'Oaks boss compares show to 'Lost', '24'

Hollyoaks' series producer Lucy Allan has claimed that the teen soap can match top US shows.

In an interview with Inside Soap, Allan admitted that she watches hit dramas like Lost and 24 to pick up tips as she attempts to compete with the acclaimed programmes.

She commented: "I love The Wire, Lost, 24 and Grey's Anatomy and I think Hollyoaks has to be on the cusp of those shows.

"We have to look at the way they tell a story and see if we can use it to our advantage."

The show's boss added that she is confident about the current cast's appeal to viewers and is unlikely to approach any former Hollyoaks stars to return in the near future.

"I'm always a bit apprehensive about bringing too many old characters back because I'm not really sure quite what it says," she explained. "We have a really strong cast at the moment anyway."

Allan took over from her predecessor Bryan Kirkwood at the beginning of the year.

> Click here for our interview with Lucy Allan