Regular readers of this blog will know that I previously expressed my concern about resurrecting Clare for the climax to Warren (Jamie Lomas) and Justin's (Chris Fountain) stories.
Granted, her episodes last week were great, but her exit tonight was just...well, a little rushed. Oh and the highly predictable "I'll be back" line at the end didn't quite cut it for me, either.
I've said it before, but I adore the character of Clare and Gemma Bissix's superb effortless portrayal of the village superbitch. I just think they let her down on this occasion - a rushed and forced return which should have been shelved until they found room for a permanent comeback.
What's the betting she's back again before the year's out, though?
As you've probably already seen, I caught up with Hollyoaks' new series producer Lucy Allan at the end of last month. During the interview, I asked about Clare's return and here's what she had to say:
Why did you only bring back Gemma Bissix for a short stint? Do you think it compromised her 'Best Exit' win at last year's British Soap Awards?
"Ultimately, she was pivotal in the culmination [of Warren and Justin's] storylines that feature in Stunt Week and I think it would have been a disservice to the story and to the characters to have not featured her in it.
"It was a really good exit and the moment she walked into that airport lounge was real high drama, it was fantastic. The reality that it was well over a year before she came back into Hollyoaks and that she served a story in the way that she did, she adds to the exit, rather than diminishes it."
Now that you've seen it, what did you think to Clare's comeback? Let me know your views using the usual form below.
