Ex-EastEnders star Matt Lapinskas reveals the shock way he left the soap
Matt Lapinskas, who played Anthony Moon on 'EastEnders' from 2011 until 2012, has revealed the abrupt way he was informed of his exit from the BBC soap.
Matt Lapinskas was slapped with a P45 after his former ‘EastEnders’ co-stars' jokes about being let go came true.
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.
