Hollyoaks airs 2008 throwback in John Paul’s exit scene – but did you spot it?

Hollyoaks spoilers follow.

Hollyoaks aired a throwback to its very distant past as John Paul McQueen bid an emotional farewell to the village. In fact, the reference was so subtle, you could have missed it if you so much as blinked!

The beloved character exited the Channel 4 soap in today’s episode (23 February). He had decided to relocate to Switzerland in order to live with his son, Matthew-Jesus, who departed in 2023 (we have had a year-long time-jump since then, though).

As John Paul said goodbye to his loving family, actor James Sutton exits the frame. The camera remains on the poster from a local rehabilitation facility, which Mercedes recently attended.

“Today – take your first step to a sunnier life” reads the slogan on the poster, but it’s actually the image of a sun on the horizon that is more pertinent, as it makes a visual nod to a scene from nearly 20 years ago!

For long-time fans of the soap, you’ll remember that John Paul and Craig Dean had their “sunset ending” in November 2008, with the now-former couple boarding a Dublin-bound train together in what is now an iconic scene.

Though John Paul hasn’t left with Craig – or anybody for that matter – this time around, heading to Switzerland to live with his son does represent a new chapter in the character’s life, and it’s arguably just as happy as riding off into the sunset with a partner.

The latest exit is Sutton’s third since his debut in the role in 2006. The actor recently shared that much of the soap was unrecognisable behind the scenes following various cutbacks in 2024.

“So many of the crew had been there for years, so it really was an awful time,” said the actor, whose latest stint was seven years. “I do feel like a lot of the heart of the show had kind of been ripped out, to be honest.

“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… I do think the energy of the place has never recovered.”