UGH! 
| Shane Richie to return to EastEnders |
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| Written by Lynn Swift |
| Sunday, 07 February 2010 18:24 |
 It’s been announced that actor Shane Richie is to return to EastEnders later this year to reprise his role of Alfie Moon in the BBC One soap. The actor originally bowed out of the soap on Christmas Day 2005 to move onto new projects and although there have been rumours over the last five years that he was to return to the soap up until now the rumours have proved to be false. The character of Alfie Moon proved highly popular with audiences especially when he was hooked up with Kat Slater [Jessie Wallace] and the two left Albert Square together in 2005 after a turbulent romance. Since leaving EastEnders Richie has had a variety of role including the film Flushed Away and the revival of Minder on Five – which didn’t prove a hit with audiences as anticipated and was cancelled after one season. Last year speculation rose once more that he would return to the soap for its 25th anniversary but at the time the actor denied his return. However, it’s now been announced he will indeed return to the soap and will start filming again in Autumn with his on-screen return towards the end of the year.
 It’s unclear whether or not Jessie Wallace will also be returning to reprise her role of Kat Slater though as with Richie there have been rumours over the years of such a return. The news of Shane Richie’s return to EastEnders comes after a year of several returns within the soap as Daniellea Westbrook reprised her role of Sam Mitchell – even though the part was recast with actress Kim Medcalf in the early part of the decade. Patsy Palmer, Sid Owen and Charlie Brooks have all reprised their respective roles on a long-term basis while Gemma Bissix and John Altman have returned for brief stints. Actors Lindsey Coulson, Devon Anderson and Natalie Cassidy are reprising their roles for the 25th Anniversary which will see a Jackson family reunion. |
