He quickly became famous at just 18 years old when he started playing the popular character ‘Deano’ Wicks on the BBC’s EastEnders.
After twenty years in the entertainment industry, Matt Di Angelo is now sharing his experiences with depression. He says the ups and downs of the business made him feel like he didn’t belong.
Matt is now married to Sophia Perry and they have three-year-old twins, Daphne and Raphael. He admits that working in the entertainment industry is consistently stressful and makes him feel disconnected from his job.
He also shared that he had been taking antidepressants for a while and talked about how much he enjoys fixing up houses as a hobby and source of extra income.
He shared on the ‘They All Need Therapy’ podcast that while he doesn’t regret his career path, he often feels very stressed and anxious. He admitted to sometimes wishing he had the job security of people who simply go to work and receive a regular paycheck each month.
It’s common to earn a yearly salary in just a month when you land an acting role, but that means carefully managing your money. You have to prepare for a large tax bill a year later, and it’s something I constantly worry about.
The 38-year-old has been with his partner Sophia, a wedding planner since 2019.
The couple got married in a grand celebration at the Dorchester Hotel in 2021. A year later, in 2022, they welcomed their twins – a son and a daughter.
Matt explains how becoming a father has shifted what’s most important to him, especially considering the unpredictable nature of his job.
Oh my gosh, you will NOT believe what I just heard! Apparently, they offered *him* a role in a play, which is amazing, right?! But he’s actually questioning if he should take it because it would mean being away from his kids for *six months*! Can you imagine?! It’s so sweet that he’s thinking about them like that, even with this incredible opportunity. It just makes me love him even more! I really hope he finds a way to do both, but honestly, I totally get why he’s hesitant.
What bothers me about this industry is the sudden shift from being completely catered to – with everyone focused on your appearance and needs, offering things like coffee, and earning a huge income – to… well, something else. It’s a world of constant attention, interviews, and red carpets, and then it changes.
It’s like, one minute you’re working, and then suddenly it all stops – complete silence. The constant changes and instability in this field make me feel really alone and disconnected, like I’m just trying to get by without a solid plan.
Oh my gosh, Matt! I still can’t believe how amazing he was on Strictly! He trained at Sylvia Young, which is, like, the best theatre school ever, and he was SO young – only 20! – when he competed in 2007. And he came second with Flavia Cacace! They were incredible together, honestly, absolutely incredible. I’ve been obsessed ever since!
Indeed, he admits that he lived the high life during his early EastEnders heyday.
I purchased a Porsche using my credit card. My mom drove me to the Porsche dealership in Bournemouth, where the car I wanted was available.
I was sitting in my mom’s Volkswagen, so I ended up buying it – and unfortunately, I had an accident a few months later. When I got fired from EastEnders, they just called me into a meeting and basically said they didn’t have any plans for my character. I was only 19 at the time, so I just accepted it and said okay.
Looking back, it’s funny how invincible you feel at 19. I definitely didn’t worry about things like losing my job – I was just cruising along, convinced everything was going to be okay. It’s a mindset, you know? Life felt pretty carefree back then.
After leaving EastEnders, he then had a starring role in the hit TV series Hustle.
He really enjoyed working on ‘Hustle,’ describing the set as feeling like a family. He particularly liked the dynamic of constantly working and preparing for each new season, with the back-and-forth energy of the production.
I’ve completed projects and have a portfolio to show for it, but that hasn’t changed my feeling that the industry isn’t interested in or supportive of me.
Matt, well-known from his time on EastEnders, warns that becoming famous quickly can be risky for people.
He described the industry as risky for young people who suddenly gain wealth, recalling that at 18, he was aggressively pursued by women, and felt pressured sexually.
It’s common for people to try and take advantage of you – seeking financial gain through relationships or by sharing private details. Nobody teaches you to prioritize your own financial security, to save a little for times when work might be scarce.
Matt has shared that during a difficult four-year period of unemployment, he struggled with severe anxiety. He became afraid of having an accident in public, to the point where he needed to take diazepam just to leave his house.
Oh my god, you won’t BELIEVE what he shared on the ‘They All Need Therapy’ podcast! He actually admitted there was a time he couldn’t even *leave* the house without taking diazepam. Can you imagine? He had this awful phobia – a fear of needing to go to the bathroom, especially when he was performing or just out in public. He was terrified of having an accident, or even *feeling* like he needed to go, or that he might be sick. It was seriously debilitating for him, and it’s just… wow. I’m so glad he’s talking about it, but my heart breaks for him knowing he went through that!
I used to take diazepam when flying to manage my anxiety, especially feeling like people were staring at me.
I really enjoy relaxing with friends, whether it’s a quiet drink or being in a lively crowd. I recently got back from Marbella and a club in Spain where something crazy happened – about fifteen British guys were shouting my nickname, ‘Deano,’ in my face while they were drunk!
Matt returned to EastEnders as Dean Wicks in October 2023, becoming a business partner to the Beale family. He left the show dramatically in September 2024 following a significant court case storyline.
Despite suggestions from show creators that his character might reappear, Matt, who also works as a property renovator, says he now finds more satisfaction in physical work than in acting.
He explained that he finds real satisfaction in physical work, like renovating a house. Unlike working on a TV show, where the results feel less tangible, he enjoys having something concrete to show for his efforts – a finished project he can look at and feel proud of. Completing a day of manual labor, like filling a skip or applying plaster, gives him a sense of accomplishment and appreciation that other work doesn’t.
When filming a scene, things move so quickly that no one ever stops to acknowledge good work. Everyone immediately focuses on the next shot, and there’s no time for praise or recognition.
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2025-09-14 16:04