Hollyoaks fans were left gobsmacked as Cleo McQueen tried to flee abusive Abe Fielding’s control for good – but he managed to manipulate her to stay in captivity

Hollyoaks viewers were left on the edge of their seats with a nail-biting cliffhanger involving Cleo McQueen, which had fans “shaking” and “screaming”. The Channel 4 soap recently unveiled a plot twist where Cleo (played by Nadine Mulkerrin), was revealed to have been kept prisoner in a secret bunker for a year by her abusive partner Abe Fielding (portrayed by Tyler Conti) after he duped her into believing she had accidentally killed his mother Marie Field (acted by Rita Simons) who is, in fact, alive in a motorbike accident.

The revelation that her cousin Mercedes McQueen (Jennifer Metcalfe) was struggling with bowel cancer prompted Cleo to attack Abe with a piece of a CD, attempting to break free from the bunker. In the suspenseful episode aired on Wednesday (September 18) via streaming services, the drama peaked as Cleo secured a wounded Abe inside the bunker and made an initial dash for freedom. Yet when confronted with the reality of the external world and a pleading Abe, she hesitated and ultimately returned to the bunker with a first-aid kit to tend to his injuries.

Social media was abuzz with concern and shock from viewers as they watched Cleo turn back, fearing for her welfare as she chose to aid Abe over seizing her chance to escape. One disturbed viewer wrote: “I was shaking when she got out. but … OMG what? ? ? “, while another expressed frustration, commenting: “I was screaming for her to run.”, reports the Daily Star.

Sympathy for Cleos plight was shared by another fan stating: “Poor Cleo hope she gets out of there.” Meanwhile, within the storyline, a desperate Cleo pleaded, “I’ve tried to leave, and I can’t,” adding, “Please will you help me? I’m sorry.”

Concurrently, Marie endeavoured to persuade Joel Dexter (Rory Douglas-Speed) and Leela Lomax (Kirsty-Leigh Poter) that objections to Abes relationship with Peri Lomax (Ruby O’Donnell) are unwarranted.

Marie recalled her support for Joel during his past struggles, saying, “Peri and Abe are perfect for each other,” urging him to recognise their potential.

In a scene with Peri visiting Abe at his residence, she mentioned spotting an ‘ex’ Cleo’s top in his flat. In response to her concern, Abe reassured her, “Listen, you are not a rebound,” he insisted. “You are not a fling. You are not a distraction. I really, really like you, Peri.”

However, trouble brewed when Peri found an injury on Abe’s back, leading him to fabricate a story about a running accident while Cleo was hidden away in the bunker.

The episode’s tension escalated when Abe lashed out at Cleo, blaming her for returning out of guilt, resulting in Cleo taking a dangerous fall.

Meanwhile, the storyline provided viewers with insights into other characters’ fates. Speculation around Lucas Hay’s (Oscar Curtis) absence since the time warp was addressed when Misbah Maalik (Harvey Virdi) informed Ste Hay (Kieran Richardson), post-coma, that Lucas had been sent away due to a violent act towards JJ Osborne (Ryan Mulvey), orchestrated after discovering JJ had harmed his twin sister Frankie Osborne (Isabelle Smith).

Hollyoaks airs Monday to Wednesday on E4 at 7pm and first look episodes can be streamed Channel 4 from 7am