Jake Canuso played the lothario barman Mateo Castellanos in ITV’s Benidorm for 11 years, but he looks very different to his character these days – and it’s not just his appearance that has changed
Benidorm actor Jake Canuso, now aged 55, is almost unrecognisable from his days playing as the heartthrob Mateo Castellanos.
For over a decade, from 2007 to 2018, he was the charismatic bartender in the hit ITV sitcom, which is rumoured to make an epic return.
Jake shared the limelight with celebrities such as Crissy Rock – who has since opened up about her childhood sexual abuse ordeal – and other big names like Johnny Vegas, Steve Pemberton, and Sherrie Hewson. He holds the distinction of being the longest-serving character on the show, having graced all 74 episodes.
Today, he sports a fresh look with longer hair and stubble, and it seems he’s been hitting the gym. In a chilling incident back in 2004, Jake narrowly escaped death during the Indian Ocean tsunami on Boxing Day while vacationing in Ko Phra Thong, Thailand.
Upon noticing the initial waves, he sought refuge by climbing a tree but ended up submerged underwater when the tree broke. This terrifying experience resulted in him developing aquaphobia, leaving him too scared to swim for several years.
A decade ago, Jake took part in ITV’s diving show Splash!, which was hosted by Tom Daley. Since then, he’s shown interest in joining Strictly Come Dancing and also played Alejandro, a pig farmer, in the film Fyre Rises.
Hollywood star and Spider-Man actor Eric Roberts co-starred in the film, which also showcased a plethora of British talent including EastEnders’ Steven Beale actor Aaron Sidwell and Marc Bannerman, who portrayed Gianni di Marco in the soap.
Jake has recently expanded his talents beyond acting, diving into the world of personalised shout-outs via the celeb-fave platform Cameo. He’s racking up top-notch five-star ratings and hawks his offerings with the catchy line: “Mateo from Benidorm at your services.”
Fans can snag a vid starting at £56, with a promise of 24-hour delivery, reports the Mirror.
Last year, he hit up his Insta followers with a tempting offer, posting: “It’s nearly Valentine’s Day. Last chance to get a cheeky Valentines message from Benidorm’s Barman Mateo. Check out the link and if you book today all messages will be done by tomorrow.”
Before hitting the jackpot with Benidorm, Jake strutted his stuff as a pro dancer for 18 years, rubbing shoulders with legends like Rozalla, the Spice Girls, Annie Lennox, and Elton John. He also popped up in banging 90s music vids like Alex Party’s Don’t Give Me Your Life, Carter USM’s Let’s Get Tattoos, 2 Unlimited’s Here I Go, and Kylie Minogue’s Give Me Just A Little More Time.
He’s also been the star of the panto scene, shining in Aladdin in Birmingham in 2014 and climbing the beanstalk in Jack and the Beanstalk in Bradford the next year. Meanwhile, other Benidorm stars have been keeping busy with gigs ranging from ASDA delivery driving to scoring parts in Ted Lasso.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
