Coronation Street star Jack James Ryan has shared his dream of returning to the show after his surprise departure for his character’s “soulmate,” Amy.
The 26-year-old actor played Jacob Hay on the soap – but on Friday night’s episode his character was forced to flee Weatherfield by his brutal father Damon.
Pressured by Damon’s threats, Jacob pretended to have gone back to his drug dealers and ended his relationship with girlfriend Amy Barlow before taking a cab away.
Dream return: Coronation Street star Jack James Ryan has admitted his dream of returning to the show for Amy, his character’s ‘soulmate’, following his surprise departure
But Jack – who has already eyed a new role in drama filming next month – says he reckons Jacob will one day return to win his girlfriend Amy back [Elle Mulvaney] as the love of his life.
Speaking to The Mirror, he said: “One of the writers said the best time to bring a character back is when they’re doing the most damage.
“My dream is that five years from now, when Amy has settled in and found the man she really loves and is about to get married, she’ll storm out the door and say, ‘I have objections,’ or whatever they say at weddings could say.
“I think it would be cool for him to have the opportunity to clear his name because I think he deserves it. He wouldn’t get the best reception but I think Amy would secretly be happy to see him.’
End of the road: The 26-year-old actor played Jacob Hay in the soap – but on Friday night’s episode, his character was forced to flee Weatherfield by his brutal father Damon
Sure his character Jacob would always have a strong connection to Amy, Jack added, “She was his absolute world — she still is.”
“I think they are, dare I say, soul mates. They will always have that – but I don’t know if it’s possible to win the street a second time.”
In Jacob Hay’s first appearance in Weatherfield in 2021, viewers were horrified by Corrie as he tricked an impressionable Simon Barlow into joining a drug gang while also tormenting his grieving mother, Leanne Battersby.
In trouble: Jacob left the show thanks to his father’s influence after he had to sell thousands of pounds worth of drugs when a delivery at the bistro went wrong and got him in big trouble
Conflict: During his opening scenes, viewers saw Jacob being slapped in horror by Damon and told him that he must go to protect Amy
And it wasn’t long before he disappeared from the scene after crossing paths with drug lord Harvey Gaskell, who was recently revealed to be his uncle.
But upon his return in 2022, Jacobs entered into a relationship with Amy Barlow — which was initially displeased.
But with Amy, played by Elle Mulvaney, by his side, Jacob managed to turn things around.
He got a job at Carla Barlow’s Underworld and even moved in with Amy at No.1 Coronation Street.
However, after the arrival of his father Damon, his life was derailed.
Thanks to his father’s influence, he had thousands of pounds worth of drugs to sell when a delivery at the bistro went wrong and got him in big trouble.
Controversial: In Jacob Hay’s first appearance in Weatherfield in 2021, viewers were horrified by Corrie as he tricked an underwhelming Simon Barlow into joining a drug gang while also tormenting his grieving mother, Leanne Battersby
And as a result, he had to leave the cobblestones.
During his exit scenes, viewers saw Jacob being slapped in horror by Damon and told him that he must go to protect Amy.
But before he leaves, Jacob tells Nick how his father smuggles drugs through the restaurant and he has no choice but to leave as Amy’s life is in danger.
The actor said he made the decision to quit after two years on the cobbles when bosses began planning a long-term future for his character.
Jack said, “I’m young and I have so many things I want to do. It felt like the right time to go.’
He said he would miss many of the cast, including Simon Gregson [Steve] and Kate Ford [Tracy] who play Amy’s parents and are “soap legends for good reason.”
Jack said he enjoyed guiding Jacob through his redemption story, which included both comedy and romance, but he’s glad to see the back of Jacob’s fashion choices.
He explained: “I’ll miss his charm, but I won’t miss his wardrobe one bit.
“When they asked if I wanted to take something, I said, ‘No, you’re fine!’ I don’t want any of this. You won’t see me walking around Manchester in double denim.’
Moving forward: The actor said he made the decision to quit after two years on the cobbles when bosses began planning a long-term future for his character