Shaun Patrick Roche, known as Shane Richie (born March 11, 1964) is an English comedian, actor, singer and television presenter.

The son of a dustman, Richie is best known for his role as Alfie Moon in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, although he had a high-profile career as a stand-up comic and television host before arriving in that role in 2002.

Richie was a member of a youth theatre as a child, and began his professional career as a bluecoat entertainer in Pontins holiday camps whilst still a teenager. He progressed to the live stand up circuit - receiving a nomination for best new stand-up at the inaugural British Comedy Awards - and made his first high-profile television appearances as one of five comics on the BBC1 sketch show You Gotta Be Jokin' (1991).

He later branched out into anchoring game shows after proving successful as host of the kids' quiz Run The Risk which was played during the BBC Saturday morning show Going Live. He moved into mainstream presenting with Caught In The Act, Win, Lose Or Draw, The Shane Richie Experience (later revamped as Love Me Do) and Lucky Numbers. He also replaced Danny Baker in the 'doorstep challenge' TV ads for Daz detergent - ironically, he had previously replaced Baker as host of Win, Lose Or Draw.

Richie, a natural and confident performer, was a success in musicals - including the 1970s-based Boogie Nights and the re-make of Grease, so he tried his hand at carving out new careers as a singer and actor. He released two albums, to limited appeal, but was more successful as an actor . He won supporting roles in British films that few have heard of (even in England), Dead Clean and Distant Shadow, before joining EastEnders. As Alfie Moon, Richie received immediate acclaim for bringing humour to a programme often panned for being too depressing. The role won him numerous awards, and he left EastEnders at the end of 2005.

In 2003, Richie invested a six-figure sum into the budget of the film Shoreditch, in which he starred, but unfortunately it made little profit. He also released his autobiography Rags To Richie, which was a best-seller.

From 2002 to 2003, Richie played villainous Danny Dexter on Night and Day.

He has teenage sons Shane and Jake from his marriage to Coleen Nolan, the youngest of the singing troupe the Nolan Sisters. They married in 1990 and divorced in 1999. He proposed to second wife Christie Goddard at her 26th birthday party in April 2005, and on St. George's Day 2006, Christie gave birth to Shane's third son. The baby's name is currently unknown.

External links

• Shane Richie's official site
• Shane Richie as Alfie Moon on the BBC's EastEnders page

1964 births | Living people | English actors | English comedians | English male singers | British game show hosts | British television presenters | EastEnders actors