Lee Ryan: why does former Blue singer have ‘no money’ to pay a driving fine - and who is his girlfriend?

Former Blue member Lee Ryan has told a court he cannot afford to pay a driving fine.

The singer, who scored three UK No 1s in both the singles and albums charts with the boy band, has said loss of income during the Covid-19 pandemic means he cannot afford to pay a £1,501 driving fine.

Why did he get a speeding fine?

Ryan was charged with driving a Mercedes at 70 mph in a 60 mph limit in Peterborough twice last year.

The charges were dismissed, but he was found guilty after a trial for two counts of failing to provide information about the driver.

After saying during the hearing that he had sent off the required information, he was informed that if the money is not paid he can be brought back to court and could face time in prison.

Ryan told the court that his girlfriend, Verity Paris - whose real name is Verity Morley - had the use of his vehicle "because she was going up and down the country in the car with her job".

"I gave her my car because I thought it was safer than her own," he said.

After Alison Marsh, presiding justice, listed the £660 fine, £66 victim surcharge and £775 prosecution costs, Ryan said: "I just don’t have any money.

"I’m not working. I mean, they’ve stopped the gigs. I don’t have any gigs. They’ve stopped everything because of the pandemic.

"There’s still no shows going on."

It was put to Ryan that there are shows going on in the UK, but he said: "I’ve not got anything. I haven’t got anything."

Asked if it would be unreasonable to think he may have some savings, he said: "No, I spent them all in COVID."

Who is Lee Ryan?

Lee Ryan was a member of the boy band Blue with Antony Costa, Duncan James and Simon Webbe. He was part of the group from their formation in 2000 until their split in 2005.

He pursued a solo career, and joined the band in their reformation where they represented the UK at the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest.

He has starred in various reality TV series, including Strictly Come Dancing, Celebrity Big Brother and Celebs Go Dating, and also acted in EastEnders.

What is Lee Ryan’s net worth?

In 2015, Lee Ryan became the fourth and final Blue member to declare bankruptcy.

His current net worth is unknown.

However he declared he “had no money” after being given a driving fine in August 2021, and that he was unable to pay the £1,500.

Who is Lee Ryan’s girlfriend Verity Paris?

Lee Ryan is in a relationship with former X Factor star and Ariana Grande impersonator, Verity Paris.

She appeared on the X Factor in 2009, aged 19, alongside her pregnant friend. While the pair made it to Bootcamp, they had to pull out because her friend was due to give birth.

Paris reportedly started dating Ryan in January 2020, and they had a child together in 2021.

The couple are not married, and have no plans to tie the knot anytime soon.