Former EastEnders star Jack Ryder has spoken candidly about his 'nepo baby' roots, revealing his father is the lead singer of 1980s band Wang Chung. The actor, best known for playing Jamie Mitchell from 1998 to 2002, admitted to struggling with fame, much like his dad who had chart-topping hits in the US.
Ryder, now unrecognisable with salt-and-pepper hair, told The Sun that his father, Jack Hues (stage name for Wang Chung's lead singer), never enjoyed fame and found it confusing. 'We've talked about this a lot,' Ryder said. 'We're very aligned on it.' The actor felt the same way about his own heartthrob status during his soap days.
His dramatic exit from EastEnders in 2002 saw his character die in a car crash on Christmas Day. Despite being told the door would be left open, Ryder later discovered the new producer wanted a definitive ending. 'It didn't really matter either way,' he said. 'I wasn't planning on coming back.'
Since leaving Walford, Ryder has pursued multiple careers: writing children's books, running a mentoring business, and directing. He also reflected on his brief marriage to Hear'Say singer Kym Marsh, which ended in 2008 after she admitted to an affair with fellow soap star Jamie Lomas. The couple had relocated to Manchester before their split.
