Di Angelo shocked at 'EastEnders' axe

Matt Di Angelo, the actor who plays Deano Wicks in EastEnders, has admitted to being shocked when he was told he would be axed from the soap.

The 20-year-old has been in the show for two years and will last be seen on screen in January as Phil Daniels, who plays his dad Kevin, and Kellie Shirley, Deano's sister Carly, will not be returning to the soap. Actress Diane Parish, who plays Kevin's wife Denise, will also leave at the same time to have a baby in real life but will return soon after.

Di Angelo 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.

"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.

"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."