10 Totally True Facts About… Ricky Champ (Eastenders’ Stuart)
lnsidesoap YOUR BRIEFING ON THE MAN BEHIND EASTENDERS’ STUART…
1was Ricky Champ born on 1 July 1980 in Southendon-sea, Essex. Ricky still lives there now and commutes to the studios in Elstree. “I’ll spend my drive getting into the zone,” he explains. “And then on the way home, I can do the reverse – and leave Stuart Highway on the highway!”
2 Prior to winning the part of Stuart,
Ricky actually made an appearance in Albert Square back in 2009. Ricky’s character, Laurence Wilson, was a photographer, and ventured into the Vic where he caught the eye of Sam Mitchell…
3 Nearly 10 years later, Ricky joined Eastenders as Stuart Highway,
the older brother of Callum, and Mick’s childhood friend. When Mick and Linda tried to cut him out of their lives, Stuart took revenge by framing Mick for his shooting – which he’d arranged himself! More recently, Stuart’s turned over a new leaf, looking out for Rainie and pursuing a romance with her. But Ricky warns: “Stuart’s a damaged man. There is a lot bubbling underneath that hasn’t been sorted out.”
4 Ricky has had roles in shows such as Plebs, Game Of
Thrones and
Younger, as well as the award-winning comedy
Him & Her, alongside Russell Tovey. “Him & Her changed the game,” grins Ricky. “The [final] wedding series won a BAFTA. I could not believe it! That was a dream night.”
5 In his spare time, Ricky loves to kick a ball about.
He supports local Southend United as well as Man United, and has taken part in charity matches. But he’s also rather light on his feet on the dance floor, taking part in a Strictly Children In Need special alongside co-stars such as Maisie Smith (Tiffany) and Rudolph
Walker (Patrick).
6 Ricky has been married to wife Samantha Gilbert since the pair tied the knot
on 12 August 2016. The couple went to Mexico for their honeymoon, and in
2017 welcomed their daughter, Beatrix Champ. Star Ricky considers his little girl his lucky charm, and even had socks printed with her face on them to wear to the 2019 NTAS!
7 Thanks to his part as Gatins on Game Of Thrones, Ricky knows how to
ride a horse! “The nicest part about shooting Game
Of Thrones for me,” he says, “was getting flown out to Ireland for a weekand-a-half, to do an intensive horse-riding course straight away. Literally, we were riding along the Irish coast. That was a lovely moment.”
8 More recently, Ricky starred in David Walliams’ comedy
Grandpa’s Great
Escape. He dressed in drag to play Nurse Blossom alongside Jennifer Saunders and Samson Kayo. “I didn’t audition for it,” explains Ricky. “I just got straight-up offered a job and it was working with Jennifer Saunders and Tom Courtenay – acting royalty for me!”
9 If you’re looking for him out of working hours, Ricky will likely be found playing golf,
or fishing. He loves to hit up the golf course with his mates in the summer months, and he’s also keen to show off his fishing catches – including a 15-pound carp! If the weather isn’t so favourable, you might find him in Nando’s – one of his favourite restaurants. He even once celebrated Christmas early… with a Nando’s Christmas dinner!
10 Ricky has met quite a few famous faces during his career, and he always grabs a
selfie with them! His snaps include stars such as Danny De Vito, Owen Wilson – whom he met while playing a cabbie in the film Lost
In London – as well as Woody Harrelson. “I went to an audition and met Woody,” laughs Ricky. “He was just sitting in a room – the most chilled out man you’ve ever met in your life.”