SOMETHING strange has happened in our house recently - Hollyoaks has gradually become acceptable viewing.

Not so long back I'd have rather watched live Big Brother footage than the mini-skirted students at Chester College (and that's one lower from watching paint dry). But it seems to have inexplicably wormed its way into my affections.

Maybe it's because all the other soaps have gone so rubbish of late (do you know anyone still watching EastEnders and Corrie?) but increasingly I'm finding myself in front of the TV getting the latest on Warren's trial and Hannah's eating disorder.

True, I still don't quite know all the characters' names, but I've discovered it doesn't actually matter.

Watching Hollyoaks is the adult equivalent of playing "house" in junior school when you and your friends make-believed you were adults.

There's the hilariously insensitive treatment of issues (a good example is Hannah's eating disorder which lurches unconvincingly from anorexia and bulemia and is shown by shading in half an inch of grey eyeshadow under her eyes).

There's also the wooden acting, the shouty conversations and, of course, the dramatic over-the-top discussions about "serious" issues.

But I've found it's actually quite a pleasant way to kill half an hour if you need a bit of escapism.