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Soap Showdown

James Sutton Monday, May 14 2007, 00:00 BST

By Kris Green, Soaps Editor and Miriam Zendle, Music Reporter

This week sees the climax of Hollyoaks' John Paul and Craig storyline when Craig finally confesses his feelings for his best friend - resulting in the pair heading toward the bedroom. It's exam time in Hollyoaks, but most of the students have a lot more on their minds than simultaneous equations and Shakespeare. While Sarah, Hannah and John Paul ponder their future, Craig's feelings for JP intensify when he sees him having a good time with Spike. At first, he's reluctant to act on his emotions, but the situation finally gets the better of him when he storms out of an exam and heads to the McQueens'... James Sutton - the man behind possibly one of Hollyoaks' quickest-ever iconic characters - sat down with DS to chat about the show's most talked about storyline this side of Christmas, as a straight bloke what it's like kissing guys and what the future holds for John Paul and Craig...

John Paul and Craig sleep together on Wednesday and Craig doesn't react well. How does JP handle the situation?

"He's just very, very confused. Obviously the storyline, the previous storyline between the two boys, ended with John Paul confessing his love, the kiss and the big fight. For Craig to turn up and - not declare his love - but make a physical move toward John Paul is very confusing. The way he reacts is so unexpected. They've just slept together, it's all John Paul's wanted, really and then he reacts terribly, so yeah, it's quite upsetting for John Paul. There follows a lot of drama between the boys.

Does this carry on for quite a while or is it resolved?

"Yeah, it does carry on for quite a while. Next week is the start of a long storyline between John Paul and Craig. They do embark on an affair - Craig has obviously still got his girlfriend and John Paul's with Spike as well, so it gets very, very complicated. That's the stuff I'm shooting now as well."

Craig gets back together with Sarah. Is he fooling himself?

"He does love Sarah, and it's what society expects of him, to be a heterosexual lad... He's not gay, he just has these feelings for John Paul. It's just very confusing, he starts running between the two, between Sarah and John Paul."

John Paul's been in love with Craig seemingly forever. Is Craig right for him?

"They do have a very fiery relationship! I think I'd love to say they are, but I don't think they are. I think John Paul needs someone who's more like Spike - I think..."

Is Spike staying in the show for a while?

"Pass, I have no idea. He's still here now, though."

We've seen a lot of rather miserable JP over the last few months. Will he get back to the happier, witty, snarky JP he was before?

"I hope so! I think so... The storylines [the producers] are tossing around at the moment are a lot lighter, as it's been a very emotional storyline so far. It would be nice to have some happier, lighter moments. A bit of comedy? It's just the nature of John Paul coming out and discovering himself and his sexuality . It is going to be fraught with difficulties and stuff. It was always going to be quite an emotional journey."

Now, Hannah has been hankering after JP for a long time, and even knowing he's gay and him having broken up with her hasn't stopped her interfering in his love life. Does she eventually get a clue?

"I know, it's dreadful, isn't it! Yeah, she eventually does get over him, I think, which leads to a whole other storyline with her. Obviously I know they've started exploring the eating disorder thing, that's been going on on screen for a long time now. That's been brought on by JP rejecting her and the whole kind of sadness. That's something that's possibly going to be explored with her. Eventually she does get over him. Thank God!" It's one of those storylines that everyone watching has just been yelling at the screen 'come on, get on with your life!' "I know, I know. She just looks at him with those big eyes and that sad face..."

What was watching the sex scenes back like? I heard you turned red...

"Do you know what, it's actually fine, it really is! Watching anything back is something I'm really used to now. My job's done as soon as they yell 'cut'. By that token my job's done, I can't do anything about it. I might as well sit back and attempt to enjoy it. The sex scenes themselves were handled really, really well. I love working with Guy Burnet and Tom [Vaughan] is great as well. It's been fine."

So when they yell cut and you go home for the evening, do you literally stop thinking about work then?

"You kind of have to. Especially with the nature of some of the scenes I've shot with Guy and Tom. I couldn't sit at home and replay it in my head over and over again. It's good to switch off, watch a movie, do whatever. Otherwise you just become crazy."

Do you have any interaction with the writers as to how your character develops or is it very much a case of just getting handed a script?

"We're kind of actively encouraged to phone up the writers or the producers if there's anything that, when we're issued a script, we think needs changing, or if we've got something we think might work better. We're encouraged to speak to them. They obviously outline the whole story, there's always something that can be changed, and they're quite happy to do that as well. They're not too precious over stuff as well, which is good."

Could you tell us a little bit about what an average day in your life is like?

"Get up, come to work, kiss boys, go home, sleep. That's about the head and tail of it. No [laughs] when we're working a big storyline the days and the hours are quite long. I mean, we're talking eleven hour days, often I don't get in till 8 o'clock at night. It's often a bite to eat, go over the script for the next day and then go to bed. It's really that rock and roll, I'm afraid."

Do you get your scripts close to shooting, or a while before the deadline?

"No, we get them quite a while in advance, but because the turn around is so quick, you don't get the chance to learn them weeks in advance, there's just no time. You're constantly learning lines, filming it, learning lines, filming it. It's never-ending, really. I wish I'd had a chance to prepare more, but that's the nature of a soap - the turnover's so quick."

You're 24, a good few years older than JP is meant to be. How do you find working with people who are 5-6 years younger than you? Is there a difference in attitude?

"Yeah, a little bit. A little bit. I'm kind of more thinking about my career as a whole, I'm always thinking to the future, what my next job's going to be and stuff. With some of the younger people, it's wonderful for them, it's a training ground for them, which is fine. We all get along great, the older people and the younger people, there's no barrier at work. It's a really cool place to work with really nice people."

You've had quite a lot of career luck. After you leave Hollyoaks, what kind of things would you like to be doing?

"I'd like to do some theatre when I leave here, I think. That'd be really nice... to be honest I want to do everything. I want to have a career that lasts until I'm 60, 70 years old. Everything. Films, dramas, all sorts."

You've become the best known character on Hollyoaks. Do you have many 'fan encounters' and how do you handle them?

"I've got used to it a bit now, it was quite bizarre to begin with. But most people are just really, really sweet when they come up to me. Most people are starstruck, which is a bit weird. It's been lovely, everyone's been really cool and really supportive. Most people appreciate the sensitive nature of the character and storyline. Appreciate what I'm doing and what the writers are doing. Everyone's been lovely."

How long are you planning to stay with Hollyoaks - do you have a contract signed? I imagine they'd really want to keep you there considering how successful your story has been!

"I'm signed up till next year - next April/May-ish. But I mean, I don't know what's going to happen then. If there's still room for me here [and] if there's another exciting storyline they want me to pursue then I might think of that, I'm quite easy, really. I love my job and if it means working here or if it means going somewhere else, then so be it."

The Soap Awards aren't far away and it's likely you'll win something. Is this the first awards ceremony you've been to? Are you excited?

"It is the first awards ceremony I've been to. I can't wait, it'll be a really good night. I was invited last year, but I hadn't really been on screen yet so I didn't really feel like I deserved to go. I'm really looking forward to it. I've got my outfit all picked out!"

What are you wearing - who are you wearing, as they say to the ladies on Oscar night?

"[Laughs] who am I wearing? Some Dior, some Prada... I don't want to give too much away because I'm wearing something a little bit different, which is either going to look ace or backfire and make me look absolutely ridiculous."

Come on, give us a clue...

"I went to see a stylist a few weeks ago in Leeds, and he had an image that he thought would suit me, so we picked out some stuff. It's a bit out of my comfort zone, it's not what I would usually wear, but we'll see. I probably bigged it up than I should have done, but I didn't just want to wear a black suit or whatever. I thought 'it's once a year, why not make a bit of effort?'"

Why does Hollyoaks deserve to win 'Best Soap'?

"Because it's the most exciting soap at the moment without a doubt. The standard of acting has improved so much. I haven't watched the show for a long time, but certainly when I used to watch it years ago, the standard of acting was poor, there's no getting around that - but now it's a great show to work on, the directors are getting fantastic, it shows in the audience figures. "We're the only soap whose figures have gone up in the last year and we're tackling issues and things that really matter to young people. Some of the other soaps just have - I'm not slagging soaps off or anything - but some of their storylines are just rehashes of things they've done before. We handle sensitive issues and things. It sounds a bit cliched but I think we make a difference."

What does it feel like to be nominated as sexiest male, best actor and best dramatic performance?

"It's surreal, but it's really flattering. I really didn't expect to be nominated for anything. Like I said, there are some really great actors here and I didn't expect to be nominated for anything - it's just a joy, really. I'm not getting my hopes up, I don't want to be disappointed. It will just be a really good night."

Thanks for chatting to us, James, and good luck at the Soap Awards!

- Kris Green and Miriam Zendle

Gay relationship for Hollyoaks' John-Paul and Craig Wednesday,

7th March 2007

Hollyoaks characters Craig Dean and John-Paul McQueen are to embark on a relationship, it has been confirmed.

A confused Craig, played by Guy Burnet, finally gives in to his feelings for his besotted best friend, actor James Sutton, following their on-screen kiss last month.

A spokesperson for the soap said: "Craig faces turmoil as he battles with his desires for both John-Paul and Sarah. "When John-Paul realises the true extent of Craig's feelings, the boys embark on a relationship that will blow their friendships apart."

- Kris Green, Soaps Editor

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