Holby City have announced a major new cast member – and EastEnders fans will remember him very well!
Former Walford heart-throb Jack Ryder is due to join the cast of the long-running medical drama next year.
But soap fans will know him best for playing fan favourite Jamie Mitchell for four years, who left BBC viewers sobbing on Christmas Day in 2002 when he was sensationally killed off.
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Jamie – the cousin and godson of Phil Mitchell – was knocked over by love rival Martin Fowler, leaving fiancée Sonia Fowler in despair.
The same year, Jack married Kym Marsh, who was then known for being in Popstars band Hear’Say. After seven years as a showbiz power-couple, they divorced in 2009.
Since then, Woolwich-born actor Jack has mainly been away from the spotlight working behind the scenes as a writer and director – although he did have a cameo in Holby in 2012.
He must have impressed them!
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Jack will return to play Evan, the on-off boyfriend of fellow newcomer Chloe Godard, played by Olivier Award nominee Amy Lennox.
Chloe is a doctor at neighbouring hospital Capel Cross, who arrives at Holby to help her mother Ange, played by Dawn Steele, with a tricky patient.
Evan follows Chloe to try to convince her to take their relationship seriously.
Jack said: “I am delighted to be joining Holby City and look forward to working with such a talented group of people. I can’t wait to give a voice to this exciting new character and serve a show that people love.”
Meanwhile, Amy said: “I’m thrilled to be joining Holby as Chloe Godard and working with such an amazing cast and crew over at BBC Elstree.
“Chloe has some really great storylines coming up that I can’t wait to share with you all. So excited!”
Executive Producer of Holby City and Casualty, Simon Harper, revealed the show had wanted Jack to join the cast for a years, saying: “We’ve been talking to Jack for a while to find the right part for him on Holby and his powerful, nuanced audition for Evan blew us away.
“He’s both a household name and a superb actor, and fans who remember him as Jamie in EastEnders are in for a big treat and quite a surprise seeing him in this very different role.
“Evan is a complex, alpha surgeon who makes some major waves in Holby.”
So excited for this next chapter ☺️ https://t.co/zz1GzfFtvN
— Amy Lennox (@misslenn) November 14, 2018
He went on to say: “It’s so exciting to welcome Amy to the Holby family and see this leading West End star burst onto the scene in her first big TV role.
“Her performance as the strong yet deeply vulnerable Chloe is terrific as she brings to life this fascinating, multi-layered character at the heart of a huge story for 2019.”
Amy has previously appeared as a guest cast member in Casualty and Shetland, as well as performing in the original West End casts of Legally Blonde and Kinky Boots.
Are you looking forward to seeing Jack and Amy join Holby? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think!