The character has been at the centre of some major storylines such as the kidnap of local teenager Rosie Webster (Helen Flanagan), covering up Colin Fishwick's (David Crellin) death from a heart attack, the manslaughter of Joy Fishwick (Doreen Mantle) and the murder of Charlotte Hoyle (Becky Hindley). The character was married to Fiz Brown (Jennie McAlpine) with whom he has a daughter called Hope. John Stape died in October 2011 after crashing his car into the back of a lorry, during a car chase with Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell). In 2019, it is revealed that John has a daughter, Jade Rowan (Lottie Henshall).