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Hollyoaks spoilers follow.
Hollyoaks star Naledi Rapotu has spoken exclusively to Digital Spy about the next crisis set to engulf the McQueen family.
The show has been airing a scandalous storyline, with Cleo and Dodger both betraying Theresa with their on-off fling. Is it only a matter of time before the cheating pair are caught out? And how would Theresa’s daughter Kathleen-Angel deal with her mum being mistreated like this?
We caught up with Naledi, who plays Kathleen-Angel, during a photoshoot celebrating Hollyoaks’ nominations at the Inside Soap Awards 2026. Naledi is up for the Best Newcomer prize after taking over the role of Kathleen-Angel earlier in the year.
The full photoshoot appears in the new issue of Inside Soap magazine, which is out now.
You can see our behind-the-scenes video from the shoot at the top of the page, or read on for Naledi’s exclusive DS Q&A…
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Hi, Naledi! How does it feel to be up for Best Newcomer at the Inside Soap Awards 2026?
“Weird in a very welcoming way! (Laughs.) This is my first job in the industry, so to work in such a lovely place as this and then the nomination comes along – when I’ve only been in the show for about six months – it’s a really nice sense of appreciation.
“It makes me excited to do more stuff and make everyone proud who watches the show – and the people who nominated me!”
Why should fans vote for Hollyoaks in the Best Soap category?
“In all truthfulness, growing up we didn’t have a TV so I didn’t watch soaps a lot. But there’s such a fun and real-life element to soaps that isn’t carried in other forms of media. It’s so fast-paced and everyone brings their own elements of life into the show.
“I think that everyone finds someone they can relate to, or aspire to be, in the show. It’s funny – it will make you laugh and cry. It’s a pretty well-rounded view of the human experience, I suppose!”
How would you sum up your first months on Hollyoaks?
“It’s been great. In the months since I’ve been here, I’ve learned so much. There are so many veterans of soaps on the show, like Kieron Richardson (Ste) and Jorgie Porter who plays my mum Theresa. They’ve been on it a good few years. I’m also learning how the crew works, because you don’t know much about it until you’re in there.
“It’s such a beautiful environment to learn and harness new skills. I know that I prep my scripts differently now because I’ve spoken to other people about it. Being able to work in such a fast-paced environment is a really useful skill to hone as an actor. If you can work in a soap, you’re never going to feel that kind of pressure anywhere else because it moves so quickly!”
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What’s coming up for Kathleen-Angel?
“She’s just left high school and she’s very much pursuing her hobbies and passions, which is really fun to play. It’s the reality of being 17 – it’s figuring out who you are and what you’re into.
“I think she’s putting more time and effort into herself rather than into her relationship, which is something a bit different.
“Maybe that will cause a bit of tension between Kathleen-Angel and Ant, but it’s a natural trajectory of a young relationship where you grow up and you want to focus on yourself and your career more but the other person might think: ‘Why are you pulling away from me? Why don’t you want to spend time with me?’ But it’s because Kathleen-Angel has dreams.”
Are you shipping Kathleen-Angel and Ant as a couple?
“It’s hard to say because I’m in that ship! (Laughs.) But it’s such a pleasure to work with Brook (Debio, who plays Ant) and we’re really good friends. It’s such a safe environment to work in.
“I think that Ant and Kathleen-Angel are a good pairing. They’ve supported each other through a lot of hard times and they’re an emotional crutch for each other, which I think is quite a nice thing.”
How would Kathleen-Angel feel about Dodger cheating on her mum with Cleo?
“Kathleen-Angel really likes Dodger. He’s the closest thing to a father she’s ever had and that’s obviously a very special role, especially in such a matriarchal household. But at the end of the day, he’s cheated on her mum!
“She’s always going to support of her mum over anyone else, as much as she may love Cleo and Dodger. I don’t think she’d be very happy with Dodger if she found out…”
Or Cleo, probably!
“That’s tricky because she’s actual blood family! It’s like: ‘What do we do? I can’t really cut you off, we live together!'”
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Do you like that Kathleen-Angel and Theresa always seem to work through their issues?
“Mums and daughters fight all the time but always work it out – that’s the reality. I’m sure I’ve said some absolutely horrendous things to my mum when I was in my 15-year-old demon prime! We were all teenagers and we all sucked but our mums love us anyway! (Laughs.)
“It’s nice to show the love between a mum and a daughter. They have a beautiful understanding of each other because Theresa has been an angsty teenager herself. To be able to show them fighting and making up is very real, because everyone argues with family. It’s life, isn’t it, really?”
See a full Inside Soap interview with Naledi in the new issue of the magazine, out now, containing exclusive photos featuring her and five other cast members. Votes for the Inside Soap Awards 2026 can be cast on the official voting page.
Hollyoaks airs on Mondays-Wednesdays with its Channel 4 streaming premiere at 7am, then an E4 broadcast the same night at 7pm. Full episodes are also released on YouTube a week after their Channel 4 release.
Selected omnibus episodes are available via Prime Video.