Hollyoaks to release four Christmas episodes on Channel 4 streaming

Hollyoaks is releasing four Christmas episodes to stream on Channel 4 on Monday 22 December, continuing its annual festive tradition.

This year each episode follows one of four of the soap’s best-known families through Christmas Day: the McQueens, the Hutchinsons, the Clarks/Maaliks and the Lomaxes.

Jack and Pearl and the Osbornes link all four episodes. Pearl sets out to bring back the Christmas magic in the village, unaware that Jack has a surprise of his own.

The festive boxset follows a strong few months for the Channel 4 soap. Its 30th anniversary week in October produced its best performance in years.

The crossover episode with Brookside drew the biggest Hollyoaks audience since October 2021 and had its highest share (5.8%) since February 2020. With 522k viewers over seven days, it was also the soap’s best-performing episode ever on streaming, excluding Christmas episodes.

What happens

At the Hutchinsons, an unexpected gift throws the day into chaos, while Jack Osborne is dressed up and on a secret mission to make the day special.

The McQueens are celebrating, but Mercedes has lost her festive spirit. Warren arrives dressed as Santa to cheer everyone up, but it goes wrong, and a knock at the door answers Theresa’s wish.

Relations are frosty between Misbah and Donny, and the question is whether Christmas will bring the family together or expose Donny’s recent behaviour.

The Lomaxes face their first Christmas without Peri, but Leela is set on giving Lucas and her children the best day she can, including offering an olive branch.

Elsewhere, Pearl has something to get off her chest as she watches carol singers in the village.

All four episodes will be available from 6am on 22 December.