| Paul Trueman | |||||||||||||||
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| EastEnders character | |||||||||||||||
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| Portrayed by | Gary Beadle | ||||||||||||||
| Duration | 2001–2004 | ||||||||||||||
| First appearance | Episode 2099 23 April 2001 | ||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | Episode 2856 23 December 2004 | ||||||||||||||
| Classification | Former; regular | ||||||||||||||
| Introduced by | John Yorke | ||||||||||||||
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Paul Trueman is a fictional character from the British 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 (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 (Kim Medcalf); briefly date Billy's ex-girlfriend Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks), until she ends up causing the death of his friend Barry Evans (Shaun Williamson) on the day after they got married; supports Patrick on his wedding day to his fellow shopkeeper Yolande (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.