Ryan Malloy
Encyclopedia
Ryan Malloy is a fictional character
from the BBC
soap opera
EastEnders
, played by Neil McDermott
. From his arrival on 28 April 2009, the character remained a mystery in the show for a number of months until he was revealed as the half brother of established character Whitney Dean
(played by Shona McGarty
). He departed on 26 August 2011.
: "[He is] a bad boy character whose mother had given him away when he was young and didn't care for him. He grew up with an alcoholic father who died when he was about 12 and Ryan then went into foster homes, which he didn't like. He ended living on the streets a lot and got involved with the wrong crowd. He had to make his own way in life, which is why he's a very independent person. Sometimes he acts in dodgy ways to get what he needs, too." He added: "At the very beginning, he'd only just learned from Debra that he has a half-sister. He didn't know about her until that point, so he's turned up in Walford to find her. Obviously he's looking for Debra and he thinks that his mum's going to turn up to see Whitney. So in a way, he's using Whitney to get to their mother."
(Shona McGarty
) and Shirley Carter (Linda Henry
). He asks Whitney if she is all right, but she runs off calling him a "creep". Weeks later, he helps Whitney and others escape from a fire started in café by Nick Cotton
(John Altman). Whitney then sees Ryan as a mysterious hero. Whitney's mother, Debra Dean (Ruth Gemmell
), turns up at Whitney's house, saying that a man is after her. Whitney demands to know why, and Debra says she has something belonging to him. They fetch it, but when they return home, Ryan is waiting for them; he is the man who is chasing Debra. Ryan reveals to Whitney he is her half brother, and says he killed someone in self defence, giving the weapon to Debra to hide. He demands it back from Whitney, but she refuses, and later disposes of it in a canal.
Planning to leave Walford, Ryan spots Ronnie Mitchell
(Samantha Womack) and asks Whitney about her. He decides to stay, and moves in with Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks
). Ronnie subsequently offers Ryan a day's trial at The Queen Victoria
public house
, and during the trial, they kiss, eventually going to Ryan's flat, where they sleep together. However, she makes it clear that its just a one-off. Ryan then begins to indulge in petty crime, including stealing from Ian Beale
's (Adam Woodyatt
) café and fish and chip
shop. When Chelsea Fox
(Tiana Benjamin
) wins £2,000 on a scratch card, Ryan mugs her. His flatmate Janine finds the cash, and tells Chelsea that Ryan mugged her, so Chelsea's father Lucas Johnson
(Don Gilet
) threatens him, and he returns the money. Despite this, Ryan and Janine soon start an on-off fling with each other. At the same time, Janine teams up with Archie Mitchell
(Larry Lamb
) to try and take over The Queen Victoria pub. She reveals the plans to Ryan, and the pair plot to ultimately take the pub for themselves, double-crossing Archie in the process. Ryan sees Whitney crying in the Square who reveals she is still in love with Tony King
(Chris Coghill
), the one time boyfriend of her adoptive mother Bianca Jackson
(Patsy Palmer
) who had been sexually abusing Whitney and is currently in prison. He tries to convince her that how Tony treated her was completely wrong, however she storms off and Ryan tells Bianca of Whitney's revelation. Ryan's true hatred of Tony is shown during the beginning of his trial, where Tony is shocked to see him glaring at him from across the room. When Whitney's witness statement is shown in court, Ryan walks out in disgust when she says she was 12 years old when they had sex. He storms back in calling Tony a monster and tells Whitney that Tony is sick and he will get out of prison when he is an old man.
On Christmas Day 2009 Ryan tells Janine that they are over, and later finds Janine drunk in the car lot. He tells her that Archie has been murdered, and panics when the police arrive to question everyone. After they question Janine, Ryan does not believe that she did not kill Archie and says she should be awarded an Oscar for her acting abilities. Ryan comforts Janine when she only gets a Newton's cradle
in Archie's will but she says she is not finished. After trying to blackmail Ian Beale, she tells the police that Ian murdered Archie. Ryan is angry with her and says it will draw more attention to herself. He says she makes him sick and storms out. When Janine is arrested after police find Archie's mother's engagement ring in her flat, Ryan protests that she has been set up.
Overdue with the rent, Ryan and Janine use Bianca's son Morgan Jackson-King (Devon Higgs) to raise money, pretending to be collecting for charity. However, Whitney takes the money from them when she finds out what they have done. Janine tells Ryan they should come up with a plan to get Archie's daughter Roxy Mitchell
's (Rita Simons) inheritance from her, so Janine urges Ryan to get close to Roxy. However, he decides to end the plan when he tells Janine they should admit their true feelings to each other, and says he is in love with her even though she is the most horrendous human being he has ever known. Janine remains silent, so Ryan walks away. The next day, Ryan packs his bags but Janine tries to tell him he can't leave as he owes six weeks' rent. As he leaves on the tube, she regrets letting him go, follows him onto the train and tells him she loves him. He then finds employment as assistant manager of the bookmaker's. However, Janine worries that Ryan will leave when she finds his passport with £500, and as he has no material possessions, she buys him a large television, telling him it is too large to fit in one of his bags so he will be unable to leave.
Ryan and Janine make a bet: Janine has to kiss Lucas Johnson
(Don Gilet
) and Ryan has to kiss Stacey Branning (Lacey Turner
), and whoever does it first wins. Janine eventually kisses Lucas, much to his surprise, and she takes Ryan's "going-away" money as her prize. After Ryan kisses Stacey, Janine reveals it was for a bet, leaving Stacey upset. Disgusted by Janine's cruelty, Ryan splits with her. However, they reunite soon after and go on holiday together. When they return, the couple decide to get married. Janine's brother Ricky Butcher
(Sid Owen
) throws Ryan a stag party where they get drunk and bond. The next day, Ryan attends his wedding, but Janine stops the service, and admits to Ryan that she almost had an affair as she is scared of commitment. Ryan assures her that he is scared too, and the pair marry anyway. They then attend their reception at the Queen Victoria pub, where Stacey attempts to tell Ryan about his paternity to Lily. However, Pat stops her from telling him, just minutes before a fire erupts in the pub. Everyone leaves safely, except for Stacey and Lily. Ryan rescues the baby and an unconscious Stacey before the pub explodes. Upon seeing her daughter unharmed, Stacey admits to Ryan he is Lily's father. Ryan goes to see Stacey in the hospital when she and Lily recover from the fire, and Stacey tells Ryan she isn't asking for anything and offers to let Ryan hold Lily, but Ryan declines and walks out. Then he goes on honeymoon with Janine.
When they return, Stacey tells Max Branning
(Jake Wood
) that Ryan is Lily's father and has been acting like he does not care. Max confronts Ryan, revealing to Janine that Ryan is the father. He then confronts Stacey saying that he wants nothing to do with his daughter. Stacey then tells Ryan to look at Lily, and he is visibly saddened. Janine later calls social services, saying Stacey is neglecting Lily. The allegation is proved to be false and Stacey attacks Janine. Ryan discovers what happened and stops Janine going to the police, saying she would not get away with it. The next day, Janine assumes Ryan has left her but they later reconcile and agree to forget about the recent events. While Stacey and Janine are in R&R nightclub and then arrested, Ryan is left to look after Lily for the first time. He struggles at first but the next morning tells Janine and Stacey he wants to be a father to Lily. Stacey does not want to let him but Ryan later agrees to pay maintenance and gets a job stealing cars for Phil Mitchell
(Steve McFadden
), so Stacey lets him hold Lily. On Janine's birthday, Ryan tells her he is getting her a surprise gift but finds out that he is with Stacey, having Lily's birth certificate changed, and Ryan later lies about where he was. They attend a party at the Slaters' house and Janine takes Lily, packs her and Ryan's things and takes Ryan on a trip, saying she wants to celebrate her birthday. Ryan hears Lily in the back of the car and orders Janine to stop but she says she is planning on going to France and never returning. They argue and eventually she stops on a level crossing, refusing to start the car until Ryan admits he cares more about Stacey. However, the barriers then lower and Janine is unable to start the car until the last second and the train just misses the car. Ryan takes Lily and Janine home and explains to Stacey that Janine heard Lily crying so took her to look after her but promises to Stacey he did not know Janine took Lily.
Ryan works as a barman at the newly refurbished The Queen Victoria, and when alone with Stacey, they kiss. However, Stacey tells Ryan to forget it happened. Stacey goes missing and Janine stops him visiting her by locking him in The Queen Victoria's walk-in fridge. Although Ryan thinks it was accidental and Janine saved him, Pat Evans
(Pam St. Clement
) inadvertedly reveals it was deliberate. After Kat allows Ryan to visit Stacey, he realises she is planning to leave and stops her. He reveals he wants to be with Stacey, not Janine and they start an affair. Pat discovers it and tells Janine, who starts to poison Ryan with pills. Eventually he escapes the flat and Stacey finds him as he collapses. Ryan is hospitalised and when he wakes up, Janine admits to overdosing him on sedatives and says she knows about his affair. She says if he loves her, he will not let her go to prison for her actions. Ryan allows Janine to believe he still loves her but then publicly declares his love for Stacey in The Queen Victoria. Janine then walks in to see them kissing. She fears she has lost him until she discovers Stacey was Archie's real killer after receiving a taped confession from Lauren Branning
(Jacqueline Jossa
). Although the recording is wiped, Janine reveals the truth. Ryan wants to be with Stacey regardless and they plan to flee. However, Stacey is unsure of her feelings for Ryan and takes Lily, leaving without him. Ryan visits Janine in hospital, because she stabbed herself in an attempt to frame Stacey. Janine forgives Ryan but he is unable to forgive her so he removes her oxygen tubes and walks out as she struggles to breathe. Pat discovers this and tells Ryan to end the feud. He then gives his wedding ring to Whitney.
When Janine returns to the Square, Whitney moves in with her. Ryan tries to convince Whitney that Janine is not her friend but to no avail. Later, Ryan tells Whitney he is leaving Walford for a short time to do some work up North. Before he leaves, Ryan asks Kat to give Whitney a job in the Vic, which she agrees to. When Ryan returns, he is horrified to discover that Whitney has been sexually exploited by Rob Grayson (Jody Latham
). He gets Whitney a job at The Queen Victoria but she turns it down. He urges her to get tested for sexually transmitted infections, which she agrees to, and to go to the police, which she says she is not yet ready to do.
Ryan starts working as a doorman at R&R. He turns down Lauren when she develops a crush on him and sneaks into his bedroom. She later tries to impress him by dressing up but he rejects her advances. Ryan then starts drug dealing and is sacked by Roxy, but then Phil reinstates him. Ryan misses Lily and realises he is in trouble because of the drugs and when Lauren later comforts him, he kisses her. Weeks later, Tanya finds out that Ryan and Lauren are having sex. When a drugs raid is carried out at The Queen Victoria, Ryan is arrested by the police due to Janine alerting them of the drug activities and is later fired from his barman job.
Ryan gets a phone call from Fatboy
(Ricky Norwood
), who tells him Rob has found Whitney. Ryan goes to Southend-on-Sea
and tracks down Rob. They fight on the pier and they both fall into the sea. Having killed Rob during the fight, and realising Whitney has told the police the entire story, Ryan insists that he has to leave, so they say goodbye.
, remained tight-lipped about the character, saying "I'm not saying too much about him. He's a character played by an actor... All I'll say at this point is that he seems to want to talk to Whitney..." The character's identity was revealed in July 2009 as Whitney Dean's half brother and the son of Debra Dean (Ruth Gemmell
), and he was credited as "Ryan" for the first time on 21 July 2009. Santer then described the character as "intriguing and complex", adding, "While incognito, he made a big impression on EastEnders viewers. Now they know who he actually is, I'm sure things will get even more exciting." McDermott auditioned for the part, not knowing the character's relationship to Whitney, but admits he was "very excited", adding, "Sometimes you just really want to get a part and for me, this was one of those occasions."
The character is nine years older than his half sister, and is described as having "something of a dark past". He is also said to be very moody, with an interest in women, setting his sights on Ronnie Mitchell
(Samantha Womack). The character was involved in gangs, although McDermott said "Ryan's not a really aggressive or violent man, but he's a thief. He ended up moving away from that, though. He'd love to live a normal life, but he's never had the opportunity to." He has been compared to the character of Sean Slater
, who was played by Robert Kazinsky
, as their scenario and personalities are similar in certain ways. McDermott commented that he sees the character as having a big heart, but scared to show his emotions, saying, "That's where his aggression comes from — he doesn't want to get hurt. [...] All Ryan needs is a good woman, some sort of mother or father figure, and a good psychiatrist and he'll be alright!" He also said that the character has lots of secrets that will be revealed over time.
In July 2009, it emerges that the character is looking for his mother as he was involved in a gang and killed a gang member with a knife in self-defence. He asks Debra to hide the knife, but she uses it against him. McDermott revealed that one scene, where Ryan and Debra are constantly talking over each other, had to be filmed in several takes. Another scene features McDermott barechested
, which prompted him to attend a gym: "I opened up a script after not being here very long and I just thought 'ah ok... I need to get down to the gym', Everyone's a bit vain when they've got to take their clothes off on screen!"
In December 2009, Santer teased about upcoming storylines involving Ryan and his flatmate Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks
), saying: "There's something really interesting with Ryan and Janine [...]. They're both people who don't know how to love. So will they fall in love? And if they do, can they cope with it? Will they understand the alien feelings coursing through their bodies?" McDermott stated in March 2010 that he believed Ryan was the right man for Janine, and that they could be perfect for each other, saying: "Janine's never loved any of the men she's been with before. She has only ever been in it for the money. Ryan understands her and knows why she does the things she does. They both forgive one another's mistakes very easily, and that's why their partnership works."
On 19 June 2011, it was announced that McDermott had quit EastEnders and that his character would exit in a dramatic storyline later in the year. An EastEnders spokesperson said, "We can confirm Neil is leaving EastEnders. It was a mutual decision that was made before Christmas when Neil's contract came up for renewal and we wish him all the best for the future."
for his portrayal of Ryan. In 2011, Ryan's love triangle with Stacey and Janine was nominated at the All About Soap Bubble Awards in the category "Best Love Triangle".
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
, played by Neil McDermott
Neil McDermott
Neil McDermott is a British stage and television actor who is best known for portraying Ryan Malloy in the BBC television soap opera EastEnders from April 2009 until 2011.-Career:...
. From his arrival on 28 April 2009, the character remained a mystery in the show for a number of months until he was revealed as the half brother of established character Whitney Dean
Whitney Dean
Whitney Dean is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, played by Shona McGarty. The character is the adoptive daughter of long-running character Bianca Jackson , and was introduced in April 2008 when Palmer returned to the series after a six year absence...
(played by Shona McGarty
Shona McGarty
Shona Bernadette McGarty is an English actress from Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, best known for her role in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, as Whitney Dean.-Career:...
). He departed on 26 August 2011.
Backstory
Ryan's backstory was revealed by McDermott in an interview with Digital SpyDigital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
: "[He is] a bad boy character whose mother had given him away when he was young and didn't care for him. He grew up with an alcoholic father who died when he was about 12 and Ryan then went into foster homes, which he didn't like. He ended living on the streets a lot and got involved with the wrong crowd. He had to make his own way in life, which is why he's a very independent person. Sometimes he acts in dodgy ways to get what he needs, too." He added: "At the very beginning, he'd only just learned from Debra that he has a half-sister. He didn't know about her until that point, so he's turned up in Walford to find her. Obviously he's looking for Debra and he thinks that his mum's going to turn up to see Whitney. So in a way, he's using Whitney to get to their mother."
2009–11
Ryan first appears on screen on 28 April 2009 when he is seen in the park by Whitney DeanWhitney Dean
Whitney Dean is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, played by Shona McGarty. The character is the adoptive daughter of long-running character Bianca Jackson , and was introduced in April 2008 when Palmer returned to the series after a six year absence...
(Shona McGarty
Shona McGarty
Shona Bernadette McGarty is an English actress from Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, best known for her role in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, as Whitney Dean.-Career:...
) and Shirley Carter (Linda Henry
Linda Henry
Linda Henry is an English actress, best known for her roles as Yvonne Atkins in the ITV television drama Bad Girls and Shirley Carter in the BBC's soap opera EastEnders.- Early life :...
). He asks Whitney if she is all right, but she runs off calling him a "creep". Weeks later, he helps Whitney and others escape from a fire started in café by Nick Cotton
Nick Cotton
Nick Cotton is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders played by John Altman on a recurring basis from the soap's debut episode in February 1985, through to his last appearance to date in 2009. Nick is the son of characters Charlie and Dot Cotton, and the father of Ashley and...
(John Altman). Whitney then sees Ryan as a mysterious hero. Whitney's mother, Debra Dean (Ruth Gemmell
Ruth Gemmell
-Early life:Ruth Gemmell was born in Darlington, Durham, England. She has three brothers. She attended an all girls school in Darlington called Polam Hall.Her parents divorced when she was a child and she moved with her mother to Darlington from Barnard Castle....
), turns up at Whitney's house, saying that a man is after her. Whitney demands to know why, and Debra says she has something belonging to him. They fetch it, but when they return home, Ryan is waiting for them; he is the man who is chasing Debra. Ryan reveals to Whitney he is her half brother, and says he killed someone in self defence, giving the weapon to Debra to hide. He demands it back from Whitney, but she refuses, and later disposes of it in a canal.
Planning to leave Walford, Ryan spots Ronnie Mitchell
Ronnie Mitchell
Veronica Elizabeth "Ronnie" Branning is a fictional character from the British BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Samantha Womack. Ronnie and her sister Roxy were introduced by executive producer Diederick Santer in July 2007; Ronnie is the "ice" to Roxy's "fire"...
(Samantha Womack) and asks Whitney about her. He decides to stay, and moves in with Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks
Charlie Brooks
Charlene "Charlie" Brooks is a Welsh actress, best known for playing Janine Butcher on the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Acting career:...
). Ronnie subsequently offers Ryan a day's trial at The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria is a fictional Victorian public house in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. It has the fictional address of 46 Albert Square, Walford, London E20.-Appearance and development:...
public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
, and during the trial, they kiss, eventually going to Ryan's flat, where they sleep together. However, she makes it clear that its just a one-off. Ryan then begins to indulge in petty crime, including stealing from Ian Beale
Ian Beale
Ian Albert Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Adam Woodyatt. He is the longest-serving character and the only remaining original character to have appeared continuously since the first episode on 19 February 1985...
's (Adam Woodyatt
Adam Woodyatt
Adam Brinley Woodyatt is an English actor and media personality, best known for his role as Ian Beale in the long-running BBC soap opera EastEnders...
) café and fish and chip
Fish and chips
Fish and chips is a popular take-away food in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada...
shop. When Chelsea Fox
Chelsea Fox
Chelsea Fox is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Tiana Benjamin. She first appeared on 5 May 2006 and was joined by her mother Denise and her half sister Libby. Benjamin announced her departure from the show in April 2010...
(Tiana Benjamin
Tiana Benjamin
Tiana Opium Benjamin is a British actress best known for playing Chelsea Fox in the long-running BBC soap opera EastEnders.Benjamin trained at The Anna Scher Theatre School in London....
) wins £2,000 on a scratch card, Ryan mugs her. His flatmate Janine finds the cash, and tells Chelsea that Ryan mugged her, so Chelsea's father Lucas Johnson
Lucas Johnson
Lucas Aaron Johnson is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Don Gilet. He made his first on-screen appearance on 3 April 2008. Lucas is introduced as a preacher and estranged father of established character Chelsea Fox. He has a son, Jordan, and goes on to marry...
(Don Gilet
Don Gilet
Don Gilet is a British actor, best known for his roles in BBC productions Babyfather, EastEnders and 55 Degrees North. Don's surname is actually pronounced 'Gillit' but takes the stage name 'Jillay'.-Personal life:...
) threatens him, and he returns the money. Despite this, Ryan and Janine soon start an on-off fling with each other. At the same time, Janine teams up with Archie Mitchell
Archie Mitchell
Archibald Lionel "Archie" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Larry Lamb.The character of Archie is the father of already established characters Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell , and a member of the Mitchell family, who have appeared in the soap since 1990...
(Larry Lamb
Larry Lamb (actor)
Lawrence Douglas "Larry" Lamb is an English actor who has worked frequently in television. He is best known for playing one of the greatest villains of British soap Archie Mitchell in the BBC television soap EastEnders, Michael Shipman in the BBC television show Gavin & Stacey and Mischievous...
) to try and take over The Queen Victoria pub. She reveals the plans to Ryan, and the pair plot to ultimately take the pub for themselves, double-crossing Archie in the process. Ryan sees Whitney crying in the Square who reveals she is still in love with Tony King
Tony King
Tony King is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Chris Coghill. He was the partner of established character Bianca Jackson , and a father-figure to her four children...
(Chris Coghill
Chris Coghill
Christopher "Chris" Coghill is an actor and writer from Prestwich, Greater Manchester, England. Coghill is best known for his deep voice and has a history of portraying criminals.-Career:...
), the one time boyfriend of her adoptive mother Bianca Jackson
Bianca Jackson
Bianca Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Patsy Palmer. The character was introduced by executive producer Leonard Lewis and appeared initially from 1993 to 1999, when Palmer opted to leave. In 2002 executive producer John Yorke brought the character...
(Patsy Palmer
Patsy Palmer
Patsy Palmer is an English actress. Palmer made an early television appearance on the children's drama show Grange Hill, but is best known for playing Bianca Jackson in the popular British television soap opera EastEnders. Originally in the cast from 1993–1999, Palmer returned to EastEnders in...
) who had been sexually abusing Whitney and is currently in prison. He tries to convince her that how Tony treated her was completely wrong, however she storms off and Ryan tells Bianca of Whitney's revelation. Ryan's true hatred of Tony is shown during the beginning of his trial, where Tony is shocked to see him glaring at him from across the room. When Whitney's witness statement is shown in court, Ryan walks out in disgust when she says she was 12 years old when they had sex. He storms back in calling Tony a monster and tells Whitney that Tony is sick and he will get out of prison when he is an old man.
On Christmas Day 2009 Ryan tells Janine that they are over, and later finds Janine drunk in the car lot. He tells her that Archie has been murdered, and panics when the police arrive to question everyone. After they question Janine, Ryan does not believe that she did not kill Archie and says she should be awarded an Oscar for her acting abilities. Ryan comforts Janine when she only gets a Newton's cradle
Newton's cradle
Newton's cradle, named after Sir Isaac Newton, is a device that demonstrates conservation of momentum and energy via a series of swinging spheres. When one on the end is lifted and released, the resulting force travels through the line and pushes the last one upward...
in Archie's will but she says she is not finished. After trying to blackmail Ian Beale, she tells the police that Ian murdered Archie. Ryan is angry with her and says it will draw more attention to herself. He says she makes him sick and storms out. When Janine is arrested after police find Archie's mother's engagement ring in her flat, Ryan protests that she has been set up.
Overdue with the rent, Ryan and Janine use Bianca's son Morgan Jackson-King (Devon Higgs) to raise money, pretending to be collecting for charity. However, Whitney takes the money from them when she finds out what they have done. Janine tells Ryan they should come up with a plan to get Archie's daughter Roxy Mitchell
Roxy Mitchell
Roxanne Lizette "Roxy" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, portrayed by Rita Simons. Roxy arrived in Walford with her sister Ronnie on 24 July 2007 and decided to move permanently to Walford from Ibiza where they ran a bar together. Roxy is the younger of the two...
's (Rita Simons) inheritance from her, so Janine urges Ryan to get close to Roxy. However, he decides to end the plan when he tells Janine they should admit their true feelings to each other, and says he is in love with her even though she is the most horrendous human being he has ever known. Janine remains silent, so Ryan walks away. The next day, Ryan packs his bags but Janine tries to tell him he can't leave as he owes six weeks' rent. As he leaves on the tube, she regrets letting him go, follows him onto the train and tells him she loves him. He then finds employment as assistant manager of the bookmaker's. However, Janine worries that Ryan will leave when she finds his passport with £500, and as he has no material possessions, she buys him a large television, telling him it is too large to fit in one of his bags so he will be unable to leave.
Ryan and Janine make a bet: Janine has to kiss Lucas Johnson
Lucas Johnson
Lucas Aaron Johnson is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Don Gilet. He made his first on-screen appearance on 3 April 2008. Lucas is introduced as a preacher and estranged father of established character Chelsea Fox. He has a son, Jordan, and goes on to marry...
(Don Gilet
Don Gilet
Don Gilet is a British actor, best known for his roles in BBC productions Babyfather, EastEnders and 55 Degrees North. Don's surname is actually pronounced 'Gillit' but takes the stage name 'Jillay'.-Personal life:...
) and Ryan has to kiss Stacey Branning (Lacey Turner
Lacey Turner
Lacey Amelia Turner is an award-winning English actress. She is best known for portraying the role of Stacey Slater on the BBC soap opera EastEnders, a role for which she has won 33 awards...
), and whoever does it first wins. Janine eventually kisses Lucas, much to his surprise, and she takes Ryan's "going-away" money as her prize. After Ryan kisses Stacey, Janine reveals it was for a bet, leaving Stacey upset. Disgusted by Janine's cruelty, Ryan splits with her. However, they reunite soon after and go on holiday together. When they return, the couple decide to get married. Janine's brother Ricky Butcher
Ricky Butcher
Richard Francis "Ricky" Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Sid Owen. Introduced as a school boy in 1988, Ricky is one of the longest-running, male protagonists to feature in EastEnders. Owen originally left the role in 2000 to pursue a music career...
(Sid Owen
Sid Owen
Sid Owen is an English actor, television presenter and former singer, most famous for playing the role of Ricky Butcher in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, which he appeared in from 1988 until 2000, 2002 until 2004 and then again from March 2008.-Career:Prior to his role in EastEnders he had a...
) throws Ryan a stag party where they get drunk and bond. The next day, Ryan attends his wedding, but Janine stops the service, and admits to Ryan that she almost had an affair as she is scared of commitment. Ryan assures her that he is scared too, and the pair marry anyway. They then attend their reception at the Queen Victoria pub, where Stacey attempts to tell Ryan about his paternity to Lily. However, Pat stops her from telling him, just minutes before a fire erupts in the pub. Everyone leaves safely, except for Stacey and Lily. Ryan rescues the baby and an unconscious Stacey before the pub explodes. Upon seeing her daughter unharmed, Stacey admits to Ryan he is Lily's father. Ryan goes to see Stacey in the hospital when she and Lily recover from the fire, and Stacey tells Ryan she isn't asking for anything and offers to let Ryan hold Lily, but Ryan declines and walks out. Then he goes on honeymoon with Janine.
When they return, Stacey tells Max Branning
Max Branning
Max Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jake Wood. He made his first appearance on 27 June 2006.-Backstory:Max is the fifth child and second son of Jim and Reenie Branning...
(Jake Wood
Jake Wood
Jake Dylan Wood is an English actor, best known in his homeland for playing Max Branning on "EastEnders" and in the United States as the current voice of the GEICO gecko.-Biography:...
) that Ryan is Lily's father and has been acting like he does not care. Max confronts Ryan, revealing to Janine that Ryan is the father. He then confronts Stacey saying that he wants nothing to do with his daughter. Stacey then tells Ryan to look at Lily, and he is visibly saddened. Janine later calls social services, saying Stacey is neglecting Lily. The allegation is proved to be false and Stacey attacks Janine. Ryan discovers what happened and stops Janine going to the police, saying she would not get away with it. The next day, Janine assumes Ryan has left her but they later reconcile and agree to forget about the recent events. While Stacey and Janine are in R&R nightclub and then arrested, Ryan is left to look after Lily for the first time. He struggles at first but the next morning tells Janine and Stacey he wants to be a father to Lily. Stacey does not want to let him but Ryan later agrees to pay maintenance and gets a job stealing cars for Phil Mitchell
Phil Mitchell
Philip James "Phil" Mitchell is a long-running fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Steve McFadden.Phil first arrived in Albert Square on 20 February 1990, and was soon joined by his brother, Grant, sister Sam and mother Peggy...
(Steve McFadden
Steve McFadden
Steve McFadden is an English actor, known for his role as Phil Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which he has played since1990.-Early life:...
), so Stacey lets him hold Lily. On Janine's birthday, Ryan tells her he is getting her a surprise gift but finds out that he is with Stacey, having Lily's birth certificate changed, and Ryan later lies about where he was. They attend a party at the Slaters' house and Janine takes Lily, packs her and Ryan's things and takes Ryan on a trip, saying she wants to celebrate her birthday. Ryan hears Lily in the back of the car and orders Janine to stop but she says she is planning on going to France and never returning. They argue and eventually she stops on a level crossing, refusing to start the car until Ryan admits he cares more about Stacey. However, the barriers then lower and Janine is unable to start the car until the last second and the train just misses the car. Ryan takes Lily and Janine home and explains to Stacey that Janine heard Lily crying so took her to look after her but promises to Stacey he did not know Janine took Lily.
Ryan works as a barman at the newly refurbished The Queen Victoria, and when alone with Stacey, they kiss. However, Stacey tells Ryan to forget it happened. Stacey goes missing and Janine stops him visiting her by locking him in The Queen Victoria's walk-in fridge. Although Ryan thinks it was accidental and Janine saved him, Pat Evans
Pat Evans
Patricia Louise "Pat" Evans is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. She has been played by Pam St. Clement since 12 June 1986, just over a year after the show first aired...
(Pam St. Clement
Pam St. Clement
Pamela Ann Clement , known by the stage name Pam St. Clement, is an English actress. She has played Pat Evans in the BBC soap opera EastEnders since 1986, and is now one of the programme's longest-serving cast members. St. Clement announced her intention to leave EastEnders on 8 July 2011 and will...
) inadvertedly reveals it was deliberate. After Kat allows Ryan to visit Stacey, he realises she is planning to leave and stops her. He reveals he wants to be with Stacey, not Janine and they start an affair. Pat discovers it and tells Janine, who starts to poison Ryan with pills. Eventually he escapes the flat and Stacey finds him as he collapses. Ryan is hospitalised and when he wakes up, Janine admits to overdosing him on sedatives and says she knows about his affair. She says if he loves her, he will not let her go to prison for her actions. Ryan allows Janine to believe he still loves her but then publicly declares his love for Stacey in The Queen Victoria. Janine then walks in to see them kissing. She fears she has lost him until she discovers Stacey was Archie's real killer after receiving a taped confession from Lauren Branning
Lauren Branning
Lauren Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. She first appeared in the show on 3 July 2006 played by Madeline Duggan, was absent from 23 June to 27 September 2010, and returned as played by Jacqueline Jossa.-Storylines:...
(Jacqueline Jossa
Jacqueline Jossa
Jacqueline Mary Jossa is an English actress from Bexley, London, best known for her role in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Lauren Branning.Jossa was born in the London Borough of Bexley...
). Although the recording is wiped, Janine reveals the truth. Ryan wants to be with Stacey regardless and they plan to flee. However, Stacey is unsure of her feelings for Ryan and takes Lily, leaving without him. Ryan visits Janine in hospital, because she stabbed herself in an attempt to frame Stacey. Janine forgives Ryan but he is unable to forgive her so he removes her oxygen tubes and walks out as she struggles to breathe. Pat discovers this and tells Ryan to end the feud. He then gives his wedding ring to Whitney.
When Janine returns to the Square, Whitney moves in with her. Ryan tries to convince Whitney that Janine is not her friend but to no avail. Later, Ryan tells Whitney he is leaving Walford for a short time to do some work up North. Before he leaves, Ryan asks Kat to give Whitney a job in the Vic, which she agrees to. When Ryan returns, he is horrified to discover that Whitney has been sexually exploited by Rob Grayson (Jody Latham
Jody Latham
Jody Lee Latham is an English actor, best known for his roles as Phillip "Lip" Gallagher in the British Channel 4 series Shameless, Calum McKenzie in the ITV series The Fixer, and Rob Grayson in the BBC Soap opera EastEnders....
). He gets Whitney a job at The Queen Victoria but she turns it down. He urges her to get tested for sexually transmitted infections, which she agrees to, and to go to the police, which she says she is not yet ready to do.
Ryan starts working as a doorman at R&R. He turns down Lauren when she develops a crush on him and sneaks into his bedroom. She later tries to impress him by dressing up but he rejects her advances. Ryan then starts drug dealing and is sacked by Roxy, but then Phil reinstates him. Ryan misses Lily and realises he is in trouble because of the drugs and when Lauren later comforts him, he kisses her. Weeks later, Tanya finds out that Ryan and Lauren are having sex. When a drugs raid is carried out at The Queen Victoria, Ryan is arrested by the police due to Janine alerting them of the drug activities and is later fired from his barman job.
Ryan gets a phone call from Fatboy
Fatboy (EastEnders)
Arthur "Fatboy" Chubb is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders and its Internet spin-off EastEnders: E20, played by Ricky Norwood. He made his first appearance in EastEnders on 5 January 2010 before appearing in the spin-off...
(Ricky Norwood
Ricky Norwood
Richard Colin "Ricky" Norwood is a British actor who plays Fatboy in the soap opera EastEnders and its online spin-off EastEnders: E20. He was born in Tower Hamlets, London, and lives in Forest Gate. From the age of 12 he attended the Theatre Royal Stratford East's Youth Theatre, and he also...
), who tells him Rob has found Whitney. Ryan goes to Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea is a unitary authority area, town, and seaside resort in Essex, England. The district has Borough status, and comprises the towns of Chalkwell, Eastwood, Leigh-on-Sea, North Shoebury, Prittlewell, Shoeburyness, Southchurch, Thorpe Bay, and Westcliff-on-Sea. The district is situated...
and tracks down Rob. They fight on the pier and they both fall into the sea. Having killed Rob during the fight, and realising Whitney has told the police the entire story, Ryan insists that he has to leave, so they say goodbye.
Creation and development
Ryan was introduced to the show as a mystery character, who was credited simply as "Man" to keep his identity hidden. The show's executive producer, Diederick SanterDiederick Santer
Diederick Santer is a British television producer and is best known for his work on the popular BBC television soap opera EastEnders, a post which he assumed on 23 October 2006 and left on 1 March 2010...
, remained tight-lipped about the character, saying "I'm not saying too much about him. He's a character played by an actor... All I'll say at this point is that he seems to want to talk to Whitney..." The character's identity was revealed in July 2009 as Whitney Dean's half brother and the son of Debra Dean (Ruth Gemmell
Ruth Gemmell
-Early life:Ruth Gemmell was born in Darlington, Durham, England. She has three brothers. She attended an all girls school in Darlington called Polam Hall.Her parents divorced when she was a child and she moved with her mother to Darlington from Barnard Castle....
), and he was credited as "Ryan" for the first time on 21 July 2009. Santer then described the character as "intriguing and complex", adding, "While incognito, he made a big impression on EastEnders viewers. Now they know who he actually is, I'm sure things will get even more exciting." McDermott auditioned for the part, not knowing the character's relationship to Whitney, but admits he was "very excited", adding, "Sometimes you just really want to get a part and for me, this was one of those occasions."
The character is nine years older than his half sister, and is described as having "something of a dark past". He is also said to be very moody, with an interest in women, setting his sights on Ronnie Mitchell
Ronnie Mitchell
Veronica Elizabeth "Ronnie" Branning is a fictional character from the British BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Samantha Womack. Ronnie and her sister Roxy were introduced by executive producer Diederick Santer in July 2007; Ronnie is the "ice" to Roxy's "fire"...
(Samantha Womack). The character was involved in gangs, although McDermott said "Ryan's not a really aggressive or violent man, but he's a thief. He ended up moving away from that, though. He'd love to live a normal life, but he's never had the opportunity to." He has been compared to the character of Sean Slater
Sean Slater
Sean Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Robert Kazinsky. Sean left the Square temporarily on 27 March 2007, as Kazinsky was suspended from work for two months. He returned on 28 May 2007...
, who was played by Robert Kazinsky
Robert Kazinsky
Robert Kazinsky is an English actor and model. He is best known for his appearances as Casper Rose in Sky One drama Dream Team in 2005/2006 and Sean Slater in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders from 2006 to 2009.-Background:Kazinsky was born in Haywards Heath, West Sussex, England, the son of...
, as their scenario and personalities are similar in certain ways. McDermott commented that he sees the character as having a big heart, but scared to show his emotions, saying, "That's where his aggression comes from — he doesn't want to get hurt. [...] All Ryan needs is a good woman, some sort of mother or father figure, and a good psychiatrist and he'll be alright!" He also said that the character has lots of secrets that will be revealed over time.
In July 2009, it emerges that the character is looking for his mother as he was involved in a gang and killed a gang member with a knife in self-defence. He asks Debra to hide the knife, but she uses it against him. McDermott revealed that one scene, where Ryan and Debra are constantly talking over each other, had to be filmed in several takes. Another scene features McDermott barechested
Barechested
Barechested most commonly refers to a male wearing no clothes above the waist, exposing much or all of the torso. It is also known as "stripped to the waist" or "being shirtless"...
, which prompted him to attend a gym: "I opened up a script after not being here very long and I just thought 'ah ok... I need to get down to the gym', Everyone's a bit vain when they've got to take their clothes off on screen!"
In December 2009, Santer teased about upcoming storylines involving Ryan and his flatmate Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks
Charlie Brooks
Charlene "Charlie" Brooks is a Welsh actress, best known for playing Janine Butcher on the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Acting career:...
), saying: "There's something really interesting with Ryan and Janine [...]. They're both people who don't know how to love. So will they fall in love? And if they do, can they cope with it? Will they understand the alien feelings coursing through their bodies?" McDermott stated in March 2010 that he believed Ryan was the right man for Janine, and that they could be perfect for each other, saying: "Janine's never loved any of the men she's been with before. She has only ever been in it for the money. Ryan understands her and knows why she does the things she does. They both forgive one another's mistakes very easily, and that's why their partnership works."
On 19 June 2011, it was announced that McDermott had quit EastEnders and that his character would exit in a dramatic storyline later in the year. An EastEnders spokesperson said, "We can confirm Neil is leaving EastEnders. It was a mutual decision that was made before Christmas when Neil's contract came up for renewal and we wish him all the best for the future."
Reception
McDermott was nominated for the Most Popular Newcomer award at the 2010 National Television AwardsNational Television Awards
The National Television Awards is a British television awards ceremony, broadcast by the ITV network and initiated in 1995. The National Television Awards are the most prominent ceremony for which the results are voted on by the general public. Because of the way the awards are decided, winners are...
for his portrayal of Ryan. In 2011, Ryan's love triangle with Stacey and Janine was nominated at the All About Soap Bubble Awards in the category "Best Love Triangle".