Jennifer Metcalfe: 'Mercedes was awful'

Hollyoaks star Jennifer Metcalfe has admitted that her character Mercedes Fisher behaved in a "disgusting" manner in the soap's recent run of late-night episodes.

This year's series of Hollyoaks Later, which concluded on E4 last night, saw Mercedes falsely claim that she had HIV in a bid to destroy her estranged husband Malachy's (Glen Wallace) new relationship with Lynsey Nolan (Karen Hassen).

As events reached a climax in yesterday's episode of the spinoff show, Malachy finally discovered that Mercedes was lying - before hitting her as he struggled to control his temper.

Speaking to All About Soap about how Mercedes will react to the moment of violence, Metcalfe explained: "She thinks she deserved it, and I think so too! She was awful in the late-night episodes - the lies she told were just disgusting. She doesn't resent Malachy for hitting her at all."

Asked whether Mercedes still loves Malachy, the actress replied: "She does, but she just can't keep her hands off other men! She also doesn't want anyone else to have him, and seeing him with Lynsey gets to her - she's jealous. It's typical Mercedes, always wanting what she can't have."

Mercedes and Malachy split on screen in the summer.