Ryan Thomas joins Celebrity Big Brother: Everything you need to know about the former Coronation Street actor

Everything you need to know about the former Coronation Street actor 
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Georgia Chambers20 August 2018
The Weekender

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Actor Ryan Thomas swapped the Corrie cobbles for the Celebrity Big Brother house as he became the second contestant to join the reality TV show on Thursday night.

He joined Hollywood actress Kirstie Alley and the public elected him vice president of the Big Brother house.

You may know Ryan Thomas best for playing dimwitted Jason Grimshaw in Coronation Street, but what has he been up to since then and why has he joined CBB?

Here's everything you need to know:

What is Ryan Thomas famous for?

Thomas is best known for playing Jason Grimshaw on TV soap classic Coronation Street, a role he played from 2000-2016.

His character left the show for Thailand after serial Pat Phelan torched his van.

Thomas has since appeared in Neighbours and Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls.

Who is his girlfriend, Lucy Mecklenburgh?

Thomas first met TOWIE star Lucy Mecklenburgh when they were both on Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls in 2017.

The pair faced numerous split rumours but appeared to be going strong as they enjoyed their final hours together ahead of the live CBB launch.

Giving an interview to OK! magazine, Ryan was confident that their time apart whilst in the CBB house would make them stronger.

"We’ve been spending so much time together and we’ve been on holiday so much and I think you take it for granted when you spend so much time with someone, so I think it will hit me harder than normal," he explained.

"‘But these things are good for relationships because it makes you enjoy seeing each other again. Having time apart makes the relationship better and stronger. I’m looking forward to seeing her when I get out.’"

He was previously in a relationship with Corrie co-star Tina O’Brien, with whom he had a daughter called Scarlett, aged nine.

When is he going into the CBB house?

Ryan was the second contestant to enter the CBB house on Thursday 16th August.

Fitting in with the 'Eye of the Storm' theme, Thomas revealed to host Emma Willis that he found it hard to deal with negativity in the press after he filed for bankruptcy in 2013 over an unpaid tax bill of £40,000.

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