Benidorm heartthrob looks unrecognisable after 'miserable' divorce

Daily Mirror

24-06-2025

Rumoured plans for a Benidorm reboot have been reportedly put on hold following a relationship breakdown between creator Derren Litten and longest-running star Jake Canuso, who now looks very different from his character
Almost 20 years on from his debut on one of Britain's most-loved sitcoms, Jake Canuso now looks very different from his days as Benidorm 's barman Matteo Castellanos.
The star became a household name in the sun-soaked comedy when it launched on screens in 2007 before being brutally axed in 2018. Jake started out in showbiz as a professional dancer, working with the likes of Elton John and the Spice Girls before turning his hand to acting.
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Now, aged 55, seven years after appearing on screens, he's embracing his natural grey locks and stubble—worlds away from his days as clean-shaven Matteo, known for his jet-black slick-backed hair. Jake, a Swiss-British actor, was the longest-running cast member, starring for the comedy's entire run.
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Following the collapse of the show, he tried out pantomime, and in 2022, he appeared as Abanazar in Aladdin, which was staged at the Rhyl Pavilion Theatre. Jake also joined several other cast members in creator Derren Litten 's Benidorm Live stage show, which toured the UK from September 2018 until April 2019 for 250 shows.
After the end of his run with Benidorm, Jake collaborated once more with Derren on his BBC One sitcom Scarborough, playing the role of Tony Peroni in the 2019 series. However it has since transpired that the pair were secretly married. And since their separation in 2023, an alleged Benidorm reboot is now reportedly off the cards after their relationship breakdown.
Derren said on X last year: "I don't really talk about my personal life here but the reason I've been a bit scarce on the socials is for the last 18 months I've been going through a pretty miserable divorce. So I'm obviously poor now. And you thought we couldn't have more in common then we already do?!"
A source told The Sun: "Matteo is Benidorm, he's the character that everyone wants to see. He's been part of the Solana since the beginning so for him not to feature in any future reboot, well it just would not be the same without him. Jake created one of the show's most loved characters in Matteo but with everything that's happened between him and Derren, it's not looking good.'
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Another insider said: "Conversations have been had. The only way Jake will return is if ITV make him a huge offer, one that he could not possibly turn down. But obviously Derren is making negotiations difficult. He is the writer and creator and believes that he should make all the decisions - the fans would want to see Matteo, which ITV get. It's all become one big headache."
A spokesperson for Jake told The Sun they were unaware of any planned return for Benidorm. But he hasn't entirely waved goodbye to his alter-ego, as Jake has been offering paid personalised messages as Mateo via the video service Memmo.
Promising 'Mateo from Benidorm at your services' on the platform, the star's videos start at £56 and are typically delivered within 24 hours. He also keeps his fans up to date on his Instagram account, sharing photos of gym selfies.
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In one image, where he showcased his grey hair and stubble for the first time, he left his 50k followers a cryptic message. He wrote: "I started to imagine my life like a new book with empty pages. Waiting to be written by myself. But it takes courage to open that new book, see the first page empty, take a pen in your hand and fearlessly let the pen write the first few words.
"But before you know the page fills up and you turn to the next page not knowing what you will find but you know it is your book and your pen. It is your life, that you will write."
In another post, he shared an image of him getting dressed in a silk shirt for a costume fitting. One fan replied : "Just gorgeous" while another wrote: "very handsome".