Ryan Thomas has spoken candidly about his “biggest worry” as a dad — and shut down claims that his teenage daughter Scarlett has had an easy ride into showbiz thanks to her famous family.
The Coronation Street legend, 41, is father to three children: 16-year-old Scarlett, whom he shares with ex-partner and fellow Corrie star Tina O’Brien, plus Lilah, three, and Roman, five, with fiancée and former TOWIE favourite Lucy Mecklenburgh.
Proud dad Ryan Thomas with daughter Lilah, three, and son Roman, fiveCredit: Mark Hayman
But don’t call them a blended family.
“We’re just a solid family, and that’s how it will always be,” Ryan insists.
Ryan Thomas and his daughter Lilah. 11 Ryan jokes around with Lilah on our adorable Father’s Day shootCredit: Mark Hayman
After playing Jason Grimshaw on Corrie for 16 years, winning Celebrity Big Brother in 2018 and dazzling fans on last year’s Dancing On Ice, Ryan says fatherhood is the role he’s proudest of.
“When I sit round the table with all my kids and Luce, I think, ‘I made this.’ That’s when I really appreciate what I’ve got,” he says.
Ryan with girlfriend Lucy Mecklenburgh, their kids Lilah and Roman, and Scarlett, Ryan’s daughter from a previous relationshipCredit: Ryan Thomas Instagram
Despite joking he will never have another child, Ryan admits Scarlett is now his biggest concern.
“I don’t wake up with her every morning or know what she’s doing,” he explains, adding that moving the family back to Manchester earlier this year was all about being closer to her.
Ryan flexes his muscles with son RomanCredit: Mark Hayman
Brothers Scott, Adam and Ryan with dad DougieCredit: Instagram
“When we lived in Essex, she was always coming down at weekends, but that stopped as she got older. You reach that age when friends become more important than parents — and I really missed the day-to-day stuff.”
Scarlett landed her first major TV role at just 14, starring as Izzy Charles in BBC drama Waterloo Road alongside her uncle Adam Thomas — sparking whispers that she’s a so-called “nepo baby”.
Ryan was recently back on Corrie filming the exit story line of his on-screen mum Eileen Grimshaw, played by Sue CleaverCredit: ITV/Danielle Baguley/Shutterstock
Ryan is having none of it.
“Everyone thinks she gets a lift up from family, but she worked damn hard to get that job,” he says firmly.
“She went through the same audition process as everyone else — she didn’t get a free ride.”
Ryan with daughter Scarlett, who he insists isn’t a nepo baby
With more than 900,000 followers on the family’s viral TikTok account, @Thethomasfam__, Ryan admits there are now “conversations” about a possible family reality show.
“People keep saying we’re the UK Kardashians,” he laughs. “It wasn’t the plan — but now TV production companies are getting in touch.”
Ryan with his ex and Scarlett’s mum, fellow Corrie star Tina O’Brien
But behind the social media smiles lies deep-seated heartache.
Ryan became visibly emotional as he spoke about his father, ’70s soul singer Dougie James, who died suddenly in November 2020.
“I miss him every day,” he admits.
“I’ve got his ashes in my living room — he watches me every night. I can’t bring myself to bury him yet.”
Ryan and Lucy are all smiles with their kids
His dad left the family when Ryan was just 12, leaving him to help raise younger brothers Adam and Scott.
“I was waiting for him to come back every day,” Ryan recalls quietly.
“That experience made me the father I am today.”
Family by the pool. 11 The family often make hilarious YouTube and TikTok video
Despite getting engaged to Lucy in 2019, the couple are still no closer to setting a wedding date.
“We’re always renovating or moving,” he explains. “We are having the conversations — it will happen — but right now, life is just busy.”
The pair make time for regular date nights and even plan child-free holidays, but for Ryan, Father’s Day is about one thing only.
“As long as I’m sitting round the table with my family, that’s all that matters to me.”
And this year, he says proudly, he even gets to show off his two youngest kids on the front of Fabulous magazine.
“How cool is that?” he grins.
News
EMERGENCY: THE DARKEST SECRETS OF THE JUSTICE SYSTEM ARE ABOUT TO BE UNLEASHED! The silence is finally SHATTERED! As the explosive hearings for Rupert Lowe’s “Rape Gang Inquiry” kick off in London, a terrifying truth is emerging. For years, the screams of victims were ignored, and the truth was buried deep within expensive, hidden court files. But now, the curtain is being ripped wide open, and some very powerful people are SHAKING! Why has the truth been kept behind a “paywall” for so long? Why were public authorities allowed to turn a blind eye while innocent lives were destroyed? Rupert Lowe is making a move that the establishment DREADS: he’s demanding that EVERY court transcript be made FREE for the public! Is the system hiding evidence of its own massive failures? This isn’t just an inquiry; it’s a war for justice that the “Über Elite” never wanted you to join. THEY CAN NO LONGER HIDE. Sign the urgent petition and click the link below to see the chilling testimonies they tried to suppress for decades!
EMERGENCY: THE DARKEST SECRETS OF THE JUSTICE SYSTEM ARE ABOUT TO BE UNLEASHED! Hearings Begin for Rupert Lowe’s “Rape Gang Inquiry” in London as Public Petition Gains…
JUST WANT TO LIVE…” — Bob Mortimer Has Moved Fans To Tears With A Raw, Quietly Brave Confession About Life After His Triple Heart Bypass, Admitting He’s Gently Defying Doctors’ Orders Because Fear Has Already Taken Enough From Him. Speaking With Heartbreaking Honesty, Bob Revealed The Nights Filled With Anxiety, The Moments He Cried Alone, And The Decision That Changed Everything: “I Realised I Didn’t Want To Survive — I Wanted To Live.” Rather Than Letting Worry Steal The Time He Has Left, He’s Choosing Joy, Laughter, And Meaning Wherever He Can Find It. Fans Say His Words Feel Less Like An Interview And More Like A Farewell Letter — Tender, Human, And Devastatingly Real — A Reminder That Even Comedy’s Brightest Souls Carry Quiet Battles The World Never Sees.
Bob Mortimer has made a brutally honest confession about life after his emergency triple heart bypass — and it’s left fans both shocked and strangely moved The 66-year-old comedian,…
Unraveled by Chaos: 41 Hotels Set Ablaze Amidst UK’s Explosive Anti-Migrant Riots—Is Britain’s Immigration Strategy Crumbling Under the Weight of Public Fury and Political Division? Discover the Unfolding Crisis Fueling Fear and Unrest Across the Nation!
Breaking news: In an unprecedented surge of violence across the UK, 41 hotels housing migrants have erupted in flames amid escalating anti-migrant riots. Chaotic clashes between masked…
Rupert Lowe has appealed for public support by promoting a parliamentary petition that seeks to remove fees for court and tribunal transcripts, arguing it is vital to uncover the full truth about grooming gang cases.
Hearings Begin for Rupert Lowe’s “Rape Gang Inquiry” in London as Public Petition Gains Momentum Hearings for the “Rape Gang Inquiry” launched by Great Yarmouth independent MP…
SAD NEWS — DAME ESTHER RANTZEN’S FAMILY SHARE EMOTIONAL UPDATE ON CANCER BATTLE
Esther Rantzen has issued a new health update, revealing that she was diagnosed with a second cancer. | AFP via Getty Images Dame Esther Rantzen has shared a…
“NO ONE SHOULD BE SLEEPING ON THE STREETS.” Bradley Walsh has reportedly given away every penny of his £2 million bonus and sponsorship earnings — not for publicity, not for praise, but to build 150 housing units and fund 300 emergency shelter beds for people with nowhere to go. Those close to him say the decision was made quietly, without cameras or announcements. “Bradley didn’t see it as charity,” one source revealed. “He saw it as responsibility.” At a time when most stars protect their wealth, Walsh’s gesture has stunned fans — not because of its size, but because of its sincerity. And as the first doors prepare to open, one line keeps echoing from those who know him best: “He just wanted people to come in from the cold.”
In a world where headlines are often dominated by scandals and controversies, television presenter and actor Bradley Walsh has shown us what true stardom really means —…
End of content
No more pages to load
