Niamh Blackshaw is looking forward to getting rid of her ‘Hollyoaks’ character’s side ponytail later this year.
The 20-year-old star has admitted it makes her feel like teen Juliet Nightingale when she puts her hair into a side ponytail, but her alter-ego is set to change up her tresses in 2020 as she becomes further embroiled in a county lines plot, and the actress is "excited" about the new look.
Niamh said: "I’ve been dark before, so I don’t mind doing it again, it’ll just be nice to get rid of the side ponytail! [laughs].
"I’m excited for me and Juliet to have a change. When I put my hair in a side ponytail, it immediately makes me feel like a young teen, but as soon as Juliet starts to look a bit older, she will then become older. I think people are going to look at her and treat her differently too."
Juliet’s feelings for Peri Lomax (Ruby O’Donnell) also look set to grow as the year progresses.
Niamh added: "We’ve filmed the seeds of it. The way Juliet interacts with Peri suggests that her feelings are more than platonic.
"Peri is still very oblivious to Juliet’s feelings, she thinks that Juliet’s just this little kid that’s going out with her foster brother, Sid.
"It’s not even hit Peri yet but for Juliet things are moving forward."
The county lines plot has seen Juliet targeted by Sid Sumner’s (Billy Price) drug dealer cousin Jordan Price (Connor Calland), and Niamh admitted her character’s vulnerability and naivety make her the "perfect" target.
She explained: "She’s very confident and witty, she knows what to say and how to play the game. Having the gift of the gab is good in certain situations but not in this instance, it just makes her the perfect person to put this pressure on because she can handle it.
"Also, because of her childhood, she’s very experienced and informed.
"She’s also very easy to manipulate. Juliet cuts off her family and she thinks she’s in control, but she’s not – she’s very vulnerable and naïve and that’s the perfect mixture."
Niamh Blackshaw looking forward to Hollyoaks hair change
