Soap Opera Star Reveals He’s a Secret Nepo Baby and His Dad Is a Famous Rocker

Beloved EastEnders alum Jack Ryder is revealing his secret celebrity roots.

The 44-year-old actor, who played Jamie Mitchell on the BBC soap from 1998 to 2002, told The Sun on Sunday that his father is actually a famous singer known for selling millions of records internationally.

Jack’s father, Jeremy Allan Ryder, is better known professionally as Jack Hues, the frontman of the famous ’80s band Wang Chung. The band, formed in 1980, is best known for the 1986 hit “Everybody Have Fun Tonight,” and also included members Nick Feldman and Darren Costin.

“My dad was a famous pop star in America in the ’80s and [together we have] talked about this a lot,” Jack told The Sun, adding that he and his father had a very similar take on being in the spotlight. “We’re very aligned on it,” the former soap star said. “He never enjoyed fame and always found it confusing, and I think I felt much the same way.”

Jack continued to speak about his own struggles after becoming a “heartthrob” on EastEnders. “Being a heartthrob was never something I really aligned with,” he said. “I never quite understood it and I found it difficult to deal with, especially the frenzy of it all.” 

“The show was on every week, I was constantly in magazines, on the front of Smash Hits, and my work didn’t stop on a Friday night,” he went on. “I’d go straight into a car and head off to Live & Kicking on a Saturday morning, doing shows and appearances. I was very aware that I was a product of the show.”

When it comes to his “struggle” with being famous, Jack confessed, “The thing is, I loved the work. I loved being on set, working with the crews, being in front of the camera and developing relationships through the storylines with the actors I worked with.”

He noted, “What I struggled with was the fame and the world outside the gates.”

After being killed off on EastEnders, Jack has stayed largely away from fame, becoming a director both behind the camera and backstage, working on productions including The Full Monty and the West End’s The Band. He’s also released four children’s books, including Voyage to Mermaid Mountain in 2024.

Jack, who was previously married to Coronation Street actress Kym Marsh from 2002 to 2009, is also settled down in his personal life, tying the knot with long-time partner Ella and welcoming daughter Marnie in 2021.