‘working out is an addictive feeling’

EXCLUSIVE

James Sutton is a very familiar face to soap fans, from playing ladies’ man Ryan Lamb in Emmerdale to his current role as John Paul McQueen in Hollyoaks. If he looks a little more buff these days though, it’s because the actor has been hitting the gym – and transforming his lifestyle in the process.

Here, James tells new about how, during a dark time in which he admits he partied too hard and was having relationship difficulties – he suffered from panic attacks and anxiety. He divorced his wife Rachael Collin last September after five years of marriage. But the 41-year-old has discovered exercise – which he says he’s “addicted to” – and it has helped to transform his life.

James, who used to be a self-confessed party animal, now writes a daily gratitude journal and has no problem bouncing out of bed at 5am to enjoy an early workout.

Hi, James! Congratulations on your fitness transformation – what brought it all on?

It’s a psychological thing – the opposite of drugs. Drugs are immediate pleasure and then weeks of regret and difficulty afterwards. The gym is the complete opposite – it sucks when you’re doing it. You have to know it’s going to feel brilliant. And that’s a really addictive feeling. After a few weeks, you start to look fitter.

It sounds like you felt low, before turning it all around?

I was getting divorced and it coincided with me thinking, “I need to do something.” And I just got addicted a little bit, I think. I didn’t look after myself at all. I was making poor choices with diet and alcohol and late nights. It takes its toll – I can’t be behaving like that any more.

When did you start working out in earnest?

During Covid really. I was having some relationship issues and I needed something positive, where I could say, “I’m doing something.” The feeling of achieving something is really good. It’s like, “I did that, I went to the gym – no one made me do it.” That’s really big for me, feeling pride in myself. Especially when I’m feeling rubbish about whatever… Having a sense of self-esteem is a lovely thing.

How have you managed to achieve it?

I train five days a week. There is so much stuff for people who want to get into fitness – just open TikTok and it is all there for you, people share workouts. I hit every muscle group twice a week so i