Hollyoaks Hollyoaks' Jen: 'I like Mercy playing the field'

Hollyoaks' Jennifer Metcalfe tells Soaplife that there's no happy ending in store for Mercy and Riley - especially after baby Bobby's real dad is revealed

Mercedes is convinced she's going to win Riley back. She believes baby Bobby is his and they'll be a happy little family soon... then Riley demands a paternity test. "At first she doesn't want to do it. But then she sees it as the way back. She can't see how Riley can turn his back on the pair of them if he is Bobby's father," says Jennifer. But then she never expected him to turn his back on her in the first place...

How is Mercedes coping with being a single mum?
"She's back at the McQueens' with Bobby when she should be in that enormous house with a swimming pool with Riley. How do you think she's feeling? She's a bit depressed I'd say."

Is she a good mum?
"Mercy has taken to the baby quite well, but I think that's because she thinks she's going to get Riley back."

How's she going to do that?
"She's got all these little ploys. She turns up with the baby unannounced and says stuff like, 'What a lovely family we are'. Then when Riley turns up at hers she bans him from seeing the baby."

Does she regret confessing to her affair with Carl?
"She does now! Mercy didn't think about the consequences at the time. She never does. She thought Riley would forgive her for sleeping with his father because they love each other."

Then Riley demands a paternity test...
"Yes. Mercy's not happy about it. In her head the baby is Riley's and she doesn't want it to be proved otherwise."

But then she thinks the paternity test will help. How?
"If Bobby is Riley's then she thinks Riley's heart will melt... He won't be able to resist because of one silly mistake."

What about Carl? Would he and Mercedes get together if Bobby is his?
"Carl knows about the test, but both he and Mercedes have realised what they did was disgusting and they have put it to bed, even though there's still a lot of chemistry between them. A resumption of the affair is definitely not on the cards at the moment."

Is there a happy ending in store for Mercedes and Riley?
"Not at the moment. I think it could all end in tears."

What would you like to see happen?
"I'd like to see Riley and Mercy get back together and try again, but you have to remember that this is soap. And I do quite like playing Mercy when she's on her own and exploring other men... That's when she's at her best!"