Hollyoaks spoilers: Lucas spirals OUT OF CONTROL at Christmas!

Lucas tries to fake being ill in Hollyoaks
Troubled Lucas runs away from his family at Christmas. (Image credit: Lime Pictures)

Lucas Hay (Oscar Curtis) is having anything but a merry time in Hollyoaks' Christmas Day episode, tonight at 7pm (see our TV Guide for full listings). 

As Christmas Day dawns in the village, Leah Barnes (Ela-May Demircan) is horrified to see Lucas is sporting a rather nasty bruise on his head.

She relays her discovery to dad Ste Hay (Kieron Richardson), claiming that Lucas has been fighting again. 

But is there more to his injury than meets the eye?

The last thing Lucas wants is to spend the day with his family, so he storms out and runs straight into Dillon Ray (Nathaniel Dass).

He can't help but notice Lucas's bruise and offers to give him some company.

Ste and James try to help Lucas

Ste is caught between his son and husband. (Image credit: Lime Pictures)

Back at the flat, James Nightingale (Gregory Finnegan) is in turmoil.

Ste assumes his husband's emotional state is because it's the first Christmas without his late sister, Juliet (Niamh Blackshaw) - but is something else troubling him too?

While Ste offers comfort to James, Dillon starts downing booze with Lucas and urges his friend to open up about what's been going on.

But instead of telling Dillon what's wrong intoxicated Lucas ends up vomiting everywhere.

Can Dillon find a way to help Lucas before he spirals even further?

Hollyoaks Felix Westwood in fight

Ella decides to put family first at Christmas. (Image credit: Lime Pictures)

As it's the season of goodwill, Ella Richardson (Erin Palmer) pops over to Warren Fox (Jamie Lomas) and Norma Crow (Glynnis Barber) to wish them a Merry Christmas.

Warren is delighted to see his daughter and surprises her with a pair of new red boots.

Made up by the gift, Ella suggests next year they could spend Christmas all together, as a family.

Sadly, there's not much seasonal cheer to be had over at the McQueen's, as Nana (Diane Langton) fears Mercedes (Jennifer Metcalfe) may never come home.

Desperately missing her granddaughter, Nana lays blame for her disappearance at Warren's door, and decides to give him a piece of her mind...

Darren has money troubles

Darren fears he's on the verge of losing everything. (Image credit: Lime Pictures)

Elsewhere, Tony Hutchinson (Nick Pickard) is preparing to welcome the locals into The Dog for a festive tipple.

However, a call from a stressed Darren Osborne (Ashley Taylor Dawson) forces him to put his plans on hold.

Darren opens up to his mate and reveals he's got himself into a right old mess.

In dire financial straights, Darren was forced to seek help from club owner Norma  - but as it turns out, it came at a hefty cost.

Hollyoaks Felix Westwood in fight

Will ruthless Norma take the Osbornes' home from them? (Image credit: Lime Pictures)

Darren tells Tony the terms of Norma's contract states he's got until the end of the day to settle his debt otherwise she can take his family home!

Horrified by what's at stake, Tone jumps into action and sets up an emergency community fund to try and help. 

Will it make enough money to pay off Norma?

Or will Darren and his clan end up homeless on Christmas Day?

Hollyoaks airs Monday - Friday on E4 at 7pm

Laura Morgan
Freelance writer

Laura has been a journalist for over a decade, writing about soaps, TV entertainment, fashion, beauty, and food. After graduating from university, she started her career working at a national soap and TV magazine. During her seven-year stint there she joined the cast of Emmerdale for a tour around the famous village, partied with soap stars at awards bashes, interviewed her acting idol David Suchet, and sat in the front row of Strictly Come Dancing

Her heart lies with the soaps, and her all-time favourite character has to be EastEnders' Pat Butcher - no one rocked a big earring quite like her. She's also a huge fan of detective crime dramas, particularly old school Inspector Morse, Endeavour, and adaptations of Agatha Christie's Marple and Poirot. When she's not writing, she loves a spot of second-hand shopping and going on adventures with her young son.