Hollyoaks fans have been left positively gleeful after some pretty detailed detective work, which has led them to a big conclusion about the future of one the show’s most-loved couples.
The Channel 4 soap, as viewers know, is set to make history next week by diving permanently one year into the future, with the events of stunt week set to leave a huge mark on the village forever.
The decision to make such a game-changing move was made in the wake of news that the serial would drop from five episodes a week to three, with a number of popular cast members axed to facilitate the changes.
There is very little currently known about what Hollyoaks will look like post time-jump but a number of teasers having been released to whet viewer appetites while they wait for the new era of the show to commence.
One of the teasers, however, has got everyone excited after it confirmed the engagement of two characters.
The identities of said characters remain a mystery but a headless photo of the couple was released – and it didn’t take fans long to start speculating, especially as the pairing in the snap bear a striking resemblance to a fan-favourite couple.
‘ISTG IF THIS IS WHO I THINK IT IS BECAUSE THE BODY SHAPES LOOK VERYYY FAMILIAR,’ wrote Metro reader Monica, believing the couple in question to be none other than Sienna Blake (Anna Passey) and Ethan Williams (Matthew James Bailey).
Fellow Metro reader Sarah was in agreement, writing: ‘The “engaged couple” look like Sienna and Ethan to me,’ while X/Twitter user @H4YRAYS exclaimed: ‘SIENNA AND ETHAN????’
‘To me that did look like sienna & maybe Ethan,’ added Zoey.
Josi, meanwhile, conducted an investigation in an attempt to prove such a theory, finding a picture of fan-favourite Ethan wearing a jacket very similar to that of the groom-to-be.
‘I know I said i wouldn’t get my hopes up but hold the f*** on’, they said, posting the comparison of the two pictures.
Monica responded with: ‘it’s ethenna. case closed. end of. thank you and goodnight.’
Ethan and Sienna, as viewers know, embarked on a relationship almost two years ago, winning a legion of fans to become one of the Channel 4 soap’s most talked about pairings ever.
They were controversially split last year.
Despite pleas from fans to reunite the couple, bosses have kept Ethan and Sienna apart, with the characters taken in different directions.
More recently, they featured in two highly contentious storylines, with Sienna’s entire backstory retconned while Ethan embarked on a relationship with Vicky Grant (Anya Lawrence).
But after a year of having their hopes dashed, are fans finally set to get their wish? Is a reunion on the cards for Ethan and Sienna?
The last episode set in present day certainly indicated such a thing, with Ethan confessing his undying love for Sienna.
But will they end up engaged as Hollyoaks takes us one year into the future?
I’m keeping tight-lipped on such a thing but, if this theory does come to pass, it will be particularly interesting given that Metro confirmed earlier this year that Ethan star Matthew James Bailey is set to exit.
The news came as a huge blow to fans, as Ethan remains one of the most popular characters on the show.
The speculation was rife at the time in regards to how Ethan would leave and it was largely thought that he would simply vanish in the time jump. However, if he makes it through the time jump and reunites with one true love Sienna, what exactly will this mean for his future?
Will Ethan and Sienna finally get their happy ending? Or are fans’ predictions way off? Freddie Roscoe (Charlie Clapham) was also named by social media users as a potential groom for Sienna – that is, if it’s Sienna in the picture at all.
One of the other time-jump teasers confirm that one character’s fate will hang n the balance in hospital. Fans reckon that person is none other than Ste Hay (Kieron Richardson), who – spoiler alert – was left fighting for his life at the end of the latest offering.
Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 7am on Channel 4’s streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4.
