Ki Griffin becomes a full-time cast member of Hollyoaks

Ki Griffin is set to play Ripley Lennox after becoming a full-time member of the \'Hollyoaks\' cast.

The soap\'s newest character is a friend of Tom Cunningham and is set to work at a second-hand clothes store at the Cunningham\'s Grand Bazaar.

Ripley will form a friendship with the teenagers from the village, including the likes of Peri Lomax, Yasmine Maalik, and Romeo Quinn.

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The character actually made a brief on-screen appearance back in July, but has now been added to the long-running soap - which has resumed filming following the coronavirus lockdown - as a full-time cast member.

News of Ki\'s casting was confirmed shortly after Gemma Atkinson admitted she would love to return to \'Hollyoaks\' to "cause havoc in the village".

The 35-year-old actress got her big break on the Channel 4 soap in 2001 when she joined as Lisa Hunter, and while she wouldn\'t be able to make a permanent return due to her Hits Radio show, Gemma would be up for a short stint on the programme.

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She said: "I would always return to \'Hollyoaks\'.

"It\'s because of that show I\'m where I am today and have been able to do so much stuff since, it was my platform, my learning curve into the acting world and I\'m so grateful to them.

"I couldn\'t do it long term as I love my job hosting the drive time show for Hits Radio.

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"We broadcast nationally across the UK but from Manchester so I get to be at home, which I love. But I\'m sure Lisa could pop back for a few weeks to cause some havoc in the village."

One of Gemma\'s biggest storylines aired in 2002 when episodes centred on Lisa self-harming, and the actress still feels "extremely proud" of the plot.

She said: "No TV show had ever done that storyline and it brought awareness to something a lot of people deal with. \'Hollyoaks\' took the risk and it paid off and helped so many which I\'m extremely proud of."