From 90s TV fame on 2point4 Children to stepping behind the camera after Hollyoaks, see what child actor John Pickard looks like today after quitting the spotlight
Former 2point4 Children and Hollyoaks star John Pickard is nearly unrecognisable, 16 years after his exit from the soap.
The London-born star, now 48, played Dom Reilly in Hollyoaks for five years, until his character was sent to prison for an arson attack on his half-brother’s restaurant in 2010. But he’s probably better known to millions for making his name as a young actor starring alongside Clare Buckfield (as Jenny) in popular BBC sitcom 2point4 Children, which ran for eight series during the nineties, before coming to an end in 1999. The show followed the lives of the working-class Porter family whose world was regularly turned upside down by odd goings-on and a dose of bad luck.
Fast forward to today and John has a more mature style, sporting a bald head and a lifestyle overhaul away from the showbiz spotlight, after apparently turning his back on fame.
Off-screen, the former child star keeps a low profile on his Instagram account, where he occasionally gives his 3,000 followers a peek into his family life. Last December he shared a single image of his young daughter – who he welcomed at the age of 42 – in a woodland cabin, while he’s previously treated fans to happy snaps of his family on holiday, including a trip to Iceland back in 2022.
He also threw his support behind his famous brother, 51-year-old Hollyoaks Nick Pickard, when Nick took part in ITV’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2023. Posting a picture together urging fans to vote, John wrote: “Proud of you Bro int Jungle. Don’t forget to vote @nickpickardofficial @imacelebrity “keep him in there!” Nick, who is Hollyoaks’ longest-serving actor and has played Tony Hutchinson since its very first episode in 1995, ultimately finished in seventh place in the jungle challenge which was won by Made In Chelsea star Sam Thompson.
Beyond family life, John – also known for appearing in Grange Hill, Casualty and Birds Of A Feather – has swapped acting for a successful career behind the lens. Three years ago, he celebrated graduating from Goldsmiths, University of London with a Master of Arts in Screenwriting. Marking the delayed ceremony post-pandemic, he joked online: “Master of Farts. @goldsmithsuol Our delayed graduation after the cove-19. Love to those who got me through, shared the strain and the pain of too many zoombie lessons. Big love to the cohort of 20-21.”
At the time, a host of celebrity pals rushed to pass on their best wishes on his big day, including former EastEnders stars Martine McCutcheon and Dean Gaffney, and ex-Hollyoaks actors Jamie Lomas and James Redmond.
Today, John works behind the camera as a Producer at BearJam, an award-winning independent creative video production agency. Introducing him to clients, a recent video caption revealed: “Meet John – one of the powerhouse producers behind the scenes at BearJam. From pre-prod to post, he keeps the creative wheels turning and the chaos under control (mostly). Got a question about life on set? Drop it below!”
Interestingly, BearJam lists another former TV star, Trey Farley, as one of its directors. Trey, married to former Blue Peter presenter Katy Hill, appeared as Taz in the 2002 movie Bend It Like Beckham but is perhaps best known for presenting the BBC Saturday morning children’s TV show Live & Kicking alongside Katy, Ortis Deley, and Sarah Cawood in the early 2000s.
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