NEPO ROOTS Ex-EastEnders star Jack Ryder reveals he is a secret nepo-baby and his dad is a famous rocker
EX-EASTENDERS star Jack Ryder has revealed he is a secret nepo-baby and his dad is a famous rocker.
Actor Jack, 44, shot to fame in 1998 as lovable market trader Jamie Mitchell, but long before he became a star, his father was already enjoying the limelight.
Jack, who was killed off in EastEnders in 2002, has now revealed his secret nepo-baby upbringing, that some fans may not be aware of.
Growing up the former soap star already had a taste of the celebrity lifestyle as his dad was in an 80s band.
Jack’s famous father is Jack Hues, who was in the group Wang Chung.
Jack Snr, who’s real name is Jeremy Ryder, was the lead singer of the band, who are best known for the song Everybody Have Fun Tonight.
The band shot to fame in 1980, before splitting in 1992.
The band had five top 40 hits in the States, all charting between 1983 and 1987.
Jack Snr has since become a solo artist and in 2011 even wrote the music for his son Jack‘s first film, Act of Memory.
Reflecting on his dad’s fame, and his nepo-baby roots, Jack told The Sun: “My dad was a famous pop star in America in the 80s and we’ve (him and his dad) talked about this a lot.
“We’re very aligned on it. He never enjoyed fame and always found it confusing, and I think I felt much the same way.”
HEARTTHROB STATUS
Following in his dad’s footsteps in his quest for fame, Jack joined EastEnders nearly 30 years ago playing Jamie.
With his flopping blonde hair and boyband good looks, he instantly became a heartthrob for young soap fans.
Jack would regularly top the ‘Sexiest man alive’ polls, and would often feature in teen magazines or as a poster pin up.
Talking about his sex symbol status, he told The Sun: “Being a heartthrob was never something I really aligned with. I never quite understood it and I found it difficult to deal with, especially the frenzy of it all.
“Lucy Speed and Nadia Sawalha, who were both on the show for years, used to say to me, ‘You weren’t just an actor, you were like a pop star’.
“That was because of the scale of the character’s success.
“The show was on every week, I was constantly in magazines, on the front of Smash Hits, and my work didn’t stop on a Friday night.
” I’d go straight into a car and head off to Live & Kicking on a Saturday morning, doing shows and appearances. I was very aware that I was a product of the show.”
Opening up about his “struggle” with fame, Jasck candidly told us: “The thing is, I loved the work. I loved being on set, working with the crews, being in front of the camera and developing relationships through the storylines with the actors I worked with.
“What I struggled with was the fame and the world outside the gates.”
LIFE AFTER EASTENDERS
Jack’s time on EastEnders ended in tragedy when his character was dramatically killed on Christmas Day 2002.
Run over by love rival Martin Fowler, who was on his phone and driving while disqualified, Jamie was seen suffering liver damage, with his loved ones – including Peggy Mitchell, godfather Phil Mitchell and Sonia, saying goodbye before he died.
The scene remains one of the most-watched moments in soap history, with over 20 million people tuning in to bid the character farewell.
After leaving the soap, Jack has tended to stay out of the spotlight.
He has become a novelist, releasing four children’s books including Voyage to Mermaid Mountain in July 2024.
Jack’s also become a director both of stage and screen, including The Full Monty joining forces with Gary Barlow and Take That’s team to co-direct West End show The Band, based on the group’s success.
Away from the limelight, Jack is now settled with long-time partner Ella, with whom he has a daughter called Marnie, who was born in 2021.
He was previously married to Coronation Street actress Kym Marsh, with the pair tying the knot in 2002 but splitting in 2009.
Jack also still acts, and has appeared in Holby City and Silent Witness.