Latest news with #JakeCanuso
Daily Mail
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Benidorm star Jake Canuso is unrecognisable from his days as heartthrob Mateo and 21 years after near-death experience
He shot to fame in the early 2000s after starring in an iconic British sitcom. Now, Jake Canuso - who played the ever-flirtatious barman Mateo in the hit series - looks completely unrecognisable seven years on, sporting long grey hair and beard stubble - and it seems he's been hitting the gym. The actor and dancer played the hunky waiter since the show began in 2007 until 2018. The Swiss-British actor, 55, holds the record as the show's longest-serving cast member, appearing in all 74 episodes. Before his time on Benidorm, he was a professional dancer, touring with acts like the Spice Girls and Elton John, and even appearing as a ballet dancer in the music video for Annie Lennox 's No More I Love You's. He later capitalised on his fame with a stint on the now-defunct reality show Splash! in 2013, where Tom Daley coached celebrities in diving. When Benidorm ended, he was one of the castmates who took part in Derren Litten's Benidorm Live stage show, which toured the UK from September 2018 until April 2019 for 250 shows. He also kept in close contact with creator Derren and bagged a role in his BBC One sitcom Scarborough, where he played the role of Tony Peroni in the 2019 series, before portraying Stewie in the television film My Bad. Jake has also tried his hand at pantomimes, and in 2022, he appeared as Abanazar in Aladdin, which was staged at the Rhyl Pavilion Theatre. Last year, he had a role in Brit gangster film Fyre Rises, alongside Marc Bannerman, but Mateo remains his best-known role to date, and he's even been honoured with a bar named after him in Benidorm. The bar, owned by Derren Litten, is filled with memorabilia from the series, and stars, including Jake, have made special appearances. These days, Jake connects with fans via Cameo, offering personalised videos in character as Mateo. With five-star reviews and a cheeky tagline - 'Mateo from Benidorm at your services' - his videos start at £56 and are typically delivered within 24 hours. In the run-up to Valentine's Day last year, he promoted the service saying: 'It's nearly Valentine's Day. 'Last chance to get a cheeky Valentines message from Benidorm's Barman Mateo. Check out the link and if you book today all messages will be done by tomorrow.' In April this year, it was rumoured that Benidorm could be making a huge comeback, eight years after it was cancelled. The sitcom is experiencing a resurgence in popularity, particularly on streaming platforms like Netflix. A TV insider told The Sun: 'Benidorm was adored by millions when it was suddenly cancelled. Fans will be thrilled to hear ITV wants to bring it back. 'An 11th series hasn't been commissioned yet, but there's major excitement building as early talks begin.'
Daily Record
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Benidorm's barman Mateo unrecognisable 21 years on from cheating death in tsunami
Jake Canuso played the role of barman Mateo Castellanos for 11 years in the ITV sitcom Benidorm. For over a decade, from 2007 to 2018, he was the charismatic bartender in ITV's hit sitcom Benidorm. But actor Jake Canuso, now aged 55, has undergone quite a transformation since his days as the heartthrob Mateo Castellanos. Jake shared the limelight with celebrities such as Crissy Rock – who has since opened up about her childhood sexual abuse ordeal – and other stars like Johnny Vegas, Steve Pemberton and Sherrie Hewson. He holds the distinction of being the longest-serving character on the show, having featured in all 74 episodes. Today, he sports a different look with longer hair and stubble, and it seems he's been hitting the gym. In a chilling incident back in 2004, Jake narrowly avoided death during the Indian Ocean tsunami on Boxing Day while vacationing in Ko Phra Thong, Thailand. Upon noticing the initial waves, he sought refuge by climbing a tree but ended up submerged underwater when the tree broke. This terrifying ordeal resulted in him developing a fear of water, rendering him too scared to swim for several years, reports the Mirror. A decade ago, Jake took part in ITV's diving programme Splash!, hosted by Tom Daley, according to OK! . Since then, he's expressed a desire to join Strictly Come Dancing and also played Alejandro, a pig farmer, in the movie Fyre Rises. Hollywood star and Spider-Man actor Eric Roberts co-starred in the film, which also boasted a line-up of British talent including EastEnders' Steven Beale actor Aaron Sidwell and Marc Bannerman, who portrayed Gianni di Marco in the soap. Jake has recently expanded his talents beyond the acting world, now creating personalised videos for fans on the sought-after celebrity messaging service Cameo. He has accumulated a host of five-star ratings and advertises his offerings with the catchy phrase: "Mateo from Benidorm at your services." The cost for one of his videos starts from £56, with the promise of delivery within 24 hours. In a post last year that enticed his Instagram audience, he proposed: "It's nearly Valentine's Day. Last chance to get a cheeky Valentines message from Benidorm's Barman Mateo. Check out the link and if you book today all messages will be done by tomorrow." Before finding fame in Benidorm, Jake had an extensive 18-year career as a professional dancer, sharing stages with legendary acts including Rozalla, the Spice Girls, Annie Lennox, and Elton John. His dance credentials extend to appearances in classic '90s music videos, among them Alex Party's hit 'Don't Give Me Your Life', Carter USM's 'Let's Get Tattoos', 2 Unlimited's 'Here I Go', and Kylie Minogue's 'Give Me Just A Little More Time'. He has also shone on the pantomime scene, playing leading roles such as starring in 'Aladdin' in Birmingham in 2014 and featuring in 'Jack and the Beanstalk' in Bradford the following year. Jake isn't the only Benidorm star to have branched out; his co-stars have pursued diverse paths from working as an ASDA delivery driver to acting in the series 'Ted Lasso'. As of April this year, there's mounting speculation that Benidorm might make an anticipated return, eight years after being discontinued. With a resurgence of interest, especially on streaming sites like Netflix, Benidorm fans are hopeful for a revival.
