From Eastenders to North Eastern, it’s Shane Richie

SHANE Richie will be back in Newcastle tomorrow and promises a cracking night out at the theatre.

The former EastEnders favourite is returning to the Theatre Royal stage to play detective Roy Grace in Not Dead Enough.

The latest adaptation of one of Peter James’ novels featuring the crime-cracking cop will see Richie - best known as Alfie Moon in the BBC soap - star alongside TV presenter Laura Whitmore in a new murder mystery.

The play marks a return to the city theatre for Richie who appeared there last year in another James thriller, The Perfect Murder.

In that he starred alongside Jessie Wallace - his EastEnders wife Kat - as a different character but the bestsellers’ author always had him down as a perfect fit for the lead role.

Richie knows Peter James well and said: “He asked me several times to to come and do one of his plays but I was always tied up with TV and couldn’t do it.

“He spoke to me about wanting me to play Roy Grace.” And finally the opportunity came and a premier tour of Not Dead Enough - the third adap- tation in the book series - got underway.

Running until Saturday at the Theatre Royal, the play will be one of the last chances to see Richie play Grace as there’ll be a role change in April so that he can bow out before the end of the tour.