ITV Benidorm stars break silence on show return seven years after final episode

Loose Women was back on TV screens with a new episode on Wednesday (16 April), fronted by , who was joined by Denise Welch, Janet Street Porter and Mariella Frostrup on the panel.

The four panellists welcomed actors Hannah Hobley and Oliver Stokes to the show for a joint interview. The two stars are famed for appearing in hit comedy Benidorm, in which they portrayed siblings Chantelle Garvey and Michael Garvey.

During the discussion, Hannah and Oliver looked back at their time on the ITV series and also revealed what they'd each been up to since Benidrom came off air in 2018.

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The also made sure to quiz the two actors about the show making a comeback after seven years, following many rumours of a return.

Hannah began by saying the show had received so much "love and support" over the rumours, adding: "At the moment, they are just rumours."

The studio audience broke out into a chorus of disappointed sighs, with Charlene then revealing she had a statement from ITV regarding the return of Benidorm in the future.

"ITV say, 'We've spoken to one of our sources over here and there's nothing commissioned yet, but we'll keep our fingers crossed'," she announced, giving everyone some hope.

Elsewhere in the interview, Oliver, 26, spoke fondly of his time playing Michael on Benidorm. He was just eight years old when he cast in the role, and explained how he would spend around three months at a time in Benidorm filming, with a tutor coming to do school work with him for up to five hours per day.

He took a step back from the spotlight after appearing in Benidorm, and told the Loose Women that he'd been focusing on being a father to his son Archie.

Meanwhile, Hannah, 36, admitted that starring in Benidorm still "feels like yesterday" and she is reguarly caught off guard by the ITV series being shown on television despite ending seven years ago.

She has gone on to carve out a career in theatre, while also becoming a mum in 2022 to daughter Beatrice Hobley-Smith.

Benidorm, created by Derren Litten, aired for ten series from 2007 until 2018. The show focuses on an all-inclusive hotel in Spain where the same family holiday each year.

Benidorm featured the likes of Johnny Vegas, Tim Healy, Steve Pemberton and Siobhan Finneran.

Loose Women airs on ITV1 at 12.30pm on weekdays