When soap star Brooke Vincent first heard of the upcoming grooming storyline in Hollyoaks, she knew it was important story she wanted to help tell.
After leaving the role of Sophie Webster on Coronation Street after 17 years, it promised the opportunity to play a completely different role as teacher Abigail Matthews.
“When I did my audition, it was very much set in stone the kind of story it was going to be,” said Vincent who grew up in Tameside, Greater Manchester.
“To be honest, it was that that made me really want it.
“Obviously, when you do auditions, you want the job, but I think with this one, it was just something that I just felt was such an important story to be told.”
In a long-running storyline, teenager Dee-Dee Hutchinson, played by Chloe Atkinson, has grown close to the Hollyoaks High teacher played by Vincent.
Dee-Dee is unaware of the legal boundaries between adults in positions of authority and young people.
And, in a dark twist, they are currently preparing to start a new life together abroad.