After being Hollyoaks’ sexiest star I made insane money & rejected £2m payday but now I’m a teacher, says Jeremy Edwards

JEREMY Edwards first launched his career as a teenage pin-up model for popular magazines like Mizz and More, before becoming the ultimate heartthrob of the Noughties.

Voted Hollyoaks’ sexiest star – for playing on the hit soap – his smouldering looks and undeniable charisma catapulted him into the limelight.

He also made headlines for his high-profile , particularly with singer .

But life now couldn’t be more different for the 52-year-old, who prefers being a hands-on dad to his two children, Scarlett, seven, and Teddy, four, whom he shares with his wife, Lydia Metz.

“I had the best time of my life when I started out; I was going to elite showbiz parties,”; Jeremy reflects.

“I was young, good-looking, and had loads of – the money was insane – so make of that what you will.

“Nowadays it’d be DMs, but back then the ladies weren't afraid to let you know if they fancied you.

“I got all sorts of propositions, as you can imagine, at nightclubs. They weren’t shy.

“But now things are different. I’m a husband, a dad, and my kids are my main priority.

“I like to be around for them as much as possible – having breakfast together and doing the school run.

“Although, I do still hear mums at the school gates saying, ‘Yeah, I fancied him when I was younger.’”;

Jeremy’s rise to fame wasn’t just limited to the screen.

His and hit singer Rachel's romance captivated the nation, earning them the title of Britain’s number one couple – outshining even Posh and Becks.

In the early Noughties, Jeremy Edwards and Rachel were the golden couple of the celebrity world.

Their whirlwind romance was the stuff of fairytales, with Jeremy proposing to Rachel on Valentine’s Day at London’s Dorchester Hotel after just 18 months of .

“We had a wonderful relationship and were absolutely head over heels in love,”; Jeremy recalls.

Million pound offer

“I adored that girl; she was amazing. We were very good for each other, but there was just too much pressure.

“We in a magazine, and I turned it down.

“We actually knew each other before and S Club 7 because we were both from Barnet in North .

“I was a teen pin-up, and she was mates with another model friend of mine – so she was the younger sister’s friend.

“When we became famous, we bumped into each other at a party, got chatting, and the rest is history.”;

However, after three years together and one year engaged, the pair decided to part ways – and eight months later he met his current wife Lydia.

“We walked away very much in love, and there was no third party involved,”; Jeremy explains.

“Our relationship was in the public eye massively, and I simply couldn’t handle the fame – it didn’t suit me.

“We had a lot of money between us and were house hunting, but our decisions started clashing. I think the level of fame we were both experiencing just contributed to the breakup.”;

Looking back, Jeremy now believes his ADHD, which he was diagnosed with four years ago, played a role in the breakup and his ability to manage the pressures of fame.

I didn’t like the attention from the cameras or being followed.

Jeremy Edwards

“In hindsight, I realise my ADHD brain was struggling – the anxiety it caused me was off the charts, which led to excessive drinking,” he admits.

“I like being successful, back then I did like being famous.

“Back then I also never stayed in the same job for more than four or five years.

“I enjoy doing all my jobs and keeping busy, but back then I didn't like pressure and there's nothing wrong with having a ‘normal job.'

“I didn’t like the attention from the cameras or being followed. Fame sent me over the edge, and that’s sad.”;

Today, Jeremy juggles four businesses, neurodiverse students at the UK Film Academy, book writing, acting, and presenting on the teleshopping channel Ideal World.

He’s also launched, TWIST: The Way I See Things on his TikTok page @jeremytwist, which explores pressing issues in Britain, from and mental to inequality and the cost-of-living crisis.

“I’ve written novels and children’s ., but I’m also about to perform in a play in Greenwich starting in May,”; he says.

“I haven’t given up acting. I have a new agent and now my family is completely I am raring to go again. But it’s Hollyoaks’ 30th anniversary this year, and I wouldn’t mind coming back for that.

“I love my projects and staying busy, but most importantly, I want to be around for my kids and watch them grow up.

“I take on jobs that allow me to see them and spend time with them. That’s important to me, but now I want to take on more acting roles. I feel ready for it.”