They were the hunks who left fans hot under the collars as analogue audiences faithfully tuned into their nightly soap instalment.
Be it a sweep of their glossy 90s curtains or a peep of their toned torsos, these Walford residents and Cobbles hotties kept us captivated – and we’re not talking about the salacious storylines.
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One hunk’s Christmas Day death left a nation in mourning, while another caused a stir for bedding Dales icon Kim Tate – then there’s the Platt sibling known for causing chaos in Weatherfield (and we’re not talking about David).
Here we look back at a handful of soap’s sexiest stars through the decades and what happened to them after their on-screen exits.
Jack Ryder
Actor Jack, 44, shot to fame in EastEnders in 1998 as lovable market trader Jamie Mitchell.
Aged just 17, he arrived on Albert Square with floppy blonde hair and a beaming smile that had us giddy.
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With his boyband good looks, he was quickly snapped up by Sonia Fowler – but in true soap form, their romance came to a heartbreaking end when he was killed off in EastEnders in 2002.
Jack, who previously was married to actress and Hear’Say star Kym Marsh, hasn’t completely bid goodbye to the screen – as he’s since gone on to become an acting coach and head up his own business Jack Ryder Sessions.
Paul Nicholls
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Fellow EastEnders hunk Paul Nicholls is best known for playing Joe Wicks in the BBC soap from 1996 to 1997.
With his curtains and grungy fashion style, he quickly made a name for himself and became a teen pin-up with soap fans.
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During his 18 months in the Square, his character was memorably known for battling schizophrenia – with his portrayal of the condition winning huge praise from viewers.
But sadly behind-the-scenes he also faced a number of personal issues including suffering with depression as well as drink and drug problems.
In 2017, Paul also spent a lengthy stay in hospital after a devastating fall in Thailand.
The actor plummeted from a jungle waterfall and spent three days trapped in a rock pool with a smashed leg.
Fast forward to 2022 and he appeared to have his life back on track, starring in BBC kids drama Phoenix Rise.
Sean Maguire
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Sean shot to fame in 1999 on the smash hit kids show, Grange Hill.
Not long after, he headed to Albert Square to play troubled teen Aidan Brosnan.
Joining the soap as a 17-year-old in 1993, Sean took on tough storylines focused on homelessness and drug abuse.
Sean then became a pop star after leaving EastEnders, scoring eight top 30 hits including Good Day, which peaked at number 12 in the UK.
He‘s since swapped Britain for sunny California, emigrating in 2000 and his acting career has gone from strength to strength Stateside.
He recently put a call out on Instagram to Irish stars to collaborate with him on a new show he’s developing.
Adam Rickitt
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Adam, now 48, first found fame as Nick Tilsley on the Coronation Street cobbles in 1997.
He remained on Corrie for two years, with his character getting caught up in a complicated romance with Leanne Battersby, played by Jane Danson.
In 1999, he took a shot at pop stardom with a solo music career, hitting the Top 10 with his single I Breathe Again.
He initially signed a six-album deal with Polydor, although he only released one, Good Times, before parting ways with them.
After setting up a bar in Knutsford, Cheshire, Adam this year performed at Manchester Pride and teased new music for fans.
Rob James-Collier
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Rob, 49, delighted Corrie fans with a two-year stint on the ITV soap between 2006 and 2008.
He played factory boss Liam Connor but quit after fears of being “typecast” in his Weatherfield role.
During his time on-screen he proved hugely popular with fans and even scooped the Sexiest Male at the British Soap Awards gong.
He went on to star as Thomas Barrow in hit drama Downton Abbey, as well as taking the lead in Channel 5 series, Cooper and Fry.
Noah Huntley
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Sussex-born Noah, 51, who played Emmerdale’s Luke McAllister, first landed on screens in 1993.
After his bride-to-be Tina left him at the altar, his character went on to feud with the Dingles.
In a vengeful act, he was shown kidnapping Tina, forcing her into a car and speeding off, leading to a deadly crash.
This marked Noah’s exit from the ITV soap after just two years – yet his shoulder-length brunette locks and smouldering locks won him a legion of loyal fans.
Following his time on Emmerdale, his career took off, leading him to land prominent roles in The Chronicles of Narnia and Snow White and the Huntsman.
He showed off his unrecognisable look in the new roles, which have also seen him star in Casualty.
Ian Kelsey
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Emmerdale alum Ian, 59, played Dave Glover from 1994 to 1996, which saw his character romantically involved with Kim Tate (Claire King).
However, Dave was later killed off while rescuing baby Jamie Tate from a fire.
He is in a relationship with fellow Emmerdale alum Beth Cordingly and she previously gushed she is “so in love”.
They first met 20 years ago but went on to marry other people and then bumped into each other again in 2021 when they quickly got together.
The pair even star in motorcycle vlogs together.
Jeremy Edwards
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Jeremy, 55, shot to fame in 1995 as Kurt Benson, one of Hollyoaks’ original characters.
Kurt was killed off-screen in 1999 but Jeremy made a return to Hollyoaks in 2020 with the character coming back from the dead.
Just three months later he quit the show and revealed fan reaction to the return was one of the reasons why.
Many viewers refused to accept Kurt had transformed into a conman and hounded Jeremy on social media.
He recently exclusively told The Sun about his weight loss and banishing his dad bod after tipping the scales at more than 16 stone – as well as re-vamping his career to become a public speaker coach.
Ricky Whittle
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Ricky, 46, is best known for playing Calvin Valentine on Hollyoaks.
After his character was killed off in 2010, he moved to Los Angeles to work in Hollywood.
Ricky has since starred in shows including The 100 and American Gods.
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Though he made a Hollyoaks return in 2011 as a ghost, delighting his loyal soap fans.
Last year, The Sun exclusively revealed how he had signed up to celeb dating app Raya after re-locating to London, filling his profile with cute snaps and topless shots.