Ex-EastEnders star says ‘we all have bills to pay’ and hits back at ‘normal job stigma’

Tony Discipline has opened up on life after leaving EastEnders(Image: BBC/Kieron McCarron)

A former EastEnders cast member has opened up on his “rewarding” new role.

Actor Tony Discipline appeared as Alfie Moon’s cousin Tyler Moon from 2011 until 2013 and also appeared in spin-offs EastEnders Revealed, Lauren’s Diaries and All I Want for Christmas.

Fans were left devastated when Tyler left Walford to work on a cruise shop with his brother Antony Moon (Matt Lapinskas) following his split from Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty).

Speaking about leaving the BBC One soap, Tony explained: “I wouldn’t say I was glad to be leaving the soap because I genuinely really enjoyed my time on the show, and was still enjoying it when I went, but a lot of the Moon family were moving on.

“EastEnders is such a family-oriented show so I kind of felt like things were naturally coming to an end for us. So in terms of the storylines, it made sense for the characters to move on and go off to explore other things.

Since leaving EastEnders, Tony has landed roles in short film Birds and Dogs and recently filmed Fightland, is produced by 50 Cent, which is coming out in the autumn on Sky.

The actor appeared as Alfie Moon’s cousin Tyler Moon from 2011 until 2013(Image: BBC)

However, Tony admitted that he felt stuck in career when he left EastEnders 13 years ago. He said: “It was a difficult transition. You come out of something like EastEnders and you’re thinking, right, what next? Where does it go from here?

“I actually moved to LA for about six months not long after I left the show. I loved it. I probably didn’t put as much focus into the acting side as I should have, but I was 24, I was out there enjoying the LA lifestyle.”

Tony is also now a firefighter as well as an actor and says he’s “honestly loves” both jobs. Speaking about his career on behalf of CasinoHawks, he said: “It’s great when you’ve got something like EastEnders and you’ve got a regular income coming in and you’re putting food on the table.

“But after a while, you come out of the show and you realise things aren’t free, unfortunately. You’ve got to keep going. I’ve done so many jobs, tried so many things, and started different businesses.

Tony said working as a firefighter is “rewarding”(Image: tonydiscipline/Instagram)

“I don’t like using the word ‘failed’ because I see it more as lessons learned. I’ve tried a lot of different things alongside acting. Acting has always been, and will always be, the main goal and main focus but alongside that, you’ve still got to earn a living.

“I honestly love both and I’m happy to be able to do both. I think there is a real stigma when actors do so-called normal jobs but acting is an unpredictable industry and we all have bills to pay. Plus, firefighting is so rewarding.”

Opening up on how he got into the fire service, Tony added: “One of my friends was in the fire brigade and said to me, ‘Have you ever thought about it?’ He mentioned they were recruiting, and asked if I fancied it.

“I thought about it, went for it, and I got in. It’s been one of the best things I’ve done alongside everything else. I’m proud to say I’m a firefighter and for my development as a person and even as an actor, believe it or not, it’s been incredibly valuable.”