Jack Ryder has joined the cast of 'Holby City'.

Jack Ryder

Jack Ryder

The former 'EastEnders' actor and Amy Lennox have signed up to the medical drama as Evan and his on/off girlfriend Chloe Godard, and the 37-year-old star can't wait to appear on the show.

Jack - who starred as Sean Wells in a 2012 episode of 'Holby' - said: "I am delighted to be joining 'Holby City' and look forward to working with such a talented group of people.

"I can't wait to give a voice to this exciting new character and serve a show that people love."

Jack's alter-ego Evan will arrive at Holby in an attempt to convince Chloe - who is the daughter of Ange (Dawn Steele) - to take their relationship seriously.

Amy added: "I'm thrilled to be joining 'Holby' as Chloe Godard and working with such an amazing cast and crew over at BBC Elstree.

"Chloe has some really great storylines coming up that I can't wait to share with you all. So excited."

Jack has been in talks about the part "for a while", and Simon Harper, executive producer of 'Holby City' and 'Casualty', has teased the medical drama's fans that they are in for "a big treat" when he joins the show.

He added: "We've been talking to Jack for a while to find the right part for him on 'Holby' and his powerful, nuanced audition for Evan blew us away.

"He's both a household name and a superb actor, and fans who remember him as Jamie in 'EastEnders' are in for a big treat and quite a surprise seeing him in this very different role.

"Evan is a complex, alpha surgeon who makes some major waves in Holby."

Jack's latest TV role was just two years ago when he appeared as Gareth in drama series 'In the Club', and prior to that, he starred in 'Holby', and 'The Hollow Crown'.

But he is still best known for starring as Jamie Mitchell in 'EastEnders' from 1998 to 2002.

Jamie appeared in Albert Square as the nephew of Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick) who used to beat him, resulting in him being taken in by his godfather Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden).

However, Jamie's life didn't improve under Phil's guardianship and the Walford hard-man later started beating his godson, too.

Jamie got engaged to Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) but he met a sticky end when he was run over by Martin Fowler - who was played by James Alexandrou at the time - and died in hospital on Christmas Day 2002 of spleen damage.