Claire Cooper (Jacqui McQueen, 'Hollyoaks')

Jacqui McQueen was left devastated on Hollyoaks last month after Gilly Roach was found not guilty of raping her on Valentine's Day. Following the verdict, which was reached off-screen by a real-life jury of 12 people, Jacqui decided to leave the village for some time to clear her head away from boyfriend Rhys. However, viewers will soon see that she has returned to Chester secretly and made the surprise decision to be a kidney donor to William's daughter Emily. As she settles back in at home and tries to get her life back on track, it becomes clear that Jacqui's journey is only just beginning… Claire Cooper, who plays the troubled character, recently chatted to Digital Spy about Jacqui's return.

What was your reaction when you found out about the trial verdict? Were you disappointed?
"For Jacqui I was disappointed, but I'd mentally prepared myself for both outcomes. I was disappointed for Jacqui that she didn't get the verdict that she'd wanted in the trial, but the story now progresses. The outcome of the trial makes the story more complex and that gives me other opportunities, which I'm filming at the moment."

We know that Jacqui will soon be returning to the village, so where does the rape storyline go from here?
"With either outcome from the jury, Jacqui still had to recover from the trial and what happened to her, and the journey doesn't end here - it's an ongoing story and it is going to be concluded. I don't know when that will be, but there will be a resolution."

Did you only find out the jury's verdict when the episode went out, or were you told beforehand?
"Initially it was the plan for us to find out when the episode aired, but for various reasons, we were told shortly beforehand - so I found out the day before."

Jacqui has no regrets about reporting the incident and taking it to court, does she?
"Jacqui has no regrets - her only regret is that Gilly wasn't found guilty. For Jacqui, that's her truth and that's the story that I'm telling - I believe Jacqui. Some people believe Jacqui and some people don't, but the story progresses and the conclusion to the story will happen later in the year."

Will viewers ever get a firm idea of what happened between Gilly and Jacqui that night, or will the grey area always be there?
"I think there'll still be a grey area, but Jacqui knows her truth, that's her story and that's never going to change or waiver. I think the viewers will gain a better insight into what happened and there is a very clear message to the storyline."

Some viewers have questioned whether real-life rape victims could have been discouraged from contacting the authorities after seeing Gilly's not guilty verdict. What are your thoughts?
"We sincerely hope that isn't the case and having consulted with a number of charities and organisations including Rape Crisis, SARC, Don't Cross The Line and legal experts, they also don't believe this is the case either. We hope that the storyline has encouraged anyone affected by the issue of rape to seek help and information. Great care has been taken to ensure that the storyline takes a responsible approach to dealing with the issue of rape and we ran on-air and online support messages signposting where people affected by the storyline can seek help from such organisations."

We've already seen one scene between Jacqui and Gilly after the trial verdict - have you filmed any more with Anthony Quinlan yet?
"Oh, I can't tell you! We'll have to wait and see whether Gilly returns, but at the moment my lips are sealed."

When we see Jacqui again, she's agreed to be a kidney donor for Billy's daughter Emily. Why has she made that decision?
"Jacqui can't be pushed into anything - she had to make a choice in this situation and this is the right choice for her. If she knows that she can save somebody's life, then that's a good enough reason for her. She's not been cornered or pushed into doing this - I don't think many people could push Jacqui into doing something!"

Has Jacqui's fragile state of mind influenced her decision when it comes to helping Emily?
"Right now, she is in a delicate state of mind, but she knows what she's doing when it comes to Emily. It's a choice that she feels is the right one. Things have gone wrong in her own life, and if she feels that she can help somebody else, that's the right choice for her. She's quite coherent in her decision-making when it comes to this - she may not be in other areas of her life, but she's sure that this is the right thing to do."

What happens between Jacqui and Rhys once they're reunited in the village?
"Jacqui and Rhys have a complex bond, but it's going to take some time for Jacqui to re-establish what they initially had, because so many bridges have been broken and it'll take time for things to heal. There certainly won't be an immediate remedy and it won't be an easy ride. It'll be a bit of a rollercoaster over the next few months, but I hope we take the audience with them. It'll be uncomfortable between them at times."

Shortly after her return, Jacqui decides to propose to Rhys. Is she making the right choice?
"Well, this is where I think Jacqui's mind is not in the right place. As Claire playing Jacqui, I don't think she should be doing this, but she does do it - and in a very Jacqui way! She's quite forceful, she's banging on Rhys's door, she wants a quick wedding and it's not the way that it should be done. Jacqui deserves so much more - she deserves a big gypsy wedding, a big dress, the McQueens all dressed up and God knows what else! Jacqui is quite irrational when it comes to Rhys, but who knows what could happen between them after the proposal? We'll have to wait and see…"

> Read more Hollyoaks chat from Claire Cooper in Soap Scoop