Alfie Moon
Template:Infobox EastEnders character 2sluts Alfred William "Alfie" Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Shane Richie. He made his first appearance in 21 November 2002, and left on 25 December 2005. He will return to EastEnders in autumn 2010.
Development
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Originally appearing in the show between 2002 and 2005, it was announced on 7 February 2010 that Richie would return to the show to reprise the role in autumn 2010.[1] Richie ruled out a return in 2009, saying that the show had moved on from his character and he felt he did not have the energy to be in such a "full-on" show again.[2] Richie commented on his return: "It's an honour and a privilege to be asked back to the iconic series of EastEnders which is at the top of its game! I'm looking forward to finding out what Alfie has been up to over the last few years but more importantly – what the future has in store for him."[3] John Yorke, controller of BBC drama production, said: "Alfie is one of EastEnders' most loved and iconic characters, so he's bound to get a very warm welcome from viewers when he returns to Walford. We've had so many new and interesting characters settle into Albert Square since Alfie departed that it's going to make for fantastic viewing when one of the show's most familiar faces rides back into the East End."[3]
Storylines
Backstory
Alfie's parents were killed in a car crash on Shrove Tuesday and the Moon family commemorate their death each year. Although young, he took responsibility for his younger brother Spencer and his grandmother Victoria, widely known as Nana. Alfie spent three years in prison for credit card fraud after taking the blame for his cousins Danny and Jake.
2002–2005
Alfie is introduced to EastEnders on 21 November 2002. He is ejected from Walford East tube station for fare evasion, and causes havoc in the market by getting a refund from Winston for a video he stole and tricking Martin Fowler into giving him free fruit. After acquainting himself with a few residents, he sneaks into The Queen Victoria public house and helps himself to a drink behind the bar. The landlady, Peggy Mitchell, assumes that Alfie is Chris Wright, the new manager sent by an agency. Alfie takes advantage of the misunderstanding to commit identity fraud against Wright. Alfie packs any stock he could find in a bin bag, ready to leave. Jim Branning catches him, but assumes Alfie is throwing away outdated stock and tricks Alfie into giving him a pint on the house. Winston, Martin, Ricky Butcher and Sam Mitchell realise that Alfie has told them all different background stories but he manages to reconcile the inconsistent stories. Alfie later answers the phone to the real Chris Wright and tells him the position is filled, revealing his intention to stay. Alfie's brother and grandmother arrive unannounced in Albert Square and move into the pub with Alfie, much to his dismay.
When Alfie is blackmailed by a former police officer, Dougie Slade, who reveals Alfie's true identity to Peggy, Alfie and his family are forced to flee with the pub's takings. However, Alfie leaves the money on Peggy's doorstep. Peggy manages to track him down, and after he confides in her about his parents' death, she gives him another chance. Alfie reluctantly accepts her proposal. Alfie becomes close with barmaid Kat Slater and he falls in love with her. Eventually Kat returns his feelings and one night when the pub is closed, Kat reveals her feelings to him. They decide to take the relationship slowly, but his inability to trust her causes her to rethink the relationship and she ends it than a week after they get together. Alfie is heartbroken when Kat returns from a trip to New York engaged to local gangster Andy Hunter. Andy, knowing Alfie's feelings for Kat, warns him to stay away from her and the wedding. Before the wedding, Kat visits Victoria in hospital, and thinking she is asleep, admits she loves Alfie. Victoria tells Alfie and he rushes to the wedding to confess his true feelings as the ceremony takes place. Kat kilts Andy and he swears revenge before leaving Walford.
Alfie and Kat quickly get engaged and decide to hold the wedding on Christmas Day, less than a month away. However, Alfie is still married to his first wife, Liza. Liza's mother tells Alfie that their divorce is finalised, so he starts to prepare the wedding to Kat, until Liza reveals they are not divorced. There are only a few days before the wedding so he tries to quickly finalise the divorce while trying to keep it secret from Kat, though Liza makes it difficult as she wants Alfie to take her back. Alfie is forced to cancel the minister on Christmas Day and he panics, but gets his friend Ray (played by David Walliams) to pretend to be a minister, while planning to tell Kat the truth a few days later.
Spencer warns Alfie not to start his marriage with a lie, so Alfie reveals the truth to a furious Kat. Alfie is about to tell the guests that the wedding is cancelled when his solicitor enters with Alfie's decree absolute. Alfie convinces the minister to cancel his Christmas lunch, and Alfie and Kat marry.
After a while, Alfie borrows several thousand pounds from Andy to bail out Kat's father, Charlie, who has been arrested for assault. Andy begins demanding cash every week, which he knows Alfie cannot afford. Andy's plan to wreck the Moons' marriage starts to work and Andy offeres Kat the chance to pay off the debt by sleeping with him. She reluctantly agrees and they have sex, though unknown to her, Alfie has paid Andy the money. Andy keeps the money and gives Alfie a video tape of him and Kat having sex. Kat and Alfie attempt to put the incident behind them but their marriage starts to fall apart and Alfie is unable to trust Kat. She moves out of Walford for while but when she returns, she has become and alcoholic and does not care that Alfie wants them to get back together. Kat sleeps with another man while in a drunken state and finally sees sense, deciding to return to Alfie, but he finds out and throws her out, so she leaves Walford again.
Alfie becomes close to Kat's sister Little Mo Mitchell, whose marriage to Billy Mitchell has collapsed. Alfie helps Mo bring up her baby, Freddie, and they decide to announce that they are an item. However, Kat returns before they have a chance, and she makes it clear that she wants Alfie back. He is torn between the two sisters, eventually choosing Kat. He lets Mo down gently, and they share a final goodbye hug, which Billy assumes is them getting together. In the pub, Billy drunkenly announces that Alfie and Little Mo are an item. Kat is furious and decides not to get together with Alfie, so as not to break her sister's heart.
However, Alfie and Kat continue to grow closer, due to Kat's relationship with Alfie's grandmother, who is dying. After Kat helps Alfie complete some of Victoria's final wishes and overcome her death, it is obvious that they long for each other. Alfie announces that he is leaving to drive across the United States in a Ford Capri, and it seems he has gone for good when he waves goodbye to a heartbroken Kat on Christmas Day 2005. After getting drunk and drowning her sorrows in the pub, Kat is stunned to see Alfie waiting for her outside. Kat and Alfie then get into the car together and drove off.
References
- ^ Gould, Lara (7 February 2010). "Shane Richie to return to EastEnders as Alfie Moon". Daily Mirror. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
- ^ French, Dan (20 July 2009). "Richie rules out 'EastEnders' return". Digital Spy. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
- ^ a b Green, Kris (7 February 2010). "Shane Richie returns to 'EastEnders'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 7 February 2010.