Matthew James Bailey to leave Hollyoaks

Hollyoaks star Matthew James Bailey is leaving the show after three years in the role of Ethan Williams.

Confirming his departure to Metro.co.uk, a source revealed: 

“Ethan is a viewer favourite so it will be a hard one for fans to take. He has proven extremely popular since his debut, particularly through his relationship with Sienna. 

“It’s a tough time on the show with all of the cuts and cast changes but there will be relief all round to know that Ethan is not being killed off so there’s no ruling out a return in the future.”

Bailey’s character made quite an impact when he first appeared in 2021, kidnapping Darren Osborne (Ashley Taylor Dawson) on the orders of his dangerous girlfriend, Maya Harkwell (Ky Discala).

As the story progressed, Ethan grew fearful of Maya and eventually turned against her.

Their conflict reached a climax when Ethan accidentally shot and killed Maya while trying to protect his step-niece Serena.

More recently, Ethan found himself falling in love with Sienna Blake (Anna Passey), but their relationship fell apart due to Sienna’s attempts to deceive wealthy Rafe Harcourt (Chris Gordon) out of his fortune.

In February, Channel 4 announced that from September episodes of Hollyoaks would be cut from five to three, with the loss of 135 jobs. An earlier blow, in September 2023, saw the show lose its traditional 6.30pm Channel 4 slot.

Channel 4 has played down speculation over the soap’s future, insisting that a ‘simpler and more relevant digital-focused drop pattern’ will help it retain younger viewers.

Bailey joins a growing list of cast members whose departures from the soap have been announced over the last few months, including Jamie Lomas, Ross Adams, Stephanie Waring and Glynis Barber.