Hollyoaks has confirmed details of two new characters set to make their debuts in the coming weeks.
Raji James - formerly of EastEnders and The Bill - will play Ali Shahzad, the father of Misbah (Harvey Virdi)'s secret son Shaq (Omar Malik), who also works as a doctor.
The character arrives at Dee Valley Hospital in next Thursday (September 2)'s first-look E4 episode and quickly ingratiates himself with the hospital staff and patients, but his demeanour conceals a darker side as he is "capable of manipulating people any which way".
"I'm delighted to be joining the cast of Hollyoaks, particularly as I'm part of a very topical and potentially explosive storyline," said James. "Ali is a very complex character and I'm thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to explore his darker side.
"Due to the COVID rules in place, I've only been able to meet a few of the other cast members so far; they, along with the incredible crew and office staff, have all been very welcoming and supportive, making it easy to fit in.
"Having hit the ground running, we've already filmed a few hugely emotional scenes. It's been an absolute pleasure to work alongside and learn from such fantastic actors as Harvey, Omar, Sarah Jayne, Lysette and Nadine."
© Lime Pictures
Meanwhile, young newcomer Tomi Ade has also joined the cast playing DeMarcus, the estranged teenage son of Felix (Richard Blackwood).
Described as "mischievous" and "rebellious", DeMarcus arrives in the village looking to connect with his family and find a sense of belonging.
"Joining the cast of Hollyoaks has been such an amazing experience," said Ade. "The cast have been so welcoming, and I've just had a blast on set so far.
"I cannot wait for the fans to meet DeMarcus and see what we have in store for him and his journey in the village!"
DeMarcus arrives in the village during a special hour-long episode of Hollyoaks as part of Channel 4's Black To Front day, which will first be screened on E4 on September 9.
Neil Wilkes
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