"Craig" redirects here, for the actor portraying Ethan Scott, see Craig Vye.Template:InfoboxCraig Dean was a character on Hollyoaks from 2002 to 2008. His main storyline includes being in a relationship with John Paul McQueen (James Sutton).
Characterisation
Craig Dean was not at first outlined as harbouring homosexual feelings or tendencies. The character was originally scripted asheterosexual, and actor Guy Burnet wanted to maintain this aspect of the character in his portrayal. He relayed, "The thing that I wanted more than anything was to convey confusion – if Craig could go and sleep with John Paul and afterwards the audience can say 'hold on a minute – maybe he's not gay'… If I've provoked that question, then I've reached the goal I wanted to reach. If I'm confused, in turn Craig is confused and so is the audience – that's the way I see it.
Arrival
Craig arrives in Hollyoaks with his family; father Johnno, mother Frankie, brother Jake and sisters Debbie and Steph. He was the youngest child of the Dean Family. He uses his intelligence to manipulate Hollyoaks villagers and to pull a variety of scams. He falls for older girl Abby Davies, as she leads him on, making him believe that she fancies him. However, nothing happens in the relationship after Craig discovers that she is using him in order to make her ex-boyfriend, Lee Hunter, jealous.
Steph's Epilepsy
Craig has a supportive side, which he uses when his sister, Steph, is attacked and is left with epilepsy by Toby Mills. Craig supports her through this and is always there for his family when they need him, as they struggle through their debts. Craig’s love life improves when he falls for the charms of another older girl, Natalie Osborne, who manages to seduce him. But she wants to keep their relationship a secret and she uses him to lose her virginity. She then starts to lose interest in him, but is taught a lesson by Craig's sisters, Debbie and Steph, who have had an intense dislike for Natalie since she arrived. Natalie then leaves Hollyoaks and Craig behind. With help from his father Johnno Dean, Craig was soon able to leave Natalie behind and move on with his life.
Johnno's Departure
Craig is dealt another shock, which leaves him devastated; his father, Johnno, leaves the family after having an affair with a younger girl who became pregnant with his child. Craig, who like his sister Steph Dean had enjoyed a very close relationship with Johnno, is left heartbroken and finds it difficult to recover from this, but slowly comes to terms with it and supports his mother, Frankie, who is also in shock. Soon after, Craig becomes fiercely protective of his family and friends. The Deans then move into The Dog In The Pond pub with Jack Osborne, whom Frankie starts dating.
Johnno's Return
Craig is shocked when Johnno returns to the village and tells his family that his girlfriend has left him for someone else, and that he realises he missed his family. Craig then finds out that Johnno is lying and that he has left his girlfriend and newborn son after he decided that he did not want to be a father again at his age. Craig and Jake are disgusted by his behaviour and by him leaving his child without a father and his girlfriend without financial support. Johnno tries to make amends, but in the end decides to leave Hollyoaks to marry his younger girlfriend after Craig and Jake tell him that his new son needs him more than they do. Johnno does mail Craig a card for Craig's 18th birthday a year later, but Craig chooses not to open up to him.
Relationship with Darlene Taylor
Craig starts a romantic relationship with Darlene Taylor and supports her after her stepbrother, Justin Burton, pushes her through a window and later when her brother, Ali, is killed by a car. Meanwhile, Frankie and Jack marry and Darlene deals with her feelings by making up claims about his family making passes at her. This leads to her stepmother,Liz Burton, throwing her out of her house and Darlene living with the Dean/Osborne clan. Darlene starts flirting with Craig's stepbrother, Darren, and then tells Craig that Darren is the one seducing her. Craig then walks in on her having sex with Darren: an event Darren orchestrated to prove what type of person Darlene is to Craig. Craig's relationship with Darlene ends.
Brief Departure and Diane's Death
Craig hopes to escape Hollyoaks village after completing his A levels. He is offered a conditional place at Trinity College in Ireland, but after failing to get the right grades he decides to repeat a year at Hollyoaks Comprehensive. Meanwhile, Jake accidentally runs over Diane Valentine, causing her son, Sonny, to begin bullying Craig at school.
Friendship with John Paul McQueen
Through Sonny's bullying of Craig, Craig becomes friends with John Paul McQueen, Sarah Barnes, Hannah Ashworth and Nancy Hayton. After John Paul saves Craig from a beating by Sonny, Craig and John Paul become best friends and John Paul helps him stand up to Sonny. Sarah becomes Craig's girlfriend, and Hannah starts dating John Paul. Craig's relationship with Sarah takes a rocky turn after Rhys Ashworth (Sarah's ex) talks to Craig about Sarah, stating that she is a slut. Craig and Sarah have a big argument before resolving their differences.
Getting back with Sarah Barnes
John Paul splits up with girlfriend Hannah, blaming it on his fancying someone else; the person is soon mistakenly believed to be Sarah. When Craig catches Sarah talking to John Paul, he becomes angry and dumps Sarah, calling her a "slag" and a "slapper". John Paul later claims he made up fancying Sarah as a way of pushing Hannah away because he loves her. Craig and John Paul's friendship is then back on track, with both (the latter more half-heartedly) trying to win back their girlfriends. Craig sets out on a mission to get Sarah back; he and Sarah do get back together, but at Hannah's 18th birthday party, he catches a drunken Sarah kissing Rhys. John Paul breaks up the fight that ensues between Craig and Rhys and blurts out that Sarah is not good enough for Craig. This seemingly comes out of the blue to Craig, and he follows John Paul outside to demand what he meant by it. John Paul confessed that he said it because he was jealous of Sarah because he was in love with Craig. Craig did not see any of this coming and was shocked to lose his girlfriend and to find out that his best friend was in love with him. He managed to get over what John Paul had said, though, as long as John Paul didn't mention it again. Craig forgave Sarah for kissing Rhys. However, it was hinted that Craig might have had ulterior motives for getting back together with her.
Homosexuality
Craig and Sarah went to the school dance together (as did John Paul and Hannah). John Paul watched as Craig and Sarah kissed on the dance floor and Sarah told Craig that she loved him. Craig told Sarah that he loved her too, but as he did so his eyes were on John Paul, across the room. At this point, John Paul left and Craig soon followed. They met in the gym and drank too much, and Craig told John Paul that he was okay with the "gayness." Craig told John Paul, "Remember this...I love you, I love you." and then kissed John Paul. Hannah saw them and told Sarah, as well as the rest of the school. The following day, they were the talk of the school and John Paul told everyone he was gay. Craig was furious with John Paul for coming out in front of their classmates, since by association people think he must be gay, too. This caused Sonny's bullying of Craig to become worse, but Craig told everyone he was not gay and that John Paul came on to him (in spite of the fact that he initiated the kiss with John Paul). In order to get on Sonny's good side during a five-a-side match, Craig repeatedly smashed into John Paul, eventually culminating in a beating (to Sonny's glee) where Craig called John Paul a queer. After punching Craig back and angrily challenging anyone else who wanted to try and fight him, John Paul ran off tearfully. Later on, Craig apologised to John Paul, but John Paul did not accept it. Craig asked John Paul "If you didn't think I was gay, then why'd'ya try it on with me?" John Paul told him to forget it and turned away. Craig tried to call out to him by stating, "Mate..." but John Paul cut him off saying, "Mate...yeah right" and walked off while Craig looked on.
Departure
In March 2008, John Paul starts a relationship with Catholic priest Kieron Hobbs. John Paul admits to Hannah that he will never love anyone as much as he loves Craig; Hannah warned him that he "couldn't let someone ruin their life because he was still in love with his ex" but also tells him that he should try and move on, like she herself did after her relationship with him. Unfortunately, for Kieron, John Paul informs him that he is still in love with Craig and that they temporarily ended their relationship. Several weeks later, John Paul claims to be over Craig, and begins a romantic relationship with Kieron, first in secret and later – after being revealed by John Paul's mother Myra at Craig's sister Steph's wedding – out in the open. Craig is mentioned several times leading up to the wedding, as Kieron thinks that Craig might have told John Paul about it, but John Paul makes it clear that he and Craig are no longer in contact with each other and that he prefers not to talk about Craig. In June 2008, Craig couldn't attend Steph's wedding, alongside with Johnno and Debbie.
Return
Craig finally returns on 2 September 2008. Following his return, John Paul's life is thrown into turmoil, prompting his relationship with Kieron to draw to an end. Things are awkward between Craig and John Paul, such as hugging outside The Dog in The Pond and being caught by Kieron. Craig encourages John Paul to get back with Kieron to hide that he is still in love with him, but after a pint at the SU Bar Piatza, Craig goes to the McQueens' house to emotionally confess that he is still in love with John Paul. After refusing two kisses from Craig, John Paul gives in and the pair share a quick kiss. Craig asks John Paul if he wishes he did come to Dublin. His reply is "No". Craig grabs him by the neck and says to swear that he wants him and if he does not, then he will never see him again. John Paul cannot resist and the pair kiss and make love/have sex with each other. After Niall kills Kieron he texts John Paul, which he receives in bed with Craig. John Paul returns to the flat to find Kieron dead. Niall is told by John Paul the news which he tells Steph, who tells a happy and in love Craig, who is shocked because all he wants is John Paul back.
Niall's Death
On 28 November, the day after Niall dies, Craig returns to Hollyoaks with Steph and Tom. Steph is worried about what people will say regarding Niall and that she might be blamed by the McQueens for his death. Craig offers Steph the chance to go with him back to Dublin, bringing Tom along. Steph declines the offer and Craig leaves Hollyoaks to return to Dublin with John Paul.