Ex Emmerdale star Matthew Wolfenden shares health update after 'complicated' surgery

Former Emmerdale actor Matthew Wolfenden has shared an update with fans following his knee surgery. The 43 year old star took to Instagram to reveal that the procedure had taken longer than expected, but was successful.

Earlier this week, Matthew posted a photo from his hospital bed, captioning it: "Ready to go down for surgery on my knee." He didn't provide any further details at the time, but has since kept his followers updated on his progress.

Four hours after his initial post, Matthew shared another photo showing his bandaged leg and announced: "All done!" In a subsequent update, Matthew revealed more about the surgery, explaining: "Repair to meniscus, patella tendon and cartilage damage all done. Took 2 hours instead of the 45 mins they initially thought!"

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The actor also expressed his gratitude towards the NHS and praised the staff at Harrogate District Hospital, where he received his treatment. He wrote: "Can't tell you how amazing everything and everyone was at Harrogate District Hospital. Thank you."

Emmerdale's Matthew Wolfenden has recently taken to Instagram to share a snapshot of himself on crutches outside what seems to be a hospital, sporting a grey hoodie and shorts ensemble with his injured leg in view. The actor, who is famed for his long-standing role as David Metcalfe on the popular soap, captioned the image with a light-hearted "All fixed! " and expressed gratitude towards [Heather] for her support during his recovery.

Wolfenden, an Emmerdale stalwart since 2006, made headlines last September when he announced his departure from the show amid swirling exit rumours. Speaking on This Morning, he shared: "I am so nervous about leaving, nearly 20 years, almost two decades. It feels like the right time, the door has been left open - they're not killing me off, I've been promised. Who knows, I might be back [in the future]. Yeah, but we will see."