Ste and Leah set out to expose James over Rex’s death in Hollyoaks – but he has a surprise ally

| Deputy Soaps Editor Published August 17, 2026 11:59pm James is under suspicion once more for Rex’s murder (Picture: Lime Pictures) James Nightingale (Gregory Finnegan) faces more suspicion over Rex Gallagher’s (Jonny Labey) death in Hollyoaks next week, prompting him to seek help from an unexpected source. The much-loved show lawyer, who staged an almighty return to the village earlier this year, has found himself prime suspect number one after love rival Rex was shot dead at the garage last month. James has professed his innocence on numerous occasions, but despite this Ste remains adamant that his ex had a role to play in the demise of his husband. There has been conflict aplenty between the former flames in recent weeks and Leah Barnes’ (Charlotte Alex Riley) wedding led to more, with the bride-to-be wanting stepdad James there, against Ste’s wishes. In the week after the wedding, more drama follows, with new spoilers confirming that James visits the Lomax residence, much to the disdain of Ste, who is horrified to see the lawyer under his roof. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. Without wasting a second, Ste gives James his marching orders and later confiding in Leah that he reckons James had more to do with Rex’s death than he’s letting on. In a bid to find out once and for all, the chef enlists help from Leah, hoping she’ll do some digging. James, meanwhile, remains hopeful that he can win back Ste’s affection and goes to Beth Keane (Rebecca Ryan) for assistance on the matter. James’ presence at the Lomax residence doesn’t go down too well with Ste (Picture: Lime Pictures) In subsequent scenes, James heads to Ste’s with flowers in hand – but will his gift be received well? We’ll just have to wait and see but in the aftermath of his grand gesture, James marches over to Weirside View to speak to Beth – only to find Jonah (Matthew Wolfenden) instead. The pair ultimately bond. Ste blames James for Rex’s demise (Picture: Lime Pictures) Ste, meanwhile, is taken aback when Ro Hutchinson (Leo Cole) plans a memorial for Rex and the village gathers to support him. Elsewhere, Cindy Cunningham (Stephanie Waring) is on a mission to find out who set her up for Rex’s demise, posing as a taxi driver to pick up a mystery man named Xander from the gym. When Xander arrives, Cindy confronts him, wanting to know why his dad Martin blamed her for Rex’s death. But will she get answers? Deals of the Day Parents can save up to 30% on Kickers school shoes ahead of the new term The back-to-school hack that's helping parents avoid queues and sold-out sizes Could your hair be wavy rather than straight? This brand thinks so Could your star sign improve your skincare routine? This new beauty launch thinks so Best skincare for menopausal skin? This dermatologist-created treatment is tailored to you 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: Stephanie Waring accidentally leaks huge Hollyoaks spoiler as three icons disappear Arrow MORE: Another massive Hollyoaks twist as second character is shot dead in less than a week Arrow MORE: Hollyoaks star Jonny Labey breaks silence on Rex death as he confirms exit The Soaps Newsletter – Weekly Sign up for exclusive spoilers and interviews, handpicked by our Soaps Editor.