Jamie Mitchell’s on-screen death still remains one of EastEnders’ saddest storylines, but what has Jack Ryder been up to since leaving the BBC soap?
It’s been nearly 25 years since Jamie Mitchell broke the hearts of EastEnders fans and died.
Actor Jack Ryder was 17 years old when he joined the BBC soap as Jamie, the nephew of Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick) in 1998, and with his blond locks and boyish good looks, he was immediately given heartthrob status.
Jack played the role of Jamie until 2002, when the character was killed off on Christmas Day after being mowed down by a car driven by love rival Martin Fowler, played then by James Alexandrou.
In Jack’s final scenes on the soap, he left millions in floods of tears as Jamie died in hospital with fiancée Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) and uncle Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) at his deathbed.
It was Jack’s decision to leave EastEnders in 2002 when his contract ended, admitting it had not been an easy decision but he wanted to pursue other projects.
Jack confessed he was surprised by the controversial decision to kill off his beloved character. “I was a bit shocked by their decision,” he told The Mirror in December 2002.
“When I said he was going to leave, they said they would keep the door open. Then Louise took over as producer and they said they wanted a good exit.
“It didn’t really matter either way to me. I wasn’t planning on coming back. At the end of the day, it’s their choice. They hired me. Jamie was always having an affair or another fight with Phil and I didn’t want to be in a soap for the rest of my life.”
Jack’s off-screen reunion with Natalie Cassidy
Following his EastEnders exit, Jack, 45, landed roles in other major television series, most notably Evan Crowhurst in Holby City and Frank Tuner in Silent Witness.
He also won Celebrity Stars in Their Eye with a Justin Timberlake performance, and has appeared in various theatre productions. Jack is also an acting coach and an author of children’s books, including his debut novel, Jack’s Secret Summer
He recently reunited with his former co-star Natalie Cassidy, 24 years after his EastEnders exit, appearing in a new video as part of a campaign that carries quite an important message.
In the video, available on the National Rail YouTube channel and socials, the two share a hug as they meet for the first time in decades, before reflecting on the public’s love for the characters, what they used to get up to between takes, and how Jack and his family took Natalie on her first holiday.
The reunion took place as part of National Rail’s ‘Proper Catch-Up Carriage’ campaign, which is based on research where participants admitted to struggling to find the time to see people they’ve not hung out with in ages, and even when they see people, find it tough to have any sort of deep conversation.
Who is Jack Ryder’s ex-wife?
Jack was married to former Corrie star Kym Marsh. The pair married in 2002, having met in a BBC canteen when Kym was appearing on TV music programme Top of the Pops.
In her autobiography From the Heart, actress Kym explained how they met before getting hitched years later. “When I spotted him I told Myleene Klass, ‘He’s quite cute – except he looks about 12’,” she confessed.
“We chatted and he was flirting with me. I kinda liked him too. He had a very honest face and I could sense something between us. A few months earlier I’d been a single mum who spent her evenings ironing. Now I was being texted by the hottest soap star in the country.”
The pair married in August 2002 and settled in St Albans, Hertfordshire. But with Kym wanting roles in the North West and to be closer to her family they moved up to Manchester in 2004.
She got the role of Michelle Connor on Coronation Street in 2006, but just two years later, it was all over between them, announcing in 2008 they had called it quits with their marriage officially over in 2009.
Jack Ryder’s family life
Jack is now in a long-term relationship with his partner, Ella, though he tends to keep details of his private life away from the limelight.
However, in 2020, Jack shared his excitement about becoming a first-time dad as Ella was expecting their first child.
Appearing on Loose Women via video link, Jack revealed, “We are due in July. Ella and I are gushy and over the moon. I always just smile when I talk about it. We’re prepared as we can be, but we’ve got toys all around the place and clothes and bits and pieces. Yeah, we’re ready to go.”
He added: “We’re very humbled and grateful. It’s going to be an amazing journey”. The couple later welcomed their daughter, Marnie, into the world.
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday on BBC One and iPlayer
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: mirror.co.uk
