Jay Duffy was born on April 22, 1996, in Dublin, Ireland, to parents Lisa and Keith Duffyon, who have a younger daughter named Mia, born in 2000. Keith Duffyon, Jay's father, is a well-known actor, having played a significant role on the popular British television series Coronation Street and being a member of the famous boyband Boyzone. As a child, Jay spent a considerable amount of time touring with his father and on the set of Coronation Street, which sparked his interest in acting. His first acting role was playing the iconic character of Peter Pan in a school production.
In May 2011, Jay landed his first major role, playing Declan Brady on Channel 4's popular soap opera Hollyoaks. He initially appeared on the show for a six-week stint during the summer of 2011. The producers of Hollyoaks were so impressed with Jay's performance that they offered him the opportunity to become a full-time cast member, even offering to pay for a private tutor to accommodate his filming schedule. However, Jay's parents were keen for him to complete his education, so he declined the offer.
Instead, it was decided that Jay would film with Hollyoaks during his school holidays. He filmed a one-week guest role during the October half-term break, which aired in January 2012. During an appearance on The Late Late Show in January 2012, Jay expressed his willingness to consider becoming a full-time cast member in Hollyoaks once he had completed his education.
