Jude Monk McGowan relishes playing Hollyoaks’ Liam Donovan because the character can do "unforgivable stuff to people".
The star loves to play the Chester bad boy because he would never contemplate getting up to some of "unleashed" Liam’s awful antics "in real life".
Asked if he enjoys playing a "more sinister" Liam, he said: "Definitely. Liam is fully unleashed, and he doesn’t care what the repercussions are.
"He can do unforgivable stuff to people, which normally you can’t do in real life, which is great play."
One of Liam’s next shock moves will see him kidnap John Paul McQueen (James Sutton) to try to lure his ex James Nightingale (Greg Finnegan) to his Devil’s Dinner Party, which he is putting on to wreak revenge on anyone who has wronged him.
Speaking about his character, Jude said: "He is capable of anything at this point, absolutely anything … he’s capable of inciting other people to do murder.
"He’s capable of murder himself. He’s capable of getting his revenge, come what may, regardless of the repercussions.
"He kidnaps John Paul so he can lure James to The Dog, where the showdown is going to happen, as Liam hosts a Devil’s Dinner Party.
"He’s going to hold him hostage as collateral for James not doing anything stupid."
And Liam is to be embroiled in a showdown with fellow ‘Oaks’ villain Warren Fox (Jamie Lomas) next week.
Jude said: "I think Liam always fancies himself as being able to get out of any situation. Even though he’s on the back foot with Warren, I think he always reckons that he will be smarter than him, and he’ll find a way to out Fox him, as it were."
In real life, Jude recently praised the NHS and everything it’s done to improve his hearing over the years after revealing he was born "half deaf".
He wrote: "I was born half deaf. Without the NHS I wouldn’t have gained my hearing. I have had multiple operations to save my hearing throughout my life – all free.
"In my profession and indeed in almost every other profession, hearing is essential.
"I am overcome with gratitude for what is the greatest institution this country has ever produced."