John Paul McQueen

Character Profile

John Paul McQueen is the son of Myra McQueen and Sally St. Claire, the half-brother of Niall Rafferty, Jacqui McQueen, Mercedes McQueen, Tina Reilly, Carmel Valentine, Michaela McQueen, and Carmina McQueen. He is also the boyfriend of Craig Dean and the biological father of their son Matthew McQueen.

Born in 1989, John Paul grew up without a father and was mostly raised by his mother Myra with his five sisters; John Paul would never know his father, who had transitioned into a woman, until later in his life. He and his family arrived in Hollyoaks and he later came out as gay after drunkenly kissing his best friend Craig Dean. John Paul later began dating a boy named Spike, but he and Craig couldn’t hold their feelings for one another and began an affair, and later left together to live in Dublin in 2008.

In December 2012, John Paul returned to the village with a baby boy named Matthew after his relationship with Craig broke down. He later got a job as a teacher at Hollyoaks High. After his return, John Paul had two tumultuous relationships with Doug Carter and Danny Lomax, but his relationship with Ste Hay was the strongest despite John Paul being sexually assaulted by pupil Finn O'Connor. He and Ste later married but the marriage broke down when Ste discovered he was HIV positive. He would later betray his cousin Porsche by having an affair with her husband Lockie Campbell.

Shortly after his separation from Ste, John Paul had a short-lived relationship with Scott Drinkwell, but his heart always stuck with Ste after they slept together, thus cheating on his boyfriend James Nightingale. After his relationship with James broke down and Ste having proposed to his long term boyfriend Harry Thompson, John Paul and his son left the village permanently for a teaching job in Singapore. It was soon revealed that John Paul and Craig had patched things up, and live together with Matthew in Singapore. John Paul made a small guest appearance on 26th March 2019 via video call from Singapore.

Biography

Arrival

John Paul meets Craig Dean (Guy Burnet) after saving him from a beating by bully Sonny Valentine (Devon Anderson). John Paul and Craig become close friends. John Paul confesses to Craig that he is in love with him at John Paul's girlfriend's house. 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. John Paul and Craig share a drunken kiss at a school dance-off competition which is seen by Hannah Ashworth (Emma Rigby) who at the time was John Paul's girlfriend, and tells everyone at the dance. John Paul comes out to his family, receiving support from all of his sisters, except Mercedes (Jennifer Metcalfe) and Michaela (Hollie-Jay Bowes), and reluctant support from his mother Myra (Nicole Barber-Lane). John Paul comes out to his classmates. 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. Craig attempts to say sorry to him but John Paul makes it clear that he is no longer his friend and does not accept his apology, but eventually forgives him after he was discover that he was sturggle during his life, since the divorce of his father Johnno Dean (Colin Wells) and mother Frankie Osborne (Helen Pearson) in three years ago.

Sexuality

John Paul and Craig later make up and begin an affair. It goes on for months with Craig always saying that he is going to end it. John Paul sends a text to Sarah Barnes (Loui Batley) (Craig's girlfriend) saying to come up the stairs. She then walked in on Craig and John Paul kissing. Craig 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 (Kevin Sacre), 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.

Relationship with Kieron Hobbs

Myra McQueen offers her home to the Hollyoaks new young Catholic Priest, Father Kieron Hobbs (Jake Hendriks). John Paul and Kieron later begin a relationship in secret. They 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. John Paul and Kieron become an official romantic couple after making their relationship public. John Paul proposes to Kieron who joyfully accepts. However, a few weeks later, John Paul realises he's too young to get married and calls off the engagement, 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. Craig returns and on reuniting, all John Paul's romantic feelings for him resurface. Kieron is left angry after confronting John Paul. 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. They both leave together to live in Dublin.

Return from Dublin

He returns home for Christmas only to find an abandoned baby at his family's doorstep. John Paul tells Nancy that he is the father. He reveals that he and Craig decided to have a child to save their relationship. However, it is unknown who is the paternal father. He initially rejects the baby, but decides to be a single parent and names him Matthew. He secures a teaching job at the local sixth form. His colleague Jen Gilmore (Amy Downham) gets fired when it emerges she was previously in a relationship with student Tilly Evans (Lucy Dixon). However, when Patrick discovers John Paul's awareness of Jen's actions, he believes he will lose his job, so he and Doug cover Patrick's car with post-its as a prank. It seems John Paul will embark on a relationship with Doug Carter (PJ Brennan), after a tumultuous start, the two sleep together. Later, it turns out that Patrick was not intending to fire John Paul, but suspends him from work because of his prank. John Paul later starts dating Doug but ends because Doug is still in love with Ste.

Relationship with Danny Lomax

John Paul meets supply teacher Danny Lomax (Stephen Billington). He kisses John Paul but does not see him for two weeks. John Paul later tells Danny that he will not be treated badly, but they soon begin dating. Matthew's mother Chloe (Susan Loughnane) arrives and claims Craig is Matthew's father. She demands money or she will fight for custody, but a DNA test proves John Paul as the father. John Paul and Danny find the body of D.S. Trent while on a date. John Paul is upset to learn that Danny is married to Sam Lomax (Lizzie Roper), lies about Danny being present at the discovery and briefly implicates himself in the murder investigation.

Rape Storyline

Finn O'Connor (Keith Rice) and Robbie Roscoe (Charlie Wernham) begin tormenting John Paul. The bullying itensifies with a series of pranks and homophobic abuse directed at John Paul. He tries to reason with Finn and help him with his family problems, but it only makes the situation worse. John Paul begins a relationship with Ste, follow by the death of his husband Doug, and the two of them share their first kiss.

After John Paul humiliates Finn he is placed in charge of a detention in which Finn is present. While alone with Finn, he attacks John Paul with an ornament and rapes him. John Paul goes to the police to report the attack but changes his mind before making a statement. John Paul confines himself to his bedroom and Sam offers him support. He also discover that his cousin Theresa was arrest for murder of Calvin Valentine (Ricky Whittle) back in 2010. When he loses his temper with Peri Lomax (Ruby O'Donnell) for but Sam forgives him. John Paul returns to his job and is placed on a school trip with Finn and Robbie. Finn is involved in a quad bike accident and John Paul contemplates letting him die before administering CPR.

After his friend Nancy Osborne (Jessica Fox) is nearly raped, John Paul feels guilty because he feels he could have stopped it. Robbie is falsely accused of raping Nancy, but after hugging him and recognizing the smell of his aftershave, she realizes it was Finn. Finn's mother Diane (Alex Fletcher) believes she is lying but John Paul eventually speaks out and tells everyone that Finn raped him too. Nancy ends her friendship with John Paul in the knowledge that he could have prevented her attack by reporting Finn.

Relationship with Ste Hay

Once John Paul gets released from prison, he attempts to mend things with Ste Hay (Kieron Richardson). After a few failed attempts, they end up talking in the folly, just after Ste got fired from the restaurant for doing drugs in the kitchen. While discussing Ste's drug problem, Ste confesses that he fears, he's killed Fraser, but can't remember for sure. John Paul tries to help him out by getting his hands on some video footage from the night in question. He sees Ste throwing away a gun. After hiding the gun and the footage, he lies to Ste and tells him that he didn't murder Fraser. John Paul also shows part of the footage to Trevor Royle (Greg Wood) to get him off Ste. Unfortunately, Ste can't keep his promise and John Paul gives up on him.

John Paul proposes to Ste and they become engaged, but John Paul is unaware that Ste had a one-night stand with Sinead O'Connor (Stephanie Davis) while the two were drunk. Finn pleads not guilty in court to the charges of rape and attempted rape. Diane confronts John Paul in the street, and he learns that Finn is now lying that John Paul had used drugs and alcohol to coerce him into sex. John Paul tries to retract his statement, but Sonny says that it's too late to stop the trial going ahead; withdrawing the statement will deny John Paul the chance to answer his case against Finn. John Paul ends his engagement after finding out that George Smith (Steven Roberts) has kissed Ste; but the couple reconcile when George confirms that he initiated the kiss and Ste turned him down. They break up again temporarily when John Paul discovers Ste had stolen from him and robbed The Hutch (injuring Diane in the process) to buy drugs because of the stress of the trial. However, after a heartfelt conversation they again reunite. Finn is found guilty of the charges of rape and attempted rape, and returned to prison to await sentencing. He permits John Paul to visit. John Paul states that he is now free to move on with his life and Finn will now never control him again.

Relationship with Lockie Campbell

Lockie (Nick Rhys) kisses John Paul, later, John Paul confronts Lockie, and speaks to him. Lockie doesn't care to speak to him. When John Paul is introduced to his cousin, Porsche McQueen's (Twinnie-Lee Moore) fiancée, who turns out to be Lockie. At the wedding, John Paul speaks out, but Porsche reveals she knows, and the wedding continues.

Relationship with James Nightingale

After a brief relationship with Scott Drinkwell, John Paul breaks up with Scott and later has sex with Nathan's older brother James Nightingale (Gregory Finnegan). When Scott tries to apologise several times, John Paul shuts him out and refuses to speak to him. Later John Paul apologises and tries to reconcile with Scott, but Scott refuses to forgive him. After a long and rocky relationship, James opens up to John Paul about his abuse with Mac Nightingale (David Easter). James proposes to John Paul, John Paul agrees.

Departure

John Paul lies behind James' back and sleeps with his ex, Ste. Ste calls John Paul and explains that he loves him, unbeknownst to him, James is on the other side of the phone. James takes John Paul on a drive around the countryside. James begins speeding, and pulls onto the side of a cliff. James confronts John Paul on it, and asks him who he loves. John Paul says he doesn't know. James takes the handbrake off, making the car roll off onto the rocks. James asks John Paul who is in the boot, implying he kidnapped Ste. John Paul runs down the side of the cliff and opens an empty boot. The next day, John Paul tells his mother he is leaving Hollyoaks. He tells Sally who researches teaching placements in Singapore. She finds one for John Paul, and tells him to go there. John Paul takes Matthew and tells his family. Nancy hugs him and wishes him good luck. At the airport, Sally wishes John Paul goodbye, just as he is about to leave, Myra and Mercedes run up. All three wish John Paul a tearful goodbye. On the plane, he explains to Matthew what's going to happen while they're gone. He checks his phone, and an incoming phone call from Craig Dean is seen.