Emmerdale's Matthew Wolfenden on His Return to Theatre and This Year's Pantomime at Sunderland Empire
Friday 13th might be unlucky for some, but not for those heading to Sunderland Empire
Known and loved in households across the country as David Metcalfe in ITV’s Emmerdale, Matthew, who was born in Norwood Green, is also a Dancing on Ice champion, but before any of this, he was a skilled gymnast. ‘From being four years old, my teacher said to my mum and dad that I had a real knack for gymnastics,’ he tells us. ‘By the time I was 14, I got into the British gymnastics squad. I trained with them ’til I was 17 to a really high standard but one day I was training, I was tired, I came off the rings and stupidly landed on my head rather than my feet – which is not ideal! I actually broke two vertebrae in my lower back. At the age of 17, my dream of being a gymnast was over. There was no way I could, at that level, get back into doing it.’
After graduating from Leeds’s Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Matthew starred in Romeo And Juliet The Musical in the West End, and continued performing in London until an opportunity arose to audition for Emmerdale. He originally auditioned for the role of Eli Dingle (a three-month contract) but Brassic star Joe Gilgun got the part and Emmerdale wrote the part of David Metcalfe for Matthew instead. ‘Three months went by and they offered me another three months, another three months went by and they offered me six months,’ he says, ’and 18 years later, I was still there.’
Matthew’s role in Emmerdale tackled storylines involving grooming, cancer scares and dating a serial killer. ‘I had the best time, and they’ve not killed me off so I’m hoping at some point I do go back,’ he laughs. 'I love the show. I grew up watching it with my grandpa. When you’re in a soap you’re doing what you love every day. You’re not auditioning all the time and trying to get that next job. You can sign a year’s contract for a West End musical but that musical can close with two weeks’ notice! In a continuing drama, you’ve got security and even though you’re in the same show, you’re doing something different every day.
‘It’s a fantastic job and I absolutely adored my 18 years there. But I did get to a stage where I hit my 44th birthday and thought, if I don’t go off and do some more theatre now, I’m never going to do it. That’s why I left last year and went straight back onto the West End [at London's Dominion Theatre] in Elf the Musical.’
Matthew says taking on the role of Buddy the Elf was ‘terrifying’. ‘Playing Buddy in Elf is such a huge part, and I mean that in terms of the amount of time you’re on stage but also in how iconic it is,’ he says. ‘There was a lot of pressure there to get it right. The people who’ve played Buddy over the years have been so good – Ben Foster, Simon Lipkin – to put myself in their shoes and live up to that expectation was quite scary. Also, after 18 years not being on stage, you forget what it’s like and how intense it is.’ Of course, being back on stage is very different to starring on screen, and there’s no room for mistakes. ‘Terrifying is a silly word but I did get nerves every time I ran on stage no matter how many times I did it. You don’t really get that in front of a camera because you can just do it again if you mess your lines up. You can’t do that in front of 2,000 people.’
Now, Matthew is looking forward to performing as Jack in Sunderland Empire’s pantomime. Matthew last performed at the theatre 22 years ago (when he starred in the musical Saturday Night Fever) and looks forward to being back on stage. ‘When you tour around a country, you do remember the amazing theatres and most regional theatres are absolutely fantastic but there are those that you remember like Sunderland Empire – the big, beautiful, old-fashioned theatres,’ he says. ‘I have fond memories of it and I can’t wait to be back on stage.’
Matthew is looking forward to some audience interaction. ‘My mum and dad used to take me to Bradford Alhambra [Theatre]’s pantomime when Bonnie Langford was there. I’ve grown up watching [pantos] and since I’ve had kids, I’ve been taking them. To now be on stage is very exciting and I can’t wait for my kids to come and see it. They loved seeing me in Elf but I think because this has the call and response (“he’s behind you”) and you get the kids to embrace shouting at you – they’re going to absolutely love that.’
This year, the script for the pantomime has been adapted by Sunderland panto legend Tom Whalley, who plays Silly Simon, and will also star Miss Rory. ‘‘I think the audiences are going to absolutely love it,’ Matthew says. ‘It’s one of those typical pantomimes where there’s jokes in their for the adults (a lot of those are Miss Rory’s obviously) and there’s plenty in there the kids are going to love. It’s a very clever script that’s very silly and this year there’s a 3D element as well. When we climb the beanstalk into the giant’s kingdom, everyone will have a pair of 3D glasses to put on!’
