August 15th 2024.
Frankie was overwhelmed with emotion as she finally opened up to Darren about the abuse she had been enduring from her twin brother, JJ. It was a difficult conversation, and it came with a trigger warning as the topic of child sexual abuse was discussed. This was a heavy storyline that the show Hollyoaks was tackling, shedding light on a common but often overlooked form of abuse between siblings.
The episode that aired on Thursday, and is now available to watch on Channel 4's streaming platform, delved into Frankie's traumatic experience. She had been suffering in silence for months, unable to find the courage to confide in anyone about what JJ had been doing to her. She had been groomed by her brother, who convinced her that no one would believe her if she spoke out.
The abuse had started when Frankie was only nine years old, and it was first revealed to viewers in March when JJ invaded her personal space after hours. Things only got worse in June when JJ falsely accused Nancy of attacking Frankie, when in reality, it was him who was to blame. In exchange for JJ leaving her and their brother Oscar alone, Frankie agreed to falsely accuse Nancy.
But as Nancy's court date approached, Darren couldn't shake off the feeling that there was more to the story. He decided to do some investigating and was determined to get to the bottom of things. In Thursday's episode, JJ's big day had arrived as he and his family went to a football stadium for a photo op. But Darren couldn't help but notice how uncomfortable Frankie was in JJ's presence. She flinched when he put his arm around her, and Darren knew something was not right.
Later, JJ cornered Frankie in the changing rooms and made it clear that he was going to assault her again. He cruelly told her that she was unlovable before trying to attack her. But Frankie fought back, kneeing JJ in a vulnerable spot and locking herself in the bathroom. She broke down in tears, but thankfully she was able to notify Oscar through the window. Oscar quickly informed Darren, who arrived just in time to find JJ losing control.
Meanwhile, JJ became violent, banging on the bathroom door, claiming that Frankie was locked in. Frankie backed up his story, but Darren was confused once again. When they returned to The Dog for JJ's celebratory party, Frankie chose to stay in the pub area, clearly not in the mood to celebrate. Darren noticed her distress and got her some food before sitting beside her, hoping to get her to open up.
Frankie was emotional, and Darren's kind gesture meant a lot to her. She asked him why he was so nice to her, and he simply replied, "Because I love you." Those words were like a healing balm to Frankie, especially after the cruel things JJ had said to her earlier. Darren reassured her that he was there for her and asked her what was wrong.
After a deep breath, Frankie finally opened up to Darren about the abuse she had been enduring from JJ. It was a powerful scene, and Isabelle Smith's performance was incredible. Darren was left reeling by the revelation, but he believed her one hundred percent. The following episode confirmed that he wasted no time confronting JJ about his abhorrent actions.
Hollyoaks streams weeknights at 7:30 pm on Channel 4's streaming platform, or you can catch the episodes on TV at 7 pm on E4. If you have a soap or TV story, video, or pictures, please reach out to us through email – we would love to hear from you. Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage.
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