Benidorm Creator Derren Litten Forced to Sell Spanish Home After Divorce
Derren Litten, the creator of the beloved ITV sitcom Benidorm, has announced he is selling his Spanish home, a property where he famously wrote the hit series. The 55-year-old television writer claims that a "shameless, career gold digger" has compelled him to put the house on the market, following his divorce from actor Jake Canuso.
A Decade-Long Home Now Up for Sale
Litten had lived in the Costa Blanca North, Alicante property with his ex-husband Jake Canuso, 56, for ten years before their split in 2022. The house, priced at €925,000 (approximately £805,600), features a large private pool covered with a terrace, an outdoor kitchen, a bar, a living room, a separate dining area, three bedrooms including an ensuite, and an office space at the bottom of the garden.
Taking to social media on February 25, Litten wrote: "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!"
Speculation and Fan Reactions
While Litten did not explicitly name the individual he referred to as a "gold digger," fans have speculated that he is targeting his ex-husband, Jake Canuso. One fan commented online: "Derren must be talking about his ex..." Another added: "Just ruined my image of Jake."
However, other fans defended Canuso, questioning the accusation. One user remarked: "A shameless gold digger? Married divorced and have to split the value of your house between 2! How is that a gold digger?" A second noted: "Calling your husband of 10 years a career gold digger doesn’t make any sense, 10 years is one hell of a shift to put in if so."
Divorce and Financial Impact
In 2024, Litten spoke about his divorce, stating: "I don't really talk about my personal life here but the reason I've been a bit scarce on the socials is for the last 18 months I've been going through a pretty miserable divorce. So I'm obviously poor now. And you thought we couldn't have more in common then we already do?!"
Litten and Canuso married while working together on Benidorm, with Litten as the writer and Canuso as the lead actor, playing Mateo Castellanos from 2007 to 2018. Canuso was the only cast member to appear in every episode of the show.
Impact on Benidorm's Future
Years after the show ended, a source suggested that Benidorm is unlikely to return due to the divorce, stating: "Matteo is Benidorm, he’s the character that everyone wants to see. He’s been part of the Solana since the beginning so for him not to feature in any future reboot, well it just would not be the same without him. Jake created one of the show’s most loved characters in Matteo but with everything that’s happened between him and Derren, it’s not looking good."
The Mirror has reached out to representatives for both Derren Litten and Jake Canuso for further comment on the situation.
