Definitely. It's a shame they never explored his diabetes. I know that for most people that have it they just go about their every day lives like anyone else, but I don't they ever showed Paul injecting himself..but maybe that would've been hard to portray and look realistic as obviously the actor wouldn't realy be using a needle.

They could've showed Paul's blood sugars dipping and maybe even going into a coma because of it

It does seem odd that DTC scheduled such an important storyline for a time when there was effectively no EP in charge. I'd have thought he'd have wanted to take full credit for it. I guess he simply ran out of time.

Re: your second point - if it is a homophobic attack then much like Paul's entire existence as a character, the reason they've chosen this will be to affect Ben. This is the moment that will cement Ben's tragic status and send him hurtling off the rails again, which is how the writers prefer him. Yes, it is a huge death for a minor character, but I doubt it was written to reward Jonny Labey with a decent exit. I doubt the Cokers will even get much of a look in during the aftermath. It will all be about the Mitchells and how they deal with this.

I hope Les & Pam have as much focus as Ben in the aftermath. I like the idea of them (as you articulately put it) cementing Ben's tragic status and it could kind of take him into Aaron (ED) territory. But Les & Pam cannot be background characters - especially not Pam who I think could shine.

It's sad enough Paul is looking to be killed off but I hope the writers don't mess up a potentially great storyline.

Eastenders have put up a video which basically confirms its not Ben... The doctor says the mans who phone we called you off has died and phill says Ben Mitchell... Thing we can 100 percent confirm its paul then

A huge shame Glad it's not Ben though! Why can't they both survive One thing I keep coming back to though is the actor describing his exit as 'exciting'. Surely this would be more heartbreaking, than exciting Unless of course it was a red herring :/ Very, very sad also that Paul will never be reunited with his mother and will never know that she desperately tried to get into contact with him for all these years

The actor that's plays Paul, Jonny Labey, is a type one diabetic actually so this wouldn't have been as hard as you'd think .

As someone who also has the condition I am annoyed that they won't be exploring it more. Especially after the apology and comment made that they would be following the complaints regarding ignorant comment Kim made about diabetes a while ago. I was looking forward to seeing that. Also the majority of people with type one find it hard to just 'go about your lives like anyone else' in fact, it is an exhausting and relentless illness, and it all too often gets confused with type two diabetes which in mpst cases far simpler to manage.

Say what you will about Paul, but this seems like one of the most unnecessarily spiteful storylines to get rid of a character.