Ryan Connor was born to Nick and Wendy Neeson on 14th January, 1992. However, a mix-up at Weatherfield General meant he was taken home by Dean and Michelle Connor who believed he was their son and are listed as his parents on his birth certificate. He was close to his dad Dean. However, Dean was killed in a road traffic accident in 2001 when Ryan was only just turned nine, and it was later revealed that it was his uncle Paul Connor that was driving and had switched seats with Dean to avoid being convicted of driving while intoxicated.
Biography
1992-2007: Arrival
In December 2006, Ryan was caught by Norris Cole vandalising The Kabin. Michelle made him help in The Kabin every night after school for a week. For a time, Michelle dated Sonny Dhillon. After they broke up, Ryan went joyriding in Sonny's car. He was caught by the police, though later released. When he returned to the Street, his uncle Paul smacked him across the face. The reason for this was later revealed to be that Paul caused the demise of Ryan's late father, Dean, due to careless driving. In an episode several months later, Paul died in a car accident after kidnapping Leanne Battersby.
2007-2008: Baby-swap
Throughout December 2007, Ryan was stalked by a mysterious stranger who knew him by name. When tracked down, the man, Nick Neeson, explained that he believed Ryan to be his real son, and his own son Alex to be Michelle's after a baby mix-up at the hospital. A DNA test later confirmed this to be the case. Ryan got extremely jealous when his mother started taking Alex out for the day and had a fight with him in January 2008.
The fight resulted in the pair both being hit by a car and suffering minor injuries. Nick wrote Ryan a letter, in which he told him he was sorry for stalking him and hoped he understood why he had to see him. Ryan tore it up before reading it and Michelle picked up the pieces. Inside was a picture of Ryan just after he was born with Nick and Wendy. Ryan moved in with his uncle and aunt, Liam and Maria Connor in February 2008, feeling excluded because Alex was living with Michelle. After Alex moved out in March, Ryan moved back in. Ryan continues to see Nick on occasions.
2008-2010: Liam's death
On 16th October 2008, Ryan attended Tony Gordon's stag party where Tony had plotted to murder Ryan's adoptive uncle Liam after he had discovered his affair with Carla Connor. However, when the group were planning to visit a strip club, Tony sent him home as he was too young and only minutes after Ryan had left, Liam was killed in a hit and run. He was later informed of the news by his adoptive mother Michelle.
2010: Relationship with Sian Powers
Ryan briefly dated Sian Powers. They kissed during one of his gigs and started going out. Later, Sian's father Vinnie began threatening Ryan, as he was suspicious that he had been sleeping with Sian after finding condoms in her bag. They later had sex, only to be caught by Michelle. After arguing, Sian left. Her father found out the pair had slept together and sent Sian to Southport to live with her mother Janet. This left Ryan deeply upset.
Shortly after Sian returned, she broke up with Ryan, thinking that he had feelings for another girl. Sophie later found him and tried to give him some advice, however he misread her intentions and made a move on her. After initially lying about the kiss (saying that Sophie initiated it), Sian found out that he tried to kiss Sophie and she broke up with him indefinitely, and later began a relationship with Sophie
2012-2013: Return to the Street
On 17th July 2012, Ryan returned to Weatherfield after completing his university course in Glasgow and firstly saw Sophie Webster, who was cleaning No.13 and started a fire which then he got the blame for. The following month, he took an instant liking to David Platt's wife Kylie and they had a drink in the Rovers which led to Ryan offering her cocaine. Later that evening, Ryan's mother Michelle and her boyfriend Steve McDonald caught him in the toilets snorting cocaine. Michelle and landlady Stella Price called the Police on him and he was released following a caution. Tracy Barlow took a supposed liking towards Ryan which angered Michelle and Steve especially when Tracy continued to take her relationship further with Ryan leading to them having sex. Tracy then faked a pregnancy, confusing Ryan. When Steve requested that she had an abortion, Michelle ended her relationship with Steve and the pair split up. Tracy finally explained that she had faked her pregnancy when Ryan proposed marriadge to her. Ryan, Michelle, Steve, Ken and Deirdre Barlow were all hurt and angry. Wanting to rekindle their relationship, Steve came begging back to Michelle and although Ryan explained that Steve should not be with his mother, Michelle eventually gave him another chance. Ryan - hurt that his mother didn't listen to him and that Tracy rejected him - took Sophie to a club in the city.
While at the club, Ryan took cocaine which angered Sophie, and she threatened to call Michelle. Ryan started an argument with another man before leaving, begging Sophie not to tell Michelle. Ryan attempted to play chicken on the road and told Sophie to go home. Not wanting Ryan to get hurt, Sophie talked sense into him and he let her help him. When Sophie tried to go to him, she got hit by a vehicle. The driver called an ambulance while Ryan tried to blame it on him. Once the ambulance arrived, Ryan ran home to tell Michelle what had happened. She and Sophie's parents, Kevin and Sally were all furious by Ryan's actions. Sophie begged her parents not to report Ryan to the police, and soon things were alright once Sophie made a speedy recovery. In March 2013, Ryan became the new manager of Prima Doner and quickly employed Katy Armstrong, who was in a relationship with Chesney Brown at the time. Soon, Ryan and Katy began an affair. When Katy's friend Steph Britton became jealous of Ryan, Katy put her off by revealing his drug use in the past. Days later, Ryan and Katy were discovered by Gary Windass in the back of a van. The news hit Chesney and he split up with Katy later on. Ryan and Katy began frequently clubbing and sleeping together before they became a couple. Months later, their relationship took a turn as Ryan was supposedly texting another woman, Jamie-Lee. However, really they were working together in a club. As soon as Katy saw them together, she got the wrong idea and insulted Jamie-Lee's age before leaving Ryan. By October, Ryan was jobless so Michelle's partner Steve McDonald convinced Ryan to jet off to Ibiza to become a DJ. Michelle was sad to see her son go, but Katy and Steph weren't really bothered. Michelle and Steve bade Ryan farewell as he left in a taxi for Manchester Airport.
He sent a card to his mother, Michelle on the day of her wedding to Steve McDonald in May 2015.
Background information
- In 2010, Ryan was axed by producer Phil Collinson, although it was said that the character would continue making occasional appearances in the show. However it wasn't until two years later in 2012 that the character was eventually reintroduced, and Ben Thompson was replaced by Sol Heras. Stories following the character's 2012 return included him taking cocaine and dating Katy Armstrong.
- In July 2013 - almost a year after his reintroduction - it was reported that Heras would be leaving at the end of his contract. The character departed three months later in October.
Quotes
"Taxi never turned up. I waited like... half an hour" (First line, to mother Michelle)
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"I will, yeah." (Final line to Michelle)