Currently, Ryan is the host of Network 10's reality series The Amazing Race Australia and a co-host of Triple M Sydney's breakfast show with Natarsha Belling and Aaron Woods.

Ryan is of distant Irish heritage and was raised in Albion Park[4] and played junior football with Wests Illawarra.

In 2005 he won the Jersey Flegg Cup with the St. George Illawarra Dragons team[5] under coach Steve Price, but left the club as he was behind centres Matt Cooper, Mark Gasnier and Wes Naiqama.

[6] From 2009, Ryan began making regular "comedic" appearances on The Footy Show, and in 2010 started his own "comedy" segment, "Beau Knows...".

[10] In early June 2016, Ryan was involved in controversial segment on The Footy Show which viewers deemed "racist" and "abhorrent".

[12] In 2017, Ryan started filming for the new NRL/AFL cross code movie called “Chasing Comets” which was written and produced by fellow ex-NRL player Jason Stevens.

[16] In October 2023, it was announced that Ryan would host Network 10's revival of the sports entertainment competition show Gladiators Australia, alongside Liz Ellis.

He scored 8 tries in the remaining 13 games, including the last try of the qualifying final match against St George Illawara as the Wests Tigers came from 12-6 down at half time to win 21–12.

He made 310 runs during the year, among the NRLs top twenty performers,[20] and was named in the Prime Minister's XIII at the end of the regular season.

[24] On 5 June 2014, Ryan announced his immediate retirement from rugby league on The NRL Footy Show, due to an ongoing neck injury.

[27] Ryan and longtime partner, Kara Orrell announced to Woman's Day they were expecting their first child and engaged to be married in August 2012.

[32] Ryan returned to The Footy Show in October and neither denied nor admitted to the alleged affair but he apologised to people who had been hurt.