Secrets, second chances and a surprise proposal await this Christmas in Hollyoaks

But will everyone have a happy Christmas?

 20 DECEMBER - 3 JANUARY

This Christmas, Pearl takes it upon herself to revive the magic of Christmas in the village, but she remains blissfully unaware that Jack is carrying a surprise of his own.

Christmas unfolds through the eyes of four very different families, each juggling secrets, struggles, and unexpected joy. The question is, after everything they’ve endured, is the village ready to believe in Christmas again?

It’s Christmas in the Osbornes, and Jack is suited and booted with a special mission under his sleeve to make the day extra special. Nancy and Darren, having put the year’s pains behind them, are hopeful.

Calling in a favour from the Hutchinsons, Jack has a table waiting in a closed Dog just for him and Pearl, and wanting to spread Christmas cheer, Pearl has two sacks of presents to deliver throughout the village.

At the Hutchinsons, Dee Dee hides a gift, and Diane tries to put on the perfect Christmas, grateful Tony’s there to celebrate with them. But a troubled Ant continues to cause tension in the household.

Forced to pull his weight and set the table, Ant stumbles across a burner phone, which he pockets in secret. An excited Eva sneaks a peek in a present under the tree, and Dee Dee is left horrified.

And Jack and Pearl’s special moment to themselves is disrupted when an angry Ant bounds through the pub demanding they leave after a hidden truth is unwrapped.

When an unexpected Christmas present sends the family into turmoil, Ant reveals a secret that leads to many questions.

Christmas morning should feel magical, but for Mercedes McQueen, the sparkle has faded as she is addicted to prescription anxiety pills and unable to face the day without them. As the children burst awake with festive excitement, Mercedes forces a smile.

When Jack and Pearl arrive, arms full of presents and good cheer, the mood soon shifts when Warren turns up in full Santa costume, only to realise that Mercedes has forgotten her matching elf outfit.

Struggling through the day, Mercedes spots Gemma outside and over the fence, asks for more pills.

While John Paul takes charge of Christmas dinner, Prince panics about turkey portions, and romance seems to be in the air when Theresa is giddy waiting for Dodger’s arrival.

Wanting to make a good impression, she seeks advice from Mercedes, who admits she has doubts about whether she and Warren are meant to be,

When Dodger arrives for dinner, having not got the memo about the PJ dress code, he's quick to join in for his daughter, and a knock on the door grants Theresa’s wish.

Things are frosty between Misbah and Donny this Christmas. Donny wants today to be perfect with a mission to make amends with Misbah, and with it being his first Christmas with both his daughters.

However, his phone is blowing up with messages from the sex worker he recently spent the night with, and a knock at the door sends him into panic mode. But he’s relieved to hear Jack and Pearl’s jolly greetings.

Able to sniff Donny’s lies a mile off, Gemma tells him not to stray from Misbah again, and Misbah’s eyes sparkle when Donny gifts her a beautiful bracelet as things are looking up for the pair.

Donny’s fears materialise when the out-of-pocket sex worker turns up on their doorstep demanding cash. Will Donny be able to keep it a secret?

As the bustle of festivities beams bright at the Osbornes, Jack and Pearl sway to Sinatra next to the Christmas tree.

When Sully goes to seek solace at the Osbornes, an on-a-mission Frankie calls Dodger and tells him to record their conversation as she tries once more to get a confession out of Sully for putting the hit out on JJ.

When Darren grills him on why he hasn’t popped the question to Pearl yet, Jack wonders if it was a bad idea to propose on Christmas Day. Soon, as they watch the carolers perform in the village, Pearl has something she wants to get off her chest to Jack.

Meanwhile, Leela is mustering up the strength to give Clara, Lucas and birthday boy Daniel a special Christmas. However, a downtrodden Ste is spending Christmas alone in his messy flat, and even Jack and Pearl can’t summon any festive joy from him. Rex is also having a tearful Christmas alone at The Loft.

Lucas tells Leela to stop blaming Ste, but she is not convinced he deserves a second chance, and it’s takeaway pizza on the menu for the Lomaxes this Christmas. Hopeful they can meet, Lucas messages Dillon.

Visiting Ste, Leela, through tears, tells him that Lucas is home and wants to spend Christmas with his dad. Not knowing the full story, but wanting to extend an olive branch, Leela invites him to make it right and spend Christmas with his family.

Initially turning the invitation down, Ste has a change of heart and turns up for his loved ones. And when he goes for a private walk with Rex, Ste is urged to do the right thing and come clean about what Lucas has done.

In emotional scenes, Leela speaks to Peri, wishing she was there with them this Christmas.

Hollyoaks continues Mondays to Wednesdays at 7pm on E4 with first look episodes available at 7am on Channel 4 streaming