Derren Litten’s life after Benidorm: Why the creator is faced with daily reminders of his ‘miserable’ divorce from lead star – after revealing he’s been forced to sell his home ‘thanks to a shameless, career gold digger’

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Derren Litten, 55, the creator of the show Benidorm, is constantly reminded of his difficult divorce from Jake Canuso, 56, who starred in the series.

The couple separated in 2022 and officially divorced two years later.

Derren continues to live in Spain and owns Mateo’s Benidorm, a cocktail bar. The bar’s name is a nod to a flirty bartender character based on his former husband.

So every time he heads to work it is sure to evoke memories of their once happy marriage.

After revealing this week that he had to sell his house in Spain – where he created his popular show – it’s unknown where Derren is living now.

A beautiful four-bedroom house is now for sale, and its owner, Derren, blames a ‘shameless opportunist’ for the situation.

Derren is thought to be unmarried and recently shared that he has quiet plans for Valentine’s Day.

Derren jokingly posted on X, ‘Just lying in bed, trying to pick a flavor of instant noodles… another successful Valentine’s Day!’

Meanwhile, his former partner Jake was likely busy creating personalized videos as Mateo for the Cameo platform.

His videos, known for getting excellent reviews and playfully introduced with the line ‘Mateo from Benidorm at your services,’ cost from £56 and are usually sent within a day.

Just before Valentine’s Day last year, he advertised the service with the message: ‘Valentine’s Day is almost here.’

Don’t miss out! Get a fun Valentine’s message from Mateo, the famous barman from Benidorm. Visit the link to order, and if you book today, your message will be ready by tomorrow.

Derren subtly hinted at how much he missed his ex, Jake, while staying in the villa in Spain, sharing a pointed comment on Instagram last year.

‘Bonjour, Derren here in my lovely home in Spain. A few tributes to my exes there’, he laughed as he displayed three LED light up letters.

‘Gosh, Derren how many EX’s do u have? Which one do u miss the most? (let me guess)’,

‘Love the tribute to the ex’s….. xx’, fans teased in the comments.

In 2023, Derren publicly discussed his divorce from Jake for the first time, revealing he was left financially strained after the split.

I was really touched when he finally opened up on X about why he’d been quiet lately. He doesn’t usually share personal stuff, but he explained that he’s been dealing with a really difficult divorce for the past year and a half. It explained so much, and I’m sending him all my support.

‘So I’m obviously poor now. And you thought we couldn’t have more in common then we already do?!’

Years later, Derren put his lavish property up on the market. 

It’s unclear who Derren is talking about, but some fans wonder if it has to do with his ex-partner.

He announced on Wednesday via X (formerly Twitter) that he was selling the house where he wrote the TV series Benidorm, and included the estate agent’s contact information.

I really love this house, but I’m being forced to sell it because of someone who is only interested in my money. Still, as they say in Spanish, ‘No pasa nada!’ – meaning, ‘It’s okay,’ or ‘No worries!’

This beautifully renovated Mediterranean villa is for sale for £806,173. It features lush tropical gardens with palm and cocoa trees, a large private pool with a covered terrace, and an outdoor summer kitchen complete with a barbecue and bar, conveniently connected to the main kitchen.

Oh my gosh, you guys, it’s PERFECT! Alfaz del Pi is practically on my doorstep, I could walk there anytime! But the best part? Benidorm – Benidorm! – where they film ‘Confessions of a Go-Go Dancer’ is only a fifteen-minute drive! I can practically feel the energy of the show just thinking about it! It’s like living in a dream!

The villa’s main bedroom features a private bathroom, a spacious built-in wardrobe, and opens directly onto the pool area, according to the property listing.

Oh my gosh, the living room is HUGE! And it’s not just one big space, there’s a totally separate dining room right off of it, which is amazing. Then, closer to the front door, there are two extra bedrooms – perfect for guests! They share a bathroom, but honestly, who cares? It’s just perfect!

The garden includes a separate office that has air conditioning and could easily be converted into a fourth bedroom.

You’ll find five golf courses nearby, all within a 10-minute drive. One of them is Villaitana Golf, which features two 18-hole courses designed by the famous golfer Jack Nicklaus.

His messy divorced even appears to have impacted plans to revive Benidorm.

A source familiar with the show said last year that it might be challenging to move forward with certain plans because Canuso’s character, Mateo, played a central role.

They said: ‘Mateo is Benidorm, he’s the character that everyone wants to see.

He’s been involved with Solana from the very start, and it wouldn’t feel right to have a new version without him.

Jake is known for creating Mateo, a fan favorite on the show, but his recent issues with Derren are causing concern about his future.

Another added to The Sun: ‘Conversations have been had.

Jake will only come back if ITV makes an offer he can’t refuse – a really substantial one.

However, Derren is complicating the negotiations. As the writer and creator of the project, he feels strongly that he should have final say on all decisions.

‘The fans would want to see Mateo, which ITV get. It’s all become one big headache.’

Benidorm first aired in 2007 and finished in May 2018, and viewers have wanted a revival ever since.

Only two months after it was canceled, the show surprisingly won the award for best comedy at the TV Choice Awards. Creator Rob Litten used his acceptance speech to express his disappointment with the cancellation decision.

The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Derren and Jake for comment at the time. 

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2026-02-27 15:19