Hollyoaks star shares emotional Nana McQueen update
The soap has never said a final farewell to the popular character.
Hollyoaks‘ iconic McQueen clan have experienced their fair share of loss during their time on the E4 soap, but there’s one family member they simply aren’t ready to say goodbye to.
A year and a half after Diane Langton’s death, Nicole Barber-Lane – who plays family matriarch Myra – became emotional while offering an update on Nana McQueen’s future, telling us: “If you want the honest truth, well…”
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After pausing for a moment, she continued: “Sorry, I think this is the problem. I think she was so loved it’s really difficult to put a full stop on her.
“We’ve still got all her stuff in the costume department, we haven’t taken it down. I think we’re still processing.”
Diane sadly passed away in January 2025, and Hollyoaks paid tribute to her on screen two months later with an emotional post-credits sequence.
In the fictional world of the show, though, Diane’s character Nana McQueen lives on as she’s staying with her family in Alicante, so there hasn’t been a final farewell to the fun-loving grandmother.
Meanwhile, Nicole – who first appeared on the E4 soap in 2006 – has become more of a recurring cast member in recent years, which she says suits her.
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“I boomerang. I go in, I go out, which is lovely and I’m getting the chance to have a great balance of home life and work life,” she explained. “It’s quite perfect for me at the moment so I’m really quite pleased with it.
“I’m a grandparent, I’m so happy. I’m called ‘NiNi’ and my grandson Miles has just turned one so that’s beautiful. I’ve got a lovely partner Dave and he takes care of me and all of the kids as well.”
She also joked about what her beloved character, who splits her time between the village and Spain, gets up to when she’s not on screen. “Myra is a secret DJ in Ibiza,” she laughed. “She does [nightclub brand] Pacha – she’s MC McQueen.”
Nicole praised executive producer Hannah Cheers, revealing why she’s enjoying Hollyoaks‘ new direction and the chance to share scenes with characters that Myra wouldn’t usually interact with.
“She’s mixing us with lots of different characters that you wouldn’t usually see together so it’s interesting,” Nicole added. “I’m having a really good time.”
