Shane Richie
Shane Patrick Roche, known as Shane Richie, (born 11 March 1964) is an English actor, comedian, singer and presenter. 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.
Richie has presented a number of BBC game shows including Reflex, Win Your Wish List and Decimate.
Early life and career beginnings
Richie was born at St Mary Abbot's Hospital in Kensington, London to Irish parents, he attended Willesden High School 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, similar to the bluecoats at Pontins Southport. 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. The show got axed after one series and was replaced by another sketch show You Gotta Be Jokin' in 1991. Richie was one of five comics along with Maddi Cryer, Annette Law, George Marshall and Billy Pearce.
