Shane is all set for EastEnders return

SHANE RICHIE insists he’s finally ready for a return to EastEnders primarily because his wife wants him out of the house!

The actor, 53, who in January disappointed fans by revealing he’d recently turned down the chance to reprise his role as Alfie Moon in the BBC soap, now tells Day & Night that his wife of just over a decade Christie Goddard is the one hell-bent on him returning to Albert Square.

“My wife wants me to get back to work,” he told us at Richmond Theatre press night for the stage adaptation of classic 1970s TV sitcom Some Mothers Do ’Ave ’Em. “She’s desperate for me to do it [EastEnders] so I will.”

Christie agreed: “Yes, I’m going to make sure he does!”

Shane, who recently admitted he had panic attacks in his early days on EastEnders and hinted that anxiety was behind his current hiatus, said: “I think it was important to discuss anxiety. To show people there’s nothing to be ashamed of. I’ve had two years off and I think that was enough for me. I’m ready to go back if they’ll have me. It’s the best gig on TV.”

The play, which stars Joe Pasquale as the hapless Frank Spencer, was also attended by the likes of TV presenter Anthea Turner and actors Bonnie Langford and Christopher Biggins.

WHEN IT NEEDS TO COME OUT, “IT’S FAIRLY HIDDEN BENEATH BUT IT’S DEFINITELY THERE.” SHE MIGHT APPEAR AS THOUGH BUTTER WOULDN’T MELT BUT HOLLY WILLOUGHBY INSISTS SHE DOES HAVE A FEISTY SIDE