Ryan Malloy is a cagey character with a dark and mysterious past who has flirted with the wrong side of the law as well as his share of the ladies! One of those ladies was Stacey Slater who is the mother of Ryan's daughter Lily.
The half-brother of Whitney Dean, he's very independent, commitment-shy and more than a little self-centered. But he's had no choice but to look after number one after a period living on the streets. Perhaps then it's no surprise that he found an ally in the shape of his flat mate Janine Butcher, who he went on to marry, but later divorced.
Seemingly a perfect match, things soon turned sour between Ryan and Janine after he fell for Stacey's charms. There's a fine line between love and hate, but since Janine discovered the affair, things have very much been in hate territory between the estranged couple, and Ryan's dark side has surfaced. When Stacey gave birth to Lily, she was believed to be Bradley Branning's daughter, however after Lily was born, Stacey revealed that Lily was Ryan's daughter.
Kill Count
Rob Grayson - Drowned in a fight by Ryan. Rob Grayson was a pedophile who abused Ryan's younger sister Whitney, therefore Ryan killed him.
Backstory
He is a bad boy character whose mother had given him away when he was young and didn't care for him. He grew up with an alcoholic father who died when he was about 12 and Ryan then went into foster homes, which he didn't like. He ended living on the streets a lot and got involved with the wrong crowd. He had to make his own way in life, which is why he's a very independent person. Sometimes he acts in dodgy ways to get what he needs, too. He added: At the very beginning, he'd only just learned from Debra that he has a half-sister. He didn't know about her until that point, so he's turned up in Walford to find her. Obviously he's looking for Debra and he thinks that his mum's going to turn up to see Whitney. So in a way, he's using Whitney to get to their mother.
2009-11
Ryan first appears on screen on 28 April 2009 when he is seen in the park by Whitney Dean and Shirley Carter. He asks Whitney if she is all right, but she runs off calling him a "creep". Weeks later, he helps Whitney and others escape from a fire started in café by Nick Cotton. Whitney then sees Ryan as a mysterious hero. Whitney's mother, Debra Dean, turns up at Whitney's house, saying that a man is after her. Whitney demands to know why, and Debra says she has something belonging to him. They fetch it, but when they return home, Ryan is waiting for them; he is the man who is chasing Debra. Ryan reveals to Whitney he is her half brother, and says he killed someone in self-defence, giving the weapon to Debra to hide. He demands it back from Whitney, but she refuses, and later disposes of it in a canal.
Planning to leave Walford, Ryan spots Ronnie Mitchell and asks Whitney about her. He decides to stay, and moves in with Janine Butcher. Ronnie subsequently offers Ryan a day's trial at The Queen Victoria public house, and during the trial, they kiss, eventually going to Ryan's flat, where they have sex. However, she makes it clear that its just a one-off. Ryan then begins to indulge in petty crime, including stealing from Ian Beale's café and fish and chip shop. When Chelsea Fox wins £2,000 on a scratch card, Ryan mugs her. His flatmate Janine finds the cash, and tells Chelsea that Ryan mugged her, so Chelsea's father Lucas Johnson threatens him, and he returns the money. Despite this, Ryan and Janine soon start an on-off fling with each other. At the same time, Janine teams up with Archie Mitchell to try and take over The Queen Victoria pub. She reveals the plans to Ryan, and the pair plot to ultimately take the pub for themselves, double-crossing Archie in the process. Ryan sees Whitney crying in the Square who reveals she is still in love with Tony King, the one time boyfriend of her adoptive mother Bianca Jackson who had been sexually abusing Whitney and is currently in prison. He tries to convince her that how Tony treated her was completely wrong, however she storms off and Ryan tells Bianca of Whitney's revelation. Ryan's true hatred of Tony is shown during the beginning of his trial, where Tony is shocked to see him glaring at him from across the room. When Whitney's witness statement is shown in court, Ryan walks out in disgust when she says she was 12 years old when they had sex. He storms back in calling Tony a monster and tells Whitney that Tony is sick and he will get out of prison when he is an old man.
On Christmas Day 2009 Ryan tells Janine that they are over, and later finds Janine drunk in the car lot. He tells her that Archie has been murdered, and panics when the police arrive to question everyone. After they question Janine, Ryan does not believe that she did not kill Archie and says she should be awarded an Oscar for her acting abilities. Ryan comforts Janine when she only gets a Newton's cradle in Archie's will but she says she is not finished. After trying to blackmail Ian Beale, she tells the police that Ian murdered Archie. Ryan is angry with her and says it will draw more attention to herself. He says she makes him sick and storms out. When Janine is arrested after police find Archie's mother's engagement ring in her flat, Ryan protests that she has been set up.
Overdue with the rent, Ryan and Janine use Bianca's son Morgan Jackson-King to raise money, pretending to be collecting for charity. However, Whitney takes the money from them when she finds out what they have done. Janine tells Ryan they should come up with a plan to get Archie's daughter Roxy Mitchell's inheritance from her, so Janine urges Ryan to get close to Roxy. However, he decides to end the plan when he tells Janine they should admit their true feelings to each other, and says he is in love with her even though she is the most horrendous human being he has ever known. Janine remains silent, so Ryan walks away. The next day, Ryan packs his bags but Janine tries to tell him he can't leave as he owes six weeks' rent. As he leaves on the tube, she regrets letting him go, follows him onto the train and tells him she loves him. He then finds employment as assistant manager of the bookmaker's. However, Janine worries that Ryan will leave when she finds his passport with £500, and as he has no material possessions, she buys him a large television, telling him it is too large to fit in one of his bags so he will be unable to leave. Ryan and Janine make a bet: Janine has to kiss Lucas Johnson and Ryan has to kiss Stacey Branning, and whoever does it first wins. Janine eventually kisses Lucas, much to his surprise, and she takes Ryan's "going-away" money as her prize. After Ryan kisses Stacey, Janine reveals it was for a bet, leaving Stacey upset. Disgusted by Janine's cruelty, Ryan splits with her. However, they reunite soon after and go on holiday together. When they return, the couple decide to get married. Janine's brother Ricky Butcher throws Ryan a stag party where they get drunk and bond. The next day, Ryan attends his wedding, but Janine stops the service, and admits to Ryan that she almost had an affair as she is scared of commitment. Ryan assures her that he is scared too, and the pair marry anyway. They then attend their reception at the Queen Victoria pub, where Stacey attempts to tell Ryan about his paternity to Lily. However, Pat stops her from telling him, just minutes before a fire erupts in the pub. Everyone leaves safely, except for Stacey and Lily. Ryan rescues the baby and an unconscious Stacey before the pub explodes. Upon seeing her daughter unharmed, Stacey admits to Ryan he is Lily's father. Ryan goes to see Stacey in the hospital when she and Lily recover from the fire, and Stacey tells Ryan she isn't asking for anything and offers to let Ryan hold Lily, but Ryan declines and walks out. Then he goes on honeymoon with Janine.
When they return, Stacey tells Max Branning that Ryan is Lily's father and has been acting like he does not care. Max confronts Ryan, revealing to Janine that Ryan is the father. He then confronts Stacey saying that he wants nothing to do with his daughter. Stacey then tells Ryan to look at Lily, and he is visibly saddened. Janine later calls social services, saying Stacey is neglecting Lily. The allegation is proved to be false and Stacey attacks Janine. Ryan discovers what happened and stops Janine going to the police, saying she would not get away with it. The next day, Janine assumes Ryan has left her but they later reconcile and agree to forget about the recent events. While Stacey and Janine are in R&R nightclub and then arrested, Ryan is left to look after Lily for the first time. He struggles at first but the next morning tells Janine and Stacey he wants to be a father to Lily. Stacey does not want to let him but Ryan later agrees to pay maintenance and gets a job stealing cars for Phil Mitchell, so Stacey lets him hold Lily. On Janine's birthday, Ryan tells her he is getting her a surprise gift but finds out that he is with Stacey, having Lily's birth certificate changed, and Ryan later lies about where he was. They attend a party at the Slaters' house and Janine takes Lily, packs her and Ryan's things and takes Ryan on a trip, saying she wants to celebrate her birthday. Ryan hears Lily in the back of the car and orders Janine to stop but she says she is planning on going to France and never returning. They argue and eventually she stops on a level crossing, refusing to start the car until Ryan admits he cares more about Stacey. However, the barriers then lower and Janine is unable to start the car until the last second and the train just misses the car. Ryan takes Lily and Janine home and explains to Stacey that Janine heard Lily crying so took her to look after her but promises to Stacey he did not know Janine took Lily.
Ryan works as a barman at the newly refurbished The Queen Victoria, and when alone with Stacey, they kiss. However, Stacey tells Ryan to forget it happened. Stacey goes missing and Janine stops him visiting her by locking him in The Queen Victoria's walk-in fridge. Although Ryan thinks it was accidental and Janine saved him, Pat Evans inadvertedly reveals it was deliberate. After Kat Moon allows Ryan to visit Stacey, he realises she is planning to leave and stops her. He reveals he wants to be with Stacey, not Janine and they start an affair. Pat discovers it and tells Janine, who starts to poison Ryan with pills. Eventually he escapes the flat and Stacey finds him as he collapses. Ryan is hospitalised and when he wakes up, Janine admits to overdosing him on sedatives and says she knows about his affair. She says if he loves her, he will not let her go to prison for her actions. Ryan allows Janine to believe he still loves her but then publicly declares his love for Stacey in The Queen Victoria. Janine then walks in to see them kissing. She fears she has lost him until she discovers Stacey was Archie's real killer after receiving a taped confession from Lauren Branning. Although the recording is wiped, Janine reveals the truth. Ryan wants to be with Stacey regardless and they plan to flee. However, Stacey is unsure of her feelings for Ryan and takes Lily, leaving without him. Ryan visits Janine in hospital, because she stabbed herself in an attempt to frame Stacey. Janine forgives Ryan but he is unable to forgive her so he removes her oxygen tubes and walks out as she struggles to breathe. Pat discovers this and tells Ryan to end the feud. He then gives his wedding ring to Whitney.
When Janine returns to the Square, Whitney moves in with her. Ryan tries to convince Whitney that Janine is not her friend but to no avail. Later, Ryan tells Whitney he is leaving Walford for a short time to do some work up North. Before he leaves, Ryan asks Kat to give Whitney a job in the Vic, which she agrees to. When Ryan returns, he is horrified to discover that Whitney has been sexually exploited by Rob Grayson. He gets Whitney a job at The Queen Victoria but she turns it down. He urges her to get tested for sexually transmitted infections, which she agrees to, and to go to the police, which she says she is not yet ready to do.
Ryan starts working as a doorman at R&R. He turns down Lauren when she develops a crush on him and sneaks into his bedroom. She later tries to impress him by dressing up but he rejects her advances. Ryan then starts drug dealing and is sacked by Roxy, but then Phil reinstates him. Ryan misses Lily and realises he is in trouble because of the drugs and when Lauren later comforts him, he kisses her. Weeks later, Tanya finds out that Ryan and Lauren are having sex and disapproves of the relationship. When a drugs raid is carried out at The Queen Victoria, Ryan is arrested by the police due to Janine alerting them of the drug activities and is later fired from his barman job. Next day later Ryan tries to break up with Lauren for Whitney's sake, but she wishes to carry on in secret. Ryan gets a phone call from Fatboy, who tells him Rob has found Whitney. Ryan goes to Southend-on-Sea and tracks down Rob. They fight on the pier and they both fall into the sea. The next day, the police pull Rob's body from the sea, and Whitney thinks Ryan might be dead until he appears. Having killed Rob during the fight, realising Whitney has told the police the entire story and fearing he will go to prison, Ryan insists that he has to leave, so they say an emotional goodbye and goes on the run. Lauren is heartbroken to discover his departure the next day.
2014-16
Ryan returned to Walford very briefly in September 2014, when he contacted Whitney to arrange a meeting with Lily, who was now four years old. Stacey disagreed with Lily seeing Ryan, so Whitney arranged a secret meeting at Walford Park. Ryan watches on as Lily plays, and realises that his daughter doesn't need him. He leaves Walford yet again and goes back on the run.
More than a year later in January 2016, following Arthur Fowler's birth, Stacey develops a rare mental illness known as postpartum psychosis - which causes her severe hallucinations. Stacey becomes convinced her son is actually the son of God. Stacey is soon sectioned, however, Lily is shocked and confused to see her mum's deteriorating mental state. Whitney decides to secretly call Ryan, claiming 'no child should have to see their mother in such a state'. Ryan arrives at the Vic to see Lily, who is fast asleep. Ryan is determined to be a father figure in Lily's life, however Whitney desperately tries to persuade him not to tell her he is her father. Whitney later takes Lily to the play-park to meet Ryan, where Lily tells Ryan "you ain't my dad", however he reveals the truth to her. He then arrives at Stacey's house and tells Stacey's partner, Martin, that he is taking Lily away. After being persuaded by Martin and Whitney not to take Lily, Whitney takes him to the Vic to stay for the night after asking Lee and Nancy Carter if it'd be okay. Nancy, however, isn't happy about Ryan staying the night after hearing about him killing Rob. Ryan overhears Nancy and Babe talking about him, and he becomes suspicious. As Whitney and Lee begin to prepare Ryan a spare bed, he sees the Queen Vic's takings and decides to take his chances... he grabs the cash and makes a run for it. Whitney and Nancy soon get into a cat-fight over Ryan, with Mick and Linda returning from their honeymoon to see the chaos unfolding.
Ryan returns the following day to meet Whitney, who tells Ryan that she will be kicked out onto the street if he does not return the money. Ryan is shocked to see that the Queen Vic land-lord Mick Carter has came along with Whitney, and initially assumes the worst. Nevertheless, the trio talk about Ryan's future and he agrees the best thing to do would be to hand himself in so he can, one day, be a proper father to Lily. Ryan hands Mick his money back as Whitney says a tearful goodbye to her brother as he walks into Walford Police Station, Victoria Square.
References
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Character Trial
EastEnders Ryan Malloy Character Trail