Former EastEnders star Jack Ryder has revealed his secret nepo baby roots.
The actor, 44, played Jamie Mitchell in the soap from 1998 until being dramatically killed off on Christmas Day 2002.
But it turns out Jack actually came from famous stock with his singer father having sold millions of records and six US Top 40 hits under his belt.
Dad Jeremy Allan Ryder, known professionally as Jack Hues, is frontman of 80s new wave band Wang Chung, who are best known for their 1986 hit Everybody Have Fun Tonight.
Despite the group, which also included Nick Feldman and Darren Costin, being British they found their biggest success across the pond.
Jack said: ‘My dad was a famous pop star in America in the 80s and [together we have] talked about this a lot’.
Former EastEnders star Jack Ryder has revealed his secret nepo baby roots
Jack played Jamie Mitchell in the soap from 1998 until being dramatically killed off on Christmas Day 2002 (pictured on the soap 1999)
His dad Jeremy Allan Ryder, known professionally as Jack Hues, is frontman of 80s new wave band Wang Chung (pictured 1986)
He went on to tell The Sun: ‘We’re very aligned on it. He never enjoyed fame and always found it confusing, and I think I felt much the same way.’
Speaking about his own struggles with fame on the BBC soap, Jack said: ‘Being a heartthrob was never something I really aligned with. I never quite understood it and I found it difficult to deal with, especially the frenzy of it all.
Wang Chung’s other hits include Let’s Go! and Dance Hall Days as well as contributing music for iconic 1985 film The Breakfast Club.
They toured the US as opening act for rock band The Cars before before going their separate ways in 1990.
They later reformed as a two piece in 1997 with frontman Jeremy and guitarist Nick and continue to perform today.
Since leaving EastEnders Jack has gone on to work as a theatre director and released dour children’s books including Voyage to Mermaid Mountain in July 2024.
Jack previously said admitted that fame at a young age was ‘tough to cope with’ as he reflected on his career.
Speaking on ITV’s Lorraine, the actor said ‘no one can prepare you for it’ and that he ‘just kept his head down and got on with it’.
Despite the group, which also included Nick Feldman and Darren Costin, being British they found their biggest success across the pond (Pictured 2005)
Jack said: ‘My dad was a famous pop star in America in the 80s and [together we have] talked about this a lot’ (Wang Chung pictured 1984)
Wang Chung’s other hits include Let’s Go! and Dance Hall Days as well as contributing music for iconic 1985 film The Breakfast Club (pictured 1984)
Jack previously said admitted that fame at a young age was ‘tough to cope with’ as he reflected on his career (pictured co-star Natalie Cassidy)
‘Yeah, no one can prepare you for it. It was before social media, the last kind of golden era of TV.
‘My last episode I think got something like 25million viewers. I love the work. The fame side was tough to cope with at that age. I just kept my head down and got on with it.’
Last week Soap fans were amazed by an EastEnders and Emmerdale ‘crossover’ – as a returning character was recast.
Many beloved soap stars played smaller roles in a rival show before coming to prominence, but sometimes this goes under the radar.
EastEnders announced that Mark Fowler Jr – the son of Grant Mitchell and Michelle Fowler – is returning to Albert Square.
Stephen Aaron-Sipple has taken over the role, with Mark set to join both sides of his family, including sister Vicki (Alice Haig).
For Mark’s previous stay Walford in 2016, actor Ned Porteous played the character for 13 episodes.
Ned, 31, is now well known for his role as conniving businessman Joe Tate on Emmerdale.
He initially starred in the ITV soap from 2017 to 2018, before returning in Christmas 2024.
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