry out a mass axing of cast and crew.

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Later in the episode, Dillon is seen trying to talk Frankie out of telling Lucas he’s baby James’ dad at Price Slice

Earlier this year, Kieron Richardson, 38, who plays Ste, and Jorgie Porter, 36, who plays Theresa McQueen, defended the show’s execs who made the decision to cut down the cast.

Kieron said: ‘I think it must be hard as a show writer to think of two and a half hours of TV each week it’s like a full film, whereas now if you shorten that down a little bit you’re going to get the best of the best in terms of quality.’

He added that with the reduction in air time, it would be ‘all killer and no filler’, adding that whoever gets to stay will have a ‘really exciting time’ ahead of them.

Meanwhile, Jorgie added: ‘I say we’re still giving the same drama, effort and energy and stuff so I think we’re safe.’