EastEnders' Shane Richie had own cancer check days before storyline emerged

21 September 2023 , 16:25

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EastEnders' Shane Richie had own cancer check days before storyline emerged

EastEnders star Shane Richie has opened up on going for his first prostate cancer check just a couple of days before finding out that his character, Alfie Moon, is set to be diagnosed with the disease.

The 59-year-old star, who has been on the show since 2002 as Alfie Moon, made an appearance on BBC's The One Show hosted by Alex Jones and Jermaine Jenas. The father of five explained that he was asked to come in for a chat with soap boss Chris Clenshaw and assumed that he was going to inform him of a future storyline involving Alfie's ex Kat Slater, played by Jessie Wallace.

Shane Richie told viewers on The One Show that he went for a prostate cancer check (BBC)

But instead, he was left floored when Chris asked him how he would feel about Alfie developing prostate cancer. Shane told the show hosts: "Here’s the thing. This is absolutely true, I don’t think I’ve told many people this other than my wife - two days before that meeting I went for a health check for prostate cancer. Only because it was on my radar. I’m getting to that age now and I’m starting to get reminded by a couple of friends and a close friend of mine who I’ve known since I was 16 went through prostate cancer, thankfully he’s out the other side, and I remember thinking ‘he’s not much older than me’."

He added: "I’ve got a young family, I thought right, I’ve got a couple of days off from EastEnders, I’m gonna go along for a check-up. Thankfully I was alright, but two days later I had the meeting about doing this story." For Shane, his upcoming storyline is by far his most challenging. He continued: "This is such an important story. The fact they gave that particular storyline to a character like Alfie Moon...people are familiar with Alfie after 21 years, maybe another character might not have had the same impact."

Shane's character Alfie Moon discovers that he has prostate cancer (BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

When asked if Shane thought there could be a possible reunion for Alfie and Kat, he was quick to hint at the possibility of it happening. He said; "Me and Jessie have known each other for 21 years and every time we do a scene together we keep getting notes from upstairs saying 'don't look at each other'. In case we give any clues away. They don't want to see the relationship we used to have." He added: "So Jessie might brush past me and I'm going 'stop Kat, you can't touch me, don't look at me like that!' But who knows. Next year, something might happen, but we don't know just yet."

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EastEnders fans believe that Alfie's diagnosis will tie in with the Christmas plot. It has already been revealed that at Christmas a man is found dead on Sharon's wedding day. The six women - Denise (Diane Parish), Kathy (Gillian Taylforth), Linda (Kellie Bright), Sharon (Letitia Dean), Stacey (Lacey Turner) and Suki (Balvinder Sopal) - all find the body.

And now some viewers are convinced Alfie's diagnosis will bring Kat and Alfie back together, and Phil will instead end up marrying Sharon this festive season.

Lucretia Munro