10 Facts About… Jamie Borthwick (Eastenders’ Jay)
YOUR lnsidesoap BRIEFING ON THE MAN BEHIND EASTENDERS’ JAY…
1 Jamie Borthwick was born on 23 June 1994 in Barking,
London, to pub owners Simon and Sharon. His love of acting started when he attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School – which has produced stars such as Eastenders’ Perry Fenwick (Billy). “I took to drama while I was at Sylvia’s,” says
Jamie. “But I never thought about where I was going – I thought if all else fails, I would become a painter.”
2
Prior to joining Eastenders, Jamie appeared in the BBC show
Celebrate Oliver!, playing an orphan alongside Albert Square star Shane Richie (who played Alfie Moon). Jamie also had a role in an episode of Lee Mack’s sitcom Not Going Out.
3 Jamie arrived on Albert Square as Jay Brown in 2006.
The son of Jase Dyer and the late Karen Brown, he was adopted by Phil after Jase was savagely murdered. He has romanced Abi Branning and Lola Pearce, served community service for his part in the death of
Heather Trott, and has a lifelong bond with his best pal – and Hev’s killer – Ben.
4 Jamie is a supporter of West Ham
United. “As a youngster, I was a really keen footballer and it was something I always wanted to do,” he tells us. “Then, when I was about 10, I got whisked off to drama school.” In his spare time, Jamie also likes to work out by boxing.
5 Even though he likes to keep fit, Jamie tell us he has one weakness
– chips! “I only eat chips,” he laughs. “That’s what I live off. I don’t know how I stay slim when all I eat is chips.”
6 Jamie is related to ex-eastenders cast member Charlie Winter,
who played Mel Owen’s ill-fated son Hunter Owen. “My great uncle is called Charlie Winter, so when they said there was a kid coming in with the same name, I was like, ‘Seriously?’” he says. “Turns out we’re second cousins!”
7 One of Jamie’s icons is Argentinian footballer
Lionel Messi. “I’m a huge football fan anyway, but he is the greatest ever,” gushes the star. “I spend 99 per cent of my day thinking about him, and about 80 per cent of my day watching him on Youtube. One way or another, I will meet him and tell him how much I love him… then cry!”
8 If he had the chance to play another Walford character, Jamie would still want to be a Mitchell.
“I could say I’d like to be Phil, because he’s the boss, isn’t he?” he ponders. “But maybe Billy. He gets caught up in all these situations, and I’d like to know what it’s like to be soppy and to never get anywhere!”
9 Jamie has a soft spot for Emma Barton (aka Honey
Mitchell), and has done ever since she joined the show. “I was 14 when I first set eyes on Emma,” grins the actor. “I fell in love with her long, shapely legs and wanted to marry her. Perry told me to chat her up, and I walked over to her and said, ‘All right darling… wow, you smell nice’. We still laugh about it now.”
10 Jamie ran the 2019 London
Marathon in aid of Dementia Revolution, to support former co-star Barbara Windsor (Peggy Mitchell), who was diagnosed with the condition in 2014. “It’s the toughest thing I’ve ever done,” he reveals. “I had a lot of injuries in the build-up. I could feel my leg going at mile nine – but I knew I wasn’t going to give up.” He finished in six hours and 26 minutes.