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EASTENDERS heartthrob Paul Nicholls looks very different 24 years on from appearing in the soap.

The actor, 44, recently landed a new role in the BBC’s latest high school drama – Phoenix Rise – and has surprised fans with his appearance.

Paul Nicholls looks very different on the set of his new show
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Paul Nicholls looks very different on the set of his new showCredit: BBC
Paul is well loved for playing Joe Wicks on the soap
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Paul is well loved for playing Joe Wicks on the soapCredit: BBC

These days, Paul no longer has his trademark curtains and has now embraced a smarter haircut.

In the show Paul will play Carl, dad to 15-year-old Billy and 11-year-old Rihanna, who attend a school for the excluded in the West Midlands.

The star is best known for playing Joe on EastEnders from 1996-1999.

Despite his short stint, Paul quickly made a name for himself and became a teen pin-up with soap fans.

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During his 18 month in the Square, his character was known for battling schizophrenia.

His portrayal of the condition won huge praise from viewers.

He went on to have a number of TV roles and even  played bad boy Jed in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, alongside Renee Zellweger.

But despite a series of successful gigs, Paul was struggling in his personal life.

After EastEnders, he revealed he was suffering with depression as well as drink and drug problems.

And just a few years ago Paul hit headlines when he was found trapped under a waterfall in Thailand after breaking both legs.

Speaking about the incident, he told us: "I had 37 different infections from that accident including malaria, cholera and dengue fever.

"I was in hospital in Samui on my own for six months on intravenous antibiotics before I could go back to Manchester. It was an incredibly hard thing to come back from."

But just as Paul returned to work again, he suffered a stroke that sent him to "rock bottom" and he relapsed into drug addiction.

Paul, whose life has been blighted by Class A abuse, said his addiction peaked in 2020.

He admitted: "I was taking lots of dihydrocodeine, a very strong opiate pain killer and on top of that, cocaine... every time I relapsed cocaine is always present.

"At certain points I’d be gone for three or four days and not sleep at all. I stopped caring, I pressed the ‘f*** it’ button.

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"The last time I ended up in a flat with people smoking stuff, doing this and doing that."

The star is playing a dad of toy in Phoenix Rise
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The star is playing a dad of toy in Phoenix RiseCredit: BBC
Paul became a heartthrob during this time on the soap
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Paul became a heartthrob during this time on the soapCredit: BBC


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