Following his recent marriage to Olivia Bligh James is sailing back from England back home to Australia, however James is very unhappy about his marriage to Olivia. His unhappiness spans to the point that he attempts to jump of the side of the boat, however Sarah Adams saves him and then takes him to the hospital room aboard the boat. James then called for his grandmother Elizabeth Bligh to come and see him, he then tells Elizabeth the real reason why he tries to jump. It being that he was in love with Olivia's brother William. When James arrives back to Ash Park James's marriage to Olivia is at first very difficult as James is always miserable, however the marriage does gradually improve as James becomes more accepting toward Olivia and he does begin to love his wife. However the relationship hits the rocks again when Olivia finds that James is actually a homosexual. This disgusts Olivia and following finding this out Olivia tells James that she is going to Sydney in order to work out what she wants, with James's grandmother Elizabeth Bligh being the only other person who knows the truth James goes to Elizabeth.


James at dinner with Regina Bligh

Elizabeth knowing that if Olivia thinks about what she wants then James would have lost her forever, Elizabeth then begs Olivia to remain at Ash Park. Olivia then agrees reluctantly to stay where Elizabeth tells Olivia that she only made James marry Olivia to protect him from scandal, this touches Olivia as it shows that Elizabeth cares for James. Yet Olivia is still upset about her marriage, when Elizabeth suffers a heart attack Olivia bitterly tells James that she hopes that Elizabeth will die. James is disgusted by this statement and shocked by Olivia's out of the blue bitterness, however thanks to Regina Bligh Olivia is able to settle some differences with Elizabeth while she also forgives James. Later on James decides alongside Olivia that they should move to Sydney, as this they believe will be better for their relationship. Before the two leave for their new home in Sydney Olivia is finally able to forgive Elizabeth for tricking her. Meanwhile, James learns Olivia is pregnant. During this time, Harry Polson turns up and is staying with Amy Polson when James meets him. The two share a brief kiss at Harry's request and they are seen by Colin(Harry's nephew), Bert then uses this information to blackmail George and force Harry to move away. This discovery prompts James to tell Olivia that he will go through shock treatment to try and be rid of his homosexuality, with Olivia by his side James goes into treatment. James goes to his aunt Carolyn Bligh and finds a doctor, however Carolyn thinks the therapist is for Olivia and not James.

Series 2

James is visited by Olivia

James begins his treatment under a doctor call Dr. Milsen, however the treatment becomes horrifically brutal and James begins to suffer both physically and mentally. However, Dr. Milsen is able to trick Olivia into thinking that the treatment is necessarily brutal. This shocks Olivia, but through everything she stands by her husband with the two now deeply in love. Also James survives through the treatment because of the thought of being a father of the baby that Olivia is carrying, however meanwhile at Ash Park Carolyn asks Olivia how the therapy is going but Olivia reveals that the therapy is for James not her. This horrifies Carolyn as the therapist she suggested is a specialist in women's case and is too brutal in men's cases. In shock Olivia, Sarah Adams and George Bligh go to the hospital where they save James from the horrid treatment mainly thanks to Sarah using her knowledge of previously suffering a similar treatment at a concentration camp years before. When James returns to Ash park being terrible shaken and hurt mentally he begins to get back his normal self, with James home from the treatment Olivia and James grow closer than ever before. Olivia then decides to James the choice on whether to do treatment again, to which he decides to not re-do the any treatment, Olivia is slightly upset but then supports her husband.


Olivia and James grow closer

James then goes with rest of the family to Prudence Swanson's party in Sydney, this is James's first public meeting after the treatment. However he become suspicious when Olivia begins to spending too much tie with Andrew Swanson, later on when James arrives back to Ash Park after the party he greets Regina who has arrived while everyone is away. However despite being kind and sweet toward Regina, James becomes a pawn in Regina Bligh's secret scheme to help he remain at Ash Park for longer as Regina tells Elizabeth that if she kicks her out then James's secret will become the next scandal of Sydney. Later on when George and Sarah break off their engagement James, Anna Poletti and Olivia speculate why this may have happened. However the are still in the dark, yet later on when James learns that Regina has uncovered that Sarah Adams's first husband is actually alive he is stunned and then along with Anna Poletti James becomes angry at Elizabeth. When Sarah is then leaving to go and find her husband in Paris James and Olivia bid her farewell outside the Inverness Local Hospital.