Paul McClain

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Paul McClain
Neighbours character
Former; regular
Introduced byStanley Walsh (1997)
Ric Pellizerri (2005)
In-universe information
Occupation
  • High school student
  • Waiter
  • AFL player
Father
Leo McClain
MotherAngela McClain

Paul McClain is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Jansen Spencer. Paul made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 4 November 1997. Spencer decided to leave the role in September 2001, and Paul departed on 11 December 2001. In 2005, Spencer reprised the role for a cameo appearance in the show's 20th anniversary episode.

Casting

In 1997, Jansen Spencer heard about the possibility of a role on Neighbours and he originally auditioned for a small part.[1] Spencer told Jon Peake of Inside Soap "It was a month before I heard anything, but when I did they told me I hadn't got a little part – I had got a permanent role instead!"[1] Spencer revealed he was initially star stuck when he first started filming on set.[1] In September 2001, Peake's colleague Jason Herbison reported that Spencer had decided to leave Neighbours after four years. He filmed his final scenes that same month.[2] Spencer commented, "I've had a great time and I've learned a lot – I didn't know a thing wen I started."[2] The actor later said that he was sad to leave the show, but he had remained in the role for longer than he ever expected to. Paul's exit storyline saw him leaving Erinsborough to play football for the Adelaide Crows.[3] Spencer later reprised his role for the soap's 20th anniversary episode, which was broadcast in July 2005.[4]

Storylines

Paul was born to

Leo (Ross Thompson) and Angela McClain in 1983. Leo was an alcoholic who would frequently beat Angela, and subsequently walked out when Paul was four years old. Angela raised Paul on her own until her death in 1997, which left Paul orphaned and with no choice but to go into foster care
.

Paul's case worker

Tracey Cox (Margot Knight) brings him to Number 24 Ramsay Street to meet Harold Bishop (Ian Smith), who is working for the foster care programme via The Salvation Army. Harold, Paul and Tracey go to Calder Park Raceway after Paul mentions he likes motor racing. After Harold reveals all to his wife, Madge (Anne Charleston
), he suggests they foster Paul. Madge is reluctant at first to foster, and Paul is equally reluctant to be fostered by the Bishops but everyone agrees to it. During Paul's first week with the Bishops, his enthusiasm for playing the electric guitar does not go down very well with Madge. Paul confides in Harold that he feels that bonding with Madge would be betraying his late mother, Harold assures him that would not be the case and his mother would want him to be happy. After Paul is accused when some money goes missing from the Coffee shop, He runs away but is found and Harold apologises.

Paul quickly befriends

Mike Burns
(Daniel Jolles) shows interest in Paul's guitar playing and tastes in music. Hannah is hurt, but forgives Paul when he explains that he has a lot in common with Mike but doesn't know anything about her. Paul and Hannah begin hanging out together a lot but are too shy to discuss their feelings and remain friends. Hannah agrees to teach Paul how to dance for the upcoming formal.

When Tracey tells Paul, his father Leo wants to get in contact with him, He refuses to speak to his father. Leo arrives in Ramsay Street and Paul is very frosty towards him and refuses to listen to Leo's story of how he's changed and beaten his alcoholism. Paul eventually softens and agrees to bond with his father, visiting him occasionally. Paul realises he likes Hannah as more than just a friend, but it comes a little too late as she leaves to stay in France with her friend

Tuong Pham
(Trent Huen).

During Hannah's absence, Paul finds himself the subject of unwanted female attention at Erinsborough High. Around this time,

Jade Cleary
(Talia Krape) while she was absent. Paul counters that Jade told him Hannah had been seeing Clarie's brother Pascale, while she was in France. Paul and Hannah temporarily break up, but later reunite.

John "Teabag" Teasdale (Nathan Phillips) appears when Paul, Tad and Hannah are riding their bikes down at Harold's allotment. They befriend Teabag when he agrees to help them make a BMX video. When Paul discovers Teabag is a criminal and the culprit behind the robbery of Bill Kennedy's (Jesse Spencer) workshop, he tries to warn Hannah off him. Paul and Teabag get into a physical confrontation and things escalate when Teabag makes a nuisance of himself by harassing Madge and generally being unpleasant in the coffee shop. Paul and Tad try to gain some measure of revenge but a stone-throwing incident backfires when the police are called and the boys are arrested and cautioned. When Hannah's father, Philip (Ian Rawlings
), gets a new job in Darwin, Hannah refuses to leave and Paul is equally reluctant to let his girlfriend go. He tries to persuade Harold and Madge into letting Hannah stay with them at Number 24, but the idea is shot down as Tad is already living there and there is no room for Hannah. Paul and Hannah spend Hannah's final night in Erinsborough together in her treehouse. On the morning of the Martin's departure, Paul and Hannah share a tearful farewell and agree to keep in touch.

The Scully family move into Number 26 and Paul is instantly attracted to

Cheyenne Rivers (Angelique Meunier) and they begin dating. When Cheyenne frames Paul for a robbery at the local sports store, where Joel Samuels (Daniel MacPherson
) works, he agrees to take the blame for her after she tells him her father would come down hard on her. Paul then dumps Cheyenne after he realises how selfish she is being. Cheyenne then confesses and is sent away, but returns to be Paul's partner at the Deb Ball.

Madge is diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer, putting a strain on the family. Paul, knowing Madge has limited time, vows to make it as enjoyable for Madge as possible. During Madge's final hours, Paul tells her she is the best mother he could ask for. Madge dies, leaving Paul, Harold and Tad devastated. Following Madge's funeral, Paul and Harold agree to go to Paris, as Madge had planned to go before she died. After returning home, Paul is shocked when Harold decides to sell up after he feels he is surrounded by too many reminders of Madge so Paul, Tad, Lou Carpenter (Tom Oliver) and the other residents host a barbecue to show Harold what he means to them.

When Paul rejoins the Dingoes football team after a failed run the previous year, he discovers teammate

Pat Miller
(Matt Norman), keeps Paul on the bench for the next few games but eventually relents when he is forced to play Paul due to the injury of another player. After Paul scores the winner, he confronts Pat, tells him he is a bully and walks off.

At the end of the year, Paul is unsure about taking his Year 12 exams but decides to after

Kimberly Davies
) Ramsay Street documentary.

Reception

A writer for the BBC described Paul's most notable moment as "Being picked for the Adelaide Crows after so many false starts."[5] Jackie Brygel of the Herald Sun had a positive reaction to the character, writing "What a nice boy that Paul is – a young fellow who has had more than his share of problems but who always manages to rise above them and get on with life. This week, however, Paul takes on a challenge that no adolescent should ever have to face: driving lessons with Harold!"[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c Peake, Jon (14–27 November 1998). "Daddy's boy". Inside Soap. No. 114. pp. 16–17.
  2. ^ a b Herbison, Jason (1–14 September 2001). "Street exit". Inside Soap. No. 187. p. 9.
  3. ^ "Footie farewell". Inside Soap. No. 198. 2–15 February 2002. p. 7.
  4. ^ Green, Kris (14 April 2005). "More Neighbours returns confirmed". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
  5. ^ "Character: Paul McClain". BBC. Archived from the original on 14 May 2004. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
  6. ^ Brygel, Jackie (24 January 2001). "Soap Dish". Herald Sun. Retrieved 6 March 2024 – via Gale.

External links

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