From The Times September 27, 2007
Last Night’s TV
Tim Teeman
Out of the box
Gosh, I am not alone. Judging from e-mails, we have a serious case of Hollyoakslove out there. From the reader who blasts it for being stupid and crass (but who watches it) to the majority who love it (and feel guilty because they’re far too old to be watching it), the Chester soap has a loyal fan base among Times readers. Lots of you were upset that John-Paul and Craig didn’t end up happy ever after. But good on JP: he wasn’t prepared to be shunned in public by his closet-case boyfriend. Knowing Hollyoaks, he will end up falling for a serial killer. If you’re already missing evil Clare Cunningham, Gemma Bissix, who played her, is about to return to her first soap role as (now all grown up) Clare in EastEnders.
Reader's Comments
As someone far too old to be watching it, it is about time Hollyoaks gained wider recognition for being by far the best soap on TV not least for the way it deals with issues for its target audience in depth and sensitively, far more so than any other comparable programme. Recent obvious examples are the anorexia and Craig/ John Paul stories. The latter has been remarkable for how the story has been allowed to develop over time to reflect fully the emotional turmoil for all involved. Has any other programme dealt with such issues in such a way? It is a paradigm of how gay issues should be presented to a young audience. It also provided some remarkable acting by Guy Burnet and, in particular, James Sutton. The latter's final words on leaving the airport were incredibly affecting. Hollyoaks should not leave unresolved how Craig deals with his issues, even if it is communicated at third hand, as this is crucial to those viewers faced with similar challenges. It would be a cop out not to do so.
Alan Murray, Streatley, UK
