Hollyoaks actor James Sutton has publicly addressed his departure from the long-running Channel 4 soap for the first time, calling it an "emotional" decision after nearly two decades playing the iconic John Paul McQueen.
A Final Farewell to an Iconic Character
The 42-year-old star confirmed he has now filmed his final scenes as the fan-favourite character, a role he first took on in 2006. Appearing as a panellist on Channel 5's Jeremy Vine show on Thursday, 15 January 2026, Sutton spoke with stand-in host Susan Calman about his momentous week.
He explained that leaving behind the cast and crew was the hardest part. "It’s like any job in any industry if you're there for a long enough time," Sutton said. "The people that you work with and the people that you see every day... they're the real thing I'm going to miss."
Exhausting Every Storyline
Sutton revealed that a primary reason for his exit was feeling he had explored every possible avenue with John Paul McQueen. The character has been central to some of the soap's most hard-hitting plots over the years.
"I felt like I kind of done everything that I could do with the character. I've had a lot of heavy lifting over the years," he stated. James Sutton listed tackling a male rape storyline, domestic abuse, and alcoholism as particularly demanding narratives that required immense effort as a performer.
"I just felt like we kind of exhausted everything that we could do with the character and kind of run out of steam," he admitted. "And I thought, better to leave now than to just kind of fade into the background."
What's Next for the Soap Star?
When quizzed by Susan Calman about his future and whether he would consider joining another major soap, Sutton responded with a clear message for ITV. "Coronation Street, I'm available," he declared. "My schedule is clear."
Fans will recall that Sutton initially left Hollyoaks in 2008 to join the cast of rival ITV soap Emmerdale, playing mechanic Ryan Lamb until 2011. He then made a shock return to Chester in 2012. Most recently, his character was embroiled in a dramatic engagement to serial killer Jez Blake, played by Jeremy Sheffield.
Addressing his career shift in a recent Instagram video, Sutton told followers he had made "huge career decisions" that some might consider "insane." He has since launched a new venture as a self-improvement guru for men and plans to scale back his acting to focus on this passion project.
Hollyoaks continues to air Monday to Wednesday on E4 at 7pm, with first-look episodes available to stream on Channel 4 from 7am. Jeremy Vine airs on Channel 5 on weekdays at 9.15am.
