Eastenders actor Matt Di Angelo has admitted that he was shocked to hear that his character Deano Wicks was being axed from the show.

He told Now magazine: “It was a shock. If I could choose my exit storyline, I’d like us all to die in a car crash. That would be a something dramatic and memorable.”

The actor confessed he is sad to leave the show but is looking forward to a new project. “I’ve never been in a show for so long and 12-hour days can be tiring. But I’ve had a really good time and I’ve learnt a lot,” he added.

“I’m lined up for an exciting new project that’s been in the pipeline for a while. It’ll be announced soon. You’ll see a different side to me.”