Sam Ryder Age & Biography

Sam Ryder is a 37-year-old British singer and songwriter, best known for finishing second at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 with “Space Man”, the United Kingdom’s best result in the contest since 1998. Born on 25 June 1989 in Maldon, Essex, he worked as a builder and sang in bands for years before his TikTok covers during the COVID-19 pandemic brought him a record deal. In October 2026 he joined Celebrity Race Across the World series 4 with his best friend and tour manager Kaz, racing 7,500 kilometres from Kuching in Borneo to Melbourne on £26 a day per person.

Full Name	Sam Ryder
Age	37 years old
Date of Birth	25 June 1989
Birthplace	Maldon, Essex, England
Occupation	Singer, songwriter
Known For	“Space Man”; Eurovision Song Contest 2022 runner-up
Partner	Lois Gaskin-Barber
Net Worth	Not publicly known
Race Across the World	Racing with best friend and tour manager Kaz; 2nd in Leg 1, 3rd in Leg 2

Who Is Sam Ryder?

Sam Ryder is a British singer and songwriter who became a household name in 2022, when he represented the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest in Turin with “Space Man” and finished second with 466 points. It was the UK’s best Eurovision result since 1998, and the song reached number two in the UK singles chart. His debut album, There’s Nothing but Space, Man!, reached number one in the UK in October 2022, and in 2026 he took on a new challenge, racing across Asia and Australia with his best friend Kaz on Celebrity Race Across the World.

Early Life & Background

Sam Ryder was born on 25 June 1989 in Maldon, Essex, England, and grew up in Chelmsford. He first began performing as a child and sang in a church choir, and as a teenager he was inspired by bands including Queen and Green Day. He attended St John Payne Catholic School in Chelmsford, where he started a band and performed with friends, and in his twenties he worked as a builder while playing in bands, including The Morning After, in which he was the lead singer from 2013 to 2015.

Career

Ryder’s breakthrough came during the COVID-19 pandemic, when his covers of songs such as Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” and Queen’s “Somebody to Love” went viral on TikTok. He signed with Parlophone in 2021, and on 22 February 2022 he released “Space Man”, which was chosen to represent the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022. In the final in Turin in May 2022, he finished second with 466 points, and “Space Man” reached number two in the UK singles chart.

His debut album, There’s Nothing but Space, Man!, was released on 14 October 2022 and reached number one in the UK. He released his second album, Heartland, on 17 October 2025, and from 20 June to 5 September 2026 he played Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar at the London Palladium. On 28 October 2026, Ryder began Celebrity Race Across the World series 4 on BBC One, racing with his best friend and tour manager Kaz. The pair are travelling 7,500 kilometres from Kuching in Borneo to Melbourne, with £26 a day each and no access to flights, phones or credit cards. They finished second in the first leg and third in the second leg, which aired on 4 November 2026. For the full series 4 cast, see our Celebrity Race Across the World 2026 cast guide.

Facts About Sam Ryder

• He was born on 25 June 1989 in Maldon, Essex, England.
• He finished second at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 with “Space Man”, scoring 466 points.
• “Space Man” reached number two in the UK singles chart, and his debut album reached number one in the UK.
• He played Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar at the London Palladium in 2026.
• He and his best friend Kaz finished second in the first leg of Celebrity Race Across the World series 4.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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