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Matthew Wolfenden has revealed the fate of his character after confirming he is leaving Emmerdale after nearly two decades.
The 43-year-old actor has played shopkeeper David Metcalfe since 2006 but in recent weeks report emerged, he’d decided to leave due to a lack of gritty storylines.
When appearing on This Morning on Wednesday he shared the news of his exit whilst also teasing details of what fans could expect before he leaves the show.
Speaking to hosts Holly Willoughby and Craig Doyle, Matthew said it ‘felt like the right time’ to walk away.
After a package of clips of his time on the show throughout the years was shown, Matthew was seen tearing up and the actor said he was caught off guard by how ‘emotional’ he had become.
He continued: ‘I am so nervous about leaving after nearly two decades, but it feels like the right time.’
Matthew Wolfenden has confirmed he will be leaving Emmerdale after nearly two decades (Picture: ITV/ REX/ Shutterstock)
However, he did say the door had been ‘left open’ to return one day.
‘They’re not killing me off. I’ve been promised…and I am allowed to tell you that,’ he shared.
‘Who knows, I might be back.’
Being asked about leaving the familiarity of his job, he explained how much the show had given him.
‘It has been a massive part of my life. I met my wife on the show and we’ve had three kids, so not only has it given me this many years of an amazing job, it’s given me a family,’ he said.
‘To leave it…it’s been a big part of my life…it’s been an amazing 18 years.’
He said the door will be left open for him to return (Picture: Karwai Tang/WireImage)
Then able to share some details about the circumstances that lead David to leave, Matthew said it all came down to Victoria (Isabel Hodgins).
‘There is a resolution of sorts, but I can’t give too much away,’ he teased.
‘Victoria is the reason why he leaves the village, put it that way.
‘It’s not the best, but he leaves because of her in a way.’
Reflecting on the storylines writers have thrown at him over the years, Matthew said one that centred on his character battling cancer stayed with him.
‘We did a testicular cancer and chemotherapy storyline where David lost all his hair and I spent six months shaving my eyebrows and hair,’ he said.
‘The people I met through it, people who survived cancer, it was an incredible period of time and I am really proud of that storyline. I really do feel as an actor that I did that justice.’
Looking forward, Matthew revealed his next job would see him play Buddy in Elf the Musical over Christmas, which he will start rehearsals for just a few days after finishing filming on the soap.
Before joining Emmerdale, the actor spent five years on the West End and said he was excited to return to the stage after 18 years.
However he did say while he was excited, ‘the nerves were there’.
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1.
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‘I’m allowed to tell you that.’