EastEnders fans have taken to social media to react after discovering that Molly Rainford has a secret famous family member.

The actress, 24, has played Anna Knight in the soap since 2023, after starting her career on the CBBC, presenting Friday Download and starring as the тιтular character in sci-fi series Nova Jones.

While she first came to fame after getting to the finals of Britain’s Got Talent in 2012 and made new fans with her appearance on Strictly Come Dancing in 2022.

However, it appears many were unaware that the talented star was also the daughter of a former football player.

Molly’s father is David Rainford, who used to play Chelmsford City and now works at The Premier League.

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EastEnders fans have taken to social media to react after discovering that Molly Rainford has a secret famous family member (pictured on Thursday)

The actress, 24, has played Anna Knight in the soap since 2023, after starting her career on the CBBC, presenting Friday Download and starring as the тιтular character in sci-fi series Nova Jones

While she first came to fame after getting to the finals of Britain’s Got Talent in 2012 and made new fans with her appearance on Strictly Come Dancing in 2022 (seen with partner Carlos Gu)

Dave started at Colchester United and returned to the team during his senior career in 1997, going onto play for Slough Town, Heybridge Swifts, Bishop’s Stortford and AFC Hornchurch.

During his stint as Dagenham & Redbridge’s midfielder, he chose to play part-time while also working as teacher at a local school, telling BBC EsSєx in 2008: ‘I’ve got the perfect balance in my life and am really enjoying it.’

He added: It’s nice at the moment because a lot of the publicity I’m getting is about my football, and the combination my life has got is fantastic, if not eventful and hard work.’

He was then midfielder for Chelmsford City FC and later became the club’s ᴀssistant football manager from 2012 to 2013.

Dave now enjoys a top job for the Premier League, as Head of Education & Academy Player Care.

After discovering the idenтιтy of Molly’s dad, EastEnders fans took to Reddit to debate over whether she deserved the ‘nepo baby’ label.

Some insisted that the singer’s success was ‘helped’ by her dad’s own career, saying: ‘That’s a lot of nepotism’; ‘you’re telling me she got into eastenders for her acting talent?! Everyone knows it’s her dad that helped.’

Molly’s father is David Rainford, who used to play Chelmsford City and now works at The Premier League (pictured in 2007)

Dave started at Colchester United and returned to the team during his senior career in 1997, going onto play for Slough Town, Heybridge Swifts, Bishop’s Stortford, AFC Hornchurch and Dagenham & Redbridge (pictured in 2007)

He was midfielder for Chelmsford City FC (pictured in 2011) and later became the club’s ᴀssistant football manager from 2012 to 2013, and now works for the Premier League as Head of Education & Academy Player Care

However, many came to Molly’s defence, arguing that she was in an entirely different industry to her dad and that his success wouldn’t have been able to open any doors to her in TV or music.

They wrote: ‘I don’t see how she’s a nepo baby when neither of her parents have any connection to TV or film.’

‘None of it is nepotism – it isn’t family connections that have helped her out she was just lucky enough to have been given a mᴀssive opportunity at a young age.’

‘It’s a buzz word now and people just don’t know what nepotism actually means. Anyone born to remotely affluent parents is now called a ‘nepo baby’. Privileged and silver spooned? Yes. Nepo baby? No.’

While Molly has previously credited a famous star for ‘changing my life’, she was referring to Simon Cowell, rather than her dad.

After failing to win BGT when she was 11 years old, Simon and his record label sponsored her to go to the coveted Sylvia Young Theatre School.

The prestigious London school has been a H๏τbed of talent for decades, producing singers including Adele, Dua Lipa, Amy Winehouse, Rita Ora, and Emma Bunton, plus actors Keeley Hawes, Nicholas Hoult and Daniel Kaluuya.

After discovering the idenтιтy of Molly’s dad, EastEnders fans took to Reddit to debate over whether she deserved the ‘nepo baby’ label (seen in 2023)

While Molly has previously credited a famous star for ‘changing my life’, she was referring to Simon Cowell, rather than her dad (Simon seen last month at BGT semi-final)

After failing to win BGT when she was 11 years old (pictured), Simon and his record label sponsored her to go to the coveted Sylvia Young Theatre School

Molly previously explained: ‘I did Britain’s Got Talent in 2012 when I was 11 years old. That definitely changed my life because after getting to the finals, I was sponsored by Sony Music and Simon Cowell to go to the Sylvia Young theatre school. From those auditions throughout school, I got into the CBBC world.’

Music mogul Simon agreeing to sponsor her stage-schooling when Molly’s family turned down his offer of a record deal, determined their daughter would not become a one-hit wonder.

Molly voiced her graтιтude to the Daily Mail in 2022, gushing: ‘Simon is Mr BGT and he made that happen, I will always be grateful. It meant I could do what I love.’

While she said the biggest thing her dad Dave has done to help her with her career is to raise her with the understanding of the important of a real work ethic.