Johnno Dean

Infobox soap character
series =Hollyoaks


name= Johnno Dean
portrayer=Mark Powley
Colin Wells
occupation=Fitness Club Manager
first=October 2002
last=August 2005
born=
death=
creator =
children =Jake Dean
(son)
Craig Dean
(son)
Debbie Dean
(daughter)
Steph Dean
(daughter)
Presley Dean
(son)
spouse = Frankie Osborne
(1981-2005, divorced)
Michelle Dean
(2005-)

Johnno Dean was a fictional character in the long-running Channel 4 British television soap opera "Hollyoaks".

He was played by actor Mark Powley between 2002-2003 and then by actor Colin Wells between 2003-2005.

Character History

Arrival in Hollyoaks

Johnno arrived in 2002 as part of the Dean family, and began working as a lorry driver with Les Hunter. Cheerful, friendly and happy-go-lucky, Johnno quickly settled into life in the village with his then-wife Frankie Osborne and the couple's four children. It was soon revealed that Johnno and Frankie had been married since 1981 and had started going out with each other in their final year of high school. In Johnno's last appearance in Hollyoaks to date, in July 2005, he and Frankie reminisced to the day they met, Frankie recalling "you were standing at a bus stop in 1979, cheeky grin, white leather jacket, hair slicked back... Johnno Dean, who treats girls mean to keep them keen".

Supporting his family

The ever-loyal, Elvis-loving father, Johnno was devoted to his wife and family, although he expected to receive respect and obedience in return, which his four children occasionally resented. Somewhat naive and reckless by nature, Johnno was nevertheless extremely protective of his children, and tried to make up for his recklessness by helping and supporting them as much as he could, particularly by giving his daughter Debbie Dean help with her problems with her boyfriend Dan Hunter and helping his son Craig Dean through his school troubles and the break-up of his short-lived relationship with Natalie Osborne.

However, in 2003, family troubles began to appear. His daughter Steph Dean was attacked by serial killer Toby Mills, and the family became heavily in debt when Johnno’s work place collapsed and the Deans had to move homes, leading to a number of arguments between Johnno and Frankie. Initially unable to handle the strain, for a short time Johnno turned to drink as a coping mechanism; but, after first realising how much he felt alienated from Frankie and then seeing how distressed Steph had been left by her having been diagnosed as an epileptic as a result of the attack, he soon cut down on drink and began staying on the wagon as he realised how badly his family needed him throughout this crisis.

Despite tough times, Johnno continued to support his family through the aftermath of all of these issues, especially by helping Steph cope with her epilepsy, his elder son Jake Dean come to terms with his failed relationship with Jodie Nash, and Debbie with her career as a singer.

Affair with Michelle

Following their financial problems in 2003, things became more settled the following year, and for a while life began to look up for Johnno and his family after he found a new job as a club manager at Body Boost. Johnno enjoyed his new job and, with help from Jake he began trying to clear the massive debts that the family had accumulated. However, in May 2004 things took a turn for the worse when Johnno began an affair with a 19-year-old student named Michelle. It became a habit for Johnno as some nights he never came home and his wife and family saw less of him. Eventually in February 2005 his wife Frankie Osborne discovered Johnno’s affair and confronted him. Although this in itself was a massive shock for Frankie, she still tried to save the marriage and begged Johnno to return home; however, Johnno then revealed another, even more crushing blow when he told her that although he wanted to end the affair, the reason he could not do so was that Michelle was also seven months pregnant with Johnno's baby. This left Frankie shattered and she immediately filed for divorce, ending their 24-year marriage and leaving Johnno with the difficult task of telling his children. When Johnno told his family the truth, they all found it hard to deal with. None of his children wanted to have contact with their father as a devastated Johnno left.

Exit

After a four month absence, Johnno briefly returned in July 2005 for a failed attempt to reconcile with his family. He claimed that Michelle had left him for someone else closer to her own age and that she had told him that her baby was not his after all, and also said that he had realised he missed his family and wanted a chance to make things up to them. By this time, Debbie had left Hollyoaks to start a new career as singer on board a cruise ship; but, initially after some reservation, Steph and Jake decided they were prepared to give Johnno another chance. However, Craig rang Michelle and found out that Johnno was lying and that he had in fact left Michelle and their newborn son Presley after he decided that he didn't want to be a father again at his age. Johnno's family then told him they were disgusted by his behaviour, with Jake in particular rebuking him for walking out on his family all over again, and all of them criticised him and told him that he shouldn't leave his child without a father, or his girlfriend without financial support. Frankie nevertheless told Johnno that she had decided to forgive him for his affair as she felt life was too short to remain hostile towards the father of her children; however, she also said that she was far happier with her new partner Jack Osborne, and there was no hope of salvaging their marriage.

Following his failure to reconcile with his wife and children, Johnno left his family and Hollyoaks behind him, and went back home to Michelle to try and make things up with her. Shortly after, when their divorce was finalised, Frankie revealed to Jack that Johnno had decided to do the right thing and make up with Michelle, and that the two had got married.

After Exit

Johnno hasn't been seen since, although he did mail Craig a card for his 18th birthday in July 2006; however, Craig didn't open to him and he told his new stepfather Jack Osborne that he was a better father than Johnno had ever been.

In April 2008, following his son Jake Dean's attempt to rape Nancy Hayton and subsequently kill both himself and Jake's ex-wife Becca Dean's baby son Charlie, Jake tried to pin the blame for his descent into madness on his father walking out, at which point Frankie told Jake that "your father may have been a naive and immature man; but, for all his faults, Johnno would never have done anything as bad as what you have done".

Jack suggested to Frankie and Steph that they should approach Johnno to contribute towards Steph's marriage to Max Cunningham in June 2008; but Frankie, unaware of Jack's financial problems, refused on the grounds that Johnno had never been very good with money and probably couldn't afford to do so; while Steph, like Craig, told Jack that she felt he had been a better father figure to her than Johnno ever was.

It is unknown whether Johnno is still on speaking terms with Debbie, or whether he is aware of the recent goings-on involving Jake being wrongly detained for Sean Kennedy's murder, of Craig having migrated to Ireland and his sexuality issues, of Steph's recent issues with her marriage to Max and his subsequent death, or of Frankie and Jack having broken up and Jack's faked death.

Possible Return?

Since early 2008, there has been speculation that Johnno may return to Hollyoaks at the end of the year to try and make things up with Frankie, Craig and Steph once again, following Craig's recent return to the village to resume his relationship with John-Paul McQueen (a late night special following this storyline has been commissioned for broadcast in November 2008), and Jack and Frankie having recently split up, although actor Colin Wells has yet to confirm this.

ee also

List of past characters from Hollyoaks