[Romantic Old Bird]

I'm not voting bonzo, because I think Paul wasn't intending to comment at all about his sexuality.

He was commenting on whether or not Josh had misled or hurt his own family (I think). Paul didn't understand the whole orientation/ confusion thing that bisexual people must go through, but didn't have the nouse to just keep it to himself. He didn't mean any harm, and it's a shame really, because he liked Josh, and until then they got on well.

The one reason it really came up though, IMHO was jealousy. Paul was feeling very protective/possessive towards Helen, and the bath night thing really niggled at him.

What everybody seems to overlook when criticising Paul on this (and even I wish he'd just kept quiet) is that it was Bubble that brought the whole thing up and was VERY forceful about his opinion that Josh and Brian shouldn't be walking in an out freely when the girls were naked. I don't think it would ever have been an issue with Brian, but Josh was a different matter.

Bubble was very strong in his opinion about this and Paul agreed that he thought they had got away with a great deal.

When Bubble left, I saw on live feed that it was Elizabeth who on at least two occasions brought the subject up again with Paul, completely out of the blue. She knew his attitude was an achilles heel, and I think she was eager to expose it.

And, it was certainly Elizabeth whojust before the infamous set to with Josh, said loudly and theatrically,

"Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot, you're not really gay are you Josh?"

Helen went all coy and said

"Josh, if I find out when I get out of here that you are not really gay, I would be disgusted". She was laughing when she said it, and not at all upset, but Paul was set off by it.

He doesn't understand, that's all. I don't either to be honest, but I'm open minded, and I have enough sense (apart from on here!) to just let people get on with whatever makes them happy. As long as no-one gets hurt. And I think THAT is the issue that the often rather lacking in eloquence Mr Clarke was trying to get across.

I forgive him. He made himself look a bit of a prat, but meant no harm, BHLCS.

As Helen said at the time and constantly since, "he's the nicest boy I know. There isn't a nasty bone in his body."