logo
Ryan Thomas blasts Scarlett nepo baby claims, reveals secret Father's Day heartache & the real reason he hasn't wed Lucy

Ryan Thomas blasts Scarlett nepo baby claims, reveals secret Father's Day heartache & the real reason he hasn't wed Lucy

Scottish Sun14-06-2025
The Corrie icon also reveals how there are 'conversations' being had about a family reality show
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
SITTING in the driver's seat of his Maserati, Ryan Thomas chuckles as he realises he's got a pair of toddler's pants stuffed in his jeans pocket.
'That's dad life,' smiles the Coronation Street star, who has two children with his fiancée, former The Only Way Is Essex star Lucy Mecklenburgh – recently-potty-trained Lilah, three, and son Roman, five.
10
Proud dad Ryan Thomas with daughter Lilah, three, and son Roman, five
Credit: Mark Hayman
10
Ryan jokes around with Lilah on our adorable Father's Day shoot
Credit: Mark Hayman
10
Ryan with girlfriend Lucy Mecklenburgh, their kids Lilah and Roman, and Scarlett, Ryan's daughter from a previous relationship
Credit: Ryan Thomas Instagram
'When Lilah handed me a pair of pants today, it reminded me of when I was in a club and found a dummy in my pocket. I thought, 'What's my life come to?!''
Of course, this Manchester-born family man wouldn't have it any other way.
Within minutes of our chat, it's clear that after playing Jason Grimshaw in Corrie for 16 years, and then Rafael Humphreys in Neighbours in 2018, before winning Celebrity Big Brother the same year, and dazzling on last year's Dancing On Ice, fatherhood is Ryan's most celebrated role.
Family man
'When I sit around the table with all my children and Luce, I think, 'I made this'. It's those moments when I really appreciate what I've got,' he says.
Ryan also shares 16-year-old Scarlett, his actress daughter, with his ex, fellow Corrie star Tina O'Brien. But don't expect a fourth addition to his brood anytime soon.
'Never, never, ever, ever, ever, ever! I've got three beautiful children. I don't need any more, thank you very much!' he laughs.
'It's a full-time responsibility and really hard work for us parents, though it is the most rewarding job in the world.'
He dismisses the term 'blended family' by explaining: 'We're just a solid family, and that's how it will always be.'
The family relocated to Manchester in March, after seven years in Essex, largely to be closer to Scarlett, who lives up north with her mum.
Inside Lucy Mecklenburgh and Ryan Thomas's family trip to Disneyland Paris
'When I was in Essex, Scarlett was coming down frequently – she was there every weekend, school holidays – and then it wasn't happening as much.
"You know when they get to an age when their friends are more important than parents? I was really missing the day-to-day stuff, so I was like, 'We need to go home'.'
Ryan, 41, shares his 'biggest worry' as a parent is his teen daughter: 'I can't visibly see her, [I don't] wake up with her every morning or know what she's doing,' he says, joking he'll be poised when boyfriends inevitably come calling.
Biggest worry
'Have you ever seen Bad Boys II when Will Smith and Martin Lawrence come to the door and the boy asks to take the daughter out on a date? That's what will happen.
"It'll be me and my brothers standing there! It's always going to be difficult when your babies leave the nest, because they're always your babies. It doesn't matter how old they are.'
Scarlett was 14 when she landed her first major screen role, playing Izzy Charles in BBC drama Waterloo Road alongside her uncle, ex Emmerdale star Adam, 36.
10
Ryan flexes his muscles with son Roman
Credit: Mark Hayman
10
Brothers Scott, Adam and Ryan with dad Dougie
Credit: Instagram
10
Ryan was recently back on Corrie filming the exit story line of his on-screen mum Eileen Grimshaw, played by Sue Cleaver
Credit: ITV/Danielle Baguley/Shutterstock
There are now whispers she will bank 'at least' £2million by her 18th birthday from lucrative TV and social media work.
'I'm here for it! This is the best news I've ever heard!' roars Ryan, before shutting down claims that Scarlett is a 'nepo baby', AKA a child who's had a leg up into their famous parents' industry.
'Everyone thinks she gets a lift up from family, getting on Waterloo Road.
"But she worked damn hard to get that job, and people need to recognise that she's a talented girl – she's up against other people and she's not getting a free ride.
Everyone thinks she gets a lift up from family... she worked damn hard
Ryan Thomas on daughter Scarlett
'She has to go through the same process as everyone else – it was between her and somebody else. It wasn't like, 'This is a Thomas, she's going to get this job'.'
Scarlett often features in the family's hilarious YouTube and TikTok videos, alongside Ryan's twin brothers Adam and Love Island star, Scott, and their families.
More than 903k fans follow the @Thethomasfam__ TikTok account, which has 14.8 million likes – popularity that has prompted some to label them the UK's answer to the Kardashians.
'That's what everyone's screaming out for. Everything I see on socials, is like, 'Give these guys a reality TV show',' says Ryan, insisting that wasn't the goal when they 'fell' into TikTok last autumn.
But now there are 'conversations being had with TV production companies'.
He says: 'For me and my brothers, it's become a bit of a full-time job. We've probably done every show in the country, but now I get stopped on the street for being a TikToker.
"We're so lucky, it's a real privilege to be able to work with your family and have fun.'
10
Ryan with daughter Scarlett, who he insists isn't a nepo baby
10
Ryan with his ex and Scarlett's mum, fellow Corrie star Tina O'Brien
How does he feel about the tiniest Thomases having public profiles, specifically Scarlett who's built a robust 179k following, but has had to deal with trolling since joining the platform?
'All the family have grown up in the public eye. Scarlett's an actress, so this seems very much aligned to where she's going.
"Plus, we never have the kids doing things they don't want to do,' insists Ryan.
And how about the exposure Scarlett is getting online?
'It can be difficult being a 16 year old, but that's what it's like for most teenagers, right?
"They're all looking at examples of how they're supposed to be, what they do and how they dress. In the forefront of their vision is Instagram and TikTok.
"It's frightening, but as long as you've got a loving family around you with a solid foundation, I think you can get through it.'
'Mad time of life'
That said, he is all in favour of a ban on children using social media until they turn 16 – the age Scarlett set up her accounts.
'We all can be addicted to social media at some point, even in our adulthood, so to protect our kids, I think that's a great idea.'
In 2021, Ryan announced he was turning his back on acting, after struggling to deal with being rejected for roles and experiencing social media trolling.
However, in March this year – the same month he and Adam launched their ITV game show 99 To Beat – Ryan was back on the Corrie cobbles filming the exit story line of his on-screen mum Eileen Grimshaw, played by Sue Cleaver.
10
Ryan and Lucy are all smiles with their kids
10
The family often make hilarious YouTube and TikTok video
He returned to screens two weeks ago in a storyline that saw Eileen quit the cobbles to run a bar in Thailand with her oldest son.
'When I was in Corrie, it was electric,' says Ryan. 'There were only four TV channels when I started, so it was instant fame, a mad time of life.
"To revisit that world and all the crew and cast and going back into the make-up room with all the same make-up girls was bloody magical.'
While he has no desire to return full-time to Corrie, did picking up his soap scripts rekindle a passion for acting?
'I did get a bit of a bug for it again, and you never know what's around the corner,' he replies, noting that he no longer cares about public opinion.
'I'm in my own world. I've got my own family now. I'm like, 'Whatever'. I just presented a bloody game show and I don't even know how to present.
I back myself as a dad, and I think that's because of the mistakes my dad made. I learned from them
Ryan Thomas
"Adam and I were up for two [awards] at the National TV Awards – for Best Presenter and Best Game Show – and I'm like, 'How did this happen?' We don't even know how to do it, but we're giving it a go!'
Full of infectious positive energy, Ryan isn't afraid to bare his soul, either, particularly as talk turns to his father, '70s soul singer Dougie James, who died unexpectedly, aged 72, in November 2020.
'I haven't talked about my dad for such a long time. God, I miss him every day.'
Ryan pauses for a few seconds, overcome with emotion.
'I think about him all the time. I've even got his ashes in my living room and he watches me every night.
"I haven't got to the point where I've been able to bury him, because I can't bring myself to not have him with me.
"I've asked the boys and they said they're OK with me having him there.'
Ryan was 12 and his twin brothers six when his dad – lead singer of Dougie James And The Soul Train, who once toured with The Jackson 5 – left the family, severing contact for seven years.
During those years of abandonment, Father's Day must have been really tough?
'Not Father's Day, but in general,' says Ryan. 'I was waiting for him to come back every day. I used to listen to a cassette [of him singing] in bed every night.
I was waiting for him to come back every day
Ryan Thomas
"It was very, very tough, but I wouldn't change any of it. It's made me who I am and made me a better father – stronger, more stable, responsible, present.
"I back myself as a dad, and I think that's because of the mistakes my dad made. I learned from them.'
Dougie's absence inadvertently gave Ryan a premature and unlikely grounding in fatherhood, as he stepped up to help mum Gail raise Adam and Scott, eventually financially supporting the family once he hit the big time in Corrie.
'Oh, I was their father, yeah,' he says. 'They are my kids. I know it sounds weird, but I brought them up. I did everything for them – I was that father for them, the man about the house. I'm obsessed with my brothers.
"They look at me like a brother, but I look at them like my children, [no] different from the way I look at my own kids, because they're just as important, just in a different way.'
Travelling to India in 2019 with his dad and brothers to film their ITV series Absolutely India: Mancs In Mumbai, where they unearthed their family's Indian roots, set a benchmark for future TV projects.
Ryan says: 'I'd love to do another project like that, where people get insight into us, but they also get insight into a culture, history, family and brotherhood.
'I would love to do a road trip with them. When we were kids, my nana drove us across Florida in a big red van and I remember it so vividly. I'd love to do that again, a big road trip with all the family.'
It was on another adventure, this time on a remote island in the Pacific in 2017, that Ryan met his wife, fitness and health entrepreneur Lucy, 33, while filming Channel 4's Celebrity Island With Bear Grylls.
I absolutely love my time with Lucy. I fancy her and I still get that feeling inside my tummy
Ryan Thomas
The couple got engaged in the summer of 2019, shortly before Lucy realised she was pregnant with Roman.
Six years on, they are no closer to setting a wedding date.
'We are having the conversations and it will happen, but when? We're always renovating and moving.
"When that stops and we stop enjoying ourselves, I think it will happen,' says Ryan – who celebrated his 40th birthday last June in Portugal with 80 of their nearest and dearest, an occasion that felt 'like a bit of a wedding'.
He and Lucy, who found fame on Towie in 2010, are planning a child-free holiday to Ibiza and have regular Thursday date nights.
'On our last date, we just went out for dinner. It's important to have a little time for yourselves amongst all the hustle and bustle. I absolutely love my time with Lucy. I fancy her and I still get that feeling inside my tummy.
"I absolutely adore her and love having time with her on my own. It's hard sometimes, though, because she never switches off, it's always just work or kids. So if I don't plan these date nights, then…'
He doesn't get a look in?
'It's all for me!' laughs Ryan. 'I need her all to myself!'
Father's Day, though, is entirely about family time.
'As long as I'm sitting around the table with my family, that's all that matters to me.
"And this year, I get to show off my two children on the front of Fabulous magazine. How cool is that?!'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Colson Smith makes awkward Jack P Shepherd wedding blunder after being made best man
Colson Smith makes awkward Jack P Shepherd wedding blunder after being made best man

Daily Mirror

time5 hours ago

  • Daily Mirror

Colson Smith makes awkward Jack P Shepherd wedding blunder after being made best man

Coronation Street star Jack P Shephard wed his fiancee Hanni in a stunning ceremony in Manchester this weekend as he made Colson Smith his best man before an awkward blunder Jack P Shepherd's former Coronation Street co-star Colson Smith found himself in an awkward mistake as he celebrated his wedding. The David Platt actor, 37, married his fiancee Hanni Treweek on Saturday in a stunning ceremony surrounded by their nearest and dearest. ‌ They wed at Manchester Cathedral in front of their friends, family and Jack's Corrie co-stars. Jack and Hanni then headed over to a swanky hotel in the city were the party continued into the evening. ‌ However, it seems the partying may have been too much for Colson as he took to social media the following day. The former Craig Tinker star took on a very special role of being part of Jack's groomsmen for the wedding. ‌ He was by Jack's side as he said his vows and became a married man. Just before the ceremony, Jack posed for a photo with Colson as they soaked up the moment together. Colson has since shared the snap on his Instagram, but his caption caught the attention of his fans. The Celebrity Big Brother star wrote: "26/8/2025 The Shepherd Wedding." ‌ However, many quickly realised Colson had got the date wrong by a month. In the awkward moment, it seemed Colson wanted to quickly correct the mistake as he then shared a blank screen and commented: "Or 26/7/2025," followed by an upside down emoji. Despite Colson's mistake, it didn't stop Jack and Hanni from having the best day of their lives. They hired out the swanky Hallé St Peter's in the city for their reception, where they were joined by even more of their friends and family. Amongst the guests were Lucy Fallon, Tina O'Brien and Julia Golding. Jack's on-screen mum Helen Worth also looked a picture of happiness as she walked hand-in-hand with her husband towards the venue. ‌ Jack and Hanni performed their first dance after they revealed they took up dance lessons to prepare for their big day and it certainly paid off. The newlyweds strutted their stuff on the dancefloor before they were joined by their guests to party the night away along to a live band. On Sunday, bride Hanni took to her social media for the first time to share a message as a wife. She posted a series of romantic snaps from the day and gushed: "Introducing Mr & Mrs Shepherd. "Words cannot describe how beautiful yesterday was for us - it was more than perfect the love & energy in the room (and outside) was incredible - our hearts our truly full thank you so much to you all - it means the world to us. "Love is all you need x It took a whole team - a team we couldn't be happier with, thank you so much - we are literally in awe of how talented you all are."

The shock secret soapie flings you DID NOT know about - including 'hours of passion' between Heath Ledger and Kate Ritchie
The shock secret soapie flings you DID NOT know about - including 'hours of passion' between Heath Ledger and Kate Ritchie

Daily Mail​

time7 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

The shock secret soapie flings you DID NOT know about - including 'hours of passion' between Heath Ledger and Kate Ritchie

The Aussie TV industry may be small, but it's had its fair share of romantic interludes over the years. Yes, Neighbours' Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan got their airtime in the pages, as did her sister Dannii Minogue and the late Julian McMahon after sparks flew in Home and Away. But what about the rest? Turns out, there is an underground archive of soap stars that slipped into the sheets together and slipped off the tabloid radar without anyone noticing. From Neighbours actors that got too neighbourly to Home and Away stars that couldn't leave their feelings in Summer Bay, the TV circuit proves to be a hotbed of hedonism. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Heath Ledger and Kate Ritchie (Home and Away) It seems Heath Ledger and Kate Ritchie's on-screen romance spilled into reality after the Gold Logie winner made a telling comment about her time acting alongside the late star. Heath, who played bad boy Scott Irwin, and Kate, who played Sally Fletcher, were love interests on the show, both being around 17 at the time. In 2018, Kate sat down for an interview to celebrate 30 years of the hit soap and shed light on her relationship with the Hollywood star. 'Heath was very good looking, very charming,' she said in the trailer. 'There were a few hours of teenage passion.' While the pair never confirmed a relationship or tryst of any kind, Kate did go on to say that she was 'the envy of all the girls on set' as she got to lock lips with hunky Heath multiple times on the show. Tragically, Heath was found dead at a New York City apartment on January 22, 2008, after an accidental overdose, following months of physical and emotional exhaustion. Axle Whitehead and Samara Weaving (Home and Away) Life imitated art for Axle Whitehead and Samara Weaving, who announced their relationship while their fictional romance blossomed on screens. Axle, who played Liam Murphy, and Samara, who played Indi Walker, reportedly dated briefly in July 2012. However, the alliance was over quicker than it started, with both the stars spotted cuddling up with other people in August that year. Axle was snapped with a beautiful brunette at a Surry Hills bar and Samara was seen getting close to her new man in Sydney's inner west, according to Nine Honey. The split appeared sugary sweet, with Axle claiming that they remained good friends with a lot of respect for each other. Samara soon turned her sights to Hollywood, starring in blockbusters Ready or Not, Babylon and Borderline. Axle, on the other hand, spends his time playing music gigs at small venues across Sydney and selling his used music equipment on Instagram. Lincoln Lewis and Indiana Evans (Home and Away) Did you know that Lincoln Lewis and Indiana Evans were an item? These Home and Away lovebirds also enjoyed a brief stint of dating, but called a time out on their romance in 2008 after just a few months together. However, their short-lived romance became the talk of the town in 2009 after Lincoln confessed that he had filmed a sex tape the year prior and showed it to his castmates. At the time, The Daily Telegraph reported that the clip featured a 'teenage TV starlet'. Daily Mail is not suggesting that Indiana was involved in the alleged scandal. 'You do stupid things when you are young,' he told the publication in 2010. 'But you learn from your mistakes, that's part of growing up — this mistake, and what I have learnt, will contribute a lot to making me a better person in the future.' Stefan Dennis and Gayle Blakeney (Neighbours) Before Stefan Dennis and Gail Easdale lived happily ever after, there was a Gayle of another kind on the scene - and the screen. Gayle Blakeney, who played Christina Alessi on the show, dated the longtime Neighbours star between 1990 and 1992. And while their characters wed on the show, the pair didn't make it to the altar in real-life, instead parting amicably and Stefan moving on to another Neighbours castmate... Stefan Dennis and Natalie Imbruglia (Neighbours) It seems Stefan was quite the fan of the Neighbours watering hole, for pretty quickly he was embroiled in a secret romance with another one of his co-stars Natalie Imbruglia. Natalie, who went on to enjoy a successful music career with hits such as Torn and Big Mistake, first appeared on the beloved soapie in 1992 as Beth Brennan. Stefan revealed that the pair struck up a relationship after sparks flew on set, leading to his reputation among the cast as a ladies' man. 'Because of my relationship with Gayle and later, in a well-kept secret, I was also going out with Natalie Imbruglia, there was a rumour that I was making my way through the female cast,' he told Stellar in 2022. The revelation was a shock, not only because it slid under the tabloids' radar, but because Stefan was 17 years her senior. Beau Brady and Bec Hewitt (Home and Away) Bec Hewitt (Cartwright at the time) and Beau Brady's relationship was widely covered at the time, but the early noughties romance may have slipped your minds since it came crumbling down twenty years ago. The couple, taking their on-screen relationship off-screen, dated for four years and were hailed as Australia's soapie sweethearts. Beau even proposed, with the couple enjoying a few months engaged before Bec called off it off in 2004 and broke hearts across the country. In the ultimate plot twist, Bec moved into WAG territory the following year, dating tennis star Lleyton Hewitt for six weeks before getting engaged in 2005 and then married. The pair have now been playing the tennis game that is marriage for 20 years. Speaking with Woman's Day magazine in 2010, Beau broke his silence on their split and also made some shock claims about the fallout of their relationship. 'I'm only speculating, but in the end I'm still not really sure why Bec broke it off. Maybe it was because I didn't own a Ferrari!' he told the mag. Beau also claimed that Bec started texting and calling Lleyton while they were together and that she disappeared for more than a week before dumping him. 'I thought there was nothing to it because - let's face it - I'm a much better looking dude than Lleyton,' he added. Sigh... There's nothing worse than when your former tennis partner starts calling fouls.

Coronation Street wedding chaos when bride-to-be Bernie Winter suffers terrifying health scare as she ties the knot with Dev Alahan - amid claims soap is set for 'huge cast cull'
Coronation Street wedding chaos when bride-to-be Bernie Winter suffers terrifying health scare as she ties the knot with Dev Alahan - amid claims soap is set for 'huge cast cull'

Daily Mail​

time7 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

Coronation Street wedding chaos when bride-to-be Bernie Winter suffers terrifying health scare as she ties the knot with Dev Alahan - amid claims soap is set for 'huge cast cull'

Coronation Street lovebirds Bernie Winter and Dev Alahan are finally set to walk down the aisle in the coming weeks, but their big day won't go off without a hitch. The couple's big day is set to be full of drama including stag party shenanigans, a burglary, surprise proposal, shock collapse and a hospital dash midway through the ceremony. The week starts with the stag and hen parties, with Bernie celebrating her wedding with a low-key hen party in The Bistro after saving money by buying cheap suits for Dev and his son Aadi. But suddenly, word reaches the hens that the boys have hired a pole dancer at the Rovers, and a furious Bernie storms into the pub to find the stags cheering on the performer - is all as it seems? In scenes set it air on Wednesday, August 6, as the big day dawns Dev and Bernie's dream wedding goes from bad to worse when the quads fall ill and have to watch with Joseph on live stream. As she gets ready to walk down the aisle in her unconventional wedding dress, Bernie forgets her lucky charm locket containing the photo of Paul, and when she runs home to get it she disturbs a burglar. Meanwhile the restless guests back at the Bistro are entertained by a song from Debbie Webster who surprises Ronnie with a proposal, will he accept? After such an eventful start to the day, the guests take their seats for the main event and a glowing Bernie walks down the aisle towards Dev to make their vows. With the service about to start, Dev and Bernie share loving looks, but suddenly Bernie struggles to breathe and collapses in front of a shocked Dev. Is the dramatic day about to end in tragedy or will Bernie and Dev tie the knot? Speaking about the chaotic build-up to the big day, actress Jane Hazlegrove, who plays Bernie, said: 'The day goes from bad to worse! 'That's what is so brilliant about Coronation Street, you don't know what you're going to get until you open the page of the script and that's what is so fantastic about how it plays out – we've got this woman raving down the aisle and the next minute she's collapsed and an ambulance is on its way!' Jane also revealed that she had a hand in the design of Bernie's unconventional wedding dress. She said: 'I knew that Bernie wouldn't go down the road of wearing a traditional dress. I had seen some old footage of Elkie Brookes on TV and she was wearing a kaftan. 'I am a big fan of Elkie so that was the initial inspiration, but this is for Bernie so it needed to be a bit extra. 'Our fantastic talented costume department came up with the 1970s style white dress that is a bit Elkie Brookes, a bit Demis Roussos and very Bernie Winter.' It comes after it was reported on Sunday that Corrie and its rival Emmerdale could be hit by a massive cast cull, with proposals to 'cut one in ten cast members' as part of sweeping cost-cutting measures. The broadcaster has announced plans to slash £15million from its budget, after revealing profits have plunged by 44 per cent to £99million for the first half of the year. Now, both soaps are reportedly being targeted in a bid to bring spiralling production costs under control. It has been reported that around 10 per cent of the current cast lists - which include 84 regulars on Corrie and 70 on Emmerdale - are expected to be dropped. Scripts and episode structures are also under review, with producers being told to reduce the number of scenes per episode and tighten shooting schedules. A source told The Sun: 'It's brutal. We've known it was on the cards for a while, but they're really cranking it up now and it's across the soaps. 'They're looking to save millions and Corrie and Emmerdale are the obvious places. They're very expensive shows.' Most actors are contracted per episode and guaranteed a set number annually - a system which is thought to have become unsustainable. Some long-serving cast members are reportedly concerned about their job security, particularly those who rely on a steady income from the soaps. The source added: 'Many who have been there for a long time are reliant on their income staying as it is. 'The amount of cast has spiralled out of control and focusing on dialogue, not action, could also save money.' The proposed cuts come as ITV undergoes a wider restructuring across its daytime programming, with major job losses already hitting shows including Good Morning Britain, Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store