EASTENDERS heart throb Paul Nicholls is not really as confused as the character he plays - at least when it comes supporting soccer teams.

Paul, who plays mentally troubled teenager Joe Wicks in the top soap has been seen sporting the shirts of his home town team Bolton Wanderers - AND their deadly rivals Manchester United.

But in real life, there's only one team for Paul...and that's the Wanderers.

Fans of the BBC 1 soap are familiar with the sight of Joe's bedroom walls adorned with posters of United stars.

But this week, confused Joe turned up on screen in a BWFC top.

Superwhites fans among the series' viewers are already asking: "What is going on?"

Surely the writers of the series don't believe you can support both teams at the same time?

Or is it a subtle attempt by the BBC's continuity crew to reflect Joe's troubled mind by making his character a Superwhites supporter one minute and the next an avid fan of the Red Devils.

Bolton Wanderers' fans theory is that when Joe is in the depths of depression or confused he supports United but when he's lucid he remembers where his loyalty lies and goes back to supporting Wanderers. But according to the BBC: "Joe is 17 and is a big football fan. He does support Manchester United but, as he comes from Bolton, he has an allegiance to his home team. He supports them both."

The BBC spokesman did, however, welcome the BEN's offer to send him a few BWFC posters.

So they could soon be appearing on the TV set bedroom wall.

In real life Paul, 18, from Smithills is a total nut about his home town team. And he's let it be known that he finds it difficult to pretend he's into United on screen.

Which might be one of the reasons why earlier this year he made the sensational decision to quit the top-rated show before the year is out.

No self-respecting Wanderers fan can turn up to games after being seen on TV supporting the enemy.

Paul's mum, Julie Greenhalgh, told the BEN that Paul's decision to leave the show was because he wants to be known as an actor rather than a pin-up.

The young actor, whose love of acting was nurtured at Church Road Primary School, will leave the show in September.

His final scenes will be screened in October after an incredibly successful 18 month stint on the show. It is believed that the storylines will allow him to return at a later date.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.