Hollyoaks has confirmed the death of Martin Frost (Darren Tighe), the man who framed Cindy Cunningham (Stephanie Waring) for Rex Gallagher’s (Jonny Labey) murder. In Wednesday’s (August 26) episode, available on Channel 4 streaming and airing on E4 at 7pm, Cindy and Beth Keane (Rebecca Ryan) were left reeling when Martin’s son Xander (Indigo Kamal-Poole) revealed his father had died.
Martin’s death and the framing plot
Martin had been central to the storyline that saw Cindy accused of killing Rex. Rex was shot dead by an unknown assailant last month during a late-night shift at the garage. James Nightingale (Gregory Finnegan) was initially the prime suspect, given his recent reconnection with Ste Hay (Kieron Richardson), but he consistently denied involvement.
Cindy was later framed when James paid Martin to claim she was the shooter. Viewers will recall that Cindy had left the village two years ago after her relationship with Dave ‘Blue’ Williams (Dominic Power). Blue’s associate and right-hand man was Rex, so when Rex’s death coincided with Cindy’s return, police quickly connected the dots after Martin’s accusations.
Martin later recanted his claim and accepted sole responsibility for Rex’s demise, but Cindy was baffled and determined to find out why he would accuse her. It emerged that Beth had asked James for help in framing Cindy, fearing Cindy would reveal that she is Maddox’s (Sam Meyer) biological mother.
Xander’s bombshell revelation
Beth soon regretted her actions and accompanied Cindy to find out more about Martin. When Cindy confronted Xander, he dropped the bombshell that Martin was dead. Xander explained that his father never recovered from the death of his daughter, who had been trafficked by Rex’s gang.
‘My dad spent his last moments heartbroken over her!’, Xander said. As the confrontation escalated, Beth confessed to Cindy that she was responsible for framing her, prompting Cindy to slap her.
Lucas Hay’s return
Later, Xander was seen at a flat talking to his friend, who was revealed to be Lucas Hay (Oscar Curtis), back on screens following a stint in prison. The episode sets up further twists as the truth about Rex’s murder continues to unravel.
Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 6am on Channel 4’s streaming platform, with episodes airing on TV at 7pm on E4.
