Jonny Labey Explained

Jonny Labey
Birth Place:Jersey, Channel Islands
Occupation:Actor
Years Active:2010–present
Birth Date:1993 1, df=y
Television:EastEnders (2015–2016)Hollyoaks (2024-present)

Jonny Labey (born 15 January 1993) is a British actor, known for portraying the role of Paul Coker on the BBC soap opera EastEnders.[1]

Early life

Labey is from Grouville, Jersey. He attended Grouville School and Victoria College. He began dancing aged 5 and appeared in his first stage show aged 8 as part of the Jersey Amateur Dramatic Club.[2] In 2011, he left Jersey to take a BA course at the Doreen Bird College of Performance in Sidcup, London,[3] graduating in 2014. His cousin is fellow actor Philip Labey, known for starring as "Acorn" in various television advertisements for Oak Furnitureland alongside Stephen Critchlow in the mid-2010s.[2]

Career

After graduating, Labey appeared in stage shows including In the Heights and White Christmas. He appeared in Leon Lopez's film Soft Lad.[2] Labey joined the cast of EastEnders in 2015, in the role of Paul Coker, the grandson of Les Coker (Roger Sloman) and Pam Coker (Lin Blakley).[4] The character falls in love with Ben Mitchell (Harry Reid), but was later killed off in a homophobic attack.[5] Labey appeared in EastEnders between 1 June 2015 and 8 September 2016, appearing in 106 episodes. His first role after leaving EastEnders was as the lead character, Rupert Brooke, in the play Verge of Strife, staged in Edinburgh in August 2016.[6] In 2017, he was a contestant on ITV's Dance Dance Dance.

In October 2019, he began competing in .[7] He was given a safe seat along with Jenny Ryan and Try Star in week 1, but was eliminated in week 2 after landing in the bottom 2 with Martin Bashir as the result went to deadlock. He finished in tenth place. In 2022, he portrayed Jamie Renton in an episode of the BBC soap opera Doctors.[8]

Labey joined the cast of Hollyoaks in June 2024 as Rex, a gangster and pimp of Hannah Ashworth[9]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
2015Soft LadDavidFilm
2015–2016EastEndersPaul CokerSeries regular; 106 episodes
2015Children in Need Himself Performed in "EastEnders Does Top Hat" medley
2017Dance Dance Dance Himself Winner (First of the series)
2017Taking The Next Step JudgeCBBC talent show
2019HimselfContestant
2022DoctorsJamie RentonEpisode: "Ancient History"
2022Dare To DreamTheoShort film
2022Toby PhilkesEpisode: "If Music Be the Food of Love"
2024-HollyoaksRex Gallagher

Discography

Singles

As featured artist

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryResult
2015Inside Soap AwardsBest Affair (shared with Harry Reid)[12]
2015Digital Spy Reader AwardsBest Newcomer[13]
2016Inside Soap AwardsBest Partnership (shared with Reid)[14]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Jonny Labey joins EastEnders as Paul Coker. BBC. 27 July 2016. 16 April 2015.
  2. News: Jerseyman joining the cast of EastEnders. 16 April 2015. Jersey Evening Post. 28 July 2016.
  3. News: 'He's one of the family!' – Champagne corks pop in Grouville as Jonny Labey makes his EastEnders debut. 2 June 2015. Jersey Evening Post. 28 July 2016.
  4. Web site: Brown. David. EastEnders: Ben Mitchell gets up close and personal with newcomer Paul Coker. Radio Times. 27 July 2016. 24 May 2015.
  5. Web site: Welsh. Daniel. EastEnders' Viewers React As Paul Coker's Death Revealed To Be Result Of Homophobic Attack. HuffPost. 27 July 2016. 22 July 2016.
  6. News: EastEnders spoilers: Jonny Labey to leave Paul Coker role. Brown. David. 19 April 2016. Radio Times. 1 August 2016.
  7. Web site: When is X Factor: Celebrity on? ITV show returns with star lineup. Duke. Simon. 12 October 2019. Evening Chronicle. 12 October 2019.
  8. News: Timblick . Simon . 'Doctors' spoilers: WHY is Zara Carmichael on the warpath? . 27 January 2022 . . (Future plc).
  9. News: Lindsay . Duncan . 4 June 2024 . "EastEnders star Jonny Labey lands in Hollyoaks as a major villain – with a mega Hannah Ashworth twist" . Metro (British newspaper).
  10. Web site: X Factor Celebrities 2019 full Official Chart history. Official Charts Company. 7 December 2019.
  11. Peak positions for singles in Scotland:
  12. Web site: Inside Soap Awards 2015 longlist revealed: Who's in line for Best Actor, Actress and Newcomer?. Dainty. Sophie. 14 July 2015 . . 14 July 2015.
  13. News: Kilkelly . Daniel . Your soap winners of 2015: Emmerdale, EastEnders whodunit and Hollyoaks classroom clinch. 25 December 2015 . . . 25 December 2015.
  14. News: Inside Soap Awards 2016 longlist revealed. Sandwell. Ian. 21 June 2016. Digital Spy. 23 June 2016.