Ryan Malloy is the son of Debra Dean, brother of Whitney Dean, and biological father of Lily Slater. He made his first appearance on 28 April 2009 and his last appearance on 16 February 2023.
Backstory[]
Ryan was born to Mr Malloy and Debra Dean. Debra walked out on Ryan when he was a year old, leaving him with his alcoholic father. When Ryan was thirteen, his father died and he tracked down his mother for the first time. She revealed to him that he wasn't her only child, leading him to find Whitney.
Storylines[]
2009-2011[]
Ryan made his first appearance on 28th April 2009, originally credited as 'Man'. When he is noticed in the park by Whitney and Shirley Carter, Ryan asks Whitney if she is alright, but she runs off and dismisses the conversation, calling him a "creep". Several weeks later, a fire breaks out in the café, caused by Nick Cotton - Ryan helps Whitney and many others to escape, Whitney then visions Ryan as a random mysterious hero. Whitney's mother, Debra Dean, suddenly turns up at Whitney's house, stating that there is a man after her, Whitney instantly demands to know why, and Debra nervously reveals that she has something belonging to him. They arrive to fetch it, but when they return home, Ryan is there waiting for them; he is actually the man who is angrily chasing Debra. At that moment, Ryan reveals to Whitney that he is her half-brother and admits that he killed someone in self-defence and gave the weapon to Debra to hide. The conversation later results in Ryan demanding it back from Whitney, but she refuses and later decides to disposes of it in a canal.
After planning to leave Walford, Ryan spots Ronnie Mitchell and questions Whitney about Ronnie, causing Ryan to decide to stay, and then moves in with Janine Butcher. Later on, Ronnie subsequently offers Ryan a day's trial at The Queen Victoria public house, during the trial, the pair kiss and eventually go back to Ryan's flat and have sex - but Ronnie implies that it is just a one-off and nothing serious. Ryan then takes part in petty crime, such as: stealing from Ian Beale's café and fish and chip shop. Chelsea Fox winning £2,000 on a scratch-card soon adds to Ryan's list of crimes as he chooses to mug her. After mugging her, Janine finds the stolen money, and reveals to Chelsea that Ryan mugged her, so Chelsea's father, Lucas Johnson, consequently threatens him, and Ryan returns the money. Despite this tension and Ryan's repeated crimes, Ryan and Janine begin to start an on-off fling with one another. At the same time, Janine and Archie Mitchell team up together to try to take over The Queen Vic - She also reveals the plans to Ryan, and the pair ultimately plot to take the pub for themselves, backstabbing Archie in the process of this. Some time later, Ryan sees Whitney crying in the Square; she is still in love with her adoptive mother, Bianca Jackson's, ex-fiancée Tony King, who had been serving time in prison for sexually abusing Whitney. Ryan tries to convince Whitney that Tony's behaviour her was completely wrong, however she storms off, refusing to believe him; Ryan later tells Bianca of Whitney's revelation. Later on, Ryan angrily glares at Tony during the beginning of the trial, proving his true hatred for Tony, Tony is shocked to notice this. Furthermore in the trial, Whitney's witness statement is shown in court, upon hearing this, Ryan storms out in disgust when Whitney states that she was only 12 years old when they had sex. He furiously storms back in, shouting at Tony and branding him as a monster, he also tells Whitney that Tony is a sick man and he will get out of prison when he is an old man.
On Christmas Day 2009, Ryan tells Janine that they are over; later he finds her drunk in the car lot. He tells her that Archie has been murdered, then panics when the police arrive to question everyone. When they question Janine, Ryan doesn't believe that she didn't kill Archie; he says she should win an award 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, 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 to raise money, pretending to be collecting for charity, but when Whitney discovers what they've done, she takes the money from them. 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 bookmakers. 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 must kiss Lucas and Ryan must 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 Vic, where Stacey attempts to tell Ryan about his paternity to her daughter, Lily Branning. However, Pat Evans 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 is not 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 Vic, 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 Vic's walk-in fridge. Although Ryan thinks it was accidental and Janine saved him, Pat inadvertently 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 Vic. 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 Vic 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, Lauren's mother Tanya Jessop finds out that Ryan and Lauren are having sex and disapproves of the relationship. When a drugs raid is carried out at The Queen Vic, 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 phonecall 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 he goes on the run.
2014-2016: Guest returns & arrest[]
While Stacey is in prison for Archie's murder in 2014, Kat takes Lily to visit her and Whitney talks to Lily about her biological father, Ryan. Upon Stacey's release, she informs Whitney that she wants Lily to have nothing to do with Ryan. Stacey later agrees that Lily needs to meet her father at some point, so Whitney arranges for them to meet at the playground. Whitney is disappointed when Ryan does not turn up, but as they walk away, Ryan is revealed to have been watching them from nearby. After an emotional smile, he turns to leave.
In January 2016, Whitney contacts Ryan to inform him that Stacey has been sectioned at the hospital after suffering from postpartum psychosis. He arrives at The Queen Vic, where Whitney is looking after Lily, and assures a sleeping Lily that he will be there for her. The next day, Ryan is determined to be a father figure in Lily's life, however Whitney desperately tries to persuade him not to tell her who he is. Whitney later takes Lily to the park to meet Ryan, where Lily states that Ryan is not her father, however he reveals the truth to her. He then arrives at Stacey's house and tells Stacey's fiancé Martin Fowler that he is taking Lily away. After being talked down by Martin and Whitney, Ryan reluctantly hands Lily back over to Martin, but promises Lily that he will return to see her again. Whitney later asks her boyfriend Lee Carter and his sister, Nancy, if Ryan can stay the night at The Queen Vic and the pair reluctantly agree. However, after Whitney and Ryan argue when Whitney suggests that Ryan hand himself in to the police, Ryan steals money from the safe and flees. This causes a catfight between Whitney and Nancy, as Nancy attempts to call the police on Ryan. The next morning, Whitney contacts Ryan and he asks to meet in the park. Lee and Nancy's father, Mick Carter accompanies Whitney and assures a scared Ryan that he can trust him. It then emerges that Whitney told Mick that Ryan killed Rob, so Whitney and Mick convince Ryan to return the money and hand himself to the police for a lesser charge of manslaughter, to which Ryan agrees on the condition that Whitney and Lily visit him regularly. Whitney shares an emotional goodbye with Ryan as he heads into the police station.
Whitney later visits Ryan in prison, on February 11th 2016. Ryan questions Whitney on her relationship with Lee and she accidentally calls him 'Mick'. Whitney insists her and Lee "are solid", and Ryan encourages her to help Lee through his struggles.
Several months later, on September 20th 2016, Ryan surprises Whitney by returning to Walford. He explains that he has been released due to a lack of evidence and also reveals he is now in a relationship with a prison officer named Helen. Whitney suggests he move in with her and the Carters. However, Ryan declines and proposes that Whitney and Lee move with him to Wakefield. Initially accepting his offer, Whitney later declines as Lee's mother, Linda Carter disapproves of her and Lee moving so far away. Ryan says the offer is always there and that he will keep a room in his house saved for her, Lee, and their unborn baby. After sharing yet another emotional goodbye with Whitney, Ryan departs.
He returns two months later for Whitney and Lee's wedding on November 4th, 2016. After walking Whitney down the aisle, he watches in delight as they get married. Ryan helps Lee deliver a speech dedicated to Whitney before leaving. Ryan later calls Whitney, informing her that he and Helen are engaged.
In December 2022, he contacts Whitney to wish her a happy 30th birthday.
2023: Return for Lily and Whitney's pregnancy[]
After Whitney finds out that twelve-year-old Lily Slater is pregnant, she speaks with Lily about Ryan. Lily tells Whitney that she has not seen her biological father since she was five years old. When Stacey discovers that Whitney has been talking to Lily about Ryan, she warns Whitney not to get involved and says she will inform Ryan about Lily's pregnancy when the time is right. Later, when Whitney phones Ryan to talk about her own pregnancy, she ends up telling Ryan about his daughter's pregnancy.
Ryan returns to Walford the next day, February 14th, and attempts to bond with Lily. It is revealed that Ryan wants to take Lily back to Wakefield to live with him and his wife, Helen, who cannot have children of her own. Stacey discovers his intentions during Lily's baby scan, but Lily takes Ryan's side after an argument ensues. Ryan later asks Lily to come back to Wakefield with him and Lily agrees. However, Lily witnesses Ryan's true colours during another argument with Stacey. Ryan insults Stacey's parenting skills, stating "It's no wonder she ended up pregnant, you've had three kids by three different dads." Lily overhears and orders Ryan to leave. Before leaving, Ryan tells Stacey he is going to cut Lily's child maintenance down to a minimum.
Kill count[]
Murders/manslaughter victims[]
- Unknown person (prior to 2009) (defence) - Stabbed a gang member in self-defence.
- Rob Grayson (26 August 2011) (accidental) - During a fight with Rob, Ryan pushed himself and Rob off the pier and into the sea, accidenally causing Rob to die via drowning.
Attempted murder victims[]
- Janine Butcher (26 December 2010) - Pulled out her oxygen tube for framing Stacey Slater and causing her and his daughter to leave.
Fight count[]
Punches[]
Total: 1
Individual characters punched: 1
Total punches: 1
Background information[]
- Ryan has the joint fifth highest kill count of all the Eastenders killers with 2, behind Johnny Allen (6), Phil Mitchell (5) and Nick Cotton, just behind Gray Atkins (3), Lucas Johnson (3) and Janine Butcher (3) and Ray Kelly (3), and tieing with Aidan Maguire (2) and Ronnie Branning (2). Note: this is taking all forms of murder into account, it is also worth noting that gangster characters like Johnny and Aidan among others have most likely killed more due to their line of work.