Ex Emmerdale star Matthew Wolfenden breaks his silence on soap's infamous race row which saw him 'wrongly' accused by co-star and left suffering a nervous breakdown

Daily Mail​

24-05-2025

Former Emmerdale actor Matthew Wolfenden has broken his silence on the soap's infamous 2021 race row which resulted in him and co-star Isabel Hodgins being suspended for three months and him suffering a nervous breakdown.
At the time the pair were said to have 'mimicked the accent of a mixed-raced actress' on set, resulting in a vigorous enquiry, with their characters' absences explained by the pair taking an extended Portuguese holiday.
Speaking on The Lewis Nicholls Show Matthew, 45, said he and Isabel had been 'falsely' accused and said the pair were in fact impersonating a white British character from BBC sketch show League Of Gentleman.
The actor, who quit the role of David Metcalfe in 2023, claimed ITV bosses stopped him from defending himself publicly, resulting in his mental health 'spiralling' before checking into the Priory Clinic.
He said: 'So a young cast member mistakenly thought he heard us doing a Chinese accent, so he went up to see the producer and said, 'I'm not very happy about this, I think I've just heard them mimicking a Chinese accent','
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'So because of this we did have to get suspended because as soon as that's an issue they have to go down the correct routes while they investigate what happens'.
Matthew explained that he and former co-star Isabel, 31, who plays Victoria Sugden, were in an onscreen romance and as a result of spending so much time together bonded over TV comedy and would often act out their favourite scenes.
'I said to her, "Have you ever seen the League of Gentlemen?" And there's a scene in the League of Gentlemen where Reece Shearsmith dresses up as a lady called Pam Doove and it's called the Orange Juice Scene'.
'He's playing an actress who comes into an audition room and is very eloquent - it's an old acting joke - and then the director says, "Go out of the room and come back in" and say "Has anyone got a bottle of orange juice?" for an audition. and she returns and does it in a different accent'.
Matthew claimed the Emmerdale press team told him to 'stay quiet' when 'all he wanted to do' was tell the truth about what really happened.
'It was hard and I got very very poorly and had a nervous breakdown. I ended up having a nervous breakdown and I ended up in the priory for a month. I thought I was going to lose my job over this over something I haven't done.
He continued: 'I've always struggled with my mental health so just ended up with this big spiral down and ended up having a nervous breakdown. I had to be taken into the Priory for a month to get better.'
While not naming the person who made accusation against him, Matthew said they'd left the show before he returned from suspension.
'It would've been difficult to go back and be face to face with the person who accused you absolutely wrongly'.
An ITV spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Whilst we would never comment on specific cases, ITV takes all allegations of racism and bullying extremely seriously and investigates all incidents thoroughly and takes appropriate action'.
At the time fellow Emmerdale star Aaron Anthony was said to have dramatically quit because he was 'bitterly angry' with two of his co-stars amid the race probe.
Aaron, who played Ellis Chapman, told producers he would not be returning after his contract ends because he is furious with his colleagues' alleged behaviour, claims The Sun.
Aaron was reportedly so 'furious' about the row and how the subsequent investigation 'has been handled', he has decided to leave the show after two years.
A source told the publication: 'Aaron is bitterly angry about this situation and he has had to be persuaded to come back to Leeds film his scenes in recent months.
'He has done some filming over the last couple of weeks, but the understanding is that those scenes will be his last.
'He has been very vocal in his opinions about the allegations and about the way in which the enquiries have been handled by the bosses. He now feels his position on the show is untenable.'
MailOnline has contacted Aaron's representatives and Emmerdale for comment at the time.
Aaron took over the role from disgraced actor Asan N'Jie, who was sacked for threatening to 'kill' fellow soap star Jamie Lomas, 44, at the TV Choice Awards in 2019.