GUY BURNET

'Guy Burnet' (also spelt 'Burnett') (born 8 August 1983 in England) is an English television actor best known for playing Craig Dean in the British Channel 4 series ''Hollyoaks'' between 2002 and 2007. Before taking on the role of Craig, Guy could have become a professional footballer in Israel.^[1]

Contents

Biography

On his role in Hollyoaks

After Hollyoaks

Television

References

See also

External Links

Biography

Guy was born in England and attended Holland Park School in London where his interest in drama first developed, taking an A level in the subject.^[2]. Acting as a profession was not initially on the cards for Guy, he always wanted to be a footballer and attended Queens Park Rangers Soccer School. He subsequently undertook trials in Tel Aviv before coming back to London to finish off his A levels^[3]. After securing an agent he struck lucky with his second ever audition which was for Hollyoaks and he joined the cast in 2002. He may not have set out to be an actor but as he says ''“now I’m as ambitious as any other actor. But realistic.”''^[3]
While Guy is originally from London and is an only child, a lot of his family live further afield. “Half of my family live in Italy and some also live in Israel. I am an only child but my Mum has got a sister and 5 brothers. And my gran who lives in Rome has 10 sisters!”''^[5]
He has said he is uncomfortable with public attention ''“I remember when I was younger being outside the Royal Albert Hall, when all the people were arriving for the National TV Awards and I remember saying to my mum, ‘Look how lucky they are! I want to be one of those people.’ But now I want to be incognito. I’m not that much of a showman. I shy away from any attention I get. It’s ironic how things work out.”''^[3]
In March 2007 Guy appeared with Marcus Patrick on ITV 1's SoapStar Super Chef. The programme revealed that Guy and his father were opening a Japanese-Thai fusion restaurant in Soho in April 2007.^[7]
The following month Guy, together with Anthony Quinlan and Jennifer Metcalfe, appeared on the ITV2 show 'Grease Is The Word'. The Hollyoaks Students Union Bar became the backdrop for a Hollyoaks version of Grease. Guy played Danny and Jennifer was Sandy.^[8]
In June 2007 he helped judge the Miss England Beauty 2007 Competition and was also one of the judges in 2006. ^[9]
When asked in May 2007 if he was single he told Edith Bowman on Radio 1 that he was ''"just having fun"''. He continues to play football and played in a celebrity football match on 2 June 2007 at the new Wembley Stadium prior to England's first match at the stadium.
As well as playing football Guy is a keen boxer and is involved in amateur boxing. He also writes and directs short films and his interest in boxing led him to direct a documentary on WBU featherweight title holder Derry Matthews.
On 3 August 2007 Hollyoaks Producer Bryan Kirkwood confirmed on Digital Spy that Guy had quit Hollyoaks. He said ''"I am genuinely gutted that Guy is leaving the show, but after five years he feels the time is right. He's an amazing actor and has really come into his own through his work on the Craig and John Paul storyline - and has helped turn it into one of Hollyoaks' biggest ever storylines."''
''"We've left the door open for him to return and I wish him the very best of luck for whatever he does next."''
.^[10]

On his role in Hollyoaks

In an interview with Attitude Magazine he discussed how the Craig Dean/John Paul McQueen storyline was brought to his attention.

''"They sold the whole storyline to me by getting me really drunk one night,” laughs Guy meanwhile, in the none-too-glamorous press office just off the Hollyoaks set, which he’s known for the last four years since he first started on the show as a 15-year-old wheeler dealer: a sort of baby Del Boy. “At first I was slightly hesitant because I wanted to justify – to myself and the audience – that this straight character could have gay tendencies. That was the main challenge and it was the idea of a challenge that made me want to do it.”''

It was important to Guy that the storyline should not be stereotypical.

''“I would have been absolutely devastated if it had become a cliché,”'' He found the character's lack of commitment particularly interesting to play. ''“One week the audience is going to love me because I love John Paul and the next they’re going to hate me because I’m beating him up. The gay community love me then hate me. I’m in a lose-lose situation. And I’ll never get accolades for it because he’s not a sympathetic character. With John Paul, you’re just going to love him.”''

When asked how it feels, not playing the one everyone’s going to love, Guy says, when it comes to acting at least, he’s happy to take a step back.

''“You’ll never see my ego take over,” he says. “In the scene where James comes out to me and tells me that he loves me, I noticed reading the script that I had a lot of lines. They were big scenes. But once we rehearsed them and played them out, I realised it wasn’t about me. It was about him coming out. The way James played it, it was so emotional that I decided to cut my lines and just play it on reaction. Maybe I prefer being the bridesmaid but then hopefully people will realise the bridesmaid is actually making the bride.”''

After Hollyoaks

In an interview with Out North West ^[11] Guy discussed how he was eager to spread his wings as an actor.

''“I’ll have been with this show for five years when I leave.I think that’s a good run. I’m really happy with the work I’ve done, particularly this storyline. I feel like I’ve learnt more as an actor in the last year than I ever have before. I think it’s also best for this storyline that we bring it to a conclusion. I’d hate for the audience to get bored of it, or for it to get repetitious. I’d love to do film work, or theatre. Maybe some more short-term TV work. I’d like to experience something different to soap opera for a while. Just get a different acting experience. But I never say never, the producers have been incredibly supportive since I told them I wanted to leave. The door is being left open. I’d like to come back for a one-off, maybe complicate matters whenever John Paul leaves! But I’d like to be working enough that I have an excuse not to come back too!.”''

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2002 - 2007	''Hollyoaks''	Craig Dean	Channel 4

References

1. Cast: Craig Dean
2. Radio 1 Interview May 2007
3. Attitude Magazine Interview
4. Attitude Magazine Interview
5. Hollyoaks Cast Biography
6. Attitude Magazine Interview
7. Soapstar Superchef - Guy & Marcus
8. GREASED LIGHTNIN'! hollyoaks.com
9. Miss England.Info list of judges'!
10. Bryan Kirwood's Announcement on Digital Spy
11. Out North West

See also

★ ''Craig Dean''

★ ''Hollyoaks''

External Links

★

★ Guy Burnet Info

★ Guy Burnet FanSite

★ Guy Burnet Daily

★ Guy Burnet: Sexy Male Celebs