Hollyoaks legend Jeremy Sheffield has opened up on the

“difficult atmosphere” brewing on set amid major shake-ups.

The soap is facing a whirlwind of changes, not only behind the scenes

but also in its broadcast strategy, transitioning from Channel 4 to E4 and YouTube,

while waving goodbye to 20 cast members and slashing its weekly episode count from five to three.

Opening up to the Daily Star’s Hot TV column, James confessed: “Everyone understands why things have to happen. But obviously people are losing their jobs, so it’s tough. People are having to rethink their livelihoods. There’s a difficult atmosphere. It’s tough for everyone. It’s a big change.”

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With the show undergoing such a transformation, the pressure is mounting on the remaining stars to deliver top-notch performances, as they’re keen to “want to do as best [they] can” to keep the beloved soap thriving.

Jeremy elaborated: “There is pressure. We are making a big change so there is a lot riding on this. You have to be really good. You always want to do as best you can for the show and that feels highlighted now.”

Eight years after his character Patrick Blake met his demise, the 58-year-old actor is making a comeback, not as a ghostly Patrick, but as his brother Jez. Despite the current challenges, Jeremy hinted at an underlying buzz about the potential improvements these changes could usher in for Hollyoaks.

The comic chimed in: “The hope is it’ll be tighter and we’ll be able to delve into storylines in a more complex way. So people are excited about that.”

The TV show – which shifted to prioritizing digital platforms last September after transitioning from Channel 4 to solely airing on E4 and online streaming platforms – plans to cut two episodes from September this year. However, the newly appointed executive producer Hannah Cheers is positive about what lies ahead.

In her recent statement, she voiced: “‘Hollyoaks offers a unique proposition: bold, escapist, relatable, youth-skewing and multi-generational stories, told in its innovative and technicolour signature style. The show continues to bring people together by making them feel something, and everything. Approaching its 30th anniversary in 2025, ‘Hollyoaks’ matters just as much now as it did at its trailblazing launch.”