In his EastEnders reign, Jack Ryder was known for his trademark floppy blonde hair and clean-cut look. The star looked almost unrecognisable, however, as he graced the red carpet earlier in the week to attend the premiere of Take That's musical The Band, which he helped direct. The 36-year-old showed off a rugged beard and swept-back hair do, and looked smart in a tweed jacket and crisp white shirt as he posed for photos.
© Photo: PAEastEnders' Jamie Mitchell actor Jack Ryder turned heads with his new look
Jack played Jamie in EastEnders from 1998 until 2002, when his character was killed off on Christmas Day after being run over by Martin Fowler. Jamie was most memorable for his on-off romance with Sonia Fowler, and his fragile relationship with his cousin Phil Mitchell and uncle Billy Mitchell. His tragic exit storyline saw him nominated for Best Exit at the British Soap Awards the following year.
© Photo: Getty ImagesJack played Jamie Mitchell from 1998-2002 on the BBC soap
In a previous interview with On: Yorkshire Magazine, the star revealed that acting had come about by accident. "I never trained as an actor so everything I know I have learned hands-on. EastEnders came about by accident when I was sixteen. I went to a workshop with a mate who wanted to audition and I got spotted. I’d never even done a school play before then," he confessed.
Since leaving the show, Jack has appeared in a number of films, including Popcorn, and starred in the West End show Calendar Girls. Jack's talents also extend to directing, and he wrote and directed his first short film, Act of Memory, back in 2010. In 2002, meanwhile, Jack married Coronation Street actress Kym Marsh, but the pair separated back in 2008.
