Loved-up Ryan impresses his new Neighbours
FORMER Coronation Street actor Ryan Thomas was all smiles as he stepped out on a romantic date with his girlfriend Lucy Mecklenburgh ahead of their first Valentine’s Day together.
The Manchester soap star was arm-in-arm with brunette beauty Lucy as the couple left former United star Rio Ferdinand’s restaurant Rosso.
And the handsome couple, who met last summer on the survival show Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls, turned heads in their coordinating sports luxe outfits.
Former TOWIE star Lucy wore ripped jeans, trainers, a leather biker jacket and a white Tommy Hilfiger sweatshirt with bold lettering for their date. And her man wore distressed jeans with a NASA bomber jacket and Converse cap.
The couple looked in the mood to celebrate as Ryan, 33, prepared to make his debut in the iconic Australian show Neighbours, winning over a legion of new fans in the UK and Australia.
Ryan, who played Jason Grimshaw in Corrie, made a big impression as creepy stranger Rafael Humphrey, an English tourist with a score to settle who was seen lurking around Toadie’s 90s-themed birthday party on the Channel Five show. One scene saw Rafael standing over Erinsborough legend Paul Robinson, played by Stefan Dennis, as he slept.
Australian fan Victoria tweeted: “Not creepy at all Rafael.”
And Kraina from Victoria, Australia, wrote: “RAFAEL STANDING OVER PAUL AS HE IS SLEEPING IS JUST... I DON’T KNOW !!!! ”
Neighbours fans here in the UK got to see Ryan’s scenes first on Monday night in an hour-long late night special called Hit and Run on Channel Five. In Australia it was screened yesterday as a one-and-a half hour movie-length episode.
One fan said: “You guys are so lucky to get this before us in Australia. I still have to wait another 10.5 hours to see @ryanjamesthomas.”
Lisa Giles tweeted: “Was brill seeing @ryanjamesthomas 1st episode in Neighbours but omg what an episode, can’t wait to see what’s coming up eeekkkk.”
And Lisa Beames said: “Intrigued to see where @ryanjamesthomas storyline takes us.”
Ryan played Jason Grimshaw in Corrie for 16 years, and can’t see himself returning to the famous cobbles anytime soon.
His character Jason left for Thailand in 2016 after being manipulated by his mother’s partner Pat Phelan. Ryan says he has ‘no plans’ to revisit the role.
He told us previously: “At the moment, if I look backwards and go back to Coronation Street I’m not concentrating on the journey in front of me. That’s what I left for – new experiences. Never say never, but it’s not what I’m thinking about right now.”