“In my head, Abe’s been manipulating her over the past year.”

Hollyoaks spoilers follow.

Hollyoaks star Ruby O’Donnell has addressed the disturbing relationship between her character Peri Lomax and Abe Fielding.

The Channel 4 soap recently jumped a year ahead in time, revealing that Peri and Abe have got together after his control of Cleo McQueen was exposed. On the surface, Abe has been attending therapy, but in secret he is keeping Cleo locked up.

In scenes set to air tomorrow, Abe proposes to Peri after making them a romantic meal. Speaking to Inside Soap magazine, O’Donnell explained that Peri is “utterly floored” by his proposal.

“We’re not sure how long they’ve been together through the time-jump,” she said, “but Peri thinks this is way too soon. They’re not even really out in public yet.

“But then in Hollyoaks terms, it’s very normal to be proposed to this quickly! For most people, it would be a flat ‘No!'”

When asked about their relationship more generally, the actor said that she was “shocked” when she first found out that Peri and Abe were being paired up.

“I wasn’t expecting it at all,” she explained. “In my head, Abe’s been manipulating her over the past year to think that Cleo was the bad one in their relationship, and she believes him.”

She also explained that Peri likely feels like her mum Leela is just “jealous” of the relationship, as she “isn’t as happy as Peri”, even though she is “just being protective – and rightly so!”

Hollyoaks airs on Mondays-Wednesdays with its Channel 4 streaming premiere at 7am, then an E4 broadcast the same night at 7pm. Full episodes are also released on YouTube a week after their Channel 4 release.