Paul was born 7 March 1977 in St Albans, England. His first big break was when Paul landed a part in a local performance of West Side Story. He then enrolled on a performing arts course, joined the National Youth Music Theatre's production of Pendragon and then took an acting and musical theatre course at Mountview Drama School. In the evenings he sung with a rock band. Then when he was 22 he joined the pop group S Club 7.