Paul was born on April 12, 1979, to a roofer and a psychiatric nurse, joining his older sister Kelly, who was born in 1978. From a young age, Paul developed a passion for acting, starting at the tender age of 10 when he joined the Oldham Theatre Workshop. Prior to this, he had already honed his skills at Church Road Primary School in Bolton and then at Smithhills Dean High School.
At the age of 10, Paul landed his first television role, appearing in the popular ITV show "Childrens Ward", although his part was limited to just three lines. As he continued to pursue his acting career, he began to make appearances in various TV shows, including "The Biz" in 1995.
Paul's rise to fame accelerated when he joined the cast of the long-running BBC soap opera "EastEnders" in 1985, playing the role of Joe Wicks. He quickly became a favorite among UK teenage girls, earning the title of pin-up. Despite receiving offers from 12 record companies to release a single, Paul has consistently turned them down, citing his cat Gizmo as a better singer than himself.
