BBC One soap opera EastEnders, former actor Jack Ryder and his longtime girlfriend, Ella, welcomed their baby girl, Marnie, in 2021 lockdown.
Jack announced their pregnancy during an appearance on Loose Women on 28 May 2020. “We are due in July. Ella and I are gushy and over the moon. I always just smile when I talk about it,” said beaming Jack.
Even before the baby was born, they were so excited that they had their house full of toys and were well-prepared for the baby’s arrival.
Although Jack Ryder shares special moments with his family, especially his nieces and nephews, on social media, there are limited images of him with his daughter. This is probably because he has chosen to keep his daughter’s life private.
Furthermore, Jack mentioned that he dedicated his second children’s book, Jack’s Secret World, to his ‘lovely’ girlfriend, Ella, and their young baby, Marnie.
Jack Ryder is still in contact with his ex-stepchildren, Emilie and David, from his ex-wife Kym!
Jack Ryder and his ex-wife, Kym Marsh, a singer-turned-actor, tied the knot on August 10, 2002. After their marriage, they settled in St Albans, but the couple announced that they had decided to separate on March 20, 2008.
They officially divorced in 2009, but they did not end on bad terms; instead, they remained a good friend.
Kym Marsh later revealed that Jack has a close relationship with her daughter, Emilie, who was born in 1997, and son, David, who was born in 1995.
She's still mummy's little girl ❤️❤️ @EmilieCunliffe pic.twitter.com/cWPrD2fqev
— Kym Marsh (@msm4rsh) August 15, 2015
In 2015, Kym said, “I’m happy they’re in contact. He was in their lives for 7 years, and he’s known Emilie since she was 3, so he was a big part of their younger years.“
Although the children did not have contact with Jack Ryder for a while after their separation, he eventually got in touch and opened up the lines of communication again.
After he became associate director of the theatre production The Full Monty, he invited the kids to see the show. Regarding that Kym said, “David and Emilie went to see the production when it was in Manchester and they went for dinner with Jack.”
It’s commendable that Jack Ryder has honored his role as a stepfather despite his split from Kym. His relationship with Kym’s children allowed him to gain fatherhood experience before he had any children with Ella.
Certainly, Kym’s children are the first children whom Jack Ryder loved, cared for, and adored, helping him to learn the role of fatherhood.
Additional Information
- Before becoming a dad, Jack added children’s author to his CV and released his first kid’s book Jack’s Secret Summer last year.
- After leaving EastEnders, Jack subsequently established himself as a film and theatre director.
- He starred in films like Popcorn and The Boy in Darkness and TV series like Holby City, Silent Witness, and In the Club. Furthermore, he provided the English voiceover for Zael in the video game The Last Story.
