Paul Trueman is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Gary Beadle. The character, who first arrived onto Albert Square on 23 April 2001 and later departed the programme on 23 December 2004, was portrayed as a bad boy who was a member of the already-established Trueman family. In his exit storyline, Paul became a drug dealer, which Beadle has been critical towards, as he suggested it played into black racial stereotyping. It was implied that Paul was killed upon his exit, though his death was not screened.
During his time on the show, Paul instigates a feud with his brother Anthony (Nicholas Bailey); copes with the untimely death of their mother Audrey (Corinne Skinner-Carter); develops a close interaction with Audrey's ex-husband Patrick (Rudolph Walker), who soon turns out to be Paul's adoptive father; sparks friendships with the square's local hardman Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) and his nemesis Steve Owen (Martin Kemp); gets blackmailed by old acquaintance Angel Hudson (Goldie) into repaying him the money he owes and later having a relationship with the latter's estranged lover Precious (Judi Shekoni); conspire with Phil's cousin Billy (Perry Fenwick) to force his enemy Trevor Morgan (Alex Ferns) into leaving Walford so his wife, Little Mo Mitchell (Kacey Ainsworth), would be prevented from further domestic abuse; temporarily romanced with Phil's sister Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf); dating Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) and plotting together to steal Barry Evans's (Shaun Williamson) money, culminating in Janine murdering Barry the day after they got married; supports Patrick on his wedding day to his fellow shopkeeper Yolande Duke (Angela Wynter); and end up working for Sam's gangland husband Andy Hunter (Michael Higgs), which ultimately contributes to Paul's departure from the show.
Contents
Development
Beadle was critical of his exit storyline, accusing EastEnders of racial stereotyping for turning his character into a drug dealer. He commented to The Mirror: "I hate the storyline, I'm really not happy about it. It's so unimaginative, full of stereotypes - black people and drugs, blah, blah, blah. Any scenes involving drugs, you can rest assured I hated filming them. I just knew Paul wouldn't do that - it's not his style. Once they started hanging my character so dramatically, I knew I'd made the right decision to leave." Speaking to BBC Radio 1 in 2004, Beadle stated that the storyline had a negative effect on his private life, with public shouting at him in the street things such as 'Drug dealer' or 'Sell me some drugs'. Beadle suggested that the storyline was "about a very deep subject and if you are going to write about that subject then you need to explain it completely. I'm just talking about believability. You need to show the beginning, the middle and the end, otherwise it looks negative." Beadle also said that he was disappointed that Paul was not shown to die on-screen - his death was implied not screened.
Storylines
Paul Trueman first appeared at Albert Square in Walford in April 2001, when he visits his brother Anthony (Nicholas Bailey) and their mother Audrey (Corinne Skinner-Carter) upon being estranged for them for some time. Audrey rejects him, but he decides to stay – going as far as to blackmail Anthony for money in exchange for keeping his drink-driving secret. Paul soon befriends Steve Owen (Martin Kemp), a local nightclub owner, when they begin to play poker with local hardman Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) and most of their neighbours. During one of Steve's poker events, however, Paul is shocked when his old acquaintance Angel Hudson (Goldie) joins the game. It quickly transpires that Paul owes Angel money, and Angel – after recognising Paul – threatens to harm him unless he pays up. Paul tries to get the money by stealing property from his mother, pawning the goods and gambling the money he receives. This fails and he ends up with less money than he began with. When Angel comes to collect his money, Paul fails to pay, so Angel gives him a severe beating and trashes Audrey's bed and breakfast. As Angel continues to threat him, Paul blackmails Anthony into giving him the money. Anthony has no choice but to oblige; he takes out a loan and Paul pays Angel.
Audrey is struck by falling debris while walking past some building works. Several days later, after an argument with Paul during which he revealed Anthony was the one who was driving at the time of the accident, Audrey collapses and dies, caused by a delayed reaction to the blow she received earlier. Just before she dies, Audrey tells Paul that she knew about Anthony being the driver and tells Paul to tell Anthony that she loves him. Paul replies "What about me?". Just as Audrey is about to say something to him, she dies. However, everything is left to Paul in Audrey's will. Paul's supposed father Patrick (Rudolph Walker) arrives in Walford for her funeral. Paul initially reacts to Patrick with apprehension but they eventually bond. Both are devastated when Anthony discovers via DNA tests that Patrick is not Paul's biological father. Paul later discovers he is the biological child of Milton Hibbert (Jeffery Kissoon), Patrick's friend with whom Audrey had been having an affair. Despite this, Patrick and Paul maintain a close relationship.
Angel returns with more orders for Paul. It turns out that Angel is being prepared to stand trial for murder and he is using his wife, Precious (Judi Shekoni), as a fake alibi. He tells Paul to guard her until she can testify. Paul obliges and Precious moves to the square. Paul initially does not know that Precious is Angel's wife and when she make advances towards him, he has no qualms about having sex with her. The two begin an affair, but both fear repercussions from Angel. Precious refuses to be Angel's alibi, hoping that he will be imprisoned, but he is found not guilty. Paul and Precious make plans to flee the country, but a brawl between the Truemans and the Slaters at the Queen Vic stalls their departure and Angel apprehends Precious, stating that she can have her divorce; however, if he ever discovers she and Paul have resumed their relationship, he will kill them both. Precious has no choice but to finish with Paul and leave Walford alone.
Reception
In 2020, Sara Wallis and Ian Hyland from The Daily Mirror placed Paul 78th on their ranked list of the best EastEnders characters of all time, calling him "wayward" and noting his key role in Janine killing "poor Barry Evans". In 2021, Laura-Jayne Tyler from Inside Soap wrote that Paul was "one of the best Walford characters of his time – taken from us in such a way that we still cling to the hope that he's not really dead...C'mon EastEnders, we know you're reading this!"