One major Coronation Street star had the full backing of his fellow soap actors as he landed a major new role away from the ITV cobbles.

Jack James Ryan is best known for playing former drug dealer Jacob Hay in the ITV soap from 2021 until 2023, who turned his life around and struck up a romance with Amy Barlow. But since then, he’s landed a role as John Trowbridge in ITV comedy-thriller Passenger.

The series follows the close-knit community of Chadder Vale, which is thrown into chaos after a series of bizarre and unnatural crimes. Jack plays John, a bread factory worker who is dating Katie, and harbouring his own demons – drinking excessively and constantly making mistakes.

Jack’s Corrie co-stars jumped on social media to congratulate him on his huge work news, with Summer Spellman star Harriet Bibby writing: “WHO’S READY?!” with a row of hands-up emojis. George Shuttleworth star Tony Maudsley told him: “Can’t wait for this Jack!!”

Amy Barlow actress Elle Mulvaney also promoted the series via X, writing: “Passenger with our @JackJamesRyan on ITV1 and ITVX! [Popcorn emoji].” Jack introduced the series on his own account, telling fans: “Welcome to Chadder Vale – #Passenger coming to you a tellly screen near you very, very soon.

Can’t tell you how excited I am to share this with you. Glad to be back on the box. Surrounded by some truly unreal talent on this one. Who’s tuning in?”

Explaining more about the new show, Jack said: “It’s not set in any year in particular the aesthetic has been deliberately heightened & stylised to aid our storytelling both literally and metaphorically. Think the northern grit of Happy Valley mixed with the themes and aesthetic of Stranger Things. We’re playing with genres.”

It’s hardly the actor’s first rodeo, as even before he made his cobbles debut Jack had appeared in everything from the 2019 movie Military Wives to episodes of Doctors and Casualty. He even appeared in one episode of rival soap Emmerdale as Tyler in 2019.

The actor made a cheeky confession about his first TV crush in an interview with The Express, admitting it was a major Disney star. He said: “Hilary Duff who played Lizzie McGuire on the Disney Channel. Girls like her and Raven-Symoné blew my mind. They sang, they danced, they acted. They were out of this world.”

But he wants to end Channel 4’s Naked Attraction, because it’s “crazy”. Asked what show he’d “put out of its misery”, Jack explained: “If it’s on in the background, it hooks you in.” The star is, however, into daytime TV, and loves Bargain Hunt.

He said: “I’ve always been interested in antiques. If I hadn’t been an actor I’d have been an antique dealer. My bucket list includes being a contestant on Bargain Hunt. Can you swing it for me?”