Jack Ryder: "Earning My Stripes"

With a failed marriage to Coronation Street and Hear'Say songstress Kym Marsh and little TV work for some time, you wouldn't blame Jack Ryder if he went down the path of reality TV, falling out of nightclubs and bitter recriminations for his ex. That's just not his style: instead, Jack has forged a successful stage career and just had his busiest year to date with the lead role in a modern day interpretation of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet", and a brand new role on radio's favourite long-runner "The Archers". Having embarked on a national tour with The Wales Theatre Company's production of "Romeo and Juliet", Jack made time to catch up with Johnny Ikon and tell us what he's excited about, what's coming up next and why he just doesn't bother with all that "heart-throb rubbish".

I asked him first-up what's the difference between the Wales Theatre Company's interpretation of Romeo and Juliet and any other Johnny Ikon readers might have seen, and he was keen to tell us what makes this version exciting: "It's a totally modern interpretation of the story with classic, there's no swords or costumes, it's modern clothes and guns and knives. The fight scenes have been turned into contemporary street gang fights which look incredible on-stage." Sensing his enthusiasm, I wondered if he wasn't nervous about taking on Shakespeare for the first time, to which he responds quickly "Of course, but I just immersed myself in it and I'm having the best time. More than anything I was excited about working with the director Michael Bogdanov, who has 30 years experience directing these productions." Ryder is keen to impress with his dedication to his craft, declaring that the move into stage and away from TV was "!00% deliberate", saying that because he landed the Eastenders role as a "diamond in the rough" spotted by BBC producer Matthew Robinson despite having no experience, and conscious that to extend his career he needed to "earn his stripes" as an actor. To this end, he deliberately chooses not to watch TV (not even X Factor!) and has turned down "one reality show after another over the years".

We touch briefly on his other projects, including the role of Ryan on Radio 4's "The Archers". Stepping into such a legendary production and a new medium must have been challenging, and Jack explains a little about his character and that he'll have time to develop the role up until March, when his current contract will run out. "Ryan's a gambler, he attends AA meetings and befriends main character Alistair, we'll have to wait and see what happens next and how he turns out."

Despite Jack's earlier protestations that he had no experience when spotted by the Beeb, I put it to him that he comes from something of a showbiz dynasty - his father was in 80s band Wang Chung, and his grandfather a professional musician - and he admits to something of a musical talent himself, playing guitar and the piano. He thinks he would have done something musical himself if it wasn't for acting, but then he ponders this and says "Who knows? i liked art too. It would have had to be something in the arts." Trying to steer him back onto the subject of family, I tell him I think Johnny Ikon readers would be desperate to know about his feelings towards ex-wife Kym Marsh, particularly in light of the recent marriage rumours surrounding her and new boyfriend Jamie Lomas. He bristles immediately, and says that over the last year he's deliberately not spoken about his personal life. Pushing him on the rumours he's dating someone new too, he won't budge on the subject, immediately going on to say that this is "my busiest year since leaving Eastenders" and that he's proud of the work he's doing.


It's hard to talk to Jack Ryder - he's noticeably shy of journalists, cautious of the celebrity circus his now ex-wife seems to have thrown herself into. The boy from Eastenders just wants to talk about his work, and it's only when doing so that you can detect excitement in his voice. It's this enthusiasm that makes him pretty likeable despite his reluctance to be interviewed, so he gets the Johnny Ikon seal of approval! You can find out more about his production of Romeo and Juliet by visiting the Wales Theatre Company website http://walestheatrecompany.com/

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