Meet the ‘real-life Grinch’ who travels around the UK this Christmas spreading mayhem – ‘eating light bulbs’ and ‘torturing’ children with his ‘onion breath’.
Ryan Swain, 34, decided to take on the role after being compared to his hero, Jim Carrey, since childhood.
Despite the job being unpaid and one of the “toughest” of his career, Swain says putting a smile on the faces of vulnerable people across the UK is worth it.
He sneakily “crashes” hospitals, SEN groups and community centers to spread festive mayhem – telling pranks, eating onions “like a maniac” and “swallowing bulbs” as real.
Swain, an actor, from Malton, North Yorkshire, said: “I love the character so much – and I wanted to put my own spin on it, even though Jim Carrey is my hero.
“It’s about big, mischievous, brazen energy.
“Everything I do is improvisation – I have jokes and a lot of families bring their own props, like onions.
“I try to keep it personal for each family.”
Swain began playing the festive character in 2022 – after being told since childhood that he had a Jim Carrey-like demeanor.
As a student at Scarborough School of the Arts, he was known for straying from scripts, turning to “Carrey-style” improvisation.
A number of his friends pointed out the similarities – and he quickly became Swain’s Hollywood hero.
“I’ve always used scripts off the cuff,” Swain said.
“People were always saying things like, ‘God, he’s just like Jim Carrey.’
“I’ve been watching his films for about 30 years and I’ve studied all his mannerisms.
“As a performer, nobody likes to be compared to anyone else – but he’s always been a hero of mine.”
Swain was asked to perform as The Grinch for a Winter Wonderland in November 2023 – and he decided to perform as the “Jim Carrey Grinch”.
Since then, he has starred as the festive furry character every Christmas, visiting children across the UK.
His act, though largely improvised, involves him showing off barcaletas to children and adults, as well as “maniacally” eating onions and, more recently, glass sugar bulbs.
“Some of my jokes are very cheeky and fly over the kids’ heads,” he added.
“I did a concert last weekend [November 23] with Chris Kamara, and I ‘ruined’ this awards ceremony.
“I said, ‘I’m the biggest Christmas star, even bigger than you, Chris Kamara – I’m so big, you can put me on top of your Christmas tree.’
“Many families also bring onions.
“I’ll take them, cheat on them, hold one and bite into them raw, before eating a lot of it like a maniac.
“Then I breathe in the children’s faces.”
It takes Swain more than an hour to put on make-up for each gig – every wrinkle and tuft of fur is painstakingly glued to his face.
He says the time it takes to prepare for the role each year has made it more difficult so far.
But, despite not being paid for it, he says that “it’s all worth it in the end”.
“When Jim Carrey talks about the role, he says he feels like he’s been buried alive,” he said.
“And I get it – it’s one of the funniest gigs to do, but also one of the hardest.
“It takes me about an hour and a half to get ready – to get the makeup and the costume ready.
“But you’re going out there and making a big difference.
“There are a lot of people who find Christmas very scary – why not get out there and spread some Christmas cheer for them.”
The Yorkshire Grinch’s next stops are York Hospital on Blood Day (December 10) and Scarborough County Hospital on December 12.
“I decided to volunteer my time, donate some gifts and bring some fun and festive cheer to those who are not feeling well this Christmas at my local hospitals,” he added.
“We’ll be visiting York and Scarborough on Blood Days so it’s going to be very busy.
“I’m looking forward to spending some time with the kids and bringing them some festive cheer – rather than the festive banter that the character is known for.”
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