page_title: Mercedes McQueen
section_title: Kidnap by Silas Blissett and prostitution
hierarchical_section_title: Mercedes McQueen / Development / Kidnap by Silas Blissett and prostitution
caption_attribution_description: British actor Jeff Rawle at the Kew Fair Dog Show, where he was a judge. The photographer and author of this image is Richard Harris.
context_page_description: Mercedes McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera, Hollyoaks, played by Jennifer Metcalfe. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 19 June 2006 as the first character to be introduced to the series by series producer, Bryan Kirkwood. In 2008 Metcalfe feared that the character was to be axed but was later reassured by the series producer that she would not be. Metcalfe later stated her intention to stay with the series. Mercedes is part of the McQueen family and is the longest serving McQueen on the series. On 26 August 2014, it was revealed that Metcalfe had decided to quit the soap. On 18 November 2014, Mercedes was presumably stabbed to death, with her body discarded. However, Metcalfe returned to screens on 17 February 2015 in a surprise, unannounced twist which saw Mercedes revealed as alive and well, living in Nice, France. It was announced that Mercedes would make a full-time return to the show in May 2015, after brief appearances on 18 February 9 March, and 6 April. Metcalfe announced her pregnancy in 2017 and revealed that she would be taking a year's break from the show.
context_section_description: On 16 October 2011, it was revealed that Mercedes' next storyline, following straight on from her wedding to Riley, would focus on her kidnapping by Riley's serial killing grandfather, Silas Blissett (Jeff Rawle). On Mercedes' wedding day to Riley, Silas kidnapped her in a "shock storyline twist" after Mercedes revealed her affair with Carl. This storyline was for Rawle who had announced his story climax and departure from the series in August 2011. Metcalfe had previously teased that Mercedes might have to watch her back around Silas in the future. Silas planned to hold Mercedes until after she gave birth. According to Metcalfe in a Digital Spy interview, Mercedes felt "pure fear" throughout her ordeal and that she "thinks that she's going to die and she fears that her baby will die too". Metcalfe opined that viewers would see Mercedes "go through different emotions" during her ordeal, explaining that she went from "begging", to "breaking down crying", to exhaustion. She added that the storyline was "a little bit" dark, but did not reveal whether or not Mercedes would survive her kidnapping. Metcalfe also stated that a special set was built in which the kidnapping scenes were filmed over five days.
  On 19 December 2011, it was announced by Digital Spy that Mercedes would put her difficult year behind her and Lynsey would become a source of support for Mercedes. It was revealed that Mercedes would be tempted when a "charming doctor arrives on the scene and shows her the benefits of 'selling her services'". Mercedes began working as an escort; Metcalfe explaining, "Mercedes signs up with an escort agency to try to earn some quick cash. She reckons it's the only thing she'll ever be good at, but it's clear that she hasn't stopped to think it all through".
  While Mercedes is on an escorting job, Lynsey confronted her and tried to convince Mercedes not to go through with it. Metcalfe told an Inside Soap reporter that this left Mercedes "devastated" as she has "built up the courage to go through with it". Metcalfe went onto tease that things will get "darker" for her character. Mercedes became depressed and her sister Jacqui decided to help her. Mercedes attempted to seduce Jacqui's husband Rhys Ashworth (Andrew Moss), who told Jacqui. Cooper said Jacqui "knows what state of mind" Mercedes was in and "lays into" Mercedes, who revealed she has been working as a prostitute. Cooper explained Jacqui's reaction is "pretty harsh" and that she thought Mercedes was a "promiscuous tart and a pathetic excuse for a woman" with "no morals". Cooper said Jacqui had "given Mercedes chance after chance, and feels that she doesn't deserve anything more".
  In another twist Mercedes discovered that Silas would not be put on trial and would instead be put in an institute for the insane. Metcalfe said this left her alter ego feeling "very let down" as a trial would be the opportunity for Mercedes to "tell the world about the terrible things Silas did and make sure that he got punished". She went on to say that Mercedes felt like Silas was "getting away with it". Metcalfe explained that Mercedes feared that Silas would escape and explained that Mercedes never recovered from her ordeal but did what she usually did: "put it in a box and tried to forget about it. If Mercedes dwelt on all the bad things she's been through, she'd go crazy. That box must be full now".
  Metcalfe told Katy Moon from Inside Soap that to forget about the situation Mercedes "wants to feel numb" and as a means of "escape" she called Doctor Browning, which left her feeling "awful". Metcalfe explained that Mercedes was in "self destruct mode" and she "hates herself" for having sex with Doctor Browning, although she does not take money this time. Metcalfe justified Mercedes' actions by saying Mercedes was "looking for any distraction, any way to escape her demons". Metcalfe told a journalist from The Sun's magazine TV Buzz that Mercedes believes Doctor Browning "will help her move on" with her ordeal. Mercedes took a business man back to her hotel room where "things end badly"; she 
caption: Jeff Rawle (pictured) played Mercedes' kidnapper, Silas Blissett.
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