'Hollyoaks': PJ Brennan teases Doug Carter's return and future

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks fans see Doug Carter settle back into village life this week after he returns from New York.

Doug flew home to the US after splitting from Ste Hay (Kieron Richardson) just before Christmas, but he seems much happier and ready to make a fresh start as he arrives back.

Digital Spy recently caught up with PJ Brennan, who plays Doug, to hear what the show's writers have in store for his character over the next few weeks. Read on to find out whether 'Stug' can be friends, if Doug is likely to find love again, and more!

How is Doug feeling when he arrives back in Hollyoaks?
"Well, right from the get-go, it's clear that going home did Doug a lot of good. He seems to have got back a bit of the spark that was there before the doom and gloom of the failed relationship with Ste. It's clear that he's sorted things out and he's more comfortable within himself. I think he's got his priorities back in check!"

Is Doug's father Herb doing better now?
"That will probably be explored at a later point, but his dad's condition has improved - at least to the point where returning to Hollyoaks is a viable option for Doug. So Doug pops up out of nowhere, to the surprise of many characters including Brendan and Ste!"

You've said in another interview that Doug wants to keep a distance from the Ste and Brendan situation, but does he still want to be friends with Ste?
"Absolutely. It's an interesting relationship to navigate at this point, which makes it fun to play. Doug comes back to the business, which obviously means that there has to be some sort of relationship there between him and Ste. It's a case of building up the genuine and solid friendship that was there before they even started a relationship.

"But Doug definitely does want to keep one foot out of the door when it comes to Ste and Brendan, because it's not really his place, and for his own mental health he realises it's probably for the best! However, due to Doug and Ste working in close proximity, Doug doesn't stay out of it as well as he would hope - and you'll see that in the next couple of weeks."

As an actor, were you sad to see Doug and Ste split up, or had you always known that was the plan?
"We knew it was the plan from the start, but I was still incredibly sad when it was ending - although that was because I spent most of 2012 working with Kieron, and I knew I'd be working with him less afterwards. That's enough to make anyone sad, because Kieron's a great person to work with!

"But we all knew ahead of time where the story was heading, and it's not as though Doug and Ste won't talk to each other at all from now on. They'll always be important to each other and they have the business, which is such a strong and uniting factor between the two of them. So there's still plenty to come, and they'll always be a part of each other's lives at this point."

Doug did encourage Ste to go after Brendan, but is he at all surprised when he sees that they've actually managed to work things out?
"No, I think Doug is just at peace with the whole thing! He doesn't give away any surprise that they're now together and have managed to stay that way for a month and a half! Doug knows that it's best not to get involved or give any commentary either way. Doug wants Ste to be happy, and that's why he encouraged him to go to Dublin in the first place. It was a selfless act."

Does Brendan still give Doug a hard time?
"Oh yeah, I don't think it would be a Doug and Brendan scene without some sort of quip being thrown at Doug's expense! There's one moment where Doug admits that he'd actually missed that, in a masochistic way!

"Regardless of the tone of the relationship, Brendan is still one of the most important people in Doug's life in Hollyoaks, because of all the backstory they have. I think it's a case of familiarity breeding some sort of affection!"

Doug grew quite close to Leah and Lucas, so is he hoping that will continue?
"Yes, what's nice is that they do acknowledge the fact that Doug was growing up and making some inroads in terms of being a good stepdad to Leah and Lucas. That thread isn't lost at all.

"I think that's quite nice, because we were portraying two young gay men getting married and having a family. It ended abruptly, but in the few moments that you saw, we were exploring the idea of a modern family. I think it's good to keep that going, and Ela-May and Reuben who play Leah and Lucas are fantastic."

Are there many scenes showing Doug back with his housemates?
"Absolutely. What's really nice about his return is that Doug immediately reconnects with the people who are important to him. Because of the way the story went last year, it's easy to forget that the characters in the lads' pad have been friends for a few years now.

"There's a long history with them and the core of Doug, Leanne and Texas is still there. What's nice is that in 2013 that area of the show will be explored a bit more - and there's a lot to come which Doug will be involved in."

When Doug left for New York last month, did you receive many tweets from fans who thought you'd left Hollyoaks?
"Yes, which is why I went on radio silence for a bit! Personally speaking, if I was watching a TV show and something that pivotal happened, I wouldn't want to know whether the actor was returning. I tried to keep my tweets as vague as possible."
You've been off screen for about a month, so did that translate into a month off work for you?
"It didn't, because of the way that we shoot with filming blocks overlapping. I had to explain this to my mother several times as she was very worried for my job! I had to explain that I wasn't necessarily having a month without any work!

"I was able to go home to New York for a week around Thanksgiving time. I hadn't been at home for Thanksgiving for five years, so that was really nice. I also went home for Christmas, so Doug's departure afforded me a two-week break that I split into two different time periods. But I like working and if I had been off for a month, I probably would have lost my mind!"

Would you like Doug to get a new love interest or stay single for a while?
"Well, I've read some people saying that they want Doug to concentrate on being a happy, single, young gay man. I understand that sentiment, but I don't think he should outrightly reject a romance based on that sort of thinking. I would think that Doug should be in a relationship of some sort - but one that's loving, healthy and not based on a lot of secrecy.

"As good as Doug and Ste were, there was a lot of mistrust and dodgy dealings going on. If there were to be a relationship for Doug, I would hope it would be a healthy one and one which makes Doug a happier person, which does seem to be the focus at the moment. But obviously not too happy, because who wants to watch that?"

This is just speculation at the moment, but some fans are already saying that Doug should get together with John Paul. Have you had any scenes with James Sutton?
"Perhaps! John Paul is a character who re-appeared while Doug was away, so I'm sure that Doug would be interested in finding out who he is. Also, Leanne already knows John Paul, so there's a connection there which suggests that there could be something coming along. But it's one of those ones where you'll just have to tune in and see!"

Would you like to explore Doug's bad boy side again, or do you feel that he's moved on from that?
"I always loved the bad boy side and I do enjoy playing villains because they're usually outsider figures, which is a vantage point that I like to approach characters from. But I do like the fact that Doug turned a corner, and since then he's been making sure that he's not looking back on those times.

"What I also enjoy playing is a severely flawed character, so if there are times when Doug sinks back into that sort of behaviour, it doesn't necessarily mean that he's a villain again. However, there are moments where he has a lapse in judgement and I'm all for that, because I don't think anyone ever changes completely. I just want Doug to be as honest and realistic as possible."

We've heard that the Hollyoaks wardrobe department have been kitting out Kieron with lots of new tracksuits, as Ste returns to his old self a bit! What do you make of his 'new' look?
"Well, I've been saying that I'd love to have a scene where Doug tries to have a sit-down with Ste and goes, 'Uh, Ste, I've noticed you've been wearing a lot of tracksuits recently...'

"I think it's good for Ste as a character, because it's re-identifying who he was and who he is. Kieron is very comfortable on set now because he gets to wear tracksuits, while the rest of us are wearing clothes which are far less comfortable! Kieron's walking around on set like he's just had a nap! It looks good, though!"

What are your thoughts on Emmett's upcoming departure from the show?
"Well, when I was originally supposed to be on the show for just five episodes, Emmett was the one who I'd go back down to London and talk to my drama school classmates about - telling them how incredible he is and how much I loved working with him.

"I think his departure won't really be felt until he's gone. No-one has an understanding of what the show will be like without Brendan Brady. Everyone, including those of us who are making Hollyoaks, will just have to see what it's like. Brendan has been such a central figure for so many storylines, and I think Doug wouldn't be Doug without Brendan.

"In terms of Emmett as a personal friend, he's someone who's been there at key moments for me. He's someone I'll miss because he was a good person to me on several occasions, so I'll always remember that. And I hope at some point I'll get to work with him again - fingers crossed!"

What's the atmosphere like on set at the moment?
"I've been buzzing over the ratings for the bullying storyline in the past week and I've been congratulating Jazmine Franks, who plays Esther, for that. There's a really positive atmosphere and that's in conjunction with a lot of things, including Bryan Kirkwood coming back to the helm as executive producer, which has perked everyone up.

"It's another one of those things which proves why Hollyoaks should be on the air, because I think the bullying storyline was handled very, very well, and no other show would really do it. Obviously it's having a positive impact because the ratings are so strong."

We've seen that Walker is back, so will Doug have any more scenes with him?
"Well, Walker returning means that there's definitely going to be some serious business going on. Because of the characters involved, Doug is definitely involved in that in some degree. You'll have to find out how and why for yourself - but Doug will be involved in some way or another, because Ste's still his best friend."

[alan45]

Hollyoaks star PJ Brennan has spoken of his sadness at homophobic slurs aimed at him by viewers.

Openly gay actor Brennan, who plays Doug Carter in the teen soap, told the Daily Star that comments online and on the street make him "feel awful".


"I got called 'faggot Doug' on the street a few weeks ago," he revealed. "A lot of gay men have tweeted me to say I have a gay haircut now, which is homophobic.

"Gay men tweet me and say I'm skinny or cry too much, so within the gay community there is self-hatred."

His Hollyoaks alter ego Doug came out as gay in May 2012 after previously having relationships with student Jenny.

Brennan further admitted that he remains uncomfortable about his own sexuality, adding: "People assume that I am 100% comfortable about being gay but it's the exact opposite.

"The perception is that I should have had all this worked out by the time I got on a show that has put me in the spotlight for being gay. I'm still working it out, I'm very late in my own development.

"To have people message me every day and tell me things, I feel bad because half of me wants to empathise with them and the other half wants to go, 'You don't know what I have to deal with every day'.

"There are so many hurdles I need to get over. It's tricky but it means I need to focus on myself and making me happy."

[alan45]

Hollyoaks star PJ Brennan has spoken of his sadness at homophobic slurs aimed at him by viewers.

Openly gay actor Brennan, who plays Doug Carter in the teen soap, told the Daily Star that comments online and on the street make him "feel awful".


"I got called 'faggot Doug' on the street a few weeks ago," he revealed. "A lot of gay men have tweeted me to say I have a gay haircut now, which is homophobic.

"Gay men tweet me and say I'm skinny or cry too much, so within the gay community there is self-hatred."

His Hollyoaks alter ego Doug came out as gay in May 2012 after previously having relationships with student Jenny.

Brennan further admitted that he remains uncomfortable about his own sexuality, adding: "People assume that I am 100% comfortable about being gay but it's the exact opposite.

"The perception is that I should have had all this worked out by the time I got on a show that has put me in the spotlight for being gay. I'm still working it out, I'm very late in my own development.

"To have people message me every day and tell me things, I feel bad because half of me wants to empathise with them and the other half wants to go, 'You don't know what I have to deal with every day'.

"There are so many hurdles I need to get over. It's tricky but it means I need to focus on myself and making me happy."

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks aired PJ Brennan's final scenes this evening (October 16) as his character Doug Carter lost his life in the aftermath of the explosion at the council flats.

Doug's final moments saw him have a heart-to-heart with on-off boyfriend Ste Hay (Kieron Richardson) after re-entering the wrecked building in an attempt to save him.

Digital Spy recently caught up with PJ to chat about his Hollyoaks exit and his plans for the future.

How are you feeling now that your time on Hollyoaks has come to an end?
"The entire experience was one of the best times of my life. I had three years there and it was the greatest adventure. I learned so much about acting, so it was bittersweet to leave because it's been such a valuable time for me and I loved every minute of it. There just comes a time where you have to go, but I do look back on it and it just makes my whole spirit smile, as I really loved it."

Was it a difficult decision to leave?
"Absolutely. I grew up with the phrase, 'Sometimes you've got to do what you don't feel like doing'. That certainly was what dictated my actions in this circumstance, because I love Hollyoaks and I love working there, but sometimes you've got to make a difficult decision because there are other things you want to do and other places you want to be.

"It's just a case of wanting to experience new things, and I knew I had other things on my bucket list which I wanted to get to sooner rather than later. It was difficult, but it was the right thing to do, even though I miss everyone there."

How long has your exit been in the pipeline for?
"The decision was made sometime in the middle of spring, probably directly after Texas died. Another thing is that it just gets difficult to navigate a character when the cast around that character is changing quite a bit. You've got to make decisions on who works best with whom, and the show is always bigger than any one character.

"I think the writing was on the wall - I saw it myself, and production did as well. In a way, Doug's story had been told, so it was absolutely the right timing. It was also fantastic to be part of the big 18th anniversary. If you're going to go, you might as well go out with a bang!"

Did you always know Doug would have this dramatic ending?
"No, I was called in for a meeting at a later date and was told that Doug was being killed. Obviously for an actor, to have your character die means that there's literally no chance of you coming back. Sometimes you might panic about that, because what if you want to revisit the character? But for me, especially with the kind of person I am, I think it's best that Doug's life has come to an end. That chapter is completely closed now and I'll be able to move on."

What did you make of the exit scenes?
"I know Doug is a very divisive character, but I think the people who've stuck with him, understood his journey and empathised with it, will be satisfied. It's obviously a very tragic ending, but Doug dies a hero and he ends up being acknowledged by Ste in a way that he hadn't been acknowledged up until that point.

"In the final moments, Doug kept it to himself that he was bleeding out and knew that he was dying, but he put that aside and focused on Ste by keeping him talking. They were physically separated by a wall, but ended up being closer and more honest than they've ever been.

"Filming it was so visceral because it was so well-written. The scenes were so alive and I hope that translated well on screen. It was very difficult to film in one sense, but then in another it wasn't difficult at all, because it was all just given to me. If everything is given to you on a silver platter, your job is really easy. That was the case here because it was so well-crafted."

Did you get a good send-off from the cast?
"We had a party for those who were leaving, but we had to disguise it as joint birthday parties. Half of the people who came to my leaving party didn't even realise that it was my leaving party, which was a bit tragic! I had loads of conversations with people and I could tell that they didn't realise it was my last day! But it was one of the best parties we've had in ages."

Your character went in a very different direction in spring 2012, when the sexuality storyline and relationship with Ste began. Are you still glad things went that way?
"It certainly made things very difficult, both in my professional and personal life. I was confronted with a lot of viewpoints I never really anticipated and saw a side to people that I didn't really expect. The positive thing was being paired with Kieron, which made my working experience incredible and made the whole thing worthwhile.

"I've actually written a piece that will be published in an upcoming issue of Gay Times, which deals with self-hatred in the gay community. I speak about that whole time in my life, because I think it's worth delving into deeper and the implications of why my character was turned gay.

"I think there's still a long way to go when it comes to representing gay characters on television. There's a complacency that's come about due to things like legalising gay marriage, and there's an assumption that we've now achieved full equality. That's absolutely not true, as there are subtler forms of homophobia in terms of portraying gay characters on television. I know I worked very hard to fight against that and Kieron is another person who has worked against that as well.

"If I'm honest, I don't know whether it was always the best with Doug, but I know that Hollyoaks is one of the most progressive shows I've ever known on both sides of the pond, and that's why I'm proud to have been a part of it. We can take liberties that other shows can't."

What are your plans for future projects?
"In the three years I've been at Hollyoaks, I've dedicated myself strictly to this show and playing Doug, but when I was in drama school I was getting back into music and writing. Right now I'm going to try to pursue a bit of music and I'm also writing a play at the moment.

"In terms of acting, because I trained for three years in theatre and I've still never done that on a professional level, that would be my dream job. It'd be great to do a nice, new contemporary play at the Royal Court - although everybody says that! Something that's the polar opposite of being on Hollyoaks."

Are you staying in Liverpool for now?
"I am while I make decisions on where my step is. I moved away from New York six years ago, and since then so many life events have taken place in my family. I just need to decide what I want my life to be like now. Whether I end up in London or New York, for now I'm camping out in Liverpool!"

A lot of Hollyoaks stars want to crack the US when they leave, but obviously you're from there…
"I don't think that makes it any easier, though! It might even make it harder. I'm definitely not going to mention Los Angeles, because I don't think that's beneficial to anyone! (Laughs.)

"I've watched other people leave and it can be a scary time. You've had this moment of success of being on a TV show, and then there's the stress of what you're going to do next. The biggest thing I've been working on since leaving is maintaining a sense of calm!

"I'm very lucky because I'm 27 years old and I've never fallen on my face completely so far. Even if I do, it's an experience! I'm looking forward to whatever happens, because success is very subjective anyway. Rather than trying to adhere to what people expect of me and what I should be doing after being on Hollyoaks, I'm really taking the time to think about the goals that I have. That doesn't necessarily mean getting another TV credit."

How would you like Doug to be remembered?
"The reason I liked playing Doug, through all the changes and ups and downs, was that he wore his heart on his sleeve. You always knew where he was coming from and why he was doing what he was doing.

"As flawed and insecure as Doug was, he gave love more than I've seen people give on the show. It was always in a selfless manner, and even in my own life, I take a page out of Doug's book in that respect. To be there for other people is the best form of existence and in some ways you get more out of it.

"I know that sounds really cheesy, but even though Doug died, I think his life had value because in the three years he was in Hollyoaks, he touched people's lives in the village. I hope that's what people remember - not any of this love triangle malarkey which I felt really took away from the storytelling. I want Doug to be remembered as a good and loving man, and I hope that's what I've managed to accomplish."

[tammyy2j]

His death was so sad