Hollyoaks' gay priest Father Kieron Hobbs is to bow out of the show in September.

The character - played by 26-year-old Jake Hendriks - will meet an untimely demise when he is involved in a plot riddled with twists and turns, culminating in his departure from the village.

Speaking of his time with the Channel 4 soap, he said: "It's been an honour to play such an interesting and unusual character and I hope that I've done Father Kieron justice!

"It's been great being part of the family at Hollyoaks and I'd like to thank everyone for making my time here so enjoyable."

Producer Bryan Kirkwood commented: "In a short space of time Jake has won legions of fans for his role as Father Kieron Hobbs."

He added: "It's been a complex role but Jake has proved himself to be an outstanding actor and I hope viewers enjoy the climax to his story."

Hendriks first appeared in Hollyoaks at the beginning of the year and soon became embroiled in a surprising romance with John Paul McQueen (James Sutton) following the departure of Craig Dean (Guy Burnet).

He filmed his final scenes on Tuesday and celebrated his time with the show at the Alma de Cuba bar in Liverpool last night with various members of the cast and crew, along with some of his closest friends.