EastEnders Zack star quit modelling to join BBC soap for heartbreaking reason

EastEnders’ James Farrar quit his modelling role as a model for a sombre reason.

The actor, who first appeared on the BBC soap in March 2021 as Zack Hudson,

confessed he ditched his job to be with his mother, who is battling cancer. He previously spoke to TV Mag opening up about his career change.

He explained at the time: “One of the reasons I joined EastEnders was because of my mum, who has cancer.” Knowing his modelling career often brought him out of the country and away from his mother, James decided she was worth the sacrifice.

READ MORE: Click for more brilliant Daily Star TV stories

READ MORE: EastEnders Zack star’s forgotten roles on three other soaps before Walford stint

“It meant that if these are my last days with her, we spent them together rather than me travelling the world,” he added. James admitted that his mother is “smashing it” following her diagnosis and having gone through her chemotherapy treatment. He said: “She’s smashing it. She’s got the grit of a warrior.” Many soap lovers will be shocked to know Zack isn’t James’ first role on the hit BBC soap.

In 2011, he secured a spot in the Square as a character named Brendan for one episode. His TV credits also include a one-year stint in Channel 4’s Hollyoaks as Liam Gilmore and appearances in Silent Witness, Doctors and Call The Midwife.H e has been balancing his career as an actor and bringing up his child as a doting dad after his wife welcomed their first child back in Novemebr 2021.

He told TV Mag: “I think it was a blessing that I took the job on EastEnders because Summer, my little baby, wouldn’t have arrived if I was still doing the silly hours and travelling I was going with modelling.” Fans will be seeing a lot of James in the coming weeks as Zack’s wedding day to Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) arrives in Walford.