Sitcom Star’s Shock Move

Derren Litten, the writer and creator behind ITV’s smash-hit comedy Benidorm, is parting ways with his Spanish bolthole — the very villa where the award-winning series first took shape.

The 55-year-old penned episodes of the sun-drenched sitcom from his home in Costa Blanca North, Alicante, a property he shared for a decade with ex-husband and on-screen favourite Jake Canuso, 56. The couple separated in 2022 after 10 years together, bringing an end to a relationship that had been closely tied to the show’s success.

Announcing the decision on February 25, Litten confirmed the house is now up for sale and addressed the circumstances in typically unfiltered fashion, writing: “Would you like to buy the house where I wrote the Benidorm TV series? I love this house but thanks to a shameless, career gold digger I have to sell. As the Spanish say, No pasa nada!”

Although he did not identify who he was referring to, social media users were quick to speculate that the comment was aimed at Canuso, who played charismatic barman Mateo Castellanos. Notably, Mateo remains the only character to have appeared in every single episode during the show’s 2007–2018 run.

Last year, Litten revealed he had endured a “pretty miserable divorce” over an 18-month period, citing the split as the reason for his reduced online presence. During its time on air, Benidorm became a ratings staple for ITV and helped elevate the profiles of cast members including Sheridan Smith, Siobhan Finneran and Steve Pemberton.

The Alicante property, now marketed at €925,000 (£805,600), includes three bedrooms, a private pool with covered terrace, an outdoor entertaining space complete with bar and kitchen, and a detached garden office—the workspace where storylines for the fictional Solana resort were brought to life.

Representatives for both Litten and Canuso have been contacted for comment.