Former Coronation Street star Ryan Thomas has announced he is quitting acting, having 'really lost the bug for it'. The 36-year-old, who played Jason Grimshaw on the soap from 2000 to 2016, said rejection and online trolling contributed to his decision.
Speaking on the Mancs On The Mic podcast alongside his brothers Adam and Scott, Thomas said: 'It's so hard for me. I started off acting... and I really lost the bug for it. I feel the reason for losing the bug is rejection and going to auditions and not getting them.' He also cited 'negative comments' from trolls, noting that social media was not around during his early Corrie days.
Thomas first appeared on Coronation Street aged 16. His character's storylines included a love life, grieving for his father Tony, and being attacked by Callum Logan. Jason later became a suspect in Callum's murder and eventually left for Thailand. Thomas also appeared in Neighbours' Hit & Run special in 2018 and won Celebrity Big Brother that same year.
Since stepping back from acting, Thomas has been doing food deliveries for his brother Adam's restaurant near Stockport. He said he is 'really happy with the direction I'm going' but left the door open for a possible return, adding: 'It's still something that I have in my locker if I want to explore it again.'
Thomas also spoke about the strain of commuting between Essex, where he lives with fiancée Lucy Mecklenburgh and their son Roman, and Manchester, where his daughter Scarlett lives with her mother and former Corrie co-star Tina O'Brien. He hopes eventually to settle in Manchester with both children.
