John Paul McQueen
Encyclopedia
John Paul McQueen is a fictional character
from the British
Channel 4
soap opera
Hollyoaks
, played by James Sutton
. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 6 September 2006; his storylines have significantly revolved around his sexuality, evolving from the initial denial of his homosexuality
, to the pursuit and relations with best friend Craig Dean
, the storyline gained a fanbase and garnered them "supercouple
status". The storyline received acclaim from LGBT rights charity Stonewall
. John Paul later has a relationship with a priest, Kieron Hobbs. In 2008, Sutton quit the serial and his character received a "sunset ending" with Craig, which was promised for fans by executive producer Bryan Kirkwood
.
), his mum (Myra
), and no father. He is characterised as smart, witty, and not afraid to stand up for himself and his beliefs. Sutton described his portrayal of John Paul's personality as different and similar to his own. "He’s very, very quick to take [offence] sometimes," Sutton relayed. "He’s a bit up and down, so that’s a side of him I’m not too keen on, but he’s also very sensitive and loving and he cares a lot about his family and his friends and that side of it is very true to me as well and that’s kind of what I kind of brought to the table." Sutton stated that he had no trouble portraying a gay
character because he had "spent a good part of [his] youth [in the theater] and there were a lot of openly gay men".
When detailing insight he gained about the gay community
while portraying John Paul, Sutton stated, "My character was straight
when I first started so I had to do the whole sort of questioning your sexuality
and finding out who you are and what you’re about and what your likes are and what your sexual preferences are, so I got a real insight from the storyline and just how hard it is." Sutton cited that John Paul "was very, very lucky in that his family were pretty much all supportive". Further detailing his character's personality and how he did not want John Paul to be a gay stereotype
, Sutton revealed, "I was very, very keen to make this character a straight-acting gay man. He’s just a normal guy, like any other guy. He plays football. He likes music. He likes going out. He likes all the same things that straight men like. He just happens to like blokes, and that’s it." It was a joint effort by the writers and Sutton to characterise the character this way. "We kind of met in the middle and that was the path we wanted to go down," stated Sutton. "I think it was really important for people to see because, like I say, even now, especially older generations, often in my mind view the stereotype of the gay man as this kind of screaming queen with glitter and all that kind of … feather boa
s and glitter and you know, Danny La Rue
."
In 2008, Sutton decided to leave the role of John Paul, stating that it was not an easy decision to make. "I’m twenty-five-years old and I’ve done this character for two years now," he cited, "and I feel like I’ve made my mark and I’ve got to get off my soapbox now. I kind of feel like I’m ready to take a risk before I hit 30 and realize that actually I’ve missed my opportunity. A calculated risk."
; his first scenes involve saving Craig from a beating by bully Sonny Valentine
; John Paul sets of the fire alarm, and this causes John Paul and Craig to become close friends. John Paul does not get along with Sonny.
With some pressure from Craig, John Paul begins dating schoolmate Hannah Ashworth
, and, somewhat reluctantly on John Paul's part, the pair eventually end up sleeping together. However, they split up when John Paul reveals that he is harbouring affections for someone else, which is mistakenly believed to be Craig's girlfriend, Sarah Barnes
. Though John Paul and Hannah reconcile and become a romantic pairing once more, their romantic relationship soon comes to an end for good.
After John Paul struggles for some time with the truth that he is gay, it is eventually revealed that he has romantic feelings for Craig. John Paul initially tries to hide his feelings for Craig and has sex with girlfriend Hannah again. At her 18th birthday party, he breaks up a fight between Craig and Rhys Ashworth
when Craig sees Sarah kissing Rhys, and shouts that she is not good enough for Craig. He runs outside in tears and when Craig confronts him, John Paul confesses that he is in love with him.
On reflection, John Paul is horrified at what he has confessed, and tells Craig that he is sorry and will leave him alone. Craig, however, refutes this idea, telling him that he is the best friend he has ever had and does not want that friendship to end. John Paul and Craig share a drunken kiss at a school dance-off competition which is seen by Hannah, who, in shock, tells everyone at the dance. The next day, Hannah goes to confront John Paul, and he tells her that he is gay and is in love with Craig; the drunken kiss has the added side effect of temporarily ending Craig and Sarah's relationship. John Paul comes out to his family, receiving support from all of his sisters, except Mercedes (who has a homophobic reaction to the news and accuses him of trying to steal her boyfriend) and Michaela (who is worried about her reputation at school), and reluctant support from his mother.
After a confrontation with Sonny over his sexuality, John Paul comes out to his classmates and informs them that if they have a problem with his sexuality, they can take it up with him. However, following this event, during a 5-a-side football practice with Sonny and Craig, John Paul is teased and bullied by Craig, who eventually attacks John Paul physically. John Paul punches Craig and, after a violent threat to anyone else who wishes to bully him, runs off. Later, Craig feels remorse for how he treated John Paul and wants to talk it through with him. John Paul makes it clear that Craig is no longer his friend and does not accept his apology.
In early 2007, John Paul embarks on a relationship with Spike, a DJ whom he met during his sister Jacqui's wedding reception. However, Hannah is still believing herself to be in love with John Paul, purposefully sabotages the pairing's first date (which takes place at The Dog in The Pond). Spike and John Paul share their first kiss after a DJ competition at The Dog in The Pond and gradually, in spite of John Paul's fears, their relationship becomes sexual, as well as being strengthened by Spike meeting (and getting along well with) John Paul's family. However, John Paul and Spike's relationship is the source of much jealousy from Craig, who immediately takes a disliking to Spike and grows furious when John Paul tries to speak about his fears about having sex with Spike.
During his exams in May 2007, Craig has trouble concentrating, as all he can think about is John Paul and Spike. Storming out of the exam, he goes to John Paul's house. After talking with each other, Craig is frustrated and in tears, he reveals his true feelings and they sleep together. Afterward, however, Craig gets out of bed and shouts homophobic
obscenities before storming out. Subsequently, Craig's relationship with Sarah begins to deteriorate, as Craig struggles with his apparent homosexual tendencies. Unwilling to "come out
", Craig concludes that he is not gay, stating instead that he only has romantic feelings for John Paul rather than actually being gay or bisexual
. Craig negotiates an uneasy few months with Sarah, a situation further exacerbated by Sarah's modeling career, a source of even more jealousy from Craig.
John Paul eventually tells Craig to leave Sarah, and in turn he promises to leave Spike. Whilst John Paul and Spike break up, Craig and Sarah do not, leaving John Paul furious and frustrated. Craig then arranges a last minute get-away for Sarah, without telling John Paul. Angry and upset, John Paul writes a letter to Frankie Osborne
saying that he has been sleeping with her son and that he is sorry that she had to hear about it from him. Later, once he has calmed down and realises his mistake, he manages to retrieve it with Spike's help. Despite no longer being a couple, Spike still offers John Paul something more causal, but John Paul quickly realises he no longer has romantic feelings for Spike (despite Craig's betrayal) and tells him it is over for good. When Craig returns from his holiday, and tells John Paul that he still has romantic feelings for him, John Paul snaps back that he has had enough and intends to end it with Craig for good. Despite this, they soon got back together again and the relationship continues in secret.
When Spike finds out about John Paul and Craig's secret relationship, he teases and mocks Craig about it. When Craig confronts him, Sarah overhears and thinks he is having an affair. In an attempt to convince her that he loves her, Craig proposes marriage to Sarah, asking her to keep the engagement a secret. Throughout his engagement, Craig continues to see John Paul (who knows nothing of the engagement) and gives him a watch that once belonged to his grandfather. Once John Paul learns of Craig and Sarah's engagement, he becomes convinced that Craig will never leave Sarah for him. At an impromptu engagement party thrown by Frankie, John Paul and Craig hide upstairs and begin to be intimate. Secretly, John Paul texts Sarah on Craig's phone and tells her to come upstairs. She leaves the party and walks in on the two of them kissing. Completely in shock, Sarah runs downstairs and outs
Craig to the party-goers, leaving John Paul to face the wrath of the Dean family and Mike Barnes
. He later tries to apologise to Sarah, who demands to know the details of the affair. After he tells her, Sarah says that she can never forgive him. John Paul calls Craig a coward for not accepting his sexuality.
Frankie and Sarah make attempts to reconcile the relationship, but it is no use as Craig finally announces to his family that he is in love with John Paul. Craig's announcement leads to a show-down style confrontation between the McQueen family and the Dean family, from which John Paul and Craig run away and discuss their feelings for each other. Craig tells John Paul that he loves him, but denies being gay, saying that it is not about being gay, it is about who you fall in love with, before asking John Paul to come with him to Dublin, an offer which John Paul accepts. As they prepare to leave together, Craig admits to his brother, Jake
, that he is not gay, and he only cares for John Paul. John Paul overhears this and expresses more concern at Craig's reluctance to come out; this is further exacerbated by Craig not being able to bring himself to kiss or hold John Paul at the airport as they wait for the plane to Dublin. Although John Paul loves Craig, he realises that he needs more than to be with a man who cannot even display affection towards him in public. Heartbroken, John Paul returns home, leaving Craig to go to Dublin alone. On Christmas
day 2007, John Paul gets a text from Craig
, wishing him a Merry Christmas, asking him to visit Dublin sometime and that he misses him.
Despite turning the place down originally so that he could go to Dublin with Craig, John Paul decides to enroll at HCC. He soon becomes friends with Katy Fox
, whom he accompanied to the Fresher's Ball, and Summer Shaw
after a pair of knickers fall out of her bag and he returns them to her. While studying in the SU bar, John Paul catches the eye of Jay, who is visiting from Birmingham. After some convincing from Summer, John Paul decides to talk with him. They have an immediate connection and Jay goes back to John Paul's. However, they walk in on Tina and Dom in his bed; at the same time, Myra walks in, adding to everyone's embarrassment, and causing Jay to leave. John Paul accuses Myra of being too possessive and always expecting more from him, yet he is only doing and acting in the same way as his sisters. He decides to move out, and after bumping into Jessica Harris
at college, moves into Elliot's room in the halls until he returns from the Nevada desert in America.
John Paul has a brush with death during his flat warming party. A carbon monoxide leak from the faulty boiler renders John Paul and the other revellers unconscious. Fortunately, he is saved by Danny Valentine
, Mercedes and Justin. John Paul is later forced to move back into his family home when Elliot unexpectedly comes home and claims his room back, which Jess has been sub-letting to John Paul illegally. But John Paul and Elliot become friends following the event, and conspire to disrupt Kris Fisher
's radio show after he gives out some advice to a sexually confused teenager, which John Paul disagrees with. Following a few "pirate radio"-style disruptions, John Paul decides to call it a day before they get caught. However, Elliot almost tells Kris and Sarah that he is responsible for the disruptions, before John Paul takes the credit to save Elliot. A drunken Sarah then blasts John Paul for his lies and "turning [Craig] gay", re-iterating how much she hates him.
In early 2008, Myra McQueen offers her home to the Hollyoaks new young Catholic Priest
, Father Kieron Hobbs, and gives John Paul's room to him without consultation. John Paul meets Robin, a friend of Zak Ramsey
's. Once it has been revealed that Robin is also gay, and John Paul has built up the courage to ask him out, they decide to go on a date together. During the date Kieron sees Robin and John Paul kissing in the toilets at the SU bar. Later, John Paul asks him to keep quiet and not tell Myra, which he agrees to, but she later finds out when Robin starts arguing with Kieron about his relationship with John Paul. Myra confronts John Paul, and John Paul erroneously blames Kieron. When Kieron voices his concerns that Robin is flirting with other men behind John Paul's back, John Paul takes this to mean that Kieron is homophobic. After John Paul finds Robin flirting with other men, he goes home and tells Kieron about it. He says that Kieron would never understand how he feels, leading Kieron to come clean and admit to John Paul that he is gay, too.
John Paul insists Kieron should tell Myra the truth, which Kieron flatly refuses on the basis of it potentially damaging his reputation as a priest. He accuses John Paul of being self-involved, saying that John Paul is a teenage boy who had his own issues. Kieron has made his own choice. Kieron defends his beliefs and informs John Paul of his celibacy
. As Kieron prepares to move out, John Paul apologises and convinces him to stay with them.
During the SU Bar's Charity Fashion Show, some of the male models call in sick, and Carmel convinces Kieron to model, which he agrees to under the condition that John Paul models as well. But unknown to all, a gun siege is taking place at The Dog in The Pond. When the village finds out, the fashion show is cancelled, leaving John Paul and Kieron to clean up. They reward themselves by helping themselves to some beer they found, and as the beer flows, they start to enjoy each other's company more. Drunk, Kieron admits to finding John Paul smart and funny, leading them to share an unexpected kiss, only to be interrupted by a student entering the bar, leaving both men embarrassed. The kiss, however, does not undermine their growing friendship. The day after, they stay at home and play truth or dare, resulting in John Paul going to buy bottles of beer in just his underwear at Drive N Buy.
In March 2008, John Paul attempts to establish an LGBT
society at Hollyoaks College and in a bet, kisses the nearest boy, who ends up stalking John Paul until he lies to get rid of him. During this time, John Paul also texts Kieron to ask him when he is coming back. Kris and Hannah are intrigued by John Paul's new love interest, and joked about it in front of Kieron; Hannah later tells him that John Paul had spoken highly of him. Thinking that John Paul is telling everyone about their relationship, he asks him not to mention him to his friends again.
After finding Kieron baptising
Charlie Dean, he feels that Kieron has a duty to God, that matters more to him than their relationship. John Paul confronts Kieron with his feelings on the matter, and unexpectedly, Kieron expresses his deep feelings to John Paul; in turn, John Paul says that he is frustrated and asks Kieron to go find someone else, but Kieron refuses to acknowledge John Paul's rejection and John Paul walks off, confused.
In late March 2008, Kieron and John Paul, along with Russ, Dom and Kris, participate in the village fun run. After they complete the run they go to the bar for a drink. John Paul leaves for home after being frustrated about the lack of attention Kieron is giving him. Later on, Kieron returns home. This follows with a heated discussion between the two, which ends in a passionate kiss. Some time following, after sleeping together, Kieron leaves John Paul and goes to admit what he has done to Kris; John Paul goes to talk to Hannah, but does not say who it is he has slept with.
The day after he sleeps with Kieron, John Paul tells Kieron that he does not want to pursue a relationship with him, because he does not love him as much as he loved Craig Dean and the relationship is not worth the risk of being an outcast again. Kieron becomes angry that John Paul told him this after he broke his vow of celibacy and moves out of the McQueen household and into Niall Rafferty's flat.
After some time avoiding each other, John Paul and Kieron are forced to work together in the pub quiz at The Dog in The Pond, during which Kieron saves John Paul from humiliation in front of the whole pub. John Paul talks with Kris. After some stern advice, John Paul finally confronts Kieron and tells him he cannot stop thinking about him. After an initial blunder, John Paul and Kieron come to an understanding of the relationship's special situation due to Kieron being a priest, and begin to see each other in secret.
In mid May 2008, John Paul and Kieron are nearly caught by Myra when petting in the McQueen residence. Despite this, Kieron later says that he is the happiest man he has ever been with John Paul. A few days later, the couple go back to Niall's flat, believing that Niall would be out, only to be discovered by Steph and Niall. Steph and Niall agree to keep the relationship a secret, with Steph pointing to her earlier support for John Paul and Craig as proof of her trustworthiness.
John Paul and Mercedes begin arguing over Kieron in sibling rivalry
; John Paul tells Mercedes that he and the priest have had sex. However, Kieron has overheard the conversation and abruptly ends the relationship. The next day John Paul tries to make amends for his actions but Kieron, though no longer angry, feels that he must choose between the Church and John Paul, and chooses the Church. Michaela overhears this conversation between John Paul and Kieron, and has tape-recorded it. She had been sent to Kieron's flat by Niall, who knew that she would find Kieron and John Paul talking there. She later sees Kieron talking to Kris and misconstrues this conversation as she thinks Kieron is cheating on John Paul with Kris. She wants to tell John Paul, but after he brushes her off, she writes an article for the Chester Herald on the Catholic Priest "two-timing" a teenage boy with a crossdressing bisexual. The following day, John Paul is sorry for snapping at Michaela and after he apologizes, she retracts the article. In the mean time, however, their other sister Mercedes - who thinks Kieron has been cheating on John Paul - calls him a hypocrite and hits him. John Paul, after hearing all that has happened, thinks he has lost Kieron, especially when Kieron shows up at the McQueen's sporting a black eye given to him by Mercedes. Unexpectedly, though, Kieron tells John Paul that he is not angry, that John Paul means everything to him and that he loves John Paul more than he loves the Church, and that he is willing to take the risk.
John Paul and Kieron become an official romantic couple, and John Paul wants to tell his mother about their relationship. After drinking in some courage at SUBar, he heads home to tell her. But Myra confides in Father Kieron, still unaware of his relationship with her son, that she has given birth to a baby boy when she was 14 and given him up for adoption at birth by abandoning him at a Catholic church on the behest of her mother. Unbeknown to anyone, this secret older McQueen brother is in fact Niall - who has been plotting to drive the McQueens apart and will use his knowledge of the secret relationship between Kieron and John Paul to separate John Paul from his family.
John Paul and Kieron meet outside the McQueen residence by chance, just after Myra's confession, and Kieron (unable to tell John Paul what Myra told him) convinces him that this is not the right moment to tell his mum about their relationship. A few weeks later, Niall convinces Myra to get the vows for Steph and Max's wedding, that Kieron "left" at home (Niall stole them from his jacket). Myra finds the vows next to a note from Kieron to John Paul. When John Paul enters Kieron's bedroom, fresh from the shower, she puts two and two together. Unable to speak to him, she rushes off to the church but John Paul follows her. In the middle of the wedding, unable to keep still any longer, Myra gets up, accuses Kieron of being a hypocrite and announces to the whole church that Kieron has been sleeping with her son. John Paul rushes home after his mum, trying to explain, while Kieron is in shock and does not know whether he can go on with the wedding. However, Kieron decides to finish the service after Steph, Max and O.B. ask him to. Myra tells John Paul that he is not her son if he carries on with Kieron; John Paul then leaves the McQueen house turning up at Kieron's (and Niall's) flat with bags.
After Tina gives birth to baby Max in dangerous circumstances, Niall convinces Kieron to leave Hollyoaks before he does any more damage to their family. He does temporarily, but returns a week later and is reunited with John Paul. Kieron then surrenders his position as a priest. At the naming ceremony for baby Max, Myra finally begins to warm to the idea of John Paul and Kieron's relationship, and invites Kieron to the party. An argument, however, between Mercedes and Russ over their divorce puts him in an uncomfortable position, and he leaves shortly afterward.
After Kieron points out how much he has given up for John Paul, John Paul proposes and Kieron joyfully accepts. However, a few weeks later, John Paul realises he's too young to get married and begins to feel stifled by Kieron's insistence on pushing forward with the wedding plans. He calls off the engagement on 2 September 2008, shortly before finding out that Craig has returned to the village.
When Craig returns, Kieron witnesses him and John Paul in an intimate embrace outside The Dog in The Pond. Although John Paul insists nothing is going on, Kieron gives John Paul an ultimatum, insisting they get married the following week. When John Paul cannot make that promise, Kieron sadly accepts their relationship is over. After Niall poisons Kieron, John Paul finds him and calls an ambulance, but it is already too late. John Paul is later seen sobbing as Kieron is zipped up into a body bag.
On 2 September 2008, Craig returns and, on reuniting, all John Paul's romantic feelings for him resurface. Kieron is left angry after confronting John Paul. On 5 September, after a confrontation, John Paul admits to Craig he still loves him, and Craig tells him he could never move on with girls in Dublin because John Paul was always on his mind and he always loved him. They make love after a year apart shortly after.
Afterwards, John Paul gets a text from Kieron (actually sent by Niall), saying 'I'm Sorry, love you forever Kx' . John Paul goes over to the flat and finds Kieron dead. He is stunned as he watches Kieron's lifeless body zipped into a body bag.
Shortly after Kieron's death, Craig presents John Paul with a one-way ticket to Dublin with him, leaving John Paul to make the difficult decision whether to stay in Hollyoaks out of respect to Kieron, or leave with Craig and continue their relationship.
John Paul and Niall talk about Niall's problems with Steph and John Paul's dilemma with Craig and handling Kieron's death. Meanwhile, Craig has left a voicemail message on John Paul's phone asking him to meet him outside The Dog in The Pond and give him his decision on whether he will leave with Craig or not. Niall gets to John Paul phone while he's in another room and deletes the message. While talking about their problems, John Paul tells Niall he's going to go and meet Craig and tell him that he still loves him. Niall persuades John Paul to have a drink first and employs the same tactic as he used on Kieron and pours pills into John Paul's beer.
John Paul falls asleep for a short while and when he wakes feels weak, but he still decides to meet Craig. Niall gets up to stop him but finds himself feeling dizzy, it turns out that John Paul had accidentally spilt Niall's beer and replaced it with his unintentionally drugging Niall. Niall makes John Paul leave quickly while he runs to the bathroom to vomit.
John Paul runs to The Dog in The Pond with his bag and misses Craig by half an hour. He returns home and asks his mother what to do, explaining that he did care for Kieron, just not in the same way he loves Craig. His mother's advice leads him to rush to the train station where Craig is getting the train to the Airport. John Paul makes it to the platform just as the train is leaving, but looks across the platforms and sees Craig at another platform. They rush into an embrace and John Paul tells Craig he loves him. Craig kisses him mid-sentence in front of the crowd and a sunset poster, showing that he is no longer afraid to show public affection towards John Paul. John Paul and Craig board the train hand in hand. While the train leaves Craig tells John Paul that when they get to Dublin, John Paul must tell everyone he is Craig's cousin Steve. John Paul looks at Craig in exasperation and Craig smiles, tells him he was joking and they ride the train away while cuddling with each other.
Niall kidnaps John Paul and take him to his family in a church, who he has also kidnapped. Niall shocks everyone by revealing that he has killed Kieron. Before he can do anything else, Niall detonates explosives, blowing the church up. John Paul tries to kill Niall, they work together to save Myra, Niall escapes. Tina dies, John Paul decides to return to Dublin immediately, rather than stay for her funeral. When Craig returns for a holiday with Steph, he reveals that John Paul has been on a couple of drinking benders as he struggles to cope with the after effects of Niall's actions, but tells her their relationship is strong.
, I’m aware that there are people who really, really watch it. I mean I’ve heard from the States and there’s a couple of people who are in the Far East, actually, who regularly post on forums about me and stuff. And that’s just incredible."
Sutton's pairing with actor Guy Burnet
, as John Paul and Craig, has also been successful, winning several LGBT
awards. Sutton stated that he had spoken to young gay men and had e-mail
conversations with people about his character and that it "really" opened his eyes to how difficult it can be and that "there is still prejudice out there and there are still people who are living this." He added, "We call it Middle England way out here. I don’t know what you call it," a reference to Middle America.
When asked how popular his John Paul character is in the United Kingdom
, Sutton relayed, "It’s incredibly, incredibly popular over here, the show. We broadcast an omnibus edition Sunday morning, which every student watches. Right now we’re on five nights a week and it’s an incredibly popular show, especially with young people." Sutton stated that the reaction he and the cast get is "sometimes a bit frightening, but it’s really, really big business". Detailing how recognized he is when walking down the streets of Liverpool
or London
, Sutton revealed, "Oh, pretty recognizable. Pretty recognizable. My girlfriend gets it worse than I do, actually. She gets pushed out of the way by people trying to get to me sometimes. She’s my girlfriend and my official photographer. All these f**king cameras – pardon my language – these camera phones that people have right now. The bane of my existence."
Virgin Media
compiled a list of their "Sexiest soap opera couples", they included John Paul and Craig in the list and stated: "The love affair between the Hollyoaks students gripped viewers so much that they started their own campaign for the pair to ride off into the sunset together. They got their wish, and we like to think that Craig and John Paul are now living happily ever after together in Dublin..."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
, played by James Sutton
James Sutton (actor)
James Sutton is an English television actor, best known for playing the parts of John Paul McQueen in the British Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks and Ryan Lamb in the ITV soap Emmerdale.-Personal life:...
. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 6 September 2006; his storylines have significantly revolved around his sexuality, evolving from the initial denial of his homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
, to the pursuit and relations with best friend Craig Dean
Craig Dean
Craig Dean is a fictional character from the long-running British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Guy Burnet. Burnet has won many of Britain's most prestigious acting awards for this role...
, the storyline gained a fanbase and garnered them "supercouple
Supercouple
A supercouple or super couple is a popular or financially wealthy pairing that intrigues and fascinates the public in an intense or even obsessive fashion...
status". The storyline received acclaim from LGBT rights charity Stonewall
Stonewall (UK)
Stonewall is a lesbian, gay and bisexual rights charity in the United Kingdom named after the Stonewall Inn of Stonewall riots fame. Now the largest gay equality organization not only in the UK but in Europe, it was formed in 1989 by political activists and others lobbying against section 28 of the...
. John Paul later has a relationship with a priest, Kieron Hobbs. In 2008, Sutton quit the serial and his character received a "sunset ending" with Craig, which was promised for fans by executive producer Bryan Kirkwood
Bryan Kirkwood (producer)
Bryan Kirkwood is a Scottish-born British television producer. He was the producer of teen Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks from 2006 until 2009 and has been the executive producer of the BBC soap EastEnders since 2010.- Personal life :...
.
Character development
John Paul McQueen was created in 2006; back story given to the character is that he grew up with five sisters (Jacqui, Mercedes, Tina, Carmel, and MichaelaMichaela McQueen
Michaela McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Hollie-Jay Bowes. Michaela was the first of the McQueen family to be seen on-screen in 2006, when she was credited as Michaela Jones. On 8 June 2010, Hollie-Jay Bowes announced that she had quit...
), his mum (Myra
Myra McQueen
Myra McQueen is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Nicole Barber-Lane. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 19 June 2006 and was introduced by series producer Bryan Kirkwood as part of the McQueen family.-Character development:The...
), and no father. He is characterised as smart, witty, and not afraid to stand up for himself and his beliefs. Sutton described his portrayal of John Paul's personality as different and similar to his own. "He’s very, very quick to take [offence] sometimes," Sutton relayed. "He’s a bit up and down, so that’s a side of him I’m not too keen on, but he’s also very sensitive and loving and he cares a lot about his family and his friends and that side of it is very true to me as well and that’s kind of what I kind of brought to the table." Sutton stated that he had no trouble portraying a gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
character because he had "spent a good part of [his] youth [in the theater] and there were a lot of openly gay men".
When detailing insight he gained about the gay community
Gay community
The gay community, or LGBT community, is a loosely defined grouping of LGBT and LGBT-supportive people, organizations and subcultures, united by a common culture and civil rights movements. These communities generally celebrate pride, diversity, individuality, and sexuality...
while portraying John Paul, Sutton stated, "My character was straight
Heterosexuality
Heterosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the opposite sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, heterosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, physical or romantic attractions to persons of the opposite sex";...
when I first started so I had to do the whole sort of questioning your sexuality
Questioning (sexuality and gender)
The questioning of one's gender, sexual identity, sexual orientation, or all three is a process of exploration by people who may be unsure, still exploring, and concerned about applying a social label to themselves for various reasons...
and finding out who you are and what you’re about and what your likes are and what your sexual preferences are, so I got a real insight from the storyline and just how hard it is." Sutton cited that John Paul "was very, very lucky in that his family were pretty much all supportive". Further detailing his character's personality and how he did not want John Paul to be a gay stereotype
LGBT stereotypes
Stereotypes about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people are conventional, formulaic generalizations, opinions, or images about persons based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Stereotypes and homophobia are a learned outlook, i.e...
, Sutton revealed, "I was very, very keen to make this character a straight-acting gay man. He’s just a normal guy, like any other guy. He plays football. He likes music. He likes going out. He likes all the same things that straight men like. He just happens to like blokes, and that’s it." It was a joint effort by the writers and Sutton to characterise the character this way. "We kind of met in the middle and that was the path we wanted to go down," stated Sutton. "I think it was really important for people to see because, like I say, even now, especially older generations, often in my mind view the stereotype of the gay man as this kind of screaming queen with glitter and all that kind of … feather boa
Feather boa
A feather boa is a fashion accessory that is usually worn wrapped around the neck like a scarf.-Construction:A boa can be made of fur, but it is usually made instead from various types of feathers. Ostrich, marabou, chandelle, and turkey are the most common feathers used, although non-feather boas...
s and glitter and you know, Danny La Rue
Danny La Rue
Danny La Rue, OBE was an Irish-born British entertainer known for his singing and drag impersonations.-Early life:...
."
In 2008, Sutton decided to leave the role of John Paul, stating that it was not an easy decision to make. "I’m twenty-five-years old and I’ve done this character for two years now," he cited, "and I feel like I’ve made my mark and I’ve got to get off my soapbox now. I kind of feel like I’m ready to take a risk before I hit 30 and realize that actually I’ve missed my opportunity. A calculated risk."
Storylines
When John Paul first arrives in Hollyoaks, he is a popular, athletic student. At school, he meets Craig DeanCraig Dean
Craig Dean is a fictional character from the long-running British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Guy Burnet. Burnet has won many of Britain's most prestigious acting awards for this role...
; his first scenes involve saving Craig from a beating by bully Sonny Valentine
Sonny Valentine
Sonny Valentine is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Devon Anderson, who played the character between 2006 and 2007 before he was sacked for "time-keeping issues".-Character description:...
; John Paul sets of the fire alarm, and this causes John Paul and Craig to become close friends. John Paul does not get along with Sonny.
With some pressure from Craig, John Paul begins dating schoolmate Hannah Ashworth
Hannah Ashworth
Hannah Rose Ashworth is a fictional character from long-running Channel 4 soap opera, Hollyoaks, played by Emma Rigby. Hannah first appeared on-screen from October 3, 2005 until her exit on February 12, 2010....
, and, somewhat reluctantly on John Paul's part, the pair eventually end up sleeping together. However, they split up when John Paul reveals that he is harbouring affections for someone else, which is mistakenly believed to be Craig's girlfriend, Sarah Barnes
Sarah Barnes
Sarah Barnes is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Loui Batley. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 10 October 2005. Sarah was created by executive producer David Hanson as part of the Barnes family. In 2009 Batley quit the serial in...
. Though John Paul and Hannah reconcile and become a romantic pairing once more, their romantic relationship soon comes to an end for good.
After John Paul struggles for some time with the truth that he is gay, it is eventually revealed that he has romantic feelings for Craig. John Paul initially tries to hide his feelings for Craig and has sex with girlfriend Hannah again. At her 18th birthday party, he breaks up a fight between Craig and Rhys Ashworth
Rhys Ashworth
Rhys Lesley Ashworth is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Andrew Moss. He made his first on-screen appearance on 4 October 2005.-Character creation and casting:...
when Craig sees Sarah kissing Rhys, and shouts that she is not good enough for Craig. He runs outside in tears and when Craig confronts him, John Paul confesses that he is in love with him.
On reflection, John Paul is horrified at what he has confessed, and tells Craig that he is sorry and will leave him alone. Craig, however, refutes this idea, telling him that he is the best friend he has ever had and does not want that friendship to end. John Paul and Craig share a drunken kiss at a school dance-off competition which is seen by Hannah, who, in shock, tells everyone at the dance. The next day, Hannah goes to confront John Paul, and he tells her that he is gay and is in love with Craig; the drunken kiss has the added side effect of temporarily ending Craig and Sarah's relationship. John Paul comes out to his family, receiving support from all of his sisters, except Mercedes (who has a homophobic reaction to the news and accuses him of trying to steal her boyfriend) and Michaela (who is worried about her reputation at school), and reluctant support from his mother.
After a confrontation with Sonny over his sexuality, John Paul comes out to his classmates and informs them that if they have a problem with his sexuality, they can take it up with him. However, following this event, during a 5-a-side football practice with Sonny and Craig, John Paul is teased and bullied by Craig, who eventually attacks John Paul physically. John Paul punches Craig and, after a violent threat to anyone else who wishes to bully him, runs off. Later, Craig feels remorse for how he treated John Paul and wants to talk it through with him. John Paul makes it clear that Craig is no longer his friend and does not accept his apology.
In early 2007, John Paul embarks on a relationship with Spike, a DJ whom he met during his sister Jacqui's wedding reception. However, Hannah is still believing herself to be in love with John Paul, purposefully sabotages the pairing's first date (which takes place at The Dog in The Pond). Spike and John Paul share their first kiss after a DJ competition at The Dog in The Pond and gradually, in spite of John Paul's fears, their relationship becomes sexual, as well as being strengthened by Spike meeting (and getting along well with) John Paul's family. However, John Paul and Spike's relationship is the source of much jealousy from Craig, who immediately takes a disliking to Spike and grows furious when John Paul tries to speak about his fears about having sex with Spike.
During his exams in May 2007, Craig has trouble concentrating, as all he can think about is John Paul and Spike. Storming out of the exam, he goes to John Paul's house. After talking with each other, Craig is frustrated and in tears, he reveals his true feelings and they sleep together. Afterward, however, Craig gets out of bed and shouts homophobic
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
obscenities before storming out. Subsequently, Craig's relationship with Sarah begins to deteriorate, as Craig struggles with his apparent homosexual tendencies. Unwilling to "come out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
", Craig concludes that he is not gay, stating instead that he only has romantic feelings for John Paul rather than actually being gay or bisexual
Bisexuality
Bisexuality is sexual behavior or an orientation involving physical or romantic attraction to both males and females, especially with regard to men and women. It is one of the three main classifications of sexual orientation, along with a heterosexual and a homosexual orientation, all a part of the...
. Craig negotiates an uneasy few months with Sarah, a situation further exacerbated by Sarah's modeling career, a source of even more jealousy from Craig.
John Paul eventually tells Craig to leave Sarah, and in turn he promises to leave Spike. Whilst John Paul and Spike break up, Craig and Sarah do not, leaving John Paul furious and frustrated. Craig then arranges a last minute get-away for Sarah, without telling John Paul. Angry and upset, John Paul writes a letter to Frankie Osborne
Frankie Osborne
Francine "Frankie" Osborne is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Helen Pearson. She made her first on-screen appearance on 9 October 2002...
saying that he has been sleeping with her son and that he is sorry that she had to hear about it from him. Later, once he has calmed down and realises his mistake, he manages to retrieve it with Spike's help. Despite no longer being a couple, Spike still offers John Paul something more causal, but John Paul quickly realises he no longer has romantic feelings for Spike (despite Craig's betrayal) and tells him it is over for good. When Craig returns from his holiday, and tells John Paul that he still has romantic feelings for him, John Paul snaps back that he has had enough and intends to end it with Craig for good. Despite this, they soon got back together again and the relationship continues in secret.
When Spike finds out about John Paul and Craig's secret relationship, he teases and mocks Craig about it. When Craig confronts him, Sarah overhears and thinks he is having an affair. In an attempt to convince her that he loves her, Craig proposes marriage to Sarah, asking her to keep the engagement a secret. Throughout his engagement, Craig continues to see John Paul (who knows nothing of the engagement) and gives him a watch that once belonged to his grandfather. Once John Paul learns of Craig and Sarah's engagement, he becomes convinced that Craig will never leave Sarah for him. At an impromptu engagement party thrown by Frankie, John Paul and Craig hide upstairs and begin to be intimate. Secretly, John Paul texts Sarah on Craig's phone and tells her to come upstairs. She leaves the party and walks in on the two of them kissing. Completely in shock, Sarah runs downstairs and outs
Outing
Outing is the act of disclosing a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender person's true sexual orientation or gender identity without that person's consent. Outing gives rise to issues of privacy, choice, hypocrisy, and harm in addition to sparking debate on what constitutes common good in efforts...
Craig to the party-goers, leaving John Paul to face the wrath of the Dean family and Mike Barnes
Mike Barnes (Hollyoaks)
Michael "Mike" Barnes is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Tony Hirst. He first appeared in 2006. In 2010, soap opera magazine Inside Soap reported that the character would leave in late January with love interest Zoe Carpenter...
. He later tries to apologise to Sarah, who demands to know the details of the affair. After he tells her, Sarah says that she can never forgive him. John Paul calls Craig a coward for not accepting his sexuality.
Frankie and Sarah make attempts to reconcile the relationship, but it is no use as Craig finally announces to his family that he is in love with John Paul. Craig's announcement leads to a show-down style confrontation between the McQueen family and the Dean family, from which John Paul and Craig run away and discuss their feelings for each other. Craig tells John Paul that he loves him, but denies being gay, saying that it is not about being gay, it is about who you fall in love with, before asking John Paul to come with him to Dublin, an offer which John Paul accepts. As they prepare to leave together, Craig admits to his brother, Jake
Jake Dean
Jake Dean is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Kevin Sacre. Sacre portrayed the character between 2002 and 2008, before making a return on 5 October 2009. In March 2010, Sacre was axed from the series by Paul Marquess during his major revamp and cast...
, that he is not gay, and he only cares for John Paul. John Paul overhears this and expresses more concern at Craig's reluctance to come out; this is further exacerbated by Craig not being able to bring himself to kiss or hold John Paul at the airport as they wait for the plane to Dublin. Although John Paul loves Craig, he realises that he needs more than to be with a man who cannot even display affection towards him in public. Heartbroken, John Paul returns home, leaving Craig to go to Dublin alone. On Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
day 2007, John Paul gets a text from Craig
Craig Dean
Craig Dean is a fictional character from the long-running British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Guy Burnet. Burnet has won many of Britain's most prestigious acting awards for this role...
, wishing him a Merry Christmas, asking him to visit Dublin sometime and that he misses him.
Despite turning the place down originally so that he could go to Dublin with Craig, John Paul decides to enroll at HCC. He soon becomes friends with Katy Fox
Katy Fox
Katy Fox is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by actress Hannah Tointon, who was in the serial for just under a year. Katy was central to storylines, including Clare Devine's revenge....
, whom he accompanied to the Fresher's Ball, and Summer Shaw
Summer Shaw
Summer Shaw is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Summer Strallen. The character is most notable for being 'planted' in the show as publicity for an Andrew Lloyd Webber produced stage production of The Sound of Music...
after a pair of knickers fall out of her bag and he returns them to her. While studying in the SU bar, John Paul catches the eye of Jay, who is visiting from Birmingham. After some convincing from Summer, John Paul decides to talk with him. They have an immediate connection and Jay goes back to John Paul's. However, they walk in on Tina and Dom in his bed; at the same time, Myra walks in, adding to everyone's embarrassment, and causing Jay to leave. John Paul accuses Myra of being too possessive and always expecting more from him, yet he is only doing and acting in the same way as his sisters. He decides to move out, and after bumping into Jessica Harris
Jessica Harris
Jessica Florida Harris is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jennifer Biddall. She debuted on-screen during episodes airing in October 2005. Biddal decided to leave the serial in 2007, Jessica last appeared in 2008 and Biddall has since admitted she...
at college, moves into Elliot's room in the halls until he returns from the Nevada desert in America.
John Paul has a brush with death during his flat warming party. A carbon monoxide leak from the faulty boiler renders John Paul and the other revellers unconscious. Fortunately, he is saved by Danny Valentine
Danny Valentine
Daniel "Danny" Valentine is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by David Judge. He first appeared in 2007 and made his final appearance in 2008.-Background:...
, Mercedes and Justin. John Paul is later forced to move back into his family home when Elliot unexpectedly comes home and claims his room back, which Jess has been sub-letting to John Paul illegally. But John Paul and Elliot become friends following the event, and conspire to disrupt Kris Fisher
Kris Fisher
Francis "Kris" Fisher is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Gerard McCarthy. The character first appeared on-screen in September 2006 and left in August 2010 after McCarthy quit the show...
's radio show after he gives out some advice to a sexually confused teenager, which John Paul disagrees with. Following a few "pirate radio"-style disruptions, John Paul decides to call it a day before they get caught. However, Elliot almost tells Kris and Sarah that he is responsible for the disruptions, before John Paul takes the credit to save Elliot. A drunken Sarah then blasts John Paul for his lies and "turning [Craig] gay", re-iterating how much she hates him.
In early 2008, Myra McQueen offers her home to the Hollyoaks new young Catholic Priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, Father Kieron Hobbs, and gives John Paul's room to him without consultation. John Paul meets Robin, a friend of Zak Ramsey
Zak Ramsey
Zak Timothy Ramsey is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Kent Riley. Zak first appeared in 2004, when he was credited as 'Zak Barnes'. After only four months, Riley was dropped from the programme. The character received a revival 18 months later...
's. Once it has been revealed that Robin is also gay, and John Paul has built up the courage to ask him out, they decide to go on a date together. During the date Kieron sees Robin and John Paul kissing in the toilets at the SU bar. Later, John Paul asks him to keep quiet and not tell Myra, which he agrees to, but she later finds out when Robin starts arguing with Kieron about his relationship with John Paul. Myra confronts John Paul, and John Paul erroneously blames Kieron. When Kieron voices his concerns that Robin is flirting with other men behind John Paul's back, John Paul takes this to mean that Kieron is homophobic. After John Paul finds Robin flirting with other men, he goes home and tells Kieron about it. He says that Kieron would never understand how he feels, leading Kieron to come clean and admit to John Paul that he is gay, too.
John Paul insists Kieron should tell Myra the truth, which Kieron flatly refuses on the basis of it potentially damaging his reputation as a priest. He accuses John Paul of being self-involved, saying that John Paul is a teenage boy who had his own issues. Kieron has made his own choice. Kieron defends his beliefs and informs John Paul of his celibacy
Celibacy
Celibacy is a personal commitment to avoiding sexual relations, in particular a vow from marriage. Typically celibacy involves avoiding all romantic relationships of any kind. An individual may choose celibacy for religious reasons, such as is the case for priests in some religions, for reasons of...
. As Kieron prepares to move out, John Paul apologises and convinces him to stay with them.
During the SU Bar's Charity Fashion Show, some of the male models call in sick, and Carmel convinces Kieron to model, which he agrees to under the condition that John Paul models as well. But unknown to all, a gun siege is taking place at The Dog in The Pond. When the village finds out, the fashion show is cancelled, leaving John Paul and Kieron to clean up. They reward themselves by helping themselves to some beer they found, and as the beer flows, they start to enjoy each other's company more. Drunk, Kieron admits to finding John Paul smart and funny, leading them to share an unexpected kiss, only to be interrupted by a student entering the bar, leaving both men embarrassed. The kiss, however, does not undermine their growing friendship. The day after, they stay at home and play truth or dare, resulting in John Paul going to buy bottles of beer in just his underwear at Drive N Buy.
In March 2008, John Paul attempts to establish an LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
society at Hollyoaks College and in a bet, kisses the nearest boy, who ends up stalking John Paul until he lies to get rid of him. During this time, John Paul also texts Kieron to ask him when he is coming back. Kris and Hannah are intrigued by John Paul's new love interest, and joked about it in front of Kieron; Hannah later tells him that John Paul had spoken highly of him. Thinking that John Paul is telling everyone about their relationship, he asks him not to mention him to his friends again.
After finding Kieron baptising
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
Charlie Dean, he feels that Kieron has a duty to God, that matters more to him than their relationship. John Paul confronts Kieron with his feelings on the matter, and unexpectedly, Kieron expresses his deep feelings to John Paul; in turn, John Paul says that he is frustrated and asks Kieron to go find someone else, but Kieron refuses to acknowledge John Paul's rejection and John Paul walks off, confused.
In late March 2008, Kieron and John Paul, along with Russ, Dom and Kris, participate in the village fun run. After they complete the run they go to the bar for a drink. John Paul leaves for home after being frustrated about the lack of attention Kieron is giving him. Later on, Kieron returns home. This follows with a heated discussion between the two, which ends in a passionate kiss. Some time following, after sleeping together, Kieron leaves John Paul and goes to admit what he has done to Kris; John Paul goes to talk to Hannah, but does not say who it is he has slept with.
The day after he sleeps with Kieron, John Paul tells Kieron that he does not want to pursue a relationship with him, because he does not love him as much as he loved Craig Dean and the relationship is not worth the risk of being an outcast again. Kieron becomes angry that John Paul told him this after he broke his vow of celibacy and moves out of the McQueen household and into Niall Rafferty's flat.
After some time avoiding each other, John Paul and Kieron are forced to work together in the pub quiz at The Dog in The Pond, during which Kieron saves John Paul from humiliation in front of the whole pub. John Paul talks with Kris. After some stern advice, John Paul finally confronts Kieron and tells him he cannot stop thinking about him. After an initial blunder, John Paul and Kieron come to an understanding of the relationship's special situation due to Kieron being a priest, and begin to see each other in secret.
In mid May 2008, John Paul and Kieron are nearly caught by Myra when petting in the McQueen residence. Despite this, Kieron later says that he is the happiest man he has ever been with John Paul. A few days later, the couple go back to Niall's flat, believing that Niall would be out, only to be discovered by Steph and Niall. Steph and Niall agree to keep the relationship a secret, with Steph pointing to her earlier support for John Paul and Craig as proof of her trustworthiness.
John Paul and Mercedes begin arguing over Kieron in sibling rivalry
Sibling rivalry
Sibling rivalry is a type of competition or animosity among children, blood-related or not.Siblings generally spend more time together during childhood than they do with parents. The sibling bond is often complicated and is influenced by factors such as parental treatment, birth order, personality,...
; John Paul tells Mercedes that he and the priest have had sex. However, Kieron has overheard the conversation and abruptly ends the relationship. The next day John Paul tries to make amends for his actions but Kieron, though no longer angry, feels that he must choose between the Church and John Paul, and chooses the Church. Michaela overhears this conversation between John Paul and Kieron, and has tape-recorded it. She had been sent to Kieron's flat by Niall, who knew that she would find Kieron and John Paul talking there. She later sees Kieron talking to Kris and misconstrues this conversation as she thinks Kieron is cheating on John Paul with Kris. She wants to tell John Paul, but after he brushes her off, she writes an article for the Chester Herald on the Catholic Priest "two-timing" a teenage boy with a crossdressing bisexual. The following day, John Paul is sorry for snapping at Michaela and after he apologizes, she retracts the article. In the mean time, however, their other sister Mercedes - who thinks Kieron has been cheating on John Paul - calls him a hypocrite and hits him. John Paul, after hearing all that has happened, thinks he has lost Kieron, especially when Kieron shows up at the McQueen's sporting a black eye given to him by Mercedes. Unexpectedly, though, Kieron tells John Paul that he is not angry, that John Paul means everything to him and that he loves John Paul more than he loves the Church, and that he is willing to take the risk.
John Paul and Kieron become an official romantic couple, and John Paul wants to tell his mother about their relationship. After drinking in some courage at SUBar, he heads home to tell her. But Myra confides in Father Kieron, still unaware of his relationship with her son, that she has given birth to a baby boy when she was 14 and given him up for adoption at birth by abandoning him at a Catholic church on the behest of her mother. Unbeknown to anyone, this secret older McQueen brother is in fact Niall - who has been plotting to drive the McQueens apart and will use his knowledge of the secret relationship between Kieron and John Paul to separate John Paul from his family.
John Paul and Kieron meet outside the McQueen residence by chance, just after Myra's confession, and Kieron (unable to tell John Paul what Myra told him) convinces him that this is not the right moment to tell his mum about their relationship. A few weeks later, Niall convinces Myra to get the vows for Steph and Max's wedding, that Kieron "left" at home (Niall stole them from his jacket). Myra finds the vows next to a note from Kieron to John Paul. When John Paul enters Kieron's bedroom, fresh from the shower, she puts two and two together. Unable to speak to him, she rushes off to the church but John Paul follows her. In the middle of the wedding, unable to keep still any longer, Myra gets up, accuses Kieron of being a hypocrite and announces to the whole church that Kieron has been sleeping with her son. John Paul rushes home after his mum, trying to explain, while Kieron is in shock and does not know whether he can go on with the wedding. However, Kieron decides to finish the service after Steph, Max and O.B. ask him to. Myra tells John Paul that he is not her son if he carries on with Kieron; John Paul then leaves the McQueen house turning up at Kieron's (and Niall's) flat with bags.
After Tina gives birth to baby Max in dangerous circumstances, Niall convinces Kieron to leave Hollyoaks before he does any more damage to their family. He does temporarily, but returns a week later and is reunited with John Paul. Kieron then surrenders his position as a priest. At the naming ceremony for baby Max, Myra finally begins to warm to the idea of John Paul and Kieron's relationship, and invites Kieron to the party. An argument, however, between Mercedes and Russ over their divorce puts him in an uncomfortable position, and he leaves shortly afterward.
After Kieron points out how much he has given up for John Paul, John Paul proposes and Kieron joyfully accepts. However, a few weeks later, John Paul realises he's too young to get married and begins to feel stifled by Kieron's insistence on pushing forward with the wedding plans. He calls off the engagement on 2 September 2008, shortly before finding out that Craig has returned to the village.
When Craig returns, Kieron witnesses him and John Paul in an intimate embrace outside The Dog in The Pond. Although John Paul insists nothing is going on, Kieron gives John Paul an ultimatum, insisting they get married the following week. When John Paul cannot make that promise, Kieron sadly accepts their relationship is over. After Niall poisons Kieron, John Paul finds him and calls an ambulance, but it is already too late. John Paul is later seen sobbing as Kieron is zipped up into a body bag.
On 2 September 2008, Craig returns and, on reuniting, all John Paul's romantic feelings for him resurface. Kieron is left angry after confronting John Paul. On 5 September, after a confrontation, John Paul admits to Craig he still loves him, and Craig tells him he could never move on with girls in Dublin because John Paul was always on his mind and he always loved him. They make love after a year apart shortly after.
Afterwards, John Paul gets a text from Kieron (actually sent by Niall), saying 'I'm Sorry, love you forever Kx' . John Paul goes over to the flat and finds Kieron dead. He is stunned as he watches Kieron's lifeless body zipped into a body bag.
Shortly after Kieron's death, Craig presents John Paul with a one-way ticket to Dublin with him, leaving John Paul to make the difficult decision whether to stay in Hollyoaks out of respect to Kieron, or leave with Craig and continue their relationship.
John Paul and Niall talk about Niall's problems with Steph and John Paul's dilemma with Craig and handling Kieron's death. Meanwhile, Craig has left a voicemail message on John Paul's phone asking him to meet him outside The Dog in The Pond and give him his decision on whether he will leave with Craig or not. Niall gets to John Paul phone while he's in another room and deletes the message. While talking about their problems, John Paul tells Niall he's going to go and meet Craig and tell him that he still loves him. Niall persuades John Paul to have a drink first and employs the same tactic as he used on Kieron and pours pills into John Paul's beer.
John Paul falls asleep for a short while and when he wakes feels weak, but he still decides to meet Craig. Niall gets up to stop him but finds himself feeling dizzy, it turns out that John Paul had accidentally spilt Niall's beer and replaced it with his unintentionally drugging Niall. Niall makes John Paul leave quickly while he runs to the bathroom to vomit.
John Paul runs to The Dog in The Pond with his bag and misses Craig by half an hour. He returns home and asks his mother what to do, explaining that he did care for Kieron, just not in the same way he loves Craig. His mother's advice leads him to rush to the train station where Craig is getting the train to the Airport. John Paul makes it to the platform just as the train is leaving, but looks across the platforms and sees Craig at another platform. They rush into an embrace and John Paul tells Craig he loves him. Craig kisses him mid-sentence in front of the crowd and a sunset poster, showing that he is no longer afraid to show public affection towards John Paul. John Paul and Craig board the train hand in hand. While the train leaves Craig tells John Paul that when they get to Dublin, John Paul must tell everyone he is Craig's cousin Steve. John Paul looks at Craig in exasperation and Craig smiles, tells him he was joking and they ride the train away while cuddling with each other.
Niall kidnaps John Paul and take him to his family in a church, who he has also kidnapped. Niall shocks everyone by revealing that he has killed Kieron. Before he can do anything else, Niall detonates explosives, blowing the church up. John Paul tries to kill Niall, they work together to save Myra, Niall escapes. Tina dies, John Paul decides to return to Dublin immediately, rather than stay for her funeral. When Craig returns for a holiday with Steph, he reveals that John Paul has been on a couple of drinking benders as he struggles to cope with the after effects of Niall's actions, but tells her their relationship is strong.
Reception
AfterElton.com stated that when they did a poll of their readers in 2007 for The 25 Best Gay Characters on Television, John Paul came in at #21. Sutton had not known about the poll, and when told of it stated, "Wow. That’s really cool. I don’t tend to read too much press and stuff, but I mean I’m aware that we’ve sold the program to other countries and surfing through the InternetInternet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
, I’m aware that there are people who really, really watch it. I mean I’ve heard from the States and there’s a couple of people who are in the Far East, actually, who regularly post on forums about me and stuff. And that’s just incredible."
Sutton's pairing with actor Guy Burnet
Guy Burnet
Guy Burnet , a British film and television actor. He is best known for his work on the show Hollyoaks, but in recent years has also completed a number of roles in feature films.-Personal:...
, as John Paul and Craig, has also been successful, winning several LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
awards. Sutton stated that he had spoken to young gay men and had e-mail
E-mail
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
conversations with people about his character and that it "really" opened his eyes to how difficult it can be and that "there is still prejudice out there and there are still people who are living this." He added, "We call it Middle England way out here. I don’t know what you call it," a reference to Middle America.
When asked how popular his John Paul character is in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Sutton relayed, "It’s incredibly, incredibly popular over here, the show. We broadcast an omnibus edition Sunday morning, which every student watches. Right now we’re on five nights a week and it’s an incredibly popular show, especially with young people." Sutton stated that the reaction he and the cast get is "sometimes a bit frightening, but it’s really, really big business". Detailing how recognized he is when walking down the streets of Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
or London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Sutton revealed, "Oh, pretty recognizable. Pretty recognizable. My girlfriend gets it worse than I do, actually. She gets pushed out of the way by people trying to get to me sometimes. She’s my girlfriend and my official photographer. All these f**king cameras – pardon my language – these camera phones that people have right now. The bane of my existence."
Virgin Media
Virgin Media
Virgin Media Inc. is a company which provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and broadband internet services to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom...
compiled a list of their "Sexiest soap opera couples", they included John Paul and Craig in the list and stated: "The love affair between the Hollyoaks students gripped viewers so much that they started their own campaign for the pair to ride off into the sunset together. They got their wish, and we like to think that Craig and John Paul are now living happily ever after together in Dublin..."