Hollyoaks is set to tackle a groundbreaking story-line never before done in UK soap history – confirming a theory rife among fans.
Long-standing character Mercedes McQueen, played by Jennifer Metcalfe, was revealed in November to be pregnant – but the identity of the father was a sore spot.
Mercedes is engaged to Felix Westwood, played by Richard Blackwood, but had been having an affair with the soap’s baddie, Jamie Lomas’s character Warren Fox.
This left the former pub landlady fretting over who the father of her unborn child was, a confusion that escalated when it was revealed she was having twins.
But in Thursday’s episode, Mercedes will drop the bombshell that both men are in fact going to be fathers, according to Metro.
Hollyoaks tackled a groundbreaking story-line, involving Mercedes, never before done in UK soap history – confirming a theory rife among fans on Thursday’s episode
Long-standing character Mercedes McQueen, played by Jennifer Metcalfe , was revealed in November to be pregnant – but the identity of the father was unknown
In a shock twist, Mercedes discovered the paternity of her twins and revealed Warren was the father of one baby and Felix the other.
She summoned both Warren and Felix to the bridge and divulged: ‘Two babies,’ she says. ‘Two dads. Congratulations. We [as in, all three] are having twins.’
Called Heteropaternal superfecundation, this is an extremely rare phenomenon where two eggs are fertilised in the same menstrual cycle by different sperms in separate sexual encounters.
And while some US shows have featured the occurrence, it has never been attempted in a UK soap opera.
The confirmation that both Warren and Felix will father one of Mercedes’s babies has confirmed a brewing fan theory.
As a trailer dropped in January detailing Mercedes paternity concerns, fans of the soap voiced their suspicions.
One person wrote on X, formerly Twitter: ‘Mercedes expecting twins, I have a feeling Warren will be the father to one of the twins and Felix be the father to the other twin.
‘Heteropaternal superfecundation storyline maybe..?’
Mercedes is engaged to Felix Westwood (pictured), played by Richard Blackwood, but was having an affair
Cheating on Felix with the soap’s baddie, Jamie Lomas’s character Warren Fox, Mercedes was left confused over the paternity of her unborn twins
In a shock twist, Mercedes discovered the paternity of her twins and revealed Warren was the father of one baby and Felix the other
While another said: ‘I’d put money on it Mercedes Is having twins by both Warren and Felix: superfecundation.’
Another dedicated fan even put the theory to a poll, asking: ‘Heteropaternal superfecundation has been a prediction for Mercedes twins in @Hollyoaks which would prove to be a soap first.. This means that 1 twin would be Warrens baby and the other twin would be Felixs baby.. How would you feel about that twist?’
The bombshell comes after a first look trailer gave fans a glimpse of the shocking storylines that will grip viewers in the coming months.
The explosive trailer teases the arrival of Joel’s mother Marie, played by EastEnders alumni Rita Simons, with her first order of business being to steal Mercedes’ red dress from the McQueen washing line.
As a trailer dropped in January detailing Mercedes paternity concerns, fans of the soap voiced their suspicions
It also reveals the shocking return of Patrick Blake, as the devil on spiralling Dilly’s shoulder, with Jeremy Sheffield reprising his iconic role.
Patrick looks set to be a voice of temptation for Dilly after she murdered her secret husband… will his words lead her astray?
The trailer also hints at the return of Hannah and Suzanne Ashworth over two decades after they were last on screen, with Emma Rigby and Suzanne Hall reprising roles.
Hollyoaks streams first online via Channel 4 each weekday at 7.30pm. Episodes then air on E4 the following day, before being released on YouTube a week later.