NEW HORIZONS Top Emmerdale star secretly joins rival soap three years after quitting ITV over contract clash
HE spent 18 years on Emmerdale after arriving as the long-lost son of the soap’s longest-serving actor.
Now Matthew Wolfenden is crossing over to a rival daytime drama – dashing hopes he will ever return as David Metcalfe.
The 45-year-old is celebrating landing a job as a regular on Hollyoaks, three years after leaving the Dales.
“This an exciting new chapter for Matthew,” a source told The Sun.
“He’s a big signing for Hollyoaks and is expected to be a hit with viewers.”
Matthew left Emmerdale in late 2023 after being offered the starring role of Buddy in an eight-week run of Elf the musical in London’s West End.
A strict cast rule meant he wasn’t allowed to take time out over Christmas, so he chose not to renew his contract.
His exit played out on-screen in April 2024, with bosses choosing not to kill him off.
Matthew previously told The Sun: “My contract was coming to an end and I had this big decision to make, do I leave an 18 year job to do an eight week show?
“When you look back, in hindsight, to leave a well paid job to go and do an eight week run is a little crazy.
“I thought if I don’t do it now then I’ll never do it.
“Luckily, John Whiston, the big boss at Emmerdale, wrote me a lovely email saying ‘Look, we’re not going to kill you off that is not me saying you can come back’ obviously they can’t say that, but the door will be left open for the character of David, which was very nice.”
Matthew’s character David was the son of Eric Pollard, who’s played by the soap’s longest-serving actor Chris Chittell, who joined in 1986.
David left the village after discovering his son Jacob was in a relationship with his ex, Victoria, and couldn’t handle their betrayal.
However, rather than making a return to the ITV soap, Matthew has decided to move on to pastures new.
He’s started following Hollyoaks on Instagram as well as some of its top stars including Kieran Richardson, Anna Passey, Kirsty-Leigh Porter and Ashley Dawson.
EMMERDALE and Coronation Street are facing more changes as a result of ITV slashing its budget.
Bosses are believed to be axing one in ten cast members in the latest round of savage cost-cutting of their two flagship soaps.
Proposed plans also include slashing the number of scenes per episode for Coronation Street and Emmerdale — after the broadcaster announced it is cutting a further £15million from its total budget.
Coronation Street currently has 84 permanent cast members, while Emmerdale has 70. Some of the older cast members have contracts, but most of the cast are paid by each episode.
During his stint on Emmerdale, Matthew met his now ex-wife Charley Webb.
The couple were together for 15 years and share three sons; Buster, Bowie, and Ace.
Matthew has since admitted Charley brutally ending their marriage came as a shock and wasn’t his decision.
She moved in with her best friend Sheridan Smith – finding comfort with the fellow single mum, an award-winning TV, film and stage star.
The Sun revealed the pals later fell out after going on exotic holidays and even getting a dog.
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Meanwhile, Matthew ended up falling for his current girlfriend – Heather Scott Martin – after meeting on Elf where was also working in the production.
The Sun has reached out to Hollyoaks.
