Hollyoaks star James Sutton on saying farewell to John Paul after two decades of LGBTQ+ storytelling (EXCLUSIVE)
Sutton speaks thoughtfully about the responsibility that came with playing a gay role and the reciprocal relationship he built with LGBTQ+ audiences
As John Paul McQueen prepares to depart Hollyoaks, it’s hard not to feel multiple pangs of nostalgia, not just for a character, but for an altogether different time. The mid-noughties: soundtracked by Razorlight, stripes courtesy of Topman, and the ritual of a T4 Sunday omnibus – simpler times before the decimation of our attention span thanks to doom-scrolling.
For many gay and bisexual millennial men, James Sutton‘s character, John Paul, arrived at a crucial and memorable point in our development. When falling in love with your straight best mate wasn’t a well-trodden soap script – and it was genuinely exhilarating to see it play out in front of your dilating pupils, on a hormonal school night post-Simpsons.
You didn’t need to grow into adulthood still watching Hollyoaks religiously to understand John Paul’s importance. His story, from a teenage coming out to adulthood shaped by the survival of every possible thing a gay adult male could have endured, has been nothing short of extraordinary. For Sutton, who first took on the role at 22 in 2006 playing a 15-year-old, that legacy is something he carries with deep, deep pride.
“I hate the word ‘ally’… It’s way too small for what I feel” – James Sutton on his support for the LGBTQ+ community
In an exclusive interview with Attitude in his charming Liverpool apartment, Sutton speaks thoughtfully about the responsibility that came with that visibility and the reciprocal relationship he built with audiences along the way.
“The LGBTQ+ community has always been there for me. And that support has never been lost on me,” says Sutton. “I hate the word ‘ally’… It’s way too small for what I feel. I feel like I’ve done a good job for the community, and in return I’ve been supported in a way that I’ll never take for granted.”
That connection was forged early on, particularly through the John Paul and Craig storyline – a slow-burn, emotionally charged arc that remains etched into queer millennial collective memory. From subtle glances to that unforgettable first kiss at the Year 11 prom: it was a story that resonated far beyond soap conventions.
“We really went there” – Sutton on his breakout gay role in Hollyoaks
“It felt exciting. It felt fresh,” Sutton recalls of those early years. “There was a freedom to what we were doing back then. We really went there.”
As John Paul’s journey deepened, so did its impact. Over the years, the character confronted homophobic bullying, religious conflict, sexual violence, addiction, domestic abuse and conversion therapy; through it all, Sutton believes John Paul’s defining quality was strength.
“He’s been through things that should destroy a person,” he says. “But people always trusted him. They went to him. Even when he couldn’t rely on himself, others relied on him.”
“It’s been the biggest part of my life” – Sutton on his role as John Paul McQueen in Hollyoaks
Now, as his final episode approaches, Sutton feels a sense of harmony. “It feels amazing,” he says. “It’s been the biggest part of my life. It’s been my identity, not because people continue to call me John Paul, but the amount of work that I’ve had to put into this character, and the sheer amount of research. You can’t do these storylines without really investing in it, and it’s fucking exhausting. And it takes over your whole life.”
Sutton is entering a new chapter with commendable clarity and confidence, developing his editorial platform Protocol – a quietly radical project rooted in lived experience, structure and accountability – while also releasing special content on SUBS, embracing a version of himself that feels grounded, self-directed, and impeccably sculpted… in mindset and torso.
As John Paul McQueen bows out, the legacy remains: a character who arrived quietly, stayed bravely, and helped a generation feel seen. And as Sutton lunges forward, Attitude will be watching, with affection, excitement, and no doubt a subscription to his SUBS account.
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