Shane Richie

Shane Patrick Paul Roche (born 11 March 1964), known as Shane Richie, is a British actor, comedian, television presenter and singer. Following initial success as a stage and screen performer, he became best known for his portrayal of the character Alfie Moon in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders between 2002 and 2005 and then again from 2010 until 2016 and then in its spin-off RTÉ Drama Redwater in 2017. He returned to EastEnders in 2018 for another stint until 2019. In 2020, he appeared on the twentieth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here and finished in fourth place.[1]

Shane Richie
Richie in 2005
Born
Shane Patrick Paul Roche

(1964-03-11) 11 March 1964
Kensington, London, England
OccupationActor, comedian, singer, presenter
Years active1977, 1985–present
Known forRole of Alfie Moon in EastEnders (2002–2005, 2010–2016, 2018–2019)
Kat and Alfie: Redwater (2017)
Notable work
EastEnders (2002–2005, 2010–2016, 2018–2019)
Kat and Alfie: Redwater (2017)
Flushed Away (2006)
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1990; div. 1999)​

Christie Goddard
​
(m. 2007)​
Children5; including Jake Roche

Richie has presented a number of BBC game shows including Reflex, Win Your Wish List and Decimate.

He also regularly appears in pantomime and in the last few years has starred as Robin Hood. He first took the role appearing at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton in 2016, then repeated it again in 2017 at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking. He then reprised the role once again in 2018 at the Milton Keynes Theatre. In 2019 he starred alongside Jennie Dale as the title character in Dick Wittington at the Bristol Hippodrome in Bristol.[2]

Early life and career beginnings

Richie was born at St Mary Abbot's Hospital in Kensington, London[3] to Irish parents.[4] He attended Willesden High School[5] and was a member of a youth theatre as a child, and began his professional career in adolescence as a bluecoat entertainer at a Pontins holiday camp Little Canada, on the Isle of Wight. He progressed to the live stand up circuit – receiving a nomination for best new stand-up at the inaugural British Comedy Awards.

In 1989, Richie made nightly appearances for Sky TV's chat show series Jameson Tonight, which was hosted by Derek Jameson and Richie and recorded at the Windmill Theatre, London. In 1990, Richie made his first terrestrial television appearances as one of the comics on the BBC One sketch show Up to Something! with Suzy Aitchison, David Schneider, Frances Dodge, Mike Hayley and Lewis MacLeod; however, the show was axed after one series. Richie was one of five comics along with Maddi Cryer, Annette Law, George Marshall and Billy Pearce.

Richie later branched out into hosting game shows after proving successful as host of the kids' quiz show Run the Risk, which was played during the BBC Saturday morning show Going Live. He moved into mainstream presenting with Caught in the Act, Win, Lose or Draw, The Shane Richie Experience (later revamped as Love Me Do) and Lucky Numbers. He also replaced Danny Baker in the 'doorstep challenge' TV ads for Daz detergent; he had previously replaced Baker as host of Win, Lose or Draw. In the 2012 Christmas episode of The Sarah Millican Television Programme, Richie said that Daz gave him so much money for doing the adverts that he would have "snorted the stuff" if they had asked him.

Career

Musicals and music career

Richie has had success in musicals, appearing in such musicals as Boogie Nights and the 1993 London revival production of Grease. He released two albums, The Album in 1997 and Once Around the Sun in 2000 to limited commercial response, and had a number 2 hit in the UK Singles Chart in 2003, with his Children in Need cover version of Wham!'s "I'm Your Man".

Over Christmas 2005, Richie appeared in a touring run of Scrooge: The Musical.

In 2009, Richie was reportedly scheduled as the opening act for Michael Jackson's concerts at the O2 Arena.[6] The concerts were cancelled following Jackson's death.

During Christmas 2013, Richie appeared as Buttons in the pantomime Cinderella at the Wycombe Swan Theatre in High Wycombe.

In 2017, Richie signed with East West Records and released his debut country music album, A Country Soul on 10 November 2017.

Television

In 1995, Richie began hosting the game show Lucky Numbers and starred in The Shane Richie Experience (1995–1996).

From 2002–2003, Richie played the villainous Danny Dexter on Night and Day. He won supporting roles in low-profile British films, beginning with Chris Barfoot's award-winning short comedy movie Dead Clean and then later Distant Shadow. In 2003, Richie was executive producer for the British film Shoreditch, in which he also appeared in a lead role. He invested a six-figure sum into the budget of the film, which ultimately made little profit.

In 2007, Richie starred in ITV drama The Good Samaritan, and Father Frank for BBC One. He also starred in the second series of Skins on Channel 4 as Bruce Gelcart, a lecherous college drama lecturer.

On 11 May 2008, Richie hosted a quiz show on Sky1 called Don't Forget the Lyrics!, whereby contestants must finish off the lyrics to lines of popular songs in order to win money.

On 25 April 2008, he was due to be a guest on The Paul O'Grady Show, but due to Paul O'Grady falling ill, Richie stood in as host.

In February 2009, Richie starred in a revamp of the series Minder on Channel 5. Rather than a remake of the original, Richie starred as Archie Daley, the nephew of the character Arthur Daley from the original series, which ran from 1979 to 1994 on ITV.[7]

On 26 July 2009, Richie appeared in a one-off television drama called Whatever It Takes playing a character called JJ Merrick who comes to the aid of a girl who wins a radio competition – and catapults her into stardom, thus giving her a new lease of life.

The BBC announced on 14 November 2011, that following Jimmy Savile's recent death, Jim'll Fix It would return for a one-off Christmas Special in December 2011, with Richie as host.[8]

In January 2014, Richie presented one series of BBC One game show Reflex, made by Objective Productions. In December 2014, Richie began hosting The National Lottery: Win Your Wish List, a new Saturday night game show. A second series began airing in February 2016.[9]

Richie has guest-hosted numerous episodes of The One Show. Between 2015 and 2016, Richie presented the BBC One daytime game show Decimate.

In June 2015, it was announced that he would be appearing in an episode of Benidorm.[10]

In 2019 Richie filmed Caravanning With Shane Richie for Channel 5.

In November 2020, it was announced that Richie would appear on the twentieth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here. He finished in fourth place.[1]

EastEnders
Main article: EastEnders

In 2002, Richie joined the cast of EastEnders as Alfie Moon, bringing humour to a programme often panned for being too depressing. The role won him numerous awards including the award for "Best Male European Actor" at the Rose D'or Festival and National Television Awards for "Most Popular Actor" in 2005, shortly before he, and co-star Jessie Wallace, left the programme on Christmas Day in 2005.

On 8 May 2008, he said in an interview with Digital Spy that he would love to return to EastEnders as Alfie Moon.[11]

On 23 July 2009, Richie announced on The One Show that his character Alfie Moon would return to EastEnders.[12] Following an absence of almost five years, Richie made his on-screen return to EastEnders on 21 September 2010.

As well as appearing in EastEnders, Richie also narrated three episodes for the documentary series, EastEnders Revealed, a series that goes behind the scenes and explores characters and storylines; the episodes were "The Secret Mitchell" in 2009 about Ronnie Mitchell and Danielle Jones, "Peggy Mitchell – Queen of the Vic" in 2010 about Peggy Mitchell and "Farewell Pat" in 2012 about Pat Evans.

On 4 April 2015, it was announced that Richie would appear alongside Jessie Wallace in a six-part BBC One drama series, Redwater. In the spin-off, Kat and Alfie Moon visited Ireland as they put their past behind them. Speaking about the series, Richie commented: "Both Jessie and I are absolutely thrilled to be given this amazing opportunity. To have a whole drama focussed around Kat and Alfie is a huge honour for us both and we just can't wait to start filming.[13]

Richie briefly reprised the role in 2018,[14] with the character leaving once again in early 2019.[15]

Film

In 2003, Richie produced and starred in the film Shoreditch, into which he had reportedly invested half a million pounds of his own money. The film received negative reviews and was not widely seen.[16][17]

In 2006, Richie played a rat named Sid in the Aardman Animation film Flushed Away. He has recently been seen in the UK stage tour of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest as Randle McMurphy, and heard as a presenter on Virgin Radio, where he interviewed Tony Hadley of Spandau Ballet.

Stage

In July 2015 it was announced that Richie would star alongside Jessie Wallace in The Perfect Murder at the Theatre Royal in February 2016.[18]

Since 2016, he has appeared in pantomime as Robin Hood.[19][20][21]

In 2019, Richie starred as retired drag queen Hugo Battersby/ Loco Chanelle in the hit musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at the Apollo Theatre. It was then announced that he would reprise the role for the 2020 UK tour.

Richie married Coleen Nolan in 1990 and together they had two sons, Shane Roche Jr. (born 1988) and Jake Roche (born 1992). They divorced in 1999.[22] He has three children with wife Christie.[23]

In 2003, Richie released his autobiography Rags to Richie. In the book, he claims to have had sex with six girls in a chalet, during his time as a Pontins Bluecoat and he broke the law by orchestrating ticket touts outside of Grease. Richie also claims to have given free tickets to the touts, who went on to sell them at a large profit for Richie.

Charity

Richie is patron of Shinfield Players Theatre, an amateur "little theatre" in Reading, Berkshire, taking the role from Anton Rodgers who died in 2007.[24] He made his first appearance in the audience on 11 July 2009 for the Youth Group production of Disco Inferno.

Richie is patron of the UK's Huntington's Disease Association.[25]

Richie is also a Patron of a charity called Cherry Trees which provides respite care for children with disabilities.[26]

In 2019, Richie admitted that he had to live in a squat when a job failed to happen. After the squat was raided by police, he ended up homeless and was cautioned by the police for vagrancy. Of the experience, Richie said "What I learnt almost 40 years ago has had, and will always have, a lasting effect on me."[27]

Filmography

Film
Year Film Role
1998 Dead Clean Nicos Malmatakis
1999 Distant Shadow Paul
2001 Silent Soul Chippy
2003 Shoreditch Thomas Hickman / Executive producer
2006 Flushed Away Sid; voice role
2010 Risen Mike Barrett
2011 The Reverend Prince
2013 Prisoners of the Sun Kalfhani

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1978 Grange Hill Schoolboy Episode #1.1; uncredited
1985 Bergerac Henry Hoffman's Bodyguard Episode: "Sins of the Fathers"; uncredited
1989 Jameson Tonight Himself Co-presenter
1992 Caught in the act 12 episodes from Jan - March [28]
1992-94 Run The Risk
1994 Win, Lose or Draw[29] Presenter
1995–1997 Lucky Numbers
The Shane Richie experience
2000 Burnside Tony Shotton Recurring role
2002–2005, 2010–2016, 2018–2019 EastEnders Alfie Moon Series regular: 1,060 episodes
2003 Night and Day Danny Dexter Recurring role
2007 Robbie the Reindeer in Close Encounters of the Herd Kind Trooper No. 1 Voiceover role
2008 Skins Bruce Gelcart 1 episode
The Paul O'Grady Show Himself Guest presenter: 1 episode
2009 Minder Archie Daley Series regular
New Tricks Johnny Tevis 1 episode
2010 71 Degrees North Himself Contestant
2013–2015 Children In Need Co-presenter
2014 Reflex Presenter
2014–2016 The National Lottery: Win Your Wish List
2015–2016 Decimate Presenter
2015–present The One Show Guest presenter
2015 We're Doomed! The Dad's Army Story Bill Pertwee Main cast
2016, 2018 Benidorm Sammy Valentino Guest (2016); Supporting (2018)
2016 Moving On Terry Main cast: 5 episodes
2017 Kat & Alfie: Redwater Alfie Moon Main cast
2018 Star Boot Sale Narrator
2019 Caravanning With Shane Richie Himself Presenter
2020 I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Contestant; series 20

Discography

References
  1. @realshanerichie (3 December 2020). "He kept the Camp (and the nation) chuckling all the way to the final four, but it's time for @realshanerichie to head back to reality! Hugging face #ImACeleb" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/shane-richie-star-dick-whittington-2636747
  3. I'd get hit by Dad after he'd been on the drink .. he told me that only poofs went to stage school
  4. "Thu, Mar 19, 2009 – An Irishman's Diary". The Irish Times. 3 March 2009. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  5. Wilby, Peter (9 December 2008). "From one end of the corridor to the other". The Guardian. London.
  6. "Shane Ritchie to warm up 02 for Jackson". Daily Express. 15 March 2009. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  7. "Shane Richie's Minder is launched". metro.co.uk. 13 January 2009. Retrieved 14 January 2009. Shane plays Archie Daley, with Royal Shakespeare Company actor Lex Shrapnel taking on the role of his minder, Jamie Cartwright...The show will be screened on Five, and those behind it emphasised it was not a re-make...The new six-part series of Minder is due to begin airing next month
  8. "Jim'll Fix It returns to BBC One for Christmas special". BBC News. 15 November 2011.
  9. BBC One – The National Lottery: Win Your Wish List – Next on
  10. Lindsay, Duncan (5 June 2015). "EastEnders star Shane Richie is joining Benidorm". Metro. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  11. "Soaps – News – Richie hopes for Albert Square return". Digital Spy. 8 May 2008. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  12. "Internet Movie Database page for Shane Richie". Uk.imdb.com. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  13. "EastEnders' Kat and Alfie to get their own show". BBC Media Centre. 4 April 2015. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  14. Brown, David (6 September 2018). "EastEnders: Shane Richie back filming as Alfie Moon for big autumn plotline". Radio Times. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
  15. Mozafari, Laurence (19 February 2019). "EastEnders' Shane Richie hints at Alfie Moon's fate during This Morning interview". Retrieved 31 March 2019.
  16. Russell, Jamie (20 November 2003). "BBC, Shoreditch, Reviewed by Jamie Russell". BBC. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  17. Shoreditch (2003). Internet Movie Database
  18. Barr, Gordon (24 July 2015). "EastEnders stars Shane Richie and Jessie Wallace to star together on stage at Newcastle Theatre Royal". Evening Chronicle. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  19. Reddin, Lorelei (24 February 2016). "Shane Richie and Jessie Wallace to star in Robin Hood at the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  20. Duffell, Beth (18 December 2017). "Robin Hood pantomime in Woking: Shane Richie and his merry cast provide plenty of laughter this festive season". Get Surrey. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  21. Richie, Shane [@realshanerichie] (13 December 2018). "💋" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  22. "Celebrity news". Daily Mirror. 6 July 2010. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  23. Kelly, Kirsty (27 April 2011). "Shane Richie's baby daughter is born". Digital Spy. London: Hachette Filipacchi UK. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
  24. "Shane Ritchie becomes patron of Shinfield Players Theatre". The Wokingham Times. 12 February 2009. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  25. Lomas, Clare (11 June 2009). "Tony Hadley and Shane Richie named Huntington's Disease Association's new patrons". Nursing Times. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  26. "Shane Richie is Our New Patron!". Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  27. Percival, Ash (15 February 2019). "Shane Richie Recalls Period Spent Sleeping Rough: 'It's Had A Lasting Effect On Me'". HuffPost. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  28. https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/75ba7fc231e148169bf8d47970ef26f9
  29. "Mr Love Man". The Guardian. 8 August 2003. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
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