sisters, Debbie and Steph, who have had an intense dislike for Natalie since she arrived. Natalie then leaves Hollyoaks and Craig behind. Craig is dealt another shock when his father leaves the family for a 19-year-old girl named Michelle, who he has gotten pregnant. The Deans later move into The Dog in the Pond pub, which is owned by Frankie's new boyfriend, Jack Osborne. Craig is shocked when Johnno returns to the village and tells his family that his girlfriend has left him for someone else, and that he realised how much he missed his family. Craig then finds out that Johnno is lying and that he has left his girlfriend and newborn son, Presley, after he decided that he did not want to be a father again at his age. Craig and his siblings are disgusted by his behaviour. Johnno tries to make amends, but in the end decides to leave Hollyoaks to marry his younger girlfriend after Craig and Jake tell him that his new son needs him more than they do. Craig starts a romantic relationship with Darlene Taylor. He supports her after her stepbrother, Justin Burton, pushes her through a window and later when her brother, Ali, is killed in a car accident. Meanwhile, Frankie and Jack marry and Darlene deals with her feelings by making up claims about his family making passes at her. This leads to her stepmother, Liz Burton, throwing her out of her house and Darlene living with the Dean/Osborne clan. Darlene starts flirting with Craig's stepbrother, Darren, and then tells Craig that Darren is the one seducing her. Craig then walks in on her having sex with Darren, an event Darren orchestrated to prove what type of person Darlene is to Craig. Craig end his relationship with Darlene. Craig hopes to escape Hollyoaks after completing his A-levels. He is offered a conditional place at Trinity College in Dublin, but after failing to get the right grades, he decides to repeat a year at Hollyoaks Comprehensive. Jake accidentally runs over Diane Valentine, causing her son, Sonny, to begin bullying Craig at school. John Paul McQueen saves Craig from being beaten up by Sonny and this leads to the two of them becoming friends. Craig begins dating Sarah Barnes and becomes friends with her two best friends, Hannah Ashworth and Nancy Hayton. Sarah ex-boyfriend, Rhys Ashworth, tries to interfere in Craig and Sarah's