The ‘mini David Beckham’ had explosive real-life drama after being killed off against his wishes – and ditched those famous blonde curtains
EastEnders actor Jack Ryder was labelled the Square’s “ultimate bit of cockney totty” in the late 90s.
The teenage heartthrob joined EastEnders in 1998 as Phil Mitchell’s young cousin, Jamie, who had a rather harrowing back story after being abused by his uncle Billy.
The EastEnders cast dubbed Jack “a mini David Beckham” due to his trademark floppy blond curtains.
Jack was embroiled in some explosive storylines during four years on the soap – and his own personal life was just as dramatic after he left.
It was Jack’s decision to leave EastEnders in 2002 when his contract ended, admitting it had not been an easy decision but he wanted to pursue other projects.
But scandal followed before his final scenes even aired, as Jack claimed he was originally told the door would be left open for a possible return in the future.
What actually happened was one of the most tragic deaths in all of soap history.
