Joe Swash has started a surprise new business venture with his ex-girlfriend’s dad, reports have shown. 

The former EastEnders star, 43, who dated his co-star Kara Tointon, 41, from 2008 until 2010, started up a company with her dad Ken, 76. 

Big H and Little R Ltd, presumably named after Joe’s sons, Harry, 17, and Rex, five, was incorporated in September. 

Records on Companies House show Ken as a director, although he resigned after one day. 

Following his split from Kara in 2010, Joe said he was an ‘idiot’ and blamed himself for ‘abandoning’ he, admitting it ‘ripped his heart out.’

Although it now appears the two are on good terms, with her father Ken helping Joe start up is company. 

Joe Swash has started a surprise new business venture with his ex-girlfriend’s dad, reports have shown (pictured in May 2024)

The former EastEnders star, 43, who dated his co-star Kara Tointon, 41, from 2008 until 2010, started up a company with her dad Ken, 76 (pictured in 2009)

According to the register, Ken is a semi-retired accountant and helped steel tycoon Sanjeev Gupta prepare financial statements when he failed to file accounts in the UK.

MailOnline has contacted Joe’s representative for comment.  

Joe and Kara met when they played brother and sister Mickey Miller and Dawn Swann on EastEnders back in 2005.

After Joe left the soap in July 2008, the pair stayed in touch and had just started dating when he flew to Australia to star on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! in November 2008.

The ex-EastEnders admitted he was an ‘idiot’ to let her go when they split blaming himself for ‘abandoning’ her when she was struggling to find work after leaving the soap. 

He told the News Of The World: ‘I wanted to watch Strictly to support her, but I knew it was going to rip my heart out.’

Kara admitted she had felt ‘suicidal’ after she was written out of EastEnders following four years of playing Dawn Swann.

Joe admitted he didn’t even realise how low she was feeling saying: ‘The truth is I didn’t even notice. That’s how selfish I was…’ 

‘It was my fault it broke down. I didn’t know what I had until she was gone. I always said I was punching above my weight, but I can’t believe I took her for granted.’

Big H and Little R Ltd, presumably named after Joe’s sons, Harry, 17, and Rex, five, was incorporated in September with Ken as a director – although he resigned after one day

Joe and Kara met when they played brother and sister Mickey Miller and Dawn Swann on EastEnders back in 2005

The couple parted ways after months of arguments, which started when they appeared in pantomime together over Christmas.

Kara later went on to become engaged to chiropractor Marius Jensen and welcomed baby son Frey into the world in November 2018.

The former couple welcomed a second son, Helly, in January 2021, before splitting the following year. 

They went public with their romance at the Wimbledon Championships in June 2017, and announced their engagement in March 2018.

She previously dated EastEnders co-star James Alexandrou for a year and also was in a long relationship with Busted rocker James Bourne before that.

Just weeks before she started dating Joe, Kara said: ‘I’ve had relationships with people in the business and they haven’t worked out.

‘So maybe it’s time to go out with a guy who does something completely different. A normal job.’