Entertainment

Blue's Duncan says 'little cockney boy' Lee will be great in EastEnders

The singer-turned-actor welcomed his former bandmate to the soaps club.
The singer-turned-actor welcomed his former bandmate to the soaps club. The singer-turned-actor welcomed his former bandmate to the soaps club.

Duncan James has congratulated former Blue bandmate Lee Ryan on his new EastEnders role, adding he will fit right in as a “proper little cockney boy”.

Duncan, who has himself taken up a soap role in Channel 4′s Hollyoaks, said he has high hopes for Lee’s debut on Albert Square this spring.

Speaking at the Television and Radio Industries Club Awards in London on Tuesday, he said: “I’m really excited about that, it’s going to be wicked.

Duncan's debut in Hollyoaks.
Duncan's debut in Hollyoaks.
Duncan’s debut in Hollyoaks (Channel 4/PA)

“He’s a proper little cockney boy anyway so he’ll be really good.”

The programme, which won the title of best TV soap at the event, will see Lee arrive in Walford as new resident bad lad “Woody” Woodward.

Commenting on the character’s tongue-twister name, Duncan said: “It’s brilliant, I just think of the guy from Toy Story.

“We used to call him Woody anyway, so it’s quite ironic.”Joking about the pattern in career change for the All Rise singers, he added: “We need to see Simon (Webbe) in Coronation Street and Ant (Costa) in Emmerdale, then you’ve got the four-piece.”