Hollyoaks’ Sarah Jayne Dunn says Mandy’s ‘desperation’ to protect Ella will ‘split the audience’

Hollyoaks star Sarah Jayne Dunn has revealed that Mandy Richardson will ‘split the audience’ in the coming weeks as she desperately tries to protect her daughter Ella from being thrown behind bars.

In an exclusive interview with MailOnline the actress, 39, said that as a parent herself she sympathised with her character’s decision to keep quiet after learning the teen killed drug dealer Jordan Price on New Year’s Eve, 

Sarah also hinted that Mandy’s history with Luke Morgan could be one of the reasons why she’s willing to blackmail him into keeping Ella’s involvement a secret.

Earlier this month Mandy was stunned to learn that Ella (played by Erin Palmer) was responsible for Jordan’s death after she stabbed him during a tense confrontation.

The scenes came following a year-long storyline on the damaging effects of County Lines drug dealing, and featured some of the soap’s younger cast in their most hard-hitting scenes to date.

Sarah told MailOnline that Mandy will grow increasingly desperate to hide Ella’s involvement in the crime, and as a mum herself to son Stanley, four, she understands why her character is willing to take such drastic action.

She said: ‘It’s shown a completely different side to the character, I mean she’s gone to lengths that I didn’t even know she was capable of.  

‘I wouldn’t say I was surprised as I know how much she cares about her daughter and how much she wouldn’t want to lose her and she’s been through that before and the thought of losing her again is just too much to bear. 

‘I was surprised at how much she would go out of her way and be deceitful and conniving to do so, but the way that it’s worked as a character is she’s desperate it’s all come from a desperate situation.

‘She doesn’t know what else to do and as much as she doesn’t want to hurt anyone else, she doesn’t want Charlie to be where he is, she’s in this position that she doesn’t know what else to do and she’s going to lengths that I don’t think she ever thought she’d go to.

‘She is a caring person and she loves all the people that she’s ultimately betraying and hurting, and I think it is coming from a place of sheer desperation and not knowing what else to do or any other way out.’

Sarah went onto reveal that Mandy’s decision to protect Ella has already divided fans of the soap.

She continued: ‘It’s been really split, and I think that’s what been really nice about this storyline when I was discussing it with the producers is that it will make the audience question how far they will go for their children. 

‘I guess, I’m a mother, and until you’re in a situation where you’re a desperate as Mandy you don’t know what lengths you would go to, your maternal instinct kicks in and of course you would die for your children, you’d do anything to protect them. 

‘I think it’s really torn the audience, I’ve had lots of people saying ”I can’t believe Mandy’s doing this” and ”this is going to ruin her relationshi’p’ and on the flip side Mandy’s protecting Ella and I really feel for her because what else can she do and you can see the desperation there. 

‘It’s been a talking point and I think it will continue to be a talking point for a while yet while people see what lengths she does go to.’

In recent days viewers have seen Mandy resort to blackmailing ex Luke (played by Gary Lucy) to force him to keep quiet about Ella’s involvement in Jordan’s death, by vowing to tell police about his Ollie stealing money to buy drugs.

She said: ‘She knows Luke so well she knows how to push his buttons and how to manipulate him really. 

‘She knows he still cares for her, and I think that is the thing she’s really playing on in all of this, is she’s actually taken a massive risk, she’s opened up to him because they’re close and she couldn’t keep it him any longer, and she’s panicked and is thinking ”how can I work Luke to make this remain a secret?”

Despite the government’s third COVID-19 lockdown, and rival soaps being forced to suspend filming due to coronavirus outbreaks, Hollyoaks has continued to film with strict social distancing guidelines.

Sarah admitted that despite being proud to tackle such a moving storyline, it’s proven difficult to film the scenes while maintaining the distances.

‘What I’ve found really challenging about this storyline is that we can’t have any physical contact and we have to keep a two metre distance and that’s been a real challenge, because maternally all I’ve wanted to do is envelope Ella and cuddle her and protect her and I’ve not been able to do that, so it’s been areal challenge.’

‘But it’s been a good thing because it’s made us think outside the box, there’s been camera trickery to make us look closer together. 

‘Erin’s mum bless has been my hand double a couple of times, putting her hand on a should and stroking her hair so there’s some physical contact, as long as we can keep telling the story. I think it gives another dynamic to Mandy in that, there’s this desperation.’

‘It is different because we’re a very tactile industry, we love a hug so it’s just taking away our natural instincts, but I’m still grateful to get to be around other people on a daily basis when I’m at work, coming home to my husband who’s working from home and hasn’t seen anyone else. 

‘At least we’re still getting or social interaction and that’s made a massive difference to when we weren’t able to work.’

Hollyoaks airs weekdays at 6:30pm on Channel 4. A first look episode airs at 7pm on E4.