EMMERDALE STAR MATTHEW WOLFENDEN OPENS UP About UNEXPECTED END To MARRIAGE With CHARLEY WEBB And The NEW LIFE He NEVER SAW COMING

Emmerdale star Matthew Wolfenden has opened up on his 15-year relationship with co-star Charley Webb – and revealed how he was “shocked” at their split.

Matthew and Charley were in a relationship for 15 years, tying the knot in 2018. But a few years ago, back in 2023, it was announced that they had called it quits.

The former couple share three children together: Buster, 14, Bowie, 9, and Ace,5. Matthew has just recently confirmed his new relationship. But he has found himself opening up on the “shock” he felt at his and Charley’s breakup.
Matthew was shocked by the break-up (Credit: Lewis Nicholls Show)

Why did Matthew Wolfenden and Charley Webb relationship end?

Speaking on the Lewis Nicholls Show, Matthew revealed that the split wasn’t his decision, and that it was what Charley wanted. But by that point in his life, Matthew was already going through some huge changes, so found it tough to lose his long-term relationship as well.

He said: “We didn’t really drift apart. It was Charley’s decision. Charley decided that was what she wanted. She wanted to separate. It was a hard time for me.

“By then I had decided to leave Emmerdale. Charley was on tour with her play. So I was leaving a job I had for 18 years, and had just been offered a job in West End. It was a big change. I also had the kids full time at home because Charley was on tour. Then all of a sudden, out of the blue, I got the news that she wanted to separate.”

As for whether he had any idea that Charley was wanting a separation, Matthew admitted: “I didn’t expect it at all. It was a big shock.”

While Matthew knows he isn’t “the first person” to go through a separation, he still found the whole thing quite “tough”. But his main concern was their kids.
Charley was the one who called time on the marriage (Credit: David Fisher/Shutterstock)

Matthew on co-parenting with Charley

He admitted: “Co-parenting took time. A separation is difficult when you have spent 15 years of your life together. Everything you own is together, so there is a lot of sorting out. When the separation happened, Charley was on tour and I was leaving Emmerdale and moving to London for three months. Everything was a bit up in the air.”

But despite the shock, Matthew confirmed that he and Charley are “very amicable” and still have a friendship.

“We are still friends – we have kids together. We are always going to have a relationship. And we had the best 15 years together, and we got the best three kids out of it.”

When it comes to their kids, Matthew and Charley both knew they wanted them to face as little stress as possible. And so, they worked together to find a way that suited them.

Matthew explained: “We decided we would do a week-on and week-off. We kept out house for the first while so the kids weren’t moving houses until they got their head around it. It was great but things have to come to an end. We have just sold the house, and me and my partner have just bought a new house.”

The 45-year-old admits this new house will bring on a new transition for everyone, but that “it’s all good”.