Emmerdale's David Metcalfe's real-life from famous wife to addiction battle

22 August 2023 , 17:00

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Matthew and Charley met while working on Emmerdale

For the last 17 years, Matthew Wolfenden has been a fixture on Emmerdale, playing David Metcalfe on the soap.

But this week it's been reported that the actor, who joined the show in 2006, has quit his role amid claims his recent storylines have left him "ready for a change". Rumours are swirling that his character will be killed off.

His character has been involved in some jaw-dropping plots over the years. But the 43-year-old's life off-screen is much less dramatic than David's, with Matthew enjoying time with his wife and former co-star, Charley Webb who played Debbie Dingle, and their three sons.

He's played David on Emmerdale for 17 years

The pair first met when Matthew joined Emmerdale and they began dating a year later, with the actor popping the question to his girlfriend on Christmas Day in 2009. It was expected the pair would enjoy a lavish wedding, but their planning was put on hold when they welcomed their first son, Buster, in April 2010.

Their relationship hit tough times in 2013, and they decided to call it quits after six years together. A spokesperson confirmed at the time: "Charley Webb and Matthew Wolfenden have today confirmed they have separated." Despite their split, the TV stars remained close and were committed to co-parenting their son.

EastEnders' Jake Wood's snap of son has fans pointing out the pair's likeness

In 2015, the pair announced they had rekindled their relationship and were back together, much to the delight of fans. Matthew told The Mirror at the time that their separation was never meant to be 'permanent'. He said: "It was never a permanent split, we just needed some time apart. Sometimes life just gets on top of you. We had a 'terrible' two-year-old at the time and needed time to look at what we had, but it was the best thing we could have done." He went on to say that they still had plans to tie the knot, but they didn't want a big wedding and were considering eloping. Ten months after reuniting, they announced they were going to become parents for the second time, and their son Bowie Grey was born in December 2015.

The pair tied the knot in 2018 (Charley Webb/Instagram)

They finally tied the knot in 2018 in a secret ceremony, after being engaged for years. Matthew and Charley invited their close friends and family to celebrate Charley's 30th birthday, but instead of a party, they threw a surprise wedding. They were joined by 100 guests at Ripley Castle in Harrogate for the day, with Charley donning a stunning long-sleeved sleek gown and long veil.

Their third son, Ace, was born in July 2019 and the family of five often shares snippets of their life together, with Matthew posting pictures with his kids on Instagram for his 188,000 followers to see. The family also likes to share a look inside their stunning home.

Outside of family life, Matthew has also opened up previously about his personal health, revealing he suffered a tragic injury and mental health issues. As a teen, he dreamed of becoming an Olympic gymnast, but an accident on the rings aged 16 left him with a nasty back injury and his hopes in tatters. He told the Loose Women panel: "I lost concentration during gymnastics and came off the apparatus. I landed on my head and fractured two vertebrae."

The accident sent him into a downward spiral of depression, but he found a new purpose in acting and started working as a dancer in theatre. But sadly his back injury required surgery, which sent him spiralling. "I had to quit my job. I was in the West End working as a dancer at the time. I had to take a sabbatical from that, I was on antidepressants for eight years," he said.

The couple share three children (miss_charleywebb/Instagram)

The family often share photos of their life together (miss_charleywebb/Instagram)

The actor claimed he wasn't offered counselling by doctors - only medication. This proved a big problem for the TV star, who soon found himself addicted to the drugs that were supposed to be helping him. "Once you're on antidepressants it's very hard to come off them. It's almost like a bandage. It's like masking the fact that you've got depression," he explained. Eventually, Matthew was able to get psychological help and used talking therapy to deal with his issues. He added: "I stopped taking antidepressants after receiving the professional help I needed."

As well as Emmerdale, Matthew has appeared in the musical Saturday Night Fever, as well as a Hollyoaks spin-off, called Hollyoaks: Let Loose. The dad competed in the second season of Soapstar Superstar in 2007 and finished in ninth place, and he also took part in the seventh series of Dancing On Ice, getting partnered with Nina Ulanova. His gymnastics and dance background helped him through to the final, against Jorgie Porter and Chico Silmani. He went on to become 'King of the Ice' and was crowned the winner of that season.

Courtney Pochin