EMMERDALE star Joe Absolom took a savage swipe at EastEnders – 25 years after quitting the BBC soap.

The actor, 46, rose to fame while playing Matthew Rose from 1997 to 2000.

Since leaving Albert Square behind, Joe since appeared in several other hit programmes, including Doc Martin and Code of Silence.

He has most recently joined the Emmerdale cast, playing new villain Ray.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Joe took a shock swipe at his former soap when asked by host Richard Madeley what it was like working on the rival soaps.

And he was glowing in his description of ITV’s Emmerdale and its production team compared to his experiences on Albert Square’s set.

He said: “I did EastEnders a long time ago and it was fun but Emmerdale is genuinely a very nice place to work.

“I keep waiting for someone to tell me that this isn’t the real job.

“The crew is really good and the set is basically a proper place. They can film anywhere.

“That means you can work quickly but you don’t feel rushed.

“I remember EastEnders and we just did lots and lots of talking and (Emmerdale) just feels much nicer.”

During Matthew Rose’s time on EastEnders, the character feuded with Steve Owen (Martin Kemp).

The older man framed Matthew for killing Steve’s ex Saskia Duncan (Deborah Sheridan-Taylor).

Later released from prison, Matthew subsequently vowed to get revenge on Steve.

He achieved this by capturing the villain and forcing him to beg for mercy – before leaving the Square for good.

Earlier this year, Emmerdale fans learned of Joe’s imminent arrival to the ITV soap.

His character, Ray, was billed as an old acquaintance of Mackenzie Boyd (Lawrence Robb).

Ray later became involved with returning fan favourite Dylan (Fred Kettle).

Meanwhile, Joe previously said of his casting: “Well what an honour to join such a talented team at Emmerdale!

“It’s an iconic show and I’m grateful to be part of it.”

He added: “I can’t wait to see what’s in stock for Ray!”