Hollyoaks' Rex actor Jonny Labey reacts to Clare twist and teases soap future

We got the lowdown on Hollyoaks villain Clare Devine from two co-stars working closely with actress Gemma Bissix currently on the Channel 4 soap.

Clare made her big return months ago, as part of a dark trafficking storyline involving other characters and some of the teenagers in the village. Clare's sister Grace black and half-brother Rex Gallagher were also caught up in the drama, with us soon learning all about Rex's past and backstory.

Speaking exclusively to The Mirror, Rex actor Jonny Labey praised the move to explore what Rex faced when he was younger, and how it shaped him - leading to him taking a criminal path. Jonny discussed how fans finally saw why he was the way he was, calling him "a product of his environment".

He added how Rex's "unexpected" romance with Ste Hay changed things, and gave Rex something to push for. That said, Jonny loves the drama his role brings, and was thrilled to get to work with co-star Gemma as she made her comeback.

READ MORE: Hollyoaks star hints at unexpected twist for Tom amid Clare and Grace drama

He wasn't the only one as newcomer Ethaniel Davy, whose character Jacob Omari took centre stage in the sad trafficking plot, also shared how much he loved working with the soap icon. Jonny shared: "Another long-lost sister! It's honestly the best working with Gemma.

"She is such a joy, she brings such a bouncy energy to set. She gets stuck in to storylines, she holds no prisoners, she's just a ruthless and fantastic character. It really brings in that female power character to the show."

Ethaniel agreed: "Gemma is so lovely. Clare can be sympathetic as well though. She's not just pure evil, she has a soft side and a bit of a backstory, and she has another side to her. Sometimes she's got the wrong intentions but for the right reasons."

Actor Ethaniel was thrilled to rejoin the show recently, having first joined earlier in the year. He told us: "It's definitely a new experience for me. It's lovely, I've enjoyed it.

"It's great and I am very grateful. We've just got to see how the storyline goes!" On the fans backing his character, he went on: "It was lovely because to get the role was a big thing, and then it was brilliant to keep going after a few months of not working.

"I got called back, and so getting good feedback was great to hear." He also praised co-star Jonny for "showing him the ropes" and looking after him on set.

As for Jonny, he welcomed the changes to his character as fans have gotten to see a different side to him. He told us: "You have got this thing with Rex where he is a product of his environment and unfortunately, even since doing the storyline, the sex trafficking storyline, it's way more common than people realise.

"It seems like such a wild storyline but it's something that affects so many people in the UK, specifically the younger generation. It's that passed-on trauma. I'm glad we've got to see these sides to Rex now.

"We can understand where it all comes form because when I first joined it was six months of arguments, fights and him being a villain. It was cool but he's got a nice undertone now. The love interest with Ste has taken him by surprise.

"But it has shown him there is a way out from that life. I think that roundedness now is really beautiful to play. He still doesn’t back down easy and he's not a push-around though. It is just a dream role honestly, to play a character like that. I have always wanted to play a troubled character with depth."

His comments about Ste, and Rex turning his life around could be a hint at what's ahead with a happy future. But with Rex currently in prison, will he find a way back to the village?

Hollyoaks is available to stream on Channel 4's streaming service now, while it also airs Mondays to Wednesdays on E4 at 7PM. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , and Threads.