Shane Richie is on good terms with ex-wife Coleen Nolan
'EastEnders' legend Shane Richie has revealed that he is "still good friends" with his former wife Coleen Nolan.
Shane Richie is "still good friends" with his ex-wife Coleen Nolan.
The 'EastEnders' icon was married to the 'Loose Women' panellist from 1990 until 1999 and explained that the pair still have a strong bond thanks to their sons Shane Jr, 36, and Jake, 32, and their grandchildren.
Shane told Bella magazine: "We met when she was 21 and I was 22, and we were mates, we just grew up together, and we still are good friends.
"We've got two great kids together and now we're both grandparents."
Shane has played the role of Alfie Moon on and off in 'EastEnders' since 2002 and explained that he has no intention of walking away from the BBC soap at the moment.
Asked if he would leave Albert Square again, the 61-year-old star said: "No, not at the moment. I'm really happy there, and I don't want to go anywhere else."
Shane admits that he was "fortunate" to be offered the part of happy-go-lucky Alfie at a time when 'EastEnders' was full of "alpha males".
He recalled: "Alfie came along at the right time about 23 years ago, and there were a lot of alpha males in the show, and I was really fortunate that the bloke who created Alfie offered me the part.
"When I turned up 23 years ago to record it, it was all about timing. I was much younger then – I could jump over the bar and do all that."
Alfie's time in Walford has been defined by his rollercoaster relationship with Kat Slater and Richie explained that he and his co-star Jessie Wallace are "best mates".
He said: "We have a relationship off-screen, and I think we've known each other for 24 years now.
"Before I got here today, we were doing a scene in bed together, and we just laughed. She's one of my best mates."
Shane is heading out on tour across the UK with fellow entertainers Bradley Walsh, Joe Pasquale and Brian Conley for their 'Prat Pack' show and he explained that it stemmed from a successful one-off performance the quartet did at the London Palladium in 2024.
The former Pontins blue coat entertainer said: "We've all been mates for over 30 years, right from the '80s, and we did shows together.
"Bradley decided he wanted to get out on the road, and he sort of brought us all together.
"We did a show at the London Palladium last year, just a one-off and it sold out and, on the strength of that he wanted to go on tour."
