24 February 2025
Matt Lapinskas was slapped with a P45 after his former ‘EastEnders’ co-stars' jokes about being let go came true.
Matt Lapinskas admitted how he departed EastEnders to entertainment reporter Simon Gross
The 35-year-old actor, who played Anthony Moon - the son of Eddie Moon (David Essex) - in the hit BBC soap from July 2011 until August 2012, was shocked by his axing as he had clustered together ideas for the character and bosses splashed out money on a new wardrobe for his character.
Speaking to entertainment reporter Simon Gross on 'Get Gossy with Grossy: An EastEnders 40th Celebration', he said: "The new producer came in, and everyone was having meetings with her, and I remember it was my time to go and have a meeting with her.
"And I'd written down a load of ideas for myself , I just had a whole new wardrobe done as well, they spent a lot of money on my new clothes, and I remember going up there walking past Ricky Norwood, Perry [Fenwick] a few others, and they were like joking about it, 'Oh, [are you] off to go and get your P45, Matt?'
"I [jokingly] was like, 'Oh, yeah'.
"I went up there, and that was it."
Following the unexpected news, Matt had to go and tell his cast mates of his departure.
He added: "She said, 'Yeah, we're letting you go', and I had to go back downstairs."
"I had two or three scenes to do that day, as well, so I had to go back down and told Tony [Discipline].
"I said, 'Mate, I'm going'."
The panto star recently appeared in 'Jack and the Beanstalk' with fellow ex-'EastEnders' star John Altman, who played villain Nick Cotton, the son of Dot Cotton, played by the late June Brown, on-and-off for three decades until the character's demise during the programme's 30th anniversary week in 2015.
Speaking of what he was like to work with him, Matt said: "It was lovely to meet him, he's got amazing stories, he still bought a picture of June Brown and himself to his dressing room, he got his, 'Alright, Ma?' into the panto.
"Yeah, he's a lovely guy."
Head to former 'Big Brother' contestant Simon's Instagram account for more entertainment news and gossip.
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