Hollyoaks icon reveals he’s signed a new contract to keep him on the soap until 2026 amid amid serial killer storyline

HOLLYOAKS favourite James Sutton has he's signed a caller declaration to enactment connected the Channel 4 soap for different year.

The actor, who plays Jean Paul McQueen, volition beryllium connected surface for astatine slightest different 12 months, contempt 25 formed members quitting the show.

James, 41, who has been a acquainted look connected the soap since 2006, joined The Tom's Talks podcast arsenic helium revealed his spot connected the soap was safe.

He told listeners: “I’m inactive connected Hollyoaks, which is great. I’ve conscionable signed different year."

James added: "I’m going to beryllium determination until January 2026. Yeah. I’m determination until January 2026.”

Jean Paul has been astatine the centre of a drawstring of hard-hitting storylines.

His quality tackled a horrifying rape storyline aft Jean Paul was attacked by pupil Finn O’Connor.

He left the soap successful 2017 for a occupation successful Singapore after his narration with James Nightingale broke down, but returned 5 years later.

Jean Paul presently supporting his sister Mercedes McQueen arsenic she battles an assertive signifier of bowel cancer.

Killer surprise

It comes aft fans were near furious aft soap bosses revealed that Martha Blake is acceptable to go a serial killer.

Many viewers consciousness that the caller plotline has been overdone and is an illustration of lazy penning astatine this point.

Others besides complained that the sidesplitting rampage is conscionable being utilized arsenic an excuse to axe characters as Hollyoaks bosses antecedently admitted that they are culling 20 actors.

The Sun exclusively revealed that Sherrie Hewson is going to marque history by playing the oldest serial slayer connected the soap travel September.

A root shared that the star, 73, is delighted to get the accidental to beryllium astatine the halfway of specified a immense story.

They added: "She can’t hold to get her hands soiled with the humor of  characters.

“Hollyoaks is astatine its best when there’s a large villain connected the escaped and Martha is going to apical them all. She’s  conscionable arsenic twisted arsenic her murderous great-granddaughter Nico.

“She whitethorn beryllium worse. No one’s harmless with Martha around.”

Hollyoaks has had an old-age murderer earlier in Silas Blissett (Jeff Rawle), who was 72 during his 2020 killings.

Time jump

Bosses came up with a bizarre “time jump” conception to fast-forward 20 characters retired of the soap.

It saw the enactment permanently determination guardant by 1 year, erstwhile immoderate families conscionable truthful hap to person near the village.

A root told The Sun past March: “Losing 20 formed members successful 1 fell swoop is eye-watering and devastating news for soapland.

“In the past, Hollyoaks has seen daze stunts assertion up to 5 lives successful a azygous episode.

“But the days of soaps having a large formed clear-out with a devastating stunt are agelong gone, particularly connected Hollyoaks wherever the fund has been dramatically cut.

“The indispensable decease toll would marque astir immoderate stunt thought wholly unbelievable.”

The Sun revealed at the clip however large names Jamie Lomas, who plays Warren Fox, and Owen Warner, the show’s Romeo Nightingale, person already volunteered to leave.