Joel Dexter

Joel Dexter is the son of Marie Fielding and Warren Fox, the half-brother of Abe Fielding, Arlo Fielding, Ella Richardson, twins Sebastian and Sophie Blake, and Maria-Gabriella McQueen, the husband of Leela Lomax, the father of Noah Dexter and the legal father of Clara Dexter. He was initially portrayed by Andrew Still from November 2011 to January 2013 and currently played by Rory Douglas-Speed from September 2016 onwards.
Joel went from law breaker to law abider. In his first stint Joel's storylines where that surrounding crime such as drug dealing and even attempting murder. While away Joel had met his estranged aunt Katy Fox and the two developed a drug addiction however, Joel provided Katy with a fatal dose and this would later lead to Katy's death and after this Joel went from a scaly committing crime to a priest. Since returning in 2016, Joel has built back a relationship with his father, Warren and has his fair share of relationships most notably that of the McQueen women as Theresa, Cleo and Goldie have all been in relationships with Joel and since his return Joel has also so far kept quiet about three murders his father has committed in Bart McQueen, Cormac Ranger and Brody Hudson. By January 2022, Joel had enough of his father's crimes after finding out he murdered Brody and this would lead Joel to run over his father nearly killing him. 
By 2023, Joel was paired with firefighter and cleaner, Leela Lomax whom he starts a serious relationship with, Joel signs up to be a firefighter but is later diagnosed with diabetes. By the end of the year Joel discovers he's set to become a father to his and Leela's baby. 
== Biography ==
=== 1993-2011: Backstory ===
Joel was born to Marie Fielding and gangster Warren Fox but Marie didn't tell Warren about Joel as she didn't want him in her child's life. Joel was then taken in by his abusive stepfather Mick Cornus. Joel was often beat up by Mick with his mother not doing anything to help him until Joel turned 16 finally snapped and beat up Mick but this would lead Joel to be sent to a young offenders spending months inside.
=== 2011: Arrival and Getting to know/ taking down Warren ===
Joel arrives in Hollyoaks in November 2011 after he is employed by Cheryl Brady as the new DJ for Chez Chez. Joel gets off on the wrong foot with Warren Fox when Warren catches Joel in his office, Joel is then later confronted by a furious Warren when he questions Joel on who he is this leads Joel to reveal to Warren that he is his son. The next day Joel puts up with people telling him how feared and dangerous Warren is and after a confrontation with Warren. Joel meets Warren's friend in Theresa McQueen and she convinces both to get a DNA test the two men do and it comes back that Joel is in fact Warren's son. The two then decide to get to know one another. 
Joel later befriends Maddie Morrison and has a run in with Callum Kane and when Brendan Brady returns from prison he attempts to get to know Joel in a bid to try and find a weakness in Warren as Joel is unaware that he's right in the middle of Warren and Brendan's dangerous feud. Joel gets along with his father's girlfriend, Mitzeee Minniver and even defends her when Warren is aggressive towards her. By December 2011. Warren gives Joel a gun and tells him to kill Brendan with it Joel is on Warren's side and later pulls the gun out on Brendan and Brendan mentions Louise Summers and that she was pregnant when Warren killed her. Joel is later seen knocking Warren out from behind as Warren was about to kill Brendan at the end of their fight but Joel isn't best pleased when Brendan does not thank him for his involvement despite pointing out Brendan would be dead if it wasn't for him this leads Joel to leave the village for some weeks.
=== 2012-2013: Life of Crime, Relationship with Theresa, Facing Mick and Departure ===
Joel returns in February 2012 and reveals to a stunned Brendan while he was away he visited Warren and he has signed over his half to the club to Joel, this angers Brendan and Joel clashes with him especially when Brendan does his best to buy Joel's half of the club off him however Joel makes it's clear that he does not want to sell and what Brendan is offering him is too low. Joel also gets a frosty welcome from Mitzeee. Joel ends up dating Theresa again but Joel punches Will Savage who is jealous of Joel and Theresa's relationship. Joel is told by Theresa that they can no longer be in a relationship.
Joel is offered to move in with Brendan who wants to befriend Joel, Joel accepts Brendan's offer having nowhere else to stay. Joel again finds himself in a confrontation this time with Callum Kane as his younger sister Lacey told Callum that Joel kissed her however Joel turned her down as she tried to kiss him. Soon after Joel notices how much Brendan makes in the side-line of the club therefore Joel offers to work with Brendan to do some gang activity for him, Brendan at first is against letting Joel carry out criminal job's for him but soon comes round to the idea so Joel is unknowingly set up by Brendan when Brendan enlists a contact of his named Dave to beat up Joel during a job however is left surprised when Joel impresses Dave by not backing down. Joel is then opted in by Brendan.
Joel decides to make a stamp on the club and ends up organising a theme night at the club but it doesn't go quite to plan as Joel's friend Bart McQueen ends up inviting a lot of underage teens to the event and on top of that Joel attacks Callum in the party as he finds out he had kissed Theresa. After the event Joel is angry with Bart and as a way of making Bart make it up to him Joel forces Bart to grow cannabis for him. Joel finds himself in danger when Brendan's friend Simon Walker backs out of a job him and Brendan had planned and in a bid to impress Brendan, Joel puts himself forward for the job. Joel ends up being stabbed by a gangster named Sampson as well as later being kidnapped by him however Sampson would later flee in a bid to escape prison.
By September 2012, Joel is not too pleased when he sees his mother Marie and further more when his abusive stepfather Mick arrives, later on Mick kidnaps Theresa and this leads to both Joel and Brendan to beat up Mick and later tie him up and hang him from the top of a lighthouse Joel decides to let Mick go after scaring him but Brendan accidentally pushes him off seemingly killing Mick. Joel is shocked but decides to help Brendan get rid of Mick's body and the two meet up with Walker who kills Mick when its seen his still alive while Joel and Brendan aren't around. By January 2013, Brendan orders Joel to kill his father Seamus and he will pay him £250,000. Joel later attacks Seamus thinking he killed him however Seamus survives to attack this leads Joel to be attacked by Brendan and take the cash off Joel and as revenge Joel enlists Bart in attempt to take the cash from Brendan again he catches both boys in the act and threatens them both to leave the village or he will kill them. Joel leaves with Bart leaving their respective girlfriends in Theresa and Sinead O'Connor behind. 
=== 2016-2017: Return, Role in Katy's Death and Meeting Cleo ===
Joel returns to Hollyoaks after three years in September 2016 after being contacted by new detective Ryan Knight as Joel is known to Ryan over past charges to do with drugs. Joel is contacted in an effort for Ryan to get information from Warren over the death of Patrick Blake which Ryan believes Warren has some information giving his relationship with Patrick's daughter, Sienna Blake. Warren sees Joel against the village wall and the two have a frosty reunion during this reunion Joel tells Warren he doesn't regret helping to put him away while Warren tells Joel he would like to get to know him again. Joel is also revealed to be a vicar having previously been embroiled in crime. Joel departs the village after seeing his father. After the death of Sienna's daughter, Nico Blake. Joel is targeted by Sienna in a revenge attempt as she blamed Warren for Nico's death. Joel unknowingly helps his father's girlfriend through her grief and the two become good friends however Joel ends up rejecting Sienna when she attempts to kiss him. Later on when Sienna tells Warren someone is stalking her at the church she's been attending to see Joel. Warren goes looking for this person only to find Joel and Joel decides to give Warren a chance to prove he's changed. Joel would later click on who Sienna is and she attacks Joel by knocking him unconscious in the garage which is accidentally set on fire with Joel inside. Warren learns that Joel is inside and saves him later Joel tells Warren of Sienna's plan this leads to Warren to try and kill Sienna but is talked out of it by Joel who tells Warren he'd met Katy while he was in prison. 
Joel is shocked when he sees his old criminal friend in Shane Sweeney in January 2017 and Joel begins to be blackmailed by Shane over a secret and the secret is revealed when Joel calls Shane's bluff when Joel is showing a video of him along with Bart supplying Katie the heroin and her dying revealing Joel had caused Katie's death. Joel is then told by Shane to get him cash or he will show Warren the video. Joel tells Sienna that Shane is blackmailing him and this leads to Sienna setting up Shane for a kidnapping but Joel is happy when Shane flees from the village and Warren. Joel does his best to stop Warren getting to Shane but after Joel grows closer with Cleo McQueen. Joel and Warren find Cleo high on heroin in Bart's house and this leads Warren to suspect that Bart supplied Katy the drugs and Joel tells his father that Bart did indeed supply Katie the drugs thinking this would get Warren off his back but Joel is devastated to learn that his lie led to Warren murdering Bart in a fit of rage. 
Joel focuses on his relationship with Cleo and they have a few ups and downs they are involved in a collision between Joel's motorcycle and Cleo's cousins, Prince car later when Cleo goes back on drugs this leads to Joel punching Shane and later agrees to help Darren Osborne get rid of Shane but things get heated when Cleo is kidnapped by Shane as revenge however Joel and Darren manage to track him down Joel ends up locked in the place Cleo is kept in and the two confess their love for one another and they end up escaping when Darren finds them and the three are chased by Shane whom is armed with a gun and when Shane catches up with Cleo and holds her over the cliff top, Joel pushes Shane but falls with him Joel seems okay but the three are led to believe Shane is dead however this isn't the case as when they go back he's not there. Despite the McQueen's not being a fan of their relationship Joel and Cleo stick by one another and they later decide to move to Tanzania but by November 2017 Joel is shocked when Bart's body is found and Warren is finally exposed but Myra exposes Joel's secret about him causing Katy's death by showing Warren the video this leads to Joel being kidnapped by Warren but Tony Hutchinson manages to talk Warren down later on Joel let's Warren depart the village with new born Sophie Blake. 
=== 2017-2020: Many Relationships ===
After Warren's departure Joel keeps quite about letting Warren leave the village but he ends up supporting Sienna through her child being kidnapped as well as battling cancer. Joel starts to look after his younger brother Sebastian. Joel and Sienna grow closer throughout all of this and eventually end up sleeping together after which Joel takes Sienna out on New Year's Eve to help Sienna overcome her anxiety over losing her hair. Later a jealous Cleo tells Sienna Joel let Warren leave with her daughter this leads Sienna to believe that Joel is working for Warren which isn't the case however Joel with the help of Maggie Kinsella manage to persuade Sienna that she's safe. However, in May 2018. Joel is shocked to learn that Warren returned to take Sebastian as well as finding out that Nico has returned and is killed by Sienna. 
During and after the whole Warren and Sienna drama. Joel attempts to build back up his relationship with Cleo and after a number of attempts Joel and Cleo eventually reconcile their relationship but Joel discovers that Cleo is battling bulimia and even though Joel finds it difficult he supports Cleo and Joel and Cleo eventually decide to get married but Joel sees that Pete Buchanan who abused Cleo sexually and emotionally as a child has sent her a letter this leads Joel to go to the prison Pete is in and confront him and eventually beats up Pete. By 2019, Joel embarks on an affair with Cleo's cousin Goldie McQueen but the two are eventually caught by July 2019. 
Joel later discovers that both Mercedes McQueen and Liam Donovan had run over Grace Black and pinned it on Harry Thompson. Joel confronts Mercedes and orders her to come clean but Liam jumps Joel and takes his phone this leads Joel to be sent to Hospital but manages to be okay. Joel is also attacked by serial killer Breda McQueen but again manages to survive. Joel is also a suspect when Mercedes is shot but he is cleared when its revealed to be Grace and James Nightingale.
=== 2020-2022: Warren's Return, Kissing Cleo and Covering Crimes ===
When Warren returns in January 2020. Joel is revealed to have kept in contact with his dad and helps him settle the twins in hospital when its revealed that Sebastian has leukaemia. Joel isn't best pleased when he finds out Warren has kidnapped Brody and has him locked away but after Sienna discovers Warren's plan to leave after treatment, Sienna takes the twins and leaves, Joel along with Brody help Warren look for Sienna in Manchester. Joel discovers his father's past as he reveals a kid used to bully him. When Joel returns he focuses more on his relationship with Goldie but allows Warren to move in The Dog. In March 2020, Joel stops Warren from killing Liam. By the end of 2020 Joel and Goldie's relationship ends after Joel toys with his feelings over Cleo and Theresa however does not get back with either of them. 
In March 2021, Joel discovers that Warren was involved in a heist with Felix and Brad King after Joel helps Katja overcome her anxiety over the heist. By August 2021, Joel realises that his father's new business partner and friend Fergus Collins isn't who he says he is he pleads with Warren to stop falling for Fergus' manipulation but when Joel discovers that Warren has killed Cormac Ranger and has attacked Walter Deveraux despite giving Warren an alibi over Walter. Joel orders Warren to hand himself in or he will do it for him this leads Warren to threaten Cleo's life as he knows Joel is still in love with her this leads Joel to check on Cleo and the two kiss much to the annoyance of Cleo's boyfriend Toby Faroe but Joel makes it clear it meant nothing and Cleo opts to be with Toby anyway.
Joel along with Felix try to help Warren as he falls in deeper with Fergus' schemes and the two eventually spy on Fergus. Joel stops Warren from shooting Felix and he and Felix finally convince Warren that Fergus is playing him and hiding a secret. Joel and Warren convince Felix to trick Fergus into thinking Warren had killed him however Fergus discovers the truth when he spots Felix in the village. Joel manages to get a hacker he knows to hack into Fergus' operation 'Bluebird'. Joel eventually discovers that Fergus is a pervert that exploits women through the Dark web through camera operations and discovers that he has one in his father's now girlfriend Maxine Minniver's house. Joel tells a shocked Warren. Joel does his best to prove his father's innocent when Warren is set up by Fergus and is sent to prison Joel manages to convince Maxine to help after Felix backs out and starts to terrorise Fergus. 
Joel along with Sienna and Maxine are left worried when Warren is attacked in prison and sent to hospital. Joel is then left trying to prove his father's innocent again when he's arrested for the murder of Timmy Simons who was in fact murdered by Fergus. Joel is pleased when Warren is released from prison after Katja gave vital evidence. 
=== 2022: Murder Attempt ===
Joel is left expecting the worse by January 2022 after Warren is involved in a hit and run Joel tells both Sienna and Maxine they need to prepare for the worse however Warren survives but Joel is left shocked when Warren in his comatose state confesses to murdering Brody. The next day Joel confronts Warren and decides not to go to the Police. Joel helps his father yet again after he has a seizure and gets Misbah Maalik to help Warren also after this Warren tells Joel he wants his help to become a better man. Joel seems guilty after the hit and run and even attempts to tell a secret to Cleo before she leaves and its eventually revealed Joel was in fact the one who had run Warren down after over hearing Warren admitting to killing Brody and eventually, Joel tires from his father's crimes and attempts to kill him but after Warren confesses begins to feel guilty and Joel carried this guilt on for months and would even be blackmailer by Sienna who manages to work out it was Joel who ran down Warren and revenge for Joel covering up for his father over Brody's murder. 
=== 2022: Shooting and Meeting Norma ===
Joel would write a confession to Warren after speaking with Liberty who urged him to tell Warren first before Sienna could however Joel and Sienna decide to throw the confession away but not realising they're being watched by, Norma Crow and her associate, Godfrey who find the letter meanwhile Joel decides to go to church and pray while Norma lies to Warren stating she's found the "man" who ran him over while Joel prays, Warren enters telling Joel that he's never been big on souls before shooting him only to realise its Joel, Sienna who found out Norma set up the whole thing rushes to Joel's aid as a shocked Warren stands in disbelief, Joel is rushed to hospital but survives, however Joel sees this as a perfect opportunity to confess that he is indeed the hit and run driver, Joel tells Warren that they're even after he goes onto tell detective Zoe Anderson that he didn't see who had shot him but this reveal seemingly puts an end of Joel relationship with his father even going as far to discharge himself and have another scare when his wound reopens forcing Warren to stich it back up. 
During Carnival week, Joel begins to receive death threats from Norma who is sending him funeral leaflets he tells Warren this who plans to kill Norma in return weeks later Joel is confronted by Norma who reveals that she's his grandmother and kidnaps him as Warren's liver is packing in, Norma tests Joel to see if he's a match but Warren stops her going any further. Joel would soon find out that he was not a match for his father. 
=== 2023-2024: Connection With Leela Lomax and Diabetes Diagnosis ===
In 2023, Joel begins attending the local gym and catches the eye of cleaner, Leela Lomax and when Joel tells Leela he's looking for a place to stay as he wants to move out of his father's place, Leela offers Joel her spare room to which he agrees too straight away. Joel remains at the Lomaxes but decides to briefly move back in with his father when Juliet comes to the end of her life care from the cancer she's suffering from. Joel feels like he's in the way but still supports Leela and the two eventually share a kiss but are interrupted by a grieving Donna-Marie who berates Leela for kissing Joel. The next day, Joel overhears Leela telling Donna-Marie that kissing Joel meant nothing, this upsets Joel who tells Leela they need to talk as he overheard her talking to Donna-Marie, he apologises for making a move however Leela tells him he has nothing to be sorry and the pair end up sleeping together. 
As Joel's relationship with Leela seems to be getting more serious with both Donna-Marie and Peri accepting his relationship with Leela now, but Joel seems to be looking unwell as his vision blurs. Later on Joel collapses at the park after a run with Leela. Joel is taken to hospital and is seen to by Sharon Bailey. Later, Joel is taken back when he's told he's got type 1 diabetes, originally shocked Joel has many questions and is urged by Sharon to tell Leela and Warren who stayed with him over night. Eventually Joel seems to come to terms with the fact he now has diabetes and has to inject insulin for the rest of his life, but Joel lies to both Warren and Leela which is watched on by Sharon. 
Joel later decides to test himself by wanting to join the fire service with Leela despite Warren being against Joel doing so but Norma thinks it's a good idea, Warren eventually agrees and urges Joel to go for it with both his father and grandmother not having a clue on Joel's recent diabetes diagnosis. Eventually everyone finds out about Joel's diabetes diagnosis after Leela finds his diabetic pen and assumes it's a drug needle that her friend, Donna-Marie brought into the home. 
In the build up to Christmas 2023, Joel begins to grow close with Leela's son, Daniel as he's seen making an effort with him by playing Christmas games and keeping him entertained while Leela is working. Joel is stunned to learn Leela could be pregnant. However, after Leela tells him she's not, Joel makes more effort with Daniel instead. However Leela lied and after Daniel put on his Christmas wish list that he wants a baby brother or sister, Leela eventually tells Joel she's pregnant, Joel is delighted and they tell Daniel and he later tells Warren and Norma. 
=== 2024-: Past Struck And Marriage To Leela ===
In January 2024, Joel tells his father that he's planning on marrying Leela and wants to propose to her. Joel is eventually encouraged by his father to go for it. On the day of planning Joel and Leela head off to work and are called at a scene of an accident, Joel is unaware that his father, Warren is amongst the crash victims. Joel is stunned to learn the McQueen's have returned and even more so to learn that Cleo is in the wreckage of a car, Joel saves Cleo but is stunned when she tells him that she's come back for him. Joel is later seen pondering on what Cleo said so much so he's distracted from his surroundings and steps out onto the road and is hit by a van, during which his sister, Ella has been found dead. 
Joel is then taking to hospital comatose with both Leela and Cleo bickering over his bedside. Joel's lung collapses while his comatose but Cleo manages to revive him much to Sharon's anger and the jealousy of her new boyfriend, Abe Fielding. Joel remained in a coma for some weeks until he was awakened and was allowed back home. 
While back home, Joel couldn't grasp that it hadn't been long since the accident and yet so much has changed, referencing Ella's death. Joel begins to struggle over who he wants to be with out of Cleo and Leela and later asks the advice of his grandmother, Norma on who he should choose. Joel later meets Cleo at The Dog and the two talk on the village wall reminiscing the past and what future they could have. The next day however Joel attends a baby scan with Leela and is overwhelmed with happiness, it seemed up until that point that Joel would choose Leela however after the scan, Joel gets down on one knee in the middle of the village and asks Leela to marry him to which she accepts. 
Joel is however stunned when he sees Abe with Cleo who shows Leela a photo of Joel and Cleo together the night before. However the bigger reveal was to come that Abe is in fact Joel's younger brother. The next day Joel confronts Abe telling him he was out of line during which Abe tells Joel that their mother Marie is wondering about Joel however Joel seems disinterested in what Marie wants especially when Abe tells him that she is currently in prison. Joel tells Abe to back off and then focuses on winning Leela back. 
Joel consistently tries to win Leela back and successfully does so a month later the day before his mother Marie arrives just as Joel and Abe get in a fight. Joel continues to prefer Warren as a parent and tells Marie he wants nothing to do with her. However, they later reconcile. Joel is shocked when discovering he has another brother Arlo Fielding. He attempts to help Abe find him but it is revealed Abe was behind Arlo's disappearance and Joel is surprised upon discovering Abe was in touch with Chris. When Joel's relationship and Leela's relationship is back on track Joel proposes and they get engaged again. 
In May 2024, Joel marries Leela despite kissing Cleo on the eve of his wedding night and despite Marie finding out and taking a dislike to Leela, the wedding goes on without any problems. That's until later in the evening when Leela sadly loses their baby boy due to unforeseen circumstances. This heartbreaks both Joel and Leela. The pair later name the baby Noah Dexter. As the pair's heartbreak continues, Joel is kicked out by Leela after he accidentally washes Noah's blanket. This leads Joel to stay with his father and grandmother who do their best to support him. Joel is supported by Warren and Norma. On Father's Day, Joel lashes out at Daniel and Tom Cunningham about him not being a proper father and he breaks down to Leela who lets him back into the family home. Joel writes down his thoughts and even a speech for Noah's funeral. When Warren brings heavies to the funeral, Joel tries to punch Warren. However, after reassurance from Warren, Joel reads his speech and says Noah's name for the first time, breaking down in Leela's arms. Joel soon turns to drugs and nearly dies from a heroin overdose but is found by Leela. When Warren is sent to prison for falsely murdering Norma, Joel's relationship with his father falls apart. 
After the time jump, Joel is prepared to be a father again and is still in a relationship with Leela however Joel is unable to realise that Leela is clearly hiding something regarding her pregnancy. Joel is over the moon when Leela gives birth to a baby girl who they name Clara but as suspected, Joel was revealed not to be the father. 
== Kill Count ==
=== Murders/Manslaughters ===
# Katy Fox, 2nd January 2014 (manslaughter) - Joel supplies a heavy amount of heroin to Katy which ends up killing her. Revealed in February 2017.
=== Attempted Murders ===
# Brendan Brady, 23rd December 2011 - When Joel's dad Warren Fox wants Brendan dead Warren gives the gun to Joel the very gun Warren killed Kyle Ryder with 11 months prior, Joel prepares to shoot Brendan however, Brendan tells Joel that Louise was pregnant thus changing Joel's mind and swap sides from his dad to help Brendan and Mitzeee.
# Seamus Brady, 4th January 2013 - Knocked him unconscious with a baseball bat and dragged him into a shack in the woods then set it on fire on the orders of Brendan, but Seamus regained consciousness and escaped. 
# Shane Sweeney, 23rd August 2017 - Pushed him off a sand dune in defence of Cleo McQueen, causing him to hit his head on a rock but he survived. 
# Warren Fox, 20th January 2022 - Ran Warren down with a car in anger after discovering that his father killed Brody Hudson.
== Appendices ==
=== Residences ===
=== Employment History ===
== Background Information ==
*Joel was axed in November 2012.
*A storyline where Joel is diagnosed with type-1 diabetes was inspired by actor Rory Douglas-Speed having the condition.
== Introduction Sequence ==
* 2016-2017: Joel steps out in the alley.
* 2017: Joel steps out in the alley - this time smiling.
* 2017-2019: Joel walks towards his motorbike while a sunlight flashes on him.
* 2019-2022: Joel attends a party on The Love Boat.
* 2022-: Joel walks past Sienna Blake in The Cunningham Grande Bazaar.
== Quotes ==
== See Also ==
*List of appearances
*Fox family
== Gallery ==
Joel dexter.jpg
Category:Hollyoaks characters
Category:Hollyoaks Later characters
Category:2011 debuts
Category:2013 departures
Category:2016 returns
Category:Current characters
Category:1993 births
Category:2024 marriages
Category:Fox family
Category:Fielding family
Category:Lomax family
Category:Ex-convicts
Category:DJs
Category:Gangsters
Category:Drug dealers
Category:Priests
Category:The Love Boat employees
Category:Residents of 28b Fern Street
Category:Residents of 7 Rowing Club Apartments
Category:Recasts
Category:Killers