New boy Newbon: I'm having a blast

Hollyoaks newcomer Neil Newbon makes his debut on the soap this week - but admitted he's unlikely to be tuning in.

The actor plays Brendan Brady's mysterious rival Walker, who unexpectedly arrives in the village tonight (Friday) to stir things up.

But Neil, 35, confessed: "I tend not to watch too much of my own stuff because I get a bit freaked out watching myself on screen. As an actor my job is on set - watching myself back I always find very difficult because I've already had that experience and I've lived it.

"The show is for the audience - I don't do this for me, I do it for the audience. I find it better to hear people's reactions. I do a lot of theatre and on stage you never get to see your own performance back and I kind of like that."

Neil, whose shady character will also cause trouble for Joel, played by Andrew Still, said he's been loving his time on the soap.

"It's a massive ensemble cast, but it's very much like a family and you get very quickly assimilated into it in a lovely, positive way," he added.

"To be welcomed in the way I have and accepted so quickly has been a lovely and overwhelming experience. I'm having a blast."

And the star remained tight-lipped on how long he'll be sticking around on Hollyoaks.

"I'm going to stay as long as the character needs me to stay. I'm not going away anytime soon," he teased.