EastEnders viewers have been left puzzled over the age of newcomer Ryder Hawkins, played by Felix Uff, who joined the BBC One soap earlier this year. The character is currently at the centre of a major storyline after coming out to his aunt Nicola Mitchell (Laura Doddington) last week.
Fans question Ryder's age
Ryder has been struggling to tell his family the truth about his sexuality, knowing his father, Ned Hawkins (Jamie Bamber), would not approve. Nicola has supported her nephew and encouraged him to speak to his mother, Gemma Hawkins (Patricia Potter).
The newcomer's age has not yet been addressed on screen, but fans were baffled after his father began urging him to make something of his life. Nicola has also referred to Ryder as "kid," leaving viewers wondering exactly how old the character is meant to be.
Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, one fan said: "He's acting like a teenager but looks like he's 45 with two kids and a wife? I'm more confused than usual." Another added: "I don't understand how old Ryder is supposed to be." A third person asked: "May I ask how old Ryder is meant to be?"
Felix Uff's age and career
While it has not been officially confirmed by the BBC soap, Ryder is portrayed as being in his 20s, while actor Felix was born in 1994, making him around 32. EastEnders is his biggest role to date, but Felix has also appeared in shows such as Outlander, The Hunting Party, Witches of Essex, FBI: International and Too Much.
Speaking about joining the soap, Felix said: "EastEnders is a staple of British culture and it's a real privilege to join the cast. I can't wait for everyone to see the Hawkins family shaking things up!"
Ryder's storyline continues
During Monday's (October 12) episode, Ryder's old football coach came to the Square to see him. It later transpired that Ned had called him, keen to give his son some purpose in life. The coach offered Ryder a job coaching, which had been orchestrated by Ned. However, Ryder was reluctant to accept after his former teammate Kit was subjected to homophobic abuse in the game.
As the storyline continues, Ned's pressure to repress who Ryder really is starts to torment him. Teasing what the Hawkins family will bring to EastEnders, Executive Producer Ben Wadey previously said: "The Hawkins family are a fantastic addition to Walford. While the family share a fierce loyalty to one another, decades of complicated history and Nicola's estrangement from them has left fractures within the family that are far from healed. We're all very excited for what we have planned for the family."
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One and is available to stream on BBC iPlayer from 6am.
