Bethany is rejected by James
THEN ADMITS TO HER THAT HE’S GAY…
Tearful Bethany makes an ill-advised pass at neighbour James this week – only to discover that he’s gay.
The youngsters hang out together after James rushes to Bethany’s aid when she drops her coffee and she later thanks him for his kindness in front of his family. Dad Ed and brother Michael tell James he needs to ask Bethany on a date, so he invites her for a drink, hoping that it will help him protect his sexuality secret. However, after a drink in the Rovers leads to a second date at a party hosted by the Baileys, Bethany thinks James is interested – so she makes her move…
“James is taken aback,” says Nathan Graham, who plays the pro footballer. “In his mind,
they’re just being friendly – he’s not leading her on. James has had girlfriends before, but never took that next step with anyone, so when she goes in for the kiss, he pulls away.”
Understandably, Bethany is mortified by James’ rejection. She really can’t understand why a person who has asked her on two dates is reacting like this. She’s confused and very clearly devastated. So at that point, James feels as if he’s left with no choice but to make a shock confession and tell her: “I’m gay!”
“He sees something in Bethany that he’s drawn to, as a friend,” explains Nathan. “After he rejects her, she accuses him of messing with her when he knows she’s damaged goods. The only way for him to get out of this mess is to be honest. He doesn’t want to hurt her, so he feels it’s better to be upfront and try to have her as a friend, rather than lose her forever.”
Bethany is left reeling by James’ confession, and rushes home to digest what’s been said. Desperate to ensure she keeps his secret, James tries to find her to explain why he’s
James doesn’t want to hurt Bethany – he feels he should be honest”
keeping the truth hidden. It’s not that he wants to hide who he is, but being an openly gay, black footballer would expose James to extreme prejudice.
“It’s his fears of what it’d mean for him to come out,” shares Nathan. “He’s thinking worst-case scenario – his dad and his brother might turn their backs on him, and his career could go down the pan. He feels he could lose everything.”
It’s unlikely compassionate Bethany will out James before he’s ready, and Nathan reckons he needs to make more friends to build a support network on the cobbles.
“I’d like to see James get a nice friendship circle with Seb, who is around his age, Craig, Emma and Bethany,” he grins. “Off camera, I’m having a great time – everybody is so friendly. Working on the party has been really good, as we’ve got to work with people we haven’t worked with before. I’m trying to learn as much as I can, and keep improving.”