Strictly 2022 star James Bye is currently battling it out as one of the celebrity contenders for the Glitterball trophy.
The EastEnders star swapped his fruit and veg stall for the foxtrot after being revealed for the show’s 20th series.
And family man James is loving busting out a few of his best dad dancing moves with his pro partner Amy Dowden.
But with the bookies rating him as one of the more unlikely winners, will his performances turn out to fair… or Fowl(er)?
Here’s who he is joining in the Strictly 2022 line-up.
James Bye on signing up for Strictly
Walford actor James made mention of the Strictly legacy of his fellow EastEnders stars after his involvement was announced.
And it was only last year that soap co-star Rose Ayling-Ellis triumphed… no pressure then!
James said: “I’m not known for my shimmy or my twinkle toes – in fact my kids regularly laugh at my dad dancing. But it’s an honour to be asked and I’m going to give it my best shot.
“There are some huge dance shoes to fill and it’s truly exciting to follow in the footsteps of some amazing EastEnders talent. I’d love to do everyone proud.”
How old is James Bye, what is his age?
Strictly star James Bye was born in February 1984.
That means he is 38 years old.
Where is James Bye from?
James was born in Basingstoke in Hampshire.
Additionally, it is believed he attended secondary school in nearby Baughurst before later studying at Queen Mary’s College in Basingstoke.
When did James Bye join EastEnders?
James’ casting as Martin Fowler was announced in October 2014
Producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins said at the time the recasting of the role proceeded with the full understanding of James Alexandrou, who played Martin from 1996 to 2007.
“With James Alexandrou’s blessing – something which was very important to us – we have recast everyman Martin Fowler after extensive auditions,” the TV exec said.
He added: “Martin is an EastEnders original – the first baby born on the Square and part of the show’s roots.”
James has subsequently received several British Soap Award nominations for his work, and won Best Storyline in 2016.
Why did James Bye replace James Alexandrou as Martin Fowler?
James Alexandrou was the second actor to portray Martin – and played him for over a decade.
Following his departure, James was cast in shows such as Silent Witness and Casualty. He has also moved into directing.
He said at the time: “I’ve decided to leave the show to experience other aspects of my industry.
“Having turned 21, I felt it was a good time to leave. I owe everything to the show and would love to come back one day – that’s if EastEnders would have me.”
However, James later claimed the pull of the BBC One soap wasn’t enough when it came to re-introducing Martin to Albert Square.
He reportedly said in 2016 that producers wanted him back in the fruit and veg stall trader role.
“They were talking for a while about me going back,” James claimed.
“They made it very clear that they were bringing the character back and they would really like me to go back but it just wasn’t right for me at the time.”
James added: “The attraction in it would be to see some of my old mates and have a bit of nostalgia, and that wasn’t enough at the time to do it.”
What happened to the original Martin Fowler in EastEnders?
Jon Peyton Price was the first actor to play Martin… from birth in 1985! He remained in the part until the mid 1990s.
According to IMDb, he later made an appearance on Channel 4 breakfast show RI: SE in 2003. But no other TV or film roles are listed under his entry.
What else has he been in on TV?
Before EastEnders, James appeared in The Bill and Ricky Gervais film Cemetery Junction.
A year before starting in the market as Martin, he acted in Chris Chibnall’s The Great Train Robbery on BBC One.
And in 2014 he played Pete the Killer in spoof flick The Hooligan Factory.
Is James Bye married? Does James Bye have a wife?
James and his wife Victoria married in April 2012.
He has previously shared images taken on their big day on his Instagram.
Perhaps the most notable difference in the happy snaps between then and now is James didn’t have any facial hair!
However, that has not prevented him from celebrating his anniversary on social media.
He marked the occasion one year with a sweet tribute to his bride.
James captioned a series of professionally-taken wedding photos: “Five years ago today this beautiful woman made my dreams come true and agreed to be my wife!
“Every day since has just got better and better. I love you Mrs Bye.”
Is James Bye a dad? What are James Bye’s children’s names?
James and Victoria share three children – all sons.
Their eldest child Edward is eight, and second son Louis is six. And the baby of the family, Hugo, is three and a half.
Are James Bye and Lacey Turner friends?
Indeed they are!
Hugo’s godmother is James’ co-star Lacey Turner.
Fears over third baby
Hugo’s conception came at a time when the couple were not sure they would be able to have any more children.
Victoria opened up to OK! in 2018 about undergoing surgery twice the year before after she was diagnosed with endometriosis.
She explained: “I fell pregnant really quickly with both Edward and Louis, so when we started trying for our third, we thought we’d fall pregnant quickly again.
“We tried for a couple of months and nothing happened. Then I began suffering from aches and pains in my abdominal area.”
Tests revealed her “severe” condition. Victoria also noted the doctor was surprised at how there were not previous difficulties with conceiving.
We thought our baby-making days were over.
She added: “We didn’t think we’d be able to have any more children after two surgeries – we thought our baby-making days were over. Month after month, we’d see negative tests.”
What height is James Bye? What is his height in feet?
James must be the tallest dancer in the competition, if the height listed online for him is correct.
It is believed he is 1.88m tall. Which is about 6ft 2in.
Is he on Instagram?
He is, but because ‘James’ isn’t in his handle, some fans might have difficulty tracking him down on social media.
Find him on the Instagram by heading to @jimmybye on the platform.
Read more: Strictly fans in tears over ‘beautiful’ Bill Turnbull throwback tribute
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