Elliot becomes friends with John Paul McQueen (James Sutton) when they take over Kris's radio station after an argument. Elliot begins to feel that the radio broadcasts are the only time anyone ever listens to him, so they agree not to tell Kris that they were the ones who took over the station. After this, Elliot falls for close friend Sarah Barnes (Loui Batley). During a date, Elliot is angered to discover it was a publicity stunt, due to Sarah's modelling career, and is upset when a reporter taunts him about his looks. Sarah, who does not acknowledge Elliot's feelings, begins an affair with Elliot's physics lecturer Roger Kiddle (Quentin Tibble). After Elliot discovers finds Sarah and Roger in bed together, he is angry, and refuses to speak to either of them. Still upset over Sarah, Elliot refuses to help Lauren Valentine (Dominique Jackson) and Barry "Newt" Newton (Nico Mirallegro) with their studies. Lauren and Newt decide to take revenge on Elliot by pretending to be Elliot's father, who Elliot believes was abducted by aliens. They lead Elliot out into the woods at night, where he believes his father is coming to meet him. Elliot begins calling for his father when he does not show. Elliot goes missing, only to turn up in hospital a few days later, suffering from hypothermia. Bonnie arrives to visit him and confesses that Elliot's father walked out on them when Elliot was a child, and was not abducted. Feeling betrayed, Elliot rids himself of all his astronomical belongings and changes his image. With this, he becomes a stronger person and stands up against Newt, Lauren, Sarah and Roger. Soon after, Elliot sees that he is not happy with his new style, so changes back and makes up with Sarah.