EastEnders legend Shane Richie in career update amid trial

It has been revealed that the soap star will be taking a break from his role as Alfie Moon in the BBC soap this Christmas season to star as Muddles in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Cliffs Pavilion in Southend.

This will be before his criminal trial for allegedly drink driving which has been scheduled for November 2027 at Colchester Magistrates’ Court.

His temporary absence will happen following the permanent departures of a number of other characters on EastEnders.

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This week saw the death of Zoe Slater played by Michelle Ryan while according to The Metro, actresses Kellie Bright and Charlie Suff will be departing soon as will Aaron Thiara who plays ‘bad boy’ Ravi Gulati.

In addition Jessie Wallace – who portrays Alfie Moon’s partner Kat – is set to depart Albert Square, though temporarily as she is also performing in a pantomime.

Another cast member who has been missing from the soap from some time is Lacey Turner, who has played Stacey Slater for over two decades since 2004.

Lacey Turner will be in the next series of Strictly Come Dancing (Image: Ray Burmiston/BBC/PA)

Set to be a contestant in the upcoming season of Strictly Come Dancing, she is taking a break from Eastenders but remains a fan.

She explained she was “really sad” at the departures from the show, complementing both Mr Thiara and Ms Bright.

She said: “I always hope they will come back. They’re part of the furniture.”

Mr Richie, who will be returning, is also well known for coming fourth on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2020 as well as hosting a number of TV game shows.

He also has strong links to Oxford’s theatre scene, having performed at the New Theatre in 2006 in a production of Scrooge.

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More recently, he appeared in the city in 2025 as part of the Prat Pack, bringing a mix of music and comedy to local audiences.

The show teams him with fellow entertainers Bradley Walsh, Brian Conley and Joe Pasquale, who bill themselves as a tongue‑in‑cheek take on the classic Rat Pack.

Their 2025 tour stopped at the New Theatre Oxford on George Street for a one‑night date on 22 May, mixing big‑band standards, comedy and stories from their decades in showbusiness.

The New Theatre was one of a string of venues on the national run, giving city audiences a chance to see Mr Richie perform live alongside his long‑time friends.