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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Entertainment
Kate Lally

Ryan Thomas' two word reason for quitting Coronation Street and what he's doing now

Ryan Thomas is best known for playing Jason Grimshaw on Coronation Street.

The 38-year-old played Eileen's son and Todd's brother in the soap for 16 years. Jason first appeared on the cobbles on Christmas Day in 2000.

The character had his fair share of emotional storylines and troublesome romances in the programme. One plot saw Jason dating Sarah Platt, played by Tina O'Brien.

READ MORE: Coronation Street fans say one line minutes into episode made it 'worth the wait'

Tina and Ryan were actually a couple in real life, too. They share a daughter, Scarlett, together but split in 2009. Tina quit the show in 2007, ahead of the birth of their daughter, before returning in 2015. Ryan then decided to leave the soap in 2016.

At the time, the actor said he wanted a "different experience" and the chance to pursue other roles. Since leaving Corrie, Ryan had a seventeen-episode stint in Aussie soap Neighbours.

In 2018, Ryan played Rafael Humphreys, an English tourist who came to Erinsborough because he had a score to settle. It was Ryan's last TV acting role - though he has since appeared on our screens as himself.

Ryan just missed out on a place in the Masterchef final (ITV)

Earlier this year, the star took part in ITV's The Games, which saw twelve celebrities take on a series of gruelling sporting challenges. More recently, he took part in Celebrity Masterchef but was eliminated earlier this month.

Ryan missed out on a place in the final after losing out to TV and radio's Lisa Snowdon and Drag Race UK's Kitty Scott-Claus. Ryan is engaged to former TOWIE star Lucy Mecklenburgh. She gave birth to their second child, Lilah Rae, in May.

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