Thornhill’s surprise star

Thornhill Academy student Ryan Ward who has featured heavily in Educating Yorkshire. (D535J341)

On the face of it, he seems like an ordinary teenager with a good set of friends, who likes Xbox games and movies.

But 13-year-old Ryan Ward has become a star thanks to Educating Yorkshire - with celebrities tweeting about him and people stopping him in the street for photos.

Ryan was featured in the first episode of the show, which follows life in Thornhill Community Academy, along with Year 10 student Bailey Hill.

Thornhill Academy student Judith Webster interviewing fellow pupil Ryan Ward who has featured heavily in Educating Yorkshire. (D535A341)

He was seen making a bid to be part of the school’s Junior Leadership Team, with his sincere election speech and deadpan sense of humour gaining him a legion of fans.

“I was really happy when I found out I was going to be on the show,” Ryan said. “My mum didn’t really mind - she thought I was only a minor part. My family thought the episode was really funny, which is good because I enjoy making people laugh.”

His appearance sparked online talk of ‘Ryan for Prime Minister’, and he’s keen to build on a career in politics - school politics at least.

“I do have an interest in politics. I’m going to run for a place on the Junior Leadership Team again because they’re re-electing people. I would just like to help the community in any way I can.”

Ryan has also received offers to visit the police and fire stations after expressing an interest in the services if his political career fails.

Celebrities such as One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson and Coronation Street actor Jack P Shepherd have also noticed Ryan, tweeting “Little Ryan on Educating Yorkshire is a legend!” and “My personal favourite is Ryan!”

Several fake Facebook and Twitter accounts have been set up, gaining more than 14,000 likes and more than 1,000 followers. And he’s even appeared on the Alan Titchmarsh Show.

Ryan’s gradually getting used to his new-found fame. He said: “The online publicity has made me feel really good about myself, because famous people actually want to talk about me. I’d love to reply to some of the comments but unfortunately, I’m not sure how to use Twitter!”

He added: “Everyone at school always teases me now because they ask for my photo or my autograph.

“And on a school rewards trip to Alton Towers, we were supposed to have about four hours to go on the rides. I only got an hour because people kept stopping me for pictures!”