Paul McClain
Encyclopedia
Paul McClain is a fictional character
from the Australian soap opera Neighbours
, played by Jansen Spencer
. Paul made his first appearance on 4 November 1997. Paul departed on 11 December 2001. In 2005, Paul made a cameo in Annalise Hartman
's documentary about Ramsay Street.
.
Paul's case worker Tracey Cox (Margot Knight
) brings him to Number 24 Ramsay Street to meet Harold Bishop
(Ian Smith
), who is working for the foster care programme via The Salvation Army
. Harold, Paul and Tracey go to Calder Park after Paul mentions he likes motor racing. After Harold reveals all to his wife, Madge
(Anne Charleston
), he suggests they foster Paul. Madge is reluctant at first to foster, and Paul is equally reluctant to be fostered by the Bishops but everyone agrees to it. During Paul's first week with the Bishops, his enthusiasm for playing the electric guitar does not go down very well with Madge. Paul confides in Harold that he feels that bonding with Madge would be betraying his late mother, Harold assures him that won't be the case and his mother would want him to be happy. After Paul is accused when some money goes missing from the Coffee shop, He runs away but is found and Harold apologises.
Paul quickly befriends Hannah Martin
(Rebecca Ritters
), Harold's neighbour, but virtually ignores her when her internet friend Mike Burns (Daniel Jolles) shows interest in Paul's guitar playing and tastes in music. Hannah is hurt, but forgives Paul when he explains that he has a lot in common with Mike but doesn't know anything about her. Paul and Hannah begin hanging out together a lot but are too shy to discuss their feelings and remain friends. Hannah agrees to teach Paul how to dance for the upcoming formal.
When Tracey tells Paul, his father Leo wants to get in contact with him, He refuses to speak to his father. Leo arrives in Ramsay Street and Paul is very frosty towards him and refuses to listen to Leo's story of how he's changed and beaten his alcoholism. Paul eventually softens and agrees to bond with his father, visiting him occasionally. Paul realises he likes Hannah as more than just a friend, but it comes a little too late as she leaves to stay in France with her friend Claire Girard (Adele Schober) for six months. When the local residents of Erinsborough enter a contest to win a bequest of $7,000 left by Madge's grandfather, Jack Ramsay. Paul enlists the help of local mechanic Drew Kirk
(Dan Paris
) to help him design a flying machine in order to fly across the river. Patrick Greenwood (Matthew Barnes) gets under Paul's skin by mocking the machine and his father and the two have a fight at the garage, which is quickly broken up by Drew. The day of the bequest arrives and Patrick's machine only manages to make it two feet; Paul and Drew's invention makes it a little further, but they ultimately lose out to university student Tuong Pham (Trent Huen).
During Hannah's absence, Paul finds himself the subject of unwanted female attention at Erinsborough High. Around this time, Tad Reeves
(Jonathon Dutton
) arrives from Tindara to stay with his cousin, Toadfish Rebecchi
(Ryan Moloney
) and he and Paul quickly make friends. When Leo returns to Erinsborough and stays with the Bishops, Paul is delighted. However, Harold is unimpressed when he finds out Leo and Paul were at the local pub, as Leo is an alcoholic. Things are tense when Leo suggests that if Angela was alive, she wouldn't let him see Paul. Eventually things are resolved and Leo goes back to Port Lincoln and suggests Paul join him on the next holiday. Hannah returns from France and confronts Paul when she finds out he has been dating Jade Cleary while she was absent. Paul counters that Jade told him Hannah had been seeing Clarie's brother Pascale, while she was in France. Paul and Hannah temporarily break up, but later reunite.
John "Teabag" Teasdale (Nathan Phillips
) appears when Paul, Tad and Hannah are riding their bikes down at Harold's allotment. They befriend Teabag when he agrees to help them make a BMX video. When Paul discovers Teabag is a criminal and the culprit behind the robbery of Bill Kennedy's workshop, he tries to warn Hannah off him. Paul and Teabag get into a physical confrontation and things escalate when Teabag makes a nuisance of himself by harassing Madge and generally being unpleasant in the coffee shop. Paul and Tad try to gain some measure of revenge but a stone-throwing incident backfires when the police are called and the boys are arrested and cautioned. When Hannah's father, Philip
(Ian Rawlings
), gets a new job in Darwin, Hannah refuses to leave and Paul is equally reluctant to let his girlfriend go. He tries to persuade Harold and Madge into letting Hannah stay with them at Number 24, but the idea is shot down as Tad is already living there and there is no room for Hannah. Paul and Hannah spend Hannah's final night in Erinsborough together in her treehouse. On the morning of the Martin's departure, Paul and Hannah share a tearful farewell and agree to keep in touch.
The Scully family move into Number 26 and Paul is instantly attracted to Felicity Scully
(Holly Valance
), while her younger sister, Michelle
(Kate Keltie
) is attracted to Paul. Paul tries to get Flick's attentions, but sours relations when he tries to kiss her. After Tad explains that Paul is crazy about Flick, she forgives him and they agree to be friends. Paul supports Tad after he finds out he is adopted. When Paul knocks back Simone King's (Denise Briskin) advances and comes back from visiting Leo, to find out Tad is dating her, there is tension between the boys. Paul's talent for football
is noticed by Daniel Fitzgerald
(Brett Tucker
), who asks him to play for Erinsborough's senior team. During this time, Paul catches the attention of Cheyenne Rivers and they begin dating. When Cheyenne frames Paul for a robbery at the local sports store, where Joel Samuels
(Daniel MacPherson
) works, he agrees to take the blame for her after she tells him her father would come down hard on her. Paul then dumps Cheyenne after he realises how selfish she is being. Cheyenne then confesses and is sent away, but returns to be Paul's partner at the Deb Ball.
Madge is diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer, putting a strain on the family. Paul, knowing Madge has limited time, vows to make it as enjoyable for Madge as possible. During Madge's final hours, Paul tells her she is the best mother he could ask for. Madge dies, leaving Paul, Harold and Tad devastated. Following Madge's funeral, Paul and Harold agree to go to Paris, as Madge had planned to go before she died. After returning home, Paul is shocked when Harold decides to sell up after he feels he is surrounded by too many reminders of Madge so Paul, Tad, Lou Carpenter
(Tom Oliver
) and the other residents host a barbecue to show Harold what he means to them.
When Paul rejoins the Dingoes football team after a failed run the previous year, he discovers teammate Nathan Tyson (Luke Hemsworth
) is using steroids to bulk up. After alerting Doctor Karl Kennedy
(Alan Fletcher),
Nathan is dropped and Paul becomes a pariah among the team for blowing the whistle on Nathan. The coach, Pat Miller (Matt Norman), keeps Paul on the bench for the next few games but eventually relents when he is forced to play Paul due to the injury of another player. After Paul scores the winner, he confronts Pat, tells him he is a bully and walks off.
At the end of the year, Paul is unsure about taking his Year 12 exams but decides to after Lyn Scully
(Janet Andrewartha
) tells him that it isn't the end of the world if he fails. Paul's results are reasonably good. He is later offered a chance to join the Adelaide Crows
after being selected. Paul's friends and family throw him a leaving party at Lou's place where Tad gives him a photo and Flick gives him a kiss. Paul then leaves for Adelaide. A few years later, Paul appears in Annalise Hartman
's (Kimberly Davies) Ramsay Street documentary. It is later revealed that Paul is dating Katya Kinski
(Dichen Lachman
).
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 Australian soap opera Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
, played by Jansen Spencer
Jansen Spencer
Jansen Spencer is an Australian actor best known for his part in the worldwide Australian Soap, Neighbours. Jansen Spencer played Paul McClain between the years of 1997 to 2001...
. Paul made his first appearance on 4 November 1997. Paul departed on 11 December 2001. In 2005, Paul made a cameo in Annalise Hartman
Annalise Hartman
Annalise Kratz is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Kimberley Davies. She debuted on-screen in the episode airing on 15 January 1993 and departed in 1996, and a brief return in 2005. Annalise has often been portrayed as having a conniving persona...
's documentary about Ramsay Street.
Casting
In 2005, Spencer reprised his role as Paul to appear in the show's 20th anniversary episode.Storylines
Paul was born to Leo and Angela McClain in 1983. Leo was an alcoholic who would frequently beat Angela, and subsequently walked out when Paul was four years old. Angela raised Paul on her own until her death in 1997, which left Paul orphaned and with no choice but to go into foster careFoster care
Foster care is the term used for a system in which a minor who has been made a ward is placed in the private home of a state certified caregiver referred to as a "foster parent"....
.
Paul's case worker Tracey Cox (Margot Knight
Margot Knight
Margot Knight is an Australian actress, best known for playing two roles in two highly popular television serials. In Prisoner, she played inmate Sharon Gilmour in 1980 and junior prison officer Terri Malone in 1985...
) brings him to Number 24 Ramsay Street to meet Harold Bishop
Harold Bishop
Harold Bishop is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Ian Smith. He made his first on-screen appearance on 30 January 1987. Smith was offered a role by Neighbours creator and executive producer Reg Watson...
(Ian Smith
Ian Smith
Ian Douglas Smith GCLM ID was a politician active in the government of Southern Rhodesia, the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe Rhodesia and Zimbabwe from 1948 to 1987, most notably serving as Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 13 April 1964 to 1 June 1979...
), who is working for the foster care programme via The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
. Harold, Paul and Tracey go to Calder Park after Paul mentions he likes motor racing. After Harold reveals all to his wife, Madge
Madge Bishop
Margaret Mary "Madge" Bishop is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Anne Charleston. She made her first on-screen appearance on 20 January 1986. Madge was one of the matriarchs of the Ramsay family. She departed in 1992, before making a return in 1996...
(Anne Charleston
Anne Charleston
Anne Charleston is an Australian actress currently based in Galway, Ireland and the UK. She is known for her roles as Madge Bishop in the Australian soap opera Neighbours and Lily Butterfield in Emmerdale.-Early career:...
), he suggests they foster Paul. Madge is reluctant at first to foster, and Paul is equally reluctant to be fostered by the Bishops but everyone agrees to it. During Paul's first week with the Bishops, his enthusiasm for playing the electric guitar does not go down very well with Madge. Paul confides in Harold that he feels that bonding with Madge would be betraying his late mother, Harold assures him that won't be the case and his mother would want him to be happy. After Paul is accused when some money goes missing from the Coffee shop, He runs away but is found and Harold apologises.
Paul quickly befriends Hannah Martin
Hannah Martin
Hannah Martin is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Rebecca Ritters. She made her first on-screen appearance on 20 July 1992. Hannah is the only child of Philip and Julie Martin and the younger sister to Michael and Debbie. The Martin family were written out...
(Rebecca Ritters
Rebecca Ritters
Rebecca Ritters is an Australian actress, mostly known for her role as Hannah Martin in the soap opera Neighbours. She first appeared in the show in 1992 when she was eight years old and remained in the show for a further seven years...
), Harold's neighbour, but virtually ignores her when her internet friend Mike Burns (Daniel Jolles) shows interest in Paul's guitar playing and tastes in music. Hannah is hurt, but forgives Paul when he explains that he has a lot in common with Mike but doesn't know anything about her. Paul and Hannah begin hanging out together a lot but are too shy to discuss their feelings and remain friends. Hannah agrees to teach Paul how to dance for the upcoming formal.
When Tracey tells Paul, his father Leo wants to get in contact with him, He refuses to speak to his father. Leo arrives in Ramsay Street and Paul is very frosty towards him and refuses to listen to Leo's story of how he's changed and beaten his alcoholism. Paul eventually softens and agrees to bond with his father, visiting him occasionally. Paul realises he likes Hannah as more than just a friend, but it comes a little too late as she leaves to stay in France with her friend Claire Girard (Adele Schober) for six months. When the local residents of Erinsborough enter a contest to win a bequest of $7,000 left by Madge's grandfather, Jack Ramsay. Paul enlists the help of local mechanic Drew Kirk
Drew Kirk
Andrew "Drew" Kirk is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Dan Paris. He made his first on-screen appearance on 27 March 1998. Drew departed on 13 September 2002...
(Dan Paris
Dan Paris
Dan Paris is an Australian actor. He is best known for playing the role of Drew Kirk in the Australian soap opera Neighbours.Paris was born in Perth, Australia and was raised in Esperance in Western Australia....
) to help him design a flying machine in order to fly across the river. Patrick Greenwood (Matthew Barnes) gets under Paul's skin by mocking the machine and his father and the two have a fight at the garage, which is quickly broken up by Drew. The day of the bequest arrives and Patrick's machine only manages to make it two feet; Paul and Drew's invention makes it a little further, but they ultimately lose out to university student Tuong Pham (Trent Huen).
During Hannah's absence, Paul finds himself the subject of unwanted female attention at Erinsborough High. Around this time, Tad Reeves
Tad Reeves
Wayne Terrance "Tadpole" Reeves is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Jonathon Dutton...
(Jonathon Dutton
Jonathon Dutton
Jonathon Dutton is an actor who started his career playing the role of Tad Reeves in the Australian soap opera Neighbours....
) arrives from Tindara to stay with his cousin, Toadfish Rebecchi
Toadfish Rebecchi
Jarrod Vincenzo Rebecchi is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Ryan Moloney. He debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 8 February 1995....
(Ryan Moloney
Ryan Moloney
Ryan Moloney is an Australian actor best known for his portrayal of the fictional character Jarrod "Toadfish" Rebecchi in the Australian soap opera Neighbours.-Before Neighbours:...
) and he and Paul quickly make friends. When Leo returns to Erinsborough and stays with the Bishops, Paul is delighted. However, Harold is unimpressed when he finds out Leo and Paul were at the local pub, as Leo is an alcoholic. Things are tense when Leo suggests that if Angela was alive, she wouldn't let him see Paul. Eventually things are resolved and Leo goes back to Port Lincoln and suggests Paul join him on the next holiday. Hannah returns from France and confronts Paul when she finds out he has been dating Jade Cleary while she was absent. Paul counters that Jade told him Hannah had been seeing Clarie's brother Pascale, while she was in France. Paul and Hannah temporarily break up, but later reunite.
John "Teabag" Teasdale (Nathan Phillips
Nathan Phillips
Nathan Phillips is the name of:*Nathan Phillips , Canadian politician*Nathan Phillips Square, the plaza in front of Toronto, Ontario's City Hall named in honour of the above*Nathan Phillips , Australian actor...
) appears when Paul, Tad and Hannah are riding their bikes down at Harold's allotment. They befriend Teabag when he agrees to help them make a BMX video. When Paul discovers Teabag is a criminal and the culprit behind the robbery of Bill Kennedy's workshop, he tries to warn Hannah off him. Paul and Teabag get into a physical confrontation and things escalate when Teabag makes a nuisance of himself by harassing Madge and generally being unpleasant in the coffee shop. Paul and Tad try to gain some measure of revenge but a stone-throwing incident backfires when the police are called and the boys are arrested and cautioned. When Hannah's father, Philip
Philip Martin (Neighbours)
Philip Gordon Martin is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Ian Rawlings. Originally played by Christopher Milne during the character's first appearance in 1985, Rawlings took over the role when the character returned to the show in 1992 and...
(Ian Rawlings
Ian Rawlings
Ian Rawlings is an Australian actor. He had two long-running roles in Australian soap operas.-Television Work:He started out playing the role of the spiteful and scheming Wayne Hamilton in Sons and Daughters...
), gets a new job in Darwin, Hannah refuses to leave and Paul is equally reluctant to let his girlfriend go. He tries to persuade Harold and Madge into letting Hannah stay with them at Number 24, but the idea is shot down as Tad is already living there and there is no room for Hannah. Paul and Hannah spend Hannah's final night in Erinsborough together in her treehouse. On the morning of the Martin's departure, Paul and Hannah share a tearful farewell and agree to keep in touch.
The Scully family move into Number 26 and Paul is instantly attracted to Felicity Scully
Felicity Scully
Felicity Jane "Flick" Scully is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Holly Valance. She made her first on-screen appearance on 21 October 1999 and she departed on 28 November 2002....
(Holly Valance
Holly Valance
Holly Valance is an Australian actress, singer, and model, who has dual United Kingdom citizenship. Valance began her career as Felicity "Flick" Scully on the Australian soap opera Neighbours...
), while her younger sister, Michelle
Michelle Scully
Michelle Scully is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Kate Keltie. She made her first on-screen appearance on 21 October 1999 when she and her family moved into Ramsay Street...
(Kate Keltie
Kate Keltie
Kate Keltie is an Australian actress.Born in Melbourne, Keltie played the role of Michelle Scully in the Australian television soap opera Neighbours between 1999 and 2003, as well as a brief return in 2004. She also appeared in Thunderstone and as Bec Cleary in Blue Heelers in 2004.-External links:...
) is attracted to Paul. Paul tries to get Flick's attentions, but sours relations when he tries to kiss her. After Tad explains that Paul is crazy about Flick, she forgives him and they agree to be friends. Paul supports Tad after he finds out he is adopted. When Paul knocks back Simone King's (Denise Briskin) advances and comes back from visiting Leo, to find out Tad is dating her, there is tension between the boys. Paul's talent for football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
is noticed by Daniel Fitzgerald
Daniel Fitzgerald (Neighbours)
Daniel Fitzgerald is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Brett Tucker. He made his first on-screen appearance on 1 September 1999. Dan becomes a teacher at Erinsborough High and shares a house with fellow teacher, Tess. He remained as a recurring...
(Brett Tucker
Brett Tucker
Brett Alan Tucker is an Australian actor and singer. He was a series regular in The Saddle Club and McLeod's Daughters...
), who asks him to play for Erinsborough's senior team. During this time, Paul catches the attention of Cheyenne Rivers and they begin dating. When Cheyenne frames Paul for a robbery at the local sports store, where Joel Samuels
Joel Samuels
Joel Matthew Samuels is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Daniel MacPherson. Joel made his first on-screen appearance on 13 May 1998...
(Daniel MacPherson
Daniel MacPherson
Daniel Donald MacPherson is an Australian actor and television presenter, best known for his roles as; Joel Samuels on Neighbours, PC Cameron Tait on British police drama The Bill, and Detective Senior Constable Simon Joyner in City Homicide...
) works, he agrees to take the blame for her after she tells him her father would come down hard on her. Paul then dumps Cheyenne after he realises how selfish she is being. Cheyenne then confesses and is sent away, but returns to be Paul's partner at the Deb Ball.
Madge is diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer, putting a strain on the family. Paul, knowing Madge has limited time, vows to make it as enjoyable for Madge as possible. During Madge's final hours, Paul tells her she is the best mother he could ask for. Madge dies, leaving Paul, Harold and Tad devastated. Following Madge's funeral, Paul and Harold agree to go to Paris, as Madge had planned to go before she died. After returning home, Paul is shocked when Harold decides to sell up after he feels he is surrounded by too many reminders of Madge so Paul, Tad, Lou Carpenter
Lou Carpenter
Louis "Lou" Carpenter is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Tom Oliver. He made his first on-screen appearance on 30 March 1988. Lou appeared for a brief time, before leaving and later returning in January 1992 as a regular cast member. He is the longest...
(Tom Oliver
Tom Oliver
Tom Oliver is an English television, film and theatre actor best known today for playing the role of Lou Carpenter in the Australian soap opera Neighbours.-Career:...
) and the other residents host a barbecue to show Harold what he means to them.
When Paul rejoins the Dingoes football team after a failed run the previous year, he discovers teammate Nathan Tyson (Luke Hemsworth
Luke Hemsworth
Luke Hemsworth is an Australian actor. He played the part of Nathan Tyson in the soap opera Neighbours.Hemsworth was born and raised in Melbourne along with his younger brothers Chris and Liam...
) is using steroids to bulk up. After alerting Doctor Karl Kennedy
Karl Kennedy
Karl Raymond Kennedy is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Alan Fletcher. The character and his family were created by storyliners in an attempt to bring the show back to its roots. Karl made his first on-screen appearance on 20 September 1994 along with his...
(Alan Fletcher),
Nathan is dropped and Paul becomes a pariah among the team for blowing the whistle on Nathan. The coach, Pat Miller (Matt Norman), keeps Paul on the bench for the next few games but eventually relents when he is forced to play Paul due to the injury of another player. After Paul scores the winner, he confronts Pat, tells him he is a bully and walks off.
At the end of the year, Paul is unsure about taking his Year 12 exams but decides to after Lyn Scully
Lyn Scully
Lynette "Lyn" Scully is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Janet Andrewartha. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 21 October 1999, along with her family and remained a prominent feature within the show until late 2006...
(Janet Andrewartha
Janet Andrewartha
Janet Andrewartha is an Australian actress. She is famous for playing on-going roles in two popular Australian soap operas: that of Reb Kean in Prisoner and Lyn Scully in Neighbours.-Biography:...
) tells him that it isn't the end of the world if he fails. Paul's results are reasonably good. He is later offered a chance to join the Adelaide Crows
Adelaide Crows
The Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed The Crows, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Adelaide, South Australia, playing in the Australian Football League ....
after being selected. Paul's friends and family throw him a leaving party at Lou's place where Tad gives him a photo and Flick gives him a kiss. Paul then leaves for Adelaide. A few years later, Paul appears in Annalise Hartman
Annalise Hartman
Annalise Kratz is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Kimberley Davies. She debuted on-screen in the episode airing on 15 January 1993 and departed in 1996, and a brief return in 2005. Annalise has often been portrayed as having a conniving persona...
's (Kimberly Davies) Ramsay Street documentary. It is later revealed that Paul is dating Katya Kinski
Katya Kinski
Katya Sarah Kinski is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Dichen Lachman. She made her first on-screen appearance on 12 December 2005. Katya arrived shortly before her father Alex died and she reunited with her younger siblings...
(Dichen Lachman
Dichen Lachman
Dichen Lachman is an Australian actress. She is best known for appearing in the soap opera Neighbours as Katya Kinski and Joss Whedon's science fiction drama television series Dollhouse as Sierra...
).