Lee Ryan

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Lee Ryan
Ryan in 2011
Ryan in 2011
Background information
Born (1983-06-17) 17 June 1983 (age 40)
Chatham, Kent, England
GenresPop
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • voice actor
Years active2000–present
LabelsSony BMG

Lee Ryan (born 17 June 1983) is an English singer, songwriter and voice actor. He is best known as a member of the boy band Blue.

Early life[edit]

Lee Ryan was born in Chatham, Kent. His parents split up when he was six years old. Ryan mostly lived with his mother, sister Gemma and his grandmother. Ryan went to Bedonwell School before attending performing arts schools, including Welling School and the Independent Performing Arts School Belcanto London Academy (BLA), where he first developed his talent, then independent fee-paying theatre schools Sylvia Young Theatre School and Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts.

Career[edit]

2000–2005: Career with Blue[edit]

Ryan is a member of boy band Blue along with Simon Webbe, Duncan James and Antony Costa. The group has sold over 14 million records worldwide. In August 2005, Blue split up to pursue solo careers under the advice of Sir Elton John. Blue reformed on 28 April 2009.

Ryan has had three number one hits while with Blue.[1] He had previously co-directed the video for Blue's single "Breathe Easy", which he also wrote and which was shot in Prague. In 2001 the group were in New York during the September 11 attacks after which Ryan commented that "This New York thing is being blown out of proportion" and asked "What about whales? They are ignoring animals that are more important. Animals need saving and that's more important." The other members of the group tried to silence Ryan, but he went on. This caused a huge media backlash that resulted in Blue losing a record deal in the United States and campaigns to sack Ryan from the line up. Lee was gunged during an episode of Live and Kicking in August 2001 as part of the Stop The Snot segment.[2]

2005–2008: Lee Ryan and stage[edit]

Ryan in 2006

Ryan released his first single "Army of Lovers" in July 2005. It debuted at No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart and hit No. 1 in Italy. In August 2005, Ryan released his debut album, Lee Ryan, to mixed reviews. The album reached No. 6 in the UK Albums Chart and No. 3 in Italy. "Turn Your Car Around" was the second single lifted from the album which had moderate success. In January 2006, Ryan released his third and final single in the UK "When I Think of You". The song reached No. 15 in the UK. "Real Love" was used for the end credits of the film Ice Age: The Meltdown which later led to Ryan voicing the part of an elk in the UK version of the film and Eddie in the Italian version. In late 2005, Dolce & Gabbana signed Ryan up to be the UK face of their new line of clothing.

After the relative success of his first solo album, Ryan started planning his second solo album. The single "Reinforce Love" was released in December 2007. The single was being released for Great Ormond Street Hospital and CLIC Sargent, which were the two charities that Ryan was touring for in November and December 2007, with young voices. The album was then postponed, and finally cancelled. He appeared in the video for the single "Red Light" by a British girlband named Fe-Nix. In September 2007, he appeared as one of the contestants in Hell's Kitchen. However he rowed with Marco Pierre White about White's use of the term "pikey", and subsequently left the show.[3] In August and September 2008, Ryan acted alongside Natalie Casey in The Pretender Agenda at The New Players Theatre in London. In June 2008 Ryan was found guilty of assaulting a taxi driver in Oxted and ordered to pay compensation to the victim.[4][5]

2009–2010: Film and cancelled second album[edit]

In March 2010, Ryan confirmed that he had signed a new record deal with Geffen Records, due to last until 2013. Later that month, it was announced that Ryan's first album on his new record label, Confessions, was due to be released in October 2010.[6] The first single from the album, "Secret Love", was released as a double A-Side with "I Am Who I Am" on 4 July 2010. The single peaked at number 33 on the UK Singles Chart. Following this, it was announced that Geffen were set to drop Ryan from the label, before work on his album had been completed. Ryan announced in January 2011 that there was no deal to release his album.[7]

The track listing for Ryan's aborted album was as follows: "Secret Love", "I Am Who I Am", "Guardian Angel", "Perfect Strangers", "I Don't Wanna Let You Down", "I Love Your Smile", "It's Not Me", "Confessions", "Light of Your Soul", "Peaches", "Reinforce Love", "Suffice to Say", "To See the Stars", "Stop the Rain", "Why Me" and "Stand Up as People".[8]

2011–2019: Blue return, EastEnders and Rip it Up[edit]

Ryan (right) performing with Blue

Ryan stated in January 2011 that he was working on an album with Blue to be released later in the year.[7] Blue represented the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Düsseldorf, Germany with the song "I Can", placing 11th overall.

In 2013, Blue released "Hurt Lovers" the first single from their fourth album Roulette.[9]

In August 2013, Ryan and Duncan James appeared in an episode of comedy panel show Through the Keyhole in which the host showed around their home in London.[10][11]

Ryan appeared in Celebrity Big Brother 13 in 2014. Following the show he entered a relationship with fellow Big Brother participant Jasmine Waltz.[12] Waltz split with Ryan a few weeks later claiming on Twitter that Ryan had cheated on her with a man.[13] Ryan came out as bisexual during his time on Big Brother, later stating in an interview, "I'm very open about what I've done in the past but that was the easiest way to come out. I did so much other stuff that people didn't even notice."[14] During his time on Big Brother Ryan admitted he sleeps with his Blue bandmate Duncan James stating, "I work with Duncan, I go on holiday with Duncan, I live with Duncan." Asked: "Do you have sex with Duncan?", he replied: "Yeah all the time".[15]

In November 2014, Blue announced they had signed a two-album record deal with Sony Music. The band released their fifth studio album Colours on 9 March 2015.[16][17] He was in Strictly Come Dancing 2018, but went out in the third round.

On 15 February 2017, it was confirmed that Ryan had landed a role in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. He was cast as Woody Woodward, initially for a short stint between 18 April and 19 May.[18] It was later announced that Woody would be promoted to a regular role and that Ryan had signed a one-year contract with the show.[19] He later received 2017 Inside Soap Award nomination for Best Newcomer.[20] Unsure his contract would be extended, Ryan signed to play Aladdin opposite Paul Merton's Widow Twanky in panto in Wimbledon, and was hence written out of EastEnders.[21]

In 2019, he was a candidate in the seventh season of the British reality TV-show Celebs Go Dating.[22] From September to November 2019 Lee Ryan went on a UK-Tour with the musical "Rip it Up the 70s".[23]

2021–present: Blue 20th anniversary[edit]

On 30 November 2021, the group confirmed they would be going on an arena tour to celebrate their 20th anniversary, it was also confirmed that Atomic Kitten would be supporting them on the tour. When interviewed on This Morning the group also confirmed that they were back in the studio recording, a new album is expected to follow along with the tour.

On 11 April 2022, the group announced that their sixth studio album Heart & Soul would be released on 9 September 2022. On 20 May, the group unveiled the track listing for the album on their social media accounts, following with first single "Haven't Found You Yet".[24][25] On 29 June 2022,[26][non-primary source needed][27] the group released the single "Dance with Me", a cover of the 2001 112 single.[28]

Personal life[edit]

Since starting his career on Blue, Ryan has been in relationships with some famous female celebrities. Between 2003-2004 he was engaged to English singer Liz McClarnon.[29] He also been in short-lived relationships with his fellow Celebrity Big Brother contestants Casey Batchelor and Jasmine Waltz, and has also been linked to Stephanie Saunders, Emily Oldfield and Alicia Douvall.[29]

In 2023, Ryan revealed he is going to be a dad for the fifth time with his wife Verity Paris.[30] He already shares a two-year-old and a one-year old daughter with Paris. He is also a father to daughter Bluebell, with ex Jessica Keevil, and shares son Rayn with former partner Samantha Miller, who was born in 2008.[30]

In 2014 Ryan revealed that he had a regular sexual relationship with his bandmate Duncan James during Blue's early years.[31][32] Ryan defined himself as bisexual in an interview on Good Morning Britain in August 2019: "For people to have some kind of prejudice against these kinds of things is just ignorant".[33]

Ryan has been diagnosed with dyslexia,[34] attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and Asperger syndrome.[35]

Alcohol abuse and legal issues[edit]

In August 2003, Ryan was arrested and charged with driving with excess alcohol in central London.[36][37][38][39] In May 2014, Ryan pleaded guilty to criminal damage and failing to provide a specimen after being caught driving erratically in April.[40][41][42] On two occasions in 2020, Ryan was charged with driving a Mercedes at 70 mph in a 60 mph limit in Peterborough, but the charges were dismissed as the prosecution offered no evidence, due to there being no means of proving who was driving. However, Ryan was later charged and found guilty at trial of two counts of failing to provide information about the driver. At a subsequent hearing, Magistrate Alison Marsh gave Ryan two lots of six points against his driving licence, resulting in a disqualification from driving for 12 months.[43]

In January 2023, Ryan was convicted of four charges at Ealing Magistrates court. He had been found guilty of being drunk on an aircraft, assaulting a police officer and behaving in an abusive way towards a crew member, as well as a racially aggravated assault of a flight cabin crew member, which happened at London City Airport on 31 July 2022.[44] In September 2023, Ryan was given a 12-month suspended sentence and ordered to pay £2,500 compensation to one party, £750 to another, plus £510 in court costs.[45][46][47]

Discography[edit]

Studio albums[edit]

List of albums, with selected chart positions and certifications
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
UK
[48] 		BEL
[49] 		GER
[50] 		JAP
[51] 		IRE
[52] 		ITA
[53] 		SWI
[54]
Lee Ryan 6 68 79 40 42 3 61

Singles[edit]

As lead artist[edit]

List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
UK
[48] 		AUT
[55] 		BEL
[49] 		FRA
[56] 		GER
[50] 		HUN
[57] 		IRE
[52] 		ITA
[53] 		SCO
[58] 		SWI
[54]
"Army of Lovers" 2005 3 41 25 — 29 — 17 1 1 49 Lee Ryan
"Turn Your Car Around" 12 41 2 — 52 — 33 2 10 —
"When I Think of You" 2006 15 — — — — — 29 — 11 —
"Real Love" — — 5 10 56 28 — — — 74
"I Am Who I Am / Secret Love" 2010 33 — — — — — — — 49 — Non-album single
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

As featured artist[edit]

Title Year Album
"Lovers of New York"[59]
(Rubylux featuring Lee Ryan) 		2014 The World Goes Quiet
"He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother"[60]
(Homeless Worldwide and Friends featuring Lee Ryan) 		2019 Non-album single

Promotional singles[edit]

List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
UK
[48]
"Reinforce Love" 2007 101 Non-album singles
"Ghost"[61] 2019 —
"Mockingbirds"[62] 2020 —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Note
2006 Ice Age: The Meltdown Eddie (voice) Italian dub[63][64]
2009 Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
2010 The Heavy Reuben
2012 Ice Age: Continental Drift Eddie (voice) Italian dub[65][66]
Ischia Dubbing Award at the Ischia Global Film & Music Festival
2016 Ice Age: Collision Course

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
2000 Holby City Arian Kirkwall Episode: "Too Much Too Young"
2007 Most Haunted Himself Episode: "Sutton House"
2007 Hell's Kitchen Contestant
2014 Celebrity Big Brother Contestant Series 13
2017–2018 EastEnders Harry "Woody" Woodward Main role
2018 Strictly Come Dancing Contestant Series 16
2019 Celebs Go Dating Himself Episode: "Lee Ryan"

Video games[edit]

Year Title Role
2006 Ice Age 2: The Meltdown Eddie (voice)

References[edit]

  1. ^ Blue Number Ones | Number One hits from the UK Singles Charts. Number-ones.co.uk. Retrieved 3 December 2011.
  2. ^ "Lee Ryan's 9/11 gaffe". virginmedia.com. Retrieved 3 December 2011.
  3. ^ Kalwant Bhopal; Martin Myers (2008). Insiders, Outsiders and Others: Gypsies and Identity. Univ of Hertfordshire Press. p. 207. ISBN 978-1-902806-71-6.
  4. ^ Clout, Laura (23 June 2008). "Blue's Lee Ryan in court for road rage attack on cabbie". The Telegraph. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  5. ^ "Former Blue singer guilty of cabbie assault". 23 June 2008. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  6. ^ "Blue's Lee Ryan 'making dance music'". Digital Spy. 21 March 2010. Retrieved 21 March 2010.
  7. ^ a b Lee Ryan dismisses Tesco album deal – Music News. Digital Spy (5 January 2011). Retrieved 3 December 2011.
  8. ^ "Album Review: Lee Ryan – Confessions | Prefix". Prefixmag.com. Archived from the original on 10 January 2014. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  9. ^ Corner, Lewis (17 December 2012). "Blue premiere new music video 'Hurt-Lovers'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
  10. ^ British Comedy Guide (31 August 2013). "Through The Keyhole Series 1, Episode 1 - British Comedy Guide". Comedy.co.uk. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  11. ^ "'Through The Keyhole' - Hit Or Miss With New Format Of Keith Lemon Replacing Loyd Grossman AND Sir David Frost?". HuffPost. 2 September 2013. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  12. ^ "' EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW – Lee Ryan and Jasmine Waltz dish the dirt on their 'romance'". OK!. London. 2 March 2014. Archived from the original on 25 December 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
  13. ^ Wilson, Jess (22 April 2014). "He definitely had gay tendencies: Jasmine Waltz opens up on Lee Ryan cheating rumours". Daily Mirror.
  14. ^ "Lee Ryan Blue house party: Cocktails, acoustic guitar and cheesy DVDs: Mirror reporter heads to Lee Ryan's for the hottest party of the year - Mirror Online". Daily Mirror. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  15. ^ "'Celebrity Big Brother' Star Lee Ryan Says He Sleeps With His Blue Bandmate Duncan James 'All The Time' | HuffPost UK Entertainment". HuffPost. 14 January 2014. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  16. ^ "Feeling Blue no longer: Boyband set for comeback UK tour after signing megabucks Sony deal". Daily Mirror. 2 November 2014.
  17. ^ "Colours". Amazon.com. 2015.
  18. ^ Harp, Justin (15 February 2017). "All rise! Blue's Lee Ryan is joining the cast of EastEnders". Digital Spy. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  19. ^ "EastEnders spoilers: Lee Ryan to return as Woody – Blue star signs new contract". Radio Times.
  20. ^ "It's time to vote in the Inside Soap Awards 2017!". Inside Soap. 22 August 2017. Archived from the original on 25 August 2017. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  21. ^ "Former bad lad Lee Ryan says panto role ruined his EastEnders career - Mirror Online". Daily Mirror. 14 September 2019.
  22. ^ "Celebs Go Dating series 7: the OFFICIAL line-up of celebrities is here". Heart. 29 May 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  23. ^ "Rip It Up The Show". Ripituptheshow.com. Archived from the original on 20 June 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  24. ^ Hulton, Anna Sky (24 May 2022). "Blue release 'Haven't Found You Yet' along with the music video". Planet Radio. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  25. ^ Ellwood-Hughes, Pip (26 May 2022). "Blue Debut New Single "Haven't Found You Yet"". Entertainment Focus. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  26. ^ "Here we go! "Dance With Me" is out NOW. Stream it, share it and DANCE to it here". 29 July 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  27. ^ "Blue return with latest track 'Dance With Me' from comeback album 'Heart and Soul'". Retro Pop Magazine. 29 June 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  28. ^ "BLUE DROP R&B THROWBACK WITH COVER OF 112'S 'DANCE WITH ME', READY 'HEART & SOUL' ALBUM FOR SEPTEMBER". Culturefix.co.uk. 29 June 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  29. ^ a b Griffiths, Emmy (6 October 2018). "Strictly's Lee Ryan: Who is his girlfriend and who has he dated?". Hello!. Archived from the original on 7 October 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  30. ^ a b Campbell, Tina (18 September 2023). "Blue star Lee Ryan announces he is going to be a dad for fifth time". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 29 October 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  31. ^ "Celebrity Big Brother player Lee Ryan's same sex fun was with Blue's Duncan James". Irish Mirror. 12 January 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  32. ^ "'Celebrity Big Brother' Star Lee Ryan Says He Sleeps With His Blue Bandmate Duncan James 'All The Time'". HuffPost. 14 January 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  33. ^ "Demi Sims Answers Those Megan Barton-Hanson Romance Rumours | Good Morning Britain". 14 August 2019. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2020 – via YouTube.
  34. ^ "EQ interview with Lee Ryan–"The Great Thing About Being Dyslexic Is That We Articulate Ourselves In Different Ways."". EQ Music. 2 May 2010. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  35. ^ Draper, Joseph (13 June 2023). "Blue singer Lee Ryan wins bid to withdraw guilty plea for 'assaulting officer'". The Independent. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  36. ^ "Blue singer faces drink-drive charge". Irish Examiner. 12 August 2003. Retrieved 6 July 2019. [permanent dead link]
  37. ^ "Lee Ryan cleared of assault". Evening Standard. 13 May 2004. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  38. ^ "Singer Lee Ryan charged with attack on fiancee". The Independent. 20 August 2010. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  39. ^ "Lee Ryan assault charge dropped". BBC News. 27 August 2010. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  40. ^ "Boy Band Singer Lee Ryan In Drug Arrest". Sky News. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  41. ^ "Blue star Lee Ryan swore at police and urinated in cell". BBC News. 5 February 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  42. ^ "Lee Ryan's family are said to be worried about his recent arrest and erratic behaviour". Hello!. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  43. ^ "Blue singer Lee Ryan tells court he cannot afford £1,500 fine". BBC News. 19 August 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  44. ^ "Blue singer Lee Ryan guilty of racially aggravated assault". BBC News. 12 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  45. ^ Lithgow, George (28 September 2023). "Blue Star Lee Ryan handed suspended sentence for abusing cabin crew". Evening Standard. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  46. ^ McShane, Asher (28 September 2023). "Blue singer Lee Ryan avoids jail for racially abusing BA cabin crew while drunk on flight". LBC. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  47. ^ "Blue star Lee Ryan given suspended jail term for BA cabin crew abuse". BBC News. 28 September 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  48. ^ a b c List of Lee Ryan albums and singles on UK:
  49. ^ a b "Belgium Charts > Lee Ryan". Ultratop – Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
  50. ^ a b "Charverfolgung / Blue / Longplay" (in German). musicline.de PhonoNet. Archived from the original on 2 October 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  51. ^ "Japan Charts – Lee Ryan: albums, DVDs and singles". Oricon. Retrieved 2 December 2010.
  52. ^ a b "Irish Charts > Lee Ryan". irish-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
  53. ^ a b "Italian Charts > Lee Ryan". italiancharts.com Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
  54. ^ a b "Swiss Charts > Lee Ryan" (in German). swisscharts.com Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  55. ^ "Austrian Charts > lee Ryan" (in German). austriancharts.at Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
  56. ^ "France Single Charts History". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  57. ^ "Association of Hungarian Record Companies". Association of Hungarian Record Companies. Archived from the original on 15 November 2014. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
  58. ^
  59. ^ "Lovers of New York (feat. Lee Ryan) - Single by Rubylux on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  60. ^ "He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother - Single by Homeless Worldwide and Friend on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  61. ^ "Ghost - Single by Lee Ryan on Apple Music". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 9 October 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  62. ^ "Mockingbirds - Single by Lee Ryan on Apple Music". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 9 October 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  63. ^ "Lee Ryan doppiatore "italiano" per L'ERA GLACIALE 2: IL DISGELO" (in Italian). NonSoloCinema. 7 April 2006. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  64. ^ "L'ERA GLACIALE 3 – L'ALBA DEI DINOSAURI/ La cusiorità sulla pellicola con Cid e Manny in onda su Italia Uno" (in Italian). ilsussidiario.net. 30 January 2016. Archived from the original on 16 February 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  65. ^ "L'era glaciale 4: Continenti alla deriva – Marco Guadagno vota Scrat" (in Italian). movieplayer.it. 25 September 2012. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  66. ^ "L'era glaciale 5: a Ischia con Claudio Bisio e le voci italiane del film" (in Italian). movieplayer.it. 18 July 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2017.

External links[edit]

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