No, this is not part of a storyline. It’s real life. ‘Coronation Street’ actor Jack James Ryan has opened up about his cancer diagnosis and says he wants to tell his real life story through his character to raise awareness. Jack, 24, who has played Jacob Hay in the soap since 2021, was diagnosed with testicular cancer aged just 19. Here’s what you need to know.
After finding a lump in his second year of drama school, he was referred to hospital where his cancer was removed. Jack then underwent chemotherapy to ensure that the cancer had not spread. The actor now wants to break the stigma of having testicular cancer.
‘Coronation Street’ Actor Jack James Ryan Opens Up About His Cancer Diagnosis
He said: “There’s a stigma towards it. Men feel embarrassed to talk about it. But the sooner you get it done, the better the outcome will be.”
Jack also wants to have a testicular cancer storyline weaved into his character. He added: “A show like this would be such an amazing platform for this topic.”
Jack joined the cast of Coronation Street in 2021, where he played guest character drug dealer Jacob Hay who groomed character Simon Barlow, played by Alex Bain, into dealing drugs.Now a permanent fixture on the cobbles, Jacob has left his criminal past behind and is in a relationship with Amy Barlow, played by Elle Mulvaney.
Just last month and while talking Lorraine Kelly, he explained: “I didn’t even know it was a thing that would happen to young men. I thought it was an old man cancer. When I found out it was really common in young men, I thought, ‘Wow, why didn’t I know about this? Why didn’t we know about this?’ I mean, getting to tell that story on something like Coronation Street with Jacob would be amazing for me. It was a crazy time but I’ve come through the other side. It’s been a really positive experience so I want to be able to tell that story.”
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