Beth Keane, portrayed by Rebecca Ryan, makes it her primary mission to locate Charlie Dean, played by Charlie Behan, in Hollyoaks next week. She is determined that he must face justice for his actions.
As viewers are aware, Charlie was driving the car that struck the back of the Keanes' removal van, causing Caleb, played by Lewis Walton, to be thrown through the windshield. Caleb sustained spinal injuries as a result of the crash. Initially, Charlie wanted to confess, but Frankie Osborne, played by Isabelle Smith, who felt guilty for pressuring him to speed before the collision, urged him to stay silent and blame Jonah, played by Matthew Wolfenden. The ensuing conflict left Jack, played by Jimmy McKenna, distraught. Seeing his family torn apart, Charlie eventually confessed to everything, accepting responsibility.
Beth, who was adamant that her husband Jonah was innocent, was pleased when Charlie owned up. However, with jail time likely, Charlie has been terrified of what lies ahead. This week, he suffered a panic attack, and Beth offered little help, leading Darren, played by Ashley Taylor Dawson, to blame her for Charlie's situation.
The situation escalated when Nancy, played by Jessica Fox, revealed that Charlie had vanished without a trace. Beth becomes convinced that the Osbornes are hiding Charlie and instructs Caleb to spy on them, hoping to gather evidence. Her theory is correct: the Osbornes are indeed harbouring Charlie.
Determined to get Charlie out of harm's way, Darren plans to put him on a train to Newcastle. Nancy is unsure about this plan, believing their boy should not go on the run. Meanwhile, Charlie prepares to head to the station but cannot bring himself to drive, plagued by flashbacks to the crash.
Later, Darren finds Charlie still at home and promises to support him no matter what. Beth invites the Osbornes to Weirside View for lunch the next day, but she has a hidden agenda. There is a hiccup when Frankie reveals she is getting her boot off that day and cannot attend, but Beth insists.
Jack is overjoyed that his two families are finally coming together, unaware of Beth's ulterior motives. As part of her plan, Beth steals a key to the Osbornes' home and enlists Maddox's help to break into Basswood Road while she keeps the family occupied at lunch. The question remains: will Charlie be found, and if so, will Beth ensure he goes straight to jail?
Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 6am on Channel 4's streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4.
