Ryan Thomas

Last updated
Ryan Thomas
Ryan Thomas 2.jpg
Thomas in 2009
Born
Ryan James Thomas

(1984-06-10) 10 June 1984 (age 40) [1]
Manchester, England
OccupationActor
Years active2000–present
Television Coronation Street (2000–2016)
Neighbours (2018)
Celebrity Big Brother (2018)
Partner(s) Tina O'Brien (2003–2009)
Lucy Mecklenburgh (2017–present; engaged)
Children3
Relatives Adam Thomas (brother)
Scott Thomas (brother)

Ryan James Thomas (born 10 June 1984) is a British former actor. He is known for playing the role of Jason Grimshaw on ITV soap opera Coronation Street from 2000 until 2016. In 2018, he played Rafael Humphreys in Australian soap opera Neighbours , and won the twenty-second series of Celebrity Big Brother .

Contents

Thomas announced his retirement from acting in 2021, however has continued his work in television and won the sixteenth series of Dancing on Ice in 2024.

Career

Thomas was 16 when he made his on-screen debut as Jason Grimshaw in Coronation Street on 25 December 2000. [2] In 2012, Thomas took part in a documentary called Corrie Goes to Kenya, along with his co-stars Brooke Vincent (Sophie Webster), Sue Cleaver (who plays his on-screen mother Eileen Grimshaw) and Ben Price (Nick Tilsley). [3] Thomas said that his time in Kenya changed him as a person and made him realise how much he has in life. [4]

Thomas left Coronation Street in June 2016, after almost sixteen years in the role. He told Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy that he wanted "a different experience" and the chance to pursue other roles. His co-star Terence Maynard, who played his on-screen father Tony Stewart, was also a big factor in his decision to leave the soap. [5] He added "It could be stage, it could be TV, or I could disappear and start learning my craft – start from the bottom and do some acting classes again. These are all things that I need to do because I feel like I haven't done them yet." [5]

He made his panto debut in late-2016 as Prince Charming in the Wyvern Theatre production of Cinderella . [6] The following year, he starred as Captain Hook in Peter Pan at Venue Cymru. [7] In 2018, he played the role at the Beck Theatre, Hayes. In 2019 he starred in the role of Dick Whittington at the Grand Theatre in Wolverhampton.

Thomas joined the cast of Australian television soap opera Neighbours in October 2017 as Rafael Humphreys. [8] He made his on-screen debut during the 60-minute "Hit & Run" special on 12 February 2018.[ citation needed ]

In August 2018, Thomas took part in the 22nd series of Celebrity Big Brother . [2] During the episode broadcast on 30 August, Thomas was seen play fighting with actress Roxanne Pallett. Pallett then accused him of intentionally punching her, video footage failed to show Thomas had made physical any contact, apart from a brush with his ring finger. [9] Pallett has since apologised to Thomas for what she has described as "an overreaction to what wasn't a malicious act". [10] [11] On 10 September 2018, Thomas was announced as the winner of the series. [12]

Thomas appeared as a contestant in Celebrity Masterchef in 2022. [13] In December 2022, Thomas won Celebrity Antiques Road Trip . [14]

In March 2021, Thomas announced he was quitting acting, after having "really lost the bug for it". [15]

In March 2024, he won the sixteenth series of Dancing on Ice with dance partner Amani Fancy. [16]

Personal life

Thomas is the brother of Waterloo Road and former Emmerdale actor, Adam Thomas, and Love Island personality, Scott Thomas. [2]

He is of English, Indian and Caribbean ancestry. His paternal grandfather is from Mumbai, India, and emigrated to Manchester, England, in 1947. His paternal great-grandmother was a West Indian who had Caribbean ancestry. [17] [18]

In 2013, he filed for bankruptcy following an unpaid tax bill of £40,000. [19] Thomas was arrested in 2015 for being drunk and disorderly in a Lake District nightclub. He was fined £90. [20]

Thomas dated his Coronation Street co-star Tina O'Brien from 2003 until 2009. They have a daughter together. [21] Thomas has been in a relationship with Lucy Mecklenburgh since 2017. They met while taking part in Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls . [2] He became engaged to Mecklenburgh in June 2019. [22] [23] [24] They have two children together. [25]

Filmography

Television

YearNameRoleNotes
2000–2016 Coronation Street Jason Grimshaw Regular role; 1509 episodes
2018 Neighbours Rafael Humphreys Recurring role; 17 episodes
2018 Celebrity Big Brother HousemateWinner; series 22
2020Absolutely India: Mancs in MumbaiHimselfMain cast; 6 episodes
2022 Celebrity MasterChef HimselfContestant; series 17
2024 Dancing on Ice HimselfWinner; series 16
TBA99 To BeatCo-hostAlongside Adam Thomas [26]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryResultRef.
2007 British Soap Awards Best On-Screen Partnership (shared with Sue Cleaver)Nominated [27]
2007 Inside Soap Awards Sexiest MaleNominated [28]
2007Inside Soap AwardsBest Couple (shared with Tina O'Brien)Nominated [28]
2008 Digital Spy Soap Awards Sexiest MaleNominated [29]
2008British Soap AwardsSexiest MaleNominated [30]
2008Inside Soap AwardsSexiest MaleNominated [31]
2009British Soap AwardsSexiest MaleNominated [32]
2009Inside Soap AwardsSexiest MaleNominated [33]
2010British Soap AwardsSexiest MaleNominated [34]
2010Inside Soap AwardsSexiest MaleNominated [35]
2012British Soap AwardsSexiest MaleNominated [36]
2012Inside Soap AwardsSexiest MaleNominated [37]
2014 2014 British Soap Awards Sexiest MaleShortlisted [38]
2014Inside Soap AwardsSexiest MaleNominated [39]
2015Inside Soap AwardsBest Affair (shared with Sair Khan)Nominated [40]
2016 TV Choice Awards Best Soap ActorNominated [41]

See also

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References

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  2. 1 2 3 4 "Celebrity Big Brother 2018: Who is Ryan Thomas, and what's he famous for?". Radio Times . Retrieved 31 August 2018.
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  7. Roberts, Annie (14 June 2017). "Coronation Street star swaps cobbles for Llandudno Peter Pan pantomime". North Wales Pioneer. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
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  10. "Roxanne Pallett: 'I massively apologise to Ryan'". BBC News. 3 September 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
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  13. "Celebrity MasterChef 2022 line-up: Meet the full cast". RadioTimes.
  14. Celebrity Antiques Road Trip - Series 11: Episode 20 , retrieved 29 December 2022
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Preceded by Celebrity Big Brother UK winner
Series 22 (2018)
Succeeded by