Episode 5569 is an episode of Hollyoaks which aired on Thursday 15th April 2021.
Synopsis
Grace and Martine go to the hospital for their cancer screenings, but their experiences are very different.Plot
Martine is unable to sleep. She looks at cancer statistics for black women. Celeste is horrified when Martine reveals her plans to avoid the appointment, and demands that she goes. Martine, however, plans to prioritise her Dee Valley Businesswoman of the Year interview. Grace stresses over her hospital appointment, but Felix is optimistic. Martine and Grace receive their magazines in a post, containing a make-up test sample. The pair open the magazines and the test samples, but Martine cannot use the foundation as it is for lighter skin.
Martine accidentally cuts her finger on the magazine, and has to use a sticking plaster. She is unhappy by the way it sticks out on her finger due to the lighter colour. Felix leaves Grace to meet with Martine, and promises to leave her for Martine after Grace gets the all clear. She is annoyed when he says that Grace is a princess who needs looking after, whilst Martine is a "black queen". Delivery driver Alan arrives with stock for The Loft and Price Slice. He assumes that Grace runs both businesses, and is quick to say that he "didn't mean anything by it" when corrected.
Martine and Grace meet with Dee Valley Businesswoman of the Year interviewer Patsy, but Patsy is more polite towards Grace than Martine. Martine takes offence by Patsy's rudeness, and even more so when Patsy says that they have a lot of "diverse candidates" so Martine needs to stand out from the rest. Felix tells Martine that Celeste has called him, so he will be making sure that she attends the appointment. Grace also arrives at Dee Valley University Hospital and warns Martine to stay away from Felix. Peri tells Misbah that she has double-booked Grace and Martine. When Grace starts to get upset, Peri decides to send Grace in and give Martine an appointment tomorrow. She gets annoyed, and Peri asks her to stop being aggressive.
Martine receives an email from Patsy with her interview questions. Felix waits in the hospital waiting room for Martine, but encounters Grace and lies that he's there for her. Martine answers Patsy's email, and decides to answer the "day in your life" question with full honesty about unconscious bias whilst recalling the day's events. Martine calls Felix and tells him that she wants him. She has decided that if she wants it, she is going to take it.Cast
Regular Cast
Guest Cast
Music
| Song | Performer | Circumstance |
|---|---|---|
| "Blk Girl Soldier" | Jamila Woods | Martine and Grace receive their magazines in a post, containing a make-up test sample. The pair open the magazines and the test samples, but Martine cannot use the foundation as it is for lighter skin. Martine accidentally cuts her finger on the magazine, and has to use a sticking plaster. She is unhappy by the way it sticks out on her finger due to the lighter colour. |
| "FREEDOM" | Beyoncé & Kendrick Lamar | Martine calls Felix and tells him that she wants him. She has decided that if she wants it, she is going to take it. |
Quotes
Martine Deveraux (internal monologue): "You asked me what a day in the life for a woman like me is really like. Okay, just bare in mind a lot of people can be very fragile when it comes to hearing the truth. So, a day in the life of someone like me means... constant tedious micro-aggressions, constant judgement, constantly having to prove myself. I mean, I like my job but sometimes I wonder: where could I be if there wasn't so many barriers. The most tiring thing about these micro-aggressions is that they are so subtle, so covert. It's hard to prove. When it comes to the impact unconscious bias is having on black lives - black women's lives - the stats speak for themselves. Being a black woman means knowing that no matter how early you get up in the morning, you never really get a head start. Because the game is already rigged. And it's not in your favour. It means wondering if they say, y'know, "free sample for every woman who buys this magazine", what they really mean is "free sample for all our white readers 'cause honey, your dark skin doesn't match up to our idea of what beauty is." When he says..."
Felix Westwood (flashback): "You're a strong, independent black queen."
Martine Deveraux (internal monologue): "...you think about how black women are so often denied pain relief in hospital because so many people genuinely believe we don't feel pain the way others do. When your delivery driver is shocked to discover you're in a managerial position..."
Alan (flashback): "I'm so sorry about that, love. I didn't mean anything by it."
Martine Deveraux (internal monologue): "...and then there's you. And I would ask you to just think about how you treated me in comparison to the white women you interviewed this week. Was there something about them you just liked more from the off? A gut feeling you just didn't get when you looked at me? But don't worry Patsy, you're not the only problematic person in this town. And you're not even the only one I've had to deal with today."
Peri Lomax (flashback): "Will you just... calm down a bit please and stop being so aggressive?"
Notes
General
- Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, this episode was filmed with social distancing rules in place - including actors playing family members/roommates.
| April 2021 Episodes | ||
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| 2021 Episodes |
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