Exclusive: Hollyoaks' Brooke Vincent confirms dark times ahead for Abigail

Hollyoaks spoilers follow. This article contains discussion of themes including grooming.

Hollyoaks star Brooke Vincent has confirmed that her character Abigail Matthews' grooming of vulnerable teenager Dee Dee Hutchinson will get darker in the next few weeks, as Abigail is forced to become more discreet about her damaging actions.

Since becoming her teacher at school, Abigail has been forming an inappropriate relationship with Dee Dee after the teenage girl tried to kiss her. However, her manipulations are only just beginning.

Related: Hollyoaks confirms Abigail's sinister next move in huge Dee Dee storyline

Speaking exclusively to Inside Soap, Brooke tells us that Abigail's behaviour is set to get more twisted as she hides it from those who care about Dee Dee.

"At some point in the near future, it’s going to get a bit on top of her, and she’s going to have to start being a bit cleverer about what she’s doing and really thinking things through," teases Brooke. "Her behaviour is hidden in plain sight at the moment, and you’ll get to see a more manipulative, strategic version of Abigail…"

In scenes airing next week, Abigail will continue to manipulate Dee Dee by warning her boyfriend Maddox Keane to stay away from her. However, when Maddox tells Dee Dee what happened, she confronts Abigail.

Later on, at parents evening, Abigail stirs up more trouble when she tells Dee Dee's dad Tony that she needs more tutoring, but she may have an ulterior motive...

"The hard thing with this whole situation is you can look at it one way, as being safeguarding, or you can look at it another way of absolute isolation," Brooke explains. "What she wants to do is differentiate Dee Dee’s relationship with Maddox to her relationship with Abigail.

"So, she likes to play on the fact that Maddox is a young boy, he needs to stay away. Any teacher could say that, the problem is the feelings behind it."

Readers who are affected by the issues raised in this story are encouraged to contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000 (www.nspcc.org.uk). Readers in the US are encouraged to contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline on (1-800-422-4453) or the American SPCC (www.americanspcc.org).

You can access more information from Rape Crisis England and Wales, which works towards the elimination of all forms of sexual violence and sexual misconduct, on its website or by calling the National Rape Crisis Helpline on 0808 802 9999. Rape Crisis Scotland’s helpline number is 08088 01 03 02.

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.