The Hollyoaks star has aired his final scene on the Channel 4 soap, featuring emotional dream sequences with dead McQueen family members
16:21, 24 Feb 2026Updated 16:23, 24 Feb 2026
The Hollyoaks star has aired his final scene on the Channel 4 soap(Image: Channel 4)
A Hollyoaks star’s farewell scenes have aired this week following his departure after two decades on the soap. The much-loved character is making his exit after 20 years as actor James Sutton chose to leave the Channel 4 soap.
His emotional final scenes unfolded as he bid farewell to his mother and sister at her rehabilitation facility before departing to begin a fresh chapter in Switzerland with his son Matthew-Jesus.
Channel 4 producers went to great lengths to bring back a host of familiar faces for a series of dream sequences in James’ penultimate episode last week. Actor James first joined the soap in 2006 and has spent the past 20 years portraying the role on and off.
However, after informing his bosses that he was ready to move on, they set about crafting a storyline to honour the character’s various trials and tribulations over the two decades.
His concluding storyline features a ‘what if? ‘element exploring what might have occurred had he made different decisions throughout the years.
James Sutton has quit Hollyoaks after 20 years (Image: LIMEPICTURES)
Fans were pleased to see the three McQueen sisters return for the special episode. Actors Gemma Merna and Leah Hackett reprised their roles as the long-deceased Carmel and Tina McQueen.
It was also revealed that Hollie-Jay Bowes would be returning to the storyline as Michaela McQueen. The episode has now aired, with Carmel portrayed as a German-speaking financial expert, and Tina as a criminal psychologist.
In reality, the sisters passed away years ago, plunging the family into turmoil that also resulted in their cousin Sylver’s death. However, in the fantasy episode, John Paul imagined he was having an affair with Sylver – much to his sister Mercedes‘ horror.
The returns also saw Michaela return as a tattoo artist, whilst John Paul’s parent, Sally St Claire, made a final appearance to give her son some advice.
James recently criticised show bosses for “ripping the heart out of the soap”(Image: E4)
It comes as James recently criticised show bosses for “ripping the heart out of the soap” with the cuts that saw 130 people lose their jobs and weekly episodes reduced from five to just three.
It was an incredibly emotional time for the team at Hollyoaks, as some had to say goodbye to a place they had worked for years.
“So many of the crew had been there for years, so it really was an awful time. And I do feel like a lot of the heart of the show had kind of been ripped out”, he said.
Adding to his chat with the Daily Mail, James admitted: “It was more about the crew that left, who were all local. Actors come and go; it’s part of the job. But the crew, some of them had been there since the Brookside days, so it was heartbreaking.
“Scousers are hilarious, warm, generous, and incredibly talented. To lose all those people, I do think the energy of the place has never recovered. It used to be something quite special going to work, but sadly that all changed.”
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