Former Emmerdale actor, James Sutton, is returning to Hollyoaks to reprise his role as homosexual McQueen, John Paul!

Fans of the award-winning Channel 4 soap last saw Sutton on their Hollyoaks screens back in 2008, when he fled the village after his half-brother, Niall killed his half-sister, Tina during the epic Church explosion in the same year.

Throughout his time on the soap, Sutton earned Hollyoaks many awards for the exposure they highlighted for LGBT rights, including “Broadcast of the Year” at the 2007 Stonewall Awards, where the gay rights charity gave Hollyoaks the accolade for its “sympathetic and convincing handling” of a “gritty and emotional” storyline.

On receiving the award, Sutton said: “Stonewall is such an important organisation and it’s amazing that we’ve been recognised by them for all the hard work we put into the storyline.”

Since then Sutton, who played John Paul through several high-profile storylines from the denial of his homosexuality, to the pursuit and relations with best friend Craig Dean, has enjoyed a major part in ITV rival soap, Emmerdale as Ryan Lamb, who engaged, unknowingly, in a relationship with his half-sister.

However, it has today been revealed that after a four-year absence, Sutton is to return to Hollyoaks to reprise his role as John Paul, as the McQueen family faces it’s darkest times in recent history.

According to Digital Spy, fans of the hit soap can look forward to seeing the return of John Paul before Christmas!

Hollyoaks can be seen weekdays at 6.30pm on Channel4 / Channel4 HD.