James stages bold and triumphant Hollyoaks return at last – and there’s a change

James Nightingale is back where he belongs (Picture: Lime Pictures) James Nightingale (Gregory Finnegan) was never going to return to Hollyoaks quietly and his long-awaited comeback scenes don’t disappoint – fitting for a character of his calibre. The much-loved show lawyer, as viewers know,gloriously returned from the dead last year to surprise husband Ste Hay (Kieron Richardson), who was staggered to say the least. After saving Ste from jail time – rekindling their romance in the process – and proving to be a support for Lucas Hay (Oscar Curtis) who was behind bars, James quietly disappeared after his ex chose to be with Rex Gallagher (Jonny Labey) instead. But in the wake of Rex’s demise, James is set to stage an almighty return! And it seems he’s back properly this time, revealing that he is, in fact, alive to the entire village on the day of Leah Barnes’ (Charlotte Alex Riley) houseboat warming party. Talk about making an entrance! Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. In upcoming scenes, Leah suggests a party as a way to properly celebrate her and Imran Maalik’s (Ijaz Rana) moving into the boat. This will be the third event Leah has thrown since her comeback and she hopes it will cheer everyone up in the village. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video As the party gets underway, the couple survey their kingdom from up top as Imran delivers a speech. James, meanwhile, decides the housewarming party is the perfect event for him to stage his comeback – and he returns with a new air of confidence. Leela Dexter (Kirsty-Leigh Porter) is suspicious of James’ reappearance and grows determined to find out what exactly has led to it. Passion recently ensued between James and Ste – how will Ste react to James’ return? (Picture: Lime Pictures) The question is: is she correct? Is there more to James’ return than meets the eye? What specifically is it that left him certain now was the right time to emerge from the shadows? And just how will Ste, who is grieving the loss of his beloved Rex, feel about James being back in the village – and potentially back in his life? The recent Summer Trailer confirmed more passion for the duo, so is Ste deciding to give things between himself and James another go? Deals of the Day Wuka launches the UK’s first period-proof swimwear for heavy flows Bridgerton fans are rushing to buy these new Netflix-inspired perfumes now £12 off The affordable summer wardrobe update you'll wear from rooftop drinks to beach holidays The £7.99 lip balm beauty fans love for glossy, hydrated lips just dropped four new shades This Keskine hydrogel mask could fix your summer skin Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 6am on Channel 4’s streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4. If you’ve got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@metro.co.uk – we’d love to hear from you. Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage. Arrow MORE: Hollyoaks star confirms surprise new Lucas ‘romance’ as he stages return Arrow MORE: Major Hollyoaks exit ‘sealed’ as key character feared dead The Soaps Newsletter – Weekly Sign up for exclusive spoilers and interviews, handpicked by our Soaps Editor.