The 35-year-old, who plays David Metcalfe, has given soap-lovers across the nation a glimmer of hope by hinting that he will return to the Yorkshire Dales one day.
Matthew's character David is set to leave for a new life in Portugal with his on-screen wife Alicia Metcalfe, played by Natalie Anderson, and her adopted son Jacob Gallagher.
Leaving her shop behind, Alicia and her family will run a bar overseas.
Speaking about his exit after from the ITV show, Matthew said: “It’s goodbye for now, but there’s possibility that David will be back. He has his Dad and daughter in the village. I don’t want to give too much away, but I will be back.”
After a decade on the show, Matthew reflected on his time in the village.
“It feels like I’ve been there two minutes," he told This Morning hosts Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes. "I got a three month contract to start with and ten years later – I’m leaving."
Yesterday, the father-of-one announced that he and long-term soap partner Charley Webb, 27, who plays Debbie Dingle in the show, are expecting their second child together in December.
The Emmerdale stars took to their respective Twitter pages to share a very sweet snap of their young family.
Posing alongside their son Buster, the pair held up a vintage-style sign to confirm the happy news which read simply "Baby #2".
Including their five-year-old son, he stood behind a sign bearing the message: "Only child expiring… Dec 2015."
Speaking about the exciting news, Matthew told Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford: “Buster is five, and we’re due again in December. He’s desperate for a little brother.”
Charley and Matthew first started dating back in 2008, before getting engaged and later splitting in 2013.
After remaining close friends for the sake of their son, the couple were reported to have rekindled their romance in April last year.
To see the full interview with Matthew, please click here.
Related articles
- Emmerdale's Natalie Anderson: When Alicia was shot the team were in floods of tears
- Emmerdale’s wedding of the year! Natalie Anderson's Alicia finally walks down the aisle
- EMMERDALE SPOILER ALERT: Alicia and David set to move to Portugal
- Emmerdale's Charley Webb and Matthew Wolfenden announce baby number TWO with cute snap