BBC EastEnders' Matt Di Angelo's remarkable evolution in 18 years on the soap opera - OK! Magazine

Actor Matt Di Angelo, best known for his role in EastEnders, is celebrating a significant milestone. It's been 18 years since he first portrayed the memorable character of Dean Wicks in Albert Square.

A Twitter fan account commemorated this anniversary on the 2nd of January by posting a tribute collage of pictures from Matt's debut episode.

The caption of the post read: '18 years ago today (2nd January 2006), Matt Di Angelo made his first ever appearance on EastEnders.'

The actor, who was 36 years old at the time, first appeared on our screens in 2006, playing the character of Dean Wicks, Pat Butcher's great-nephew. His character stirred up lots of drama in Albert Square, from spiking Stacey Slater's drinks to wrongly accusing Sean Slater of a crime and even attacking Linda Carter.

During his first appearance on the soap, an 18-year-old Matt sported spiky hair and a youthful look.

Over the following 18 years, the actor's appearance has transformed dramatically.

Currently, Matt sports a shorter, slick haircut with a side parting and skin fade. He has also grown a full beard and moustache. The actor has traded his former wardrobe of leather jackets and t-shirts for a sharper, more sophisticated look of blazers and shirts.

The actor has also undergone a change of name. While he is popularly known as Matt Di Angelo, his real name is Mario Angelo S Constantinou, a name reflective of his Irish and Greek heritage.

In August 2022, Matt stepped into the most significant role of his life: fatherhood. Matt and his wife Sophia Parry welcomed twins, a boy and a girl.

Having been married for a little over a year, the couple was ecstatic about their new additions. Matt shared the news on Instagram, expressing his joy and confusion over figuring out how to operate the sterilizer in the kitchen.

He said 'Welcome to the world' to his new 'dynamic duo' named Raphael and Daphne. In a post for Sophia, he revealed their full names as Daphne Demitra Constantinou and Raphael Errol Constantinou.

EastEnders is aired from Monday to Thursday on BBC1 and BBC iPlayer at 7.30pm