Episode 5675

"Episode 5675"
Hollyoaks episode
Episode no.Episode 5675
Directed byPatrick Robinson
Written byThabo Mhlatshwa
Featured musicBankey Ojo
Editing by
  • Sahil Gill
  • Jake Whiston
Original air dates9 September 2021 (2021-09-09) (E4)
10 September 2021 (2021-09-10) (Channel 4)
Running time60 minutes (including advertisements)
Episode chronology
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Storylines

"Episode 5675" is an episode of the British television soap opera Hollyoaks. The episode focuses on a birthday party for Walter Deveraux (Trevor A. Toussaint) and features an exclusively Black cast. The episode was produced, written and directed by Black creatives – the first of its kind for a British soap opera. The episode formed part of broadcaster Channel 4's Black to Front movement, a day where solely Black-fronted programming was shown. Plans for the episode were initially announced in August 2020 as a response to the protest movement arising from the murder of George Floyd. The episode premiered as a first-look on E4 on 9 September 2021, with its mainstream broadcast following a day later on Channel 4.

On 25 July 2021, the soap announced that production on the episode had commenced, with Thabo Mhlatshwa writing for the episode and Patrick Robinson directing; this marked Robinson's directorial debut for a continuing drama. Clothing for the episode was sourced from local Black-owned businesses and Black musicians were used for the score on the episode, with the production team incorporating both original scores and existing songs. It was also announced that the soap had cast five new Black cast members for the episode, all of whom would appear as series regulars from after the episode had aired. The characters were later confirmed to be Nate Denby (Chris Charles), Pearl Anderson (Dawn Hope), Olivia Bradshaw (Emily Burnett) and DeMarcus Westwood (Tomi Ade), as well as returning character Prince McQueen (Malique Thompson-Dwyer). Jamelia and DJ Target also guest starred in the episode.