I agree, James doesnt need that, he does need to become BFFs with Sienna though

I'd quite like James to strike up a relationship with neeta. I do think she's more likely to believe him over his siblings.

What interested me was Mac's plea for Marnie to leave him alone. The affair with Cindy and the desperate need to marry Neeta were just desperate attempts to be free of her. Anyone close to her would go barmy at some stage. She has interfered in Ellie's life and is set to do the same with Nathan. There is definitely something not right with her.

On a totally shallow and superficial note.... who do I have to write to to request a change of hairstyle for JP?? I hate the way they are styling his hair, he looks like my grandad. Not flattering.

/shallow

I forgot that Morticia slept with freddie and James knows

Am I the only person who wondered where james slept last night?

Yesterday with broken ribs was in a lot of pain, today hes wearing the same suit as last night and I assume he was not sleeping him his flat with his abusers there

He needs to kick Morticia out

Mine too, well sort off. The focus does seem to be about violence so I hope the show keeps it this way. I know alot of us, including myself, had reservations about a violent childhood story, but this week has proven that it could really be brilliant.

Gregory is truely a gifted actor and can really bring to light the horror that some children face. I find in soap, rape is covered regularly and don't get me wrong, it's an important story to tell. It happens. However, how often to they tell, and I mean really tell, a story of child beatings? You don't see it much.

I'm glad the show is working with tha nspcc on this one. It just shows they have actually given this story some thought.

Plus, like I said before, Ellie has the date rape story coming up. Will hollyoaks really have two similar themed stories at the same time and with two actors playing brother and sister no less? Even by HO standards that's a bit much.

Marnie did take James so I am sure she knew. I can't see that relationship collapsing too soon as James and Marnie are together in the titles. She must find out about what James is trying to do and puts a stop to it. Her hold on James is very strong and JP needs to show James what real unconditional care and support is like.

I think that's why James rejects John Paul. He's never had any one really care and love him with thier whole heart. With his mum there is always a ulterior motive and Mac, enough said. His parents have made it very difficult for him to trust anyone and stopped him getting close. I believe that's why James himself manipulates others. He's become emotionally shut down and sees compassion and vulnerability as a weakness. A lot of his machavillian behaviour is to mask his own trauma.

I know it's early days but I hope Gregory is up for best male dramatic performance and best actor at next year British soap awards. I know he's not the typical candidate to attract a vote but on Facebook, he's attracting a lot of support. Many are saying now that James is thier favourite character and that Gregory is the best actor the show has. I can see more and more people getting behind him.

Hopefully, yeah!

Is it tonight that James decides to get "revenge"? Wonder what that will entail.

I think it will be persuing the case against his father.

I do think Ellie, Nathan and Alfie potentially not believing James and siding with thier father to be realistic. We have to remember that they hardly know James given the age gap where as they grew up around thier father, who no doubt to them was warm and lovely to them. In thier eyes James has nothing more than a vendetta against thier dear old dad. I'd love to see some scenes between him and neeta.

I find the actor who plays Neeta painful to watch, she's terrible. When she was shouting at Mac during the wedding I was cringing tbh.

As a sidenote, this Myra eight babies thing is messing with my head because I remember when that happened to a woman irl.

How can Myra think she can get away with pretending to expect 8 babies in these modern times, with scans and all types of technology?? Silly cow.

I was thinking, it will be extremely difficult for James to demonstrate his accusations against Mac unless Marnie steps up the plate and backs him up.

I guess if Mac is to go down, we have to hope Marnie pulls a Diane and finally does the right thing.

I think this may well happen but it wouldn't surprise me if she stays silent until the bitter end. Difference with Diane is that she's not a twisted emotionally unstable person like Marnie. Marnie seems obsessed with Mac to the point where her lies are not out of love or blinded loyalty like Diana was but a selfish need to be with a man. I really hope in the end James is able to be free of both of them.

he does currently have broken ribs and JP saw it, so he could do his dad for that

James needs to escape Morticia shes toxic

Yeah, I noticed that too. He was begging her to leave him alone. I almost felt like she was his abuser. Not like in physically but in a controlling kind of way.


I don't think you are shallow at all. Just because he is now a teacher doesn't mean he is a boring old fart.


Agreed. She will do anything to be with Mac. Look at how she denied trashing the wedding and said that James was lying. I'm starting to think that Marnie will give Sienna a run for her money in the crazy stakes.

I felt very sad for James, because not only was he in A&E while the wedding was happening after taking a beating because of his mums actions, the rest of the family clearly dont consider him family, they seemed shocked he was there, and then Mac said Stay away form MY family, but Macs family is James' as well, his brothers and sisters, its as if most consider him nothing to do with them, yet welcome Morticia back happily, She even seemed shocked he was invited to the meal, as if normally the family was her mac ellie alfie and Nathan, and I think because she assumed hes not really part of the family

I don't think the siblings don't consider him part of the family.. Ellie set the table for him too, and when Marnie said she didn't think he was coming (maybe she hoped he wouldn't come so that he wouldn't endanger her "get back with Mac" operation, like he indeed ended up doing), she said "of course, you said the whole family".

I don't think the siblings have any issue with James, they are just not that used to having him around.

The real poisonous people are the parents. Mac of course doesn't consider James family, as he hates him. Marnie only cares about herself.

Agreed. I didn't get a the impression that they didn't want him there last night. Their relationship is a strange one because of the age gap but they don't dislike him or not want him part of thier lives. It's Marnie and Mac with the issue.

Episode update: James has called a soliciter to his house to talk about the abuse with JP by his side. This should be interesting.

I'm blown away by how open with John Paul James is being. He's so closed off, but he's really let JP in. I love it!

Thanks for the update!!

I hope James doesn't let himself be discouraged by the difficulties that will certainly arise. I hope JP doesn't let him give up!

Their relationship is moving really fast now. I'm a bit worried...

What's happening??