“Only on Christmas Day could this happen!”
Shane tells us why he will be watching along with everyone else for the big event…
Hi, Shane! When you were invited back to Eastenders, did you know it was all heading towards this big Christmas episode?
Yeah! I had a phone call about this big Christmas story. Simon Ashdown has written it, and back in the day, he wrote some big stuff for Kat and Alfie – so to have him on board again was great! Only on Christmas Day could this happen. Why anyone would want to live in Walford, I have no idea! Christmas Day is massive, and I’ve been privileged enough to see some of it.
How does this rate in the pantheon of terrible Christmases for Alfie Moon?
Well, I was talking to someone the other day about how many Christmases Kat and Alfie have been involved in. And over the past 17 years, at least four. I know that Kat and Alfie got married on
Christmas Day
[2003]. I made it snow – with David Walliams!
You and Jessie Wallace (aka Kat) have worked together on Eastenders for so long now – does your real-life friendship help to keep your characters fresh?
Yeah, we have a shorthand. We’ve done panto and plays together, and we’ve lived out of each other’s pockets. It’s been 17 years of
Kat and Alfie. The wonderful thing is, the writers, producers and directors trust us. Jessie and I will sit down and I’ll go, “Listen darlin’, I’ll do this,” and she’s like, “Do what you’re gonna do and I’ll follow you, all right?” So our relationship is as strong off screen as it is on.
Is your Christmas going to be less dramatic than Alfie’s?
Well, I’m going to be saving Maid Marian twice a day, and you’re all invited! It’s Robin Hood at Milton Keynes. My two older boys – Shane and Jake – used to be in panto with me when they were babies, and they’re in it with me now too! It’s great. For me, it’s all about Christmas with my kids, and no matter what part of the world I’m in, we’re all together.
Will you be tuning in to watch Eastenders on your one day off over Christmas?
Yeah, damn right! There’s something about Eastenders on Christmas Day, it’s like the Queen’s speech. “We’ve got to have Eastenders on!” That’s true even for friends of mine who don’t normally watch it. So yeah, I’ll be tuning in. I want to see the reaction on the night!