EastEnders stars Jessie Wallace and Shane Richie hint that Kat and Alfie’s next chapter in Redwater is potentially deadly!

EastEnders favourites Kat and Alfie Moon have ditched Walford for Waterford, but drama follows them across the Irish Sea!

Kat and Alfie Moon left EastEnders in a blaze of shocking cliffhangers in 2016. Before they exited Albert Square, Alfie was told he had a brain tumour, while Kat discovered she’d given birth to a twin baby boy at the same time she’d had her daughter Zoe as a teenager.

Now Kat and Alfie’s story continues in a new six-part drama Kat and Alfie: Redwater, which sees Kat searching for her secret son, who’s been adopted by someone in Irish fishing village, Redwater. Meanwhile, Alfie’s privately concerned about his health when he begins experiencing horrible hallucinations.

In a recent interview with What’s on TV, stars Jessie Wallace and Shane Richie reveal the EastEnders couple are plagued by tragedy and trauma in their new adventure.

“We know from EastEnders that Alfie has a brain tumour and throughout Redwater we will see his spiral down, and how he comes to term with the fact that he may die,” revealed Shane. “It is beautifully written and it was lovely to play and I hope the audience tune in and feel Alfie’s pain and see how he tries to turn his life around before he actually says goodbye.”

Although the duo are keeping quiet on whether Redwater may spell the end for Alfie, one thing they’re both agreed on is that the iconic soap couple have never been stronger.

“I think Kat and Alfie; this is the closest they have been,” said Jessie.

Shane added: “Kat and Alfie have been through so much whether it has been infidelity, rape, murder, baby swap, baby death, cot death …  … We’ve kind of resigned ourselves to the fact that Kat and Alfie are going to be together until the day they die. And there is something reassuring about that.”

“What Redwater does is it says to the audience ‘okay these two are together forever but wait until you see what happens now!’” teased Shane.

“Behind every closed door there is something dark is going on!” added Jessie.

Watch Kat and Alfie: Redwater on BBC1 at 8pm from Thursday, May 18, to discover if the East End stalwarts survive their Irish adventure…

Interview by Nick Cannon

With Broadchurch finished and Line Of Duty ending in dramatic style, we've picked the best shows to fill the thriller void in your television schedule.

You might still be coming to terms with the Broadchurch finale which saw Trish's rapist revealed and struggling to comprehend everything that happened in the climax to Line Of Duty, but what will fill the void and satisfy our need for thrills now they've ended?

We've chosen the best whodunits currently on TV or coming soon...

1. Kat And Alfie: Redwater (pictured)

This BBC1 drama features EastEnders' actors Jessica Wallace and Shane Ritche in a Kat and Alfie spin-off. Some of Ireland's best acting talent, including Peter Campion and Angeline Ball, join the pair as Kat searches for her long lost son. EastEnders' fans might remember that Kat gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, aged just 14 after being raped by her Uncle Harry. The residents of the picturesque Irish village Redwater are unwilling to share their secrets with Kat and Alfie... But will Kat find her son?

The six-part drama will premiere on 18 May at 8pm.

2. Fargo

Season three of Fargo will see Scottish actor Ewan McGregor star as not one, but two lead characters. Ewan plays brothers Emit and Ray Stussey. The character profiles reveal that Ray is the kind of guy who 'peaked in high school' while Emit is a man who sees himself as 'an American success story'. This series is set in 2010, the most modern of all the seasons so far.

Fargo is a comedy-crime drama anthology TV series inspired by the Oscar-winning 1996 film of the same name. The Emmy award-winning series from FX premiered its third series in the US on 19 April. Channel 4 have not yet confirmed the UK premiere date, but it will be on soon.

3. House of Cards

The popular political drama will return to Netflix on May 20 for its fifth series. Given the current political climate in America and across the world it's fair to say we are more prepared than ever to watch with gaping mouths the unfolding political chaos. The series will continue to track Frank (Kevin Spacey) and Claire's (Robin Wright) tumultuous political and personal lives.

4. Designated Survivor

You might already be following this American political drama, but if not it is definitely one to get involved with. The series shows on ABC in the US, but is also available on Netflix in the UK. Kiefer Sutherland stars as politician Tom Kirkman, who finds himself suddenly appointed President of the United States after a huge attack hits the US capital during the State of the Union address. The final episodes will be showing in early May.

5. Three Girls

Based on the true stories of victims of the Rochdale child abuse scandal this BBC drama is sure to be gripping. The show will explore how the girls were groomed, abused and then ignored by the authorities responsible for their protection. Maxine Peake and Lesley Sharp play two women who were crucial in getting the girls the help they needed and their voices heard. Nine men were convicted and sentenced for the abuse suffered by the girls from 2008 to 2012.

Three Girls is made by the same team as the multi-award winning BBC drama Five Daughters. It is a three-part series which will screen in May on BBC1.

6. Paula

This three-part BBC2 revenge thriller stars Olivier-award winning actress Denice Gough as a chemistry teacher who becomes trapped in a nightmare following a one-night stand with a handsome yet dangerous character. As their relationship unfolds it becomes clear only one of them can survive – their actions affect everyone around them. Fans of The Fall, in particular, will want to watch Paula.

7. Inspector George Gently

For the last time Martin Shaw will star as DCI Gently and Lee Ingleby will play Inspector Bacchus. Set in the 1970s the start of a new decade indicates an air of change, but what will the pair be faced with for the final series? Following a successful 10 years and 23 episodes, the BBC announced a final ninth series of Inspector George Gently in January. We can't reveal what is in store, but it promises to be thrilling. The series will screen in May on BBC1.

8. Twin Peaks

We are beyond thrilled to welcome back David Lynch's bizarre, but compelling thriller that peeks under the covers of smalltown America. But what will he do with the 90s cult classic? It jumps forward 25 years to present day Twin Peaks and if the bite-sized trailer is anything to go by, Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle Maclachlan) has been infected by the dark history of the town. Twin Peaks: The Return premieres on Sky Atlantic on May 22.

Jessie Wallace and Shane Richie reunite as Kat and Alfie in the new BBC One drama Redwater, where they head to Ireland in search of Kat’s long lost son

The first official image for the new BBC One drama Redwater has been released – showing beloved EastEnders characters Kat and Alfie in the Irish countryside.

The six-part stand-alone drama will see Kat and Alfie, played by Jessie Wallace and Shane Richie, go to Ireland in search of Kat’s long lost son Luke.

The quiet harbour village of Dunmore East in Co. Waterford has been transformed into the fictional town of Redwater where Kat and Alfie Moon arrive on a mission to find Kat’s son, who they believe was adopted in Ireland. However, they discover more than they bargained for, uncovering secrets that the village of Redwater would prefer to have kept hidden.

Director Jesper Nielsen recently said: "We have a really important and fantastic story to tell. About how one woman's search for a lost child opens a Pandora's box, revealing the terrible lies and secrets in the little village of Redwater."

"A story about how the strong bonds of love in a family can hold everything together, and yet at the same time destroy everything. It has echoes of a Shakespearean drama, told in a rich cinematic style, loaded with humour and suspense.”

Redwater will feature a talented Irish cast, including Lost’s Flanagan, Dexter’s Maria Doyle Kennedy, Game of Throne’s Ian McElhinney and many more.

Directed by the multi-award winning director Jesper Nielsen and scripted by EastEnders’ writers Matthew Graham, Julie Dixon, Lauren Klee and Matthew Barry.

The series is produced by Vicky Wharton and the Executive Producer is Dominic Treadwell-Collins.

With filming complete, the new series will screen on BBC One in 2017 in a 9pm slot.

EastEnders spin-off Redwater features all-Irish cast and award-winning Danish director

EastEnders boss tweets first look at picturesque setting for Kat and Alfie's Redwater spin-off

An all-Irish cast will join EastEnders’s Kat and Alfie Moon in their spin-off drama series Redwater, the BBC has said.

Set in a fictional village in Ireland, the six-part adventure has been created by outgoing executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins.

Shane Richie and Jessie Wallace, Alfie and Kat respectively, will appear alongside Downton Abbey’s Maria Doyle Kennedy, Lost’s Fionnula Flanagan, and Ian McElhinney from Game Of Thrones.

Kat and Alfie Moon, played by Jessie Wallace and Shane Richie (Ray Burmiston/BBC)

Redwater’s ensemble also includes Shameless star Angeline Ball, Brooklyn’s Peter Campion and The Tunnel’s Stanley Townsend.

The cast is rounded out by Oisin Stack, Stephen Hogan, Susan Ateh, Ian Toner and Ebony O’Toole-Acheampong.

London-born Jessie, 44, said: “I walked into the drama read-through to a table full of wonderful Irish actors and it was thrilling.

Jessie Wallace (Ian West/PA)

“They all made me feel so very welcome as we started to read the first script. It’s going to be a roller-coaster.”

Shane, 52, said: “Wow! What an honour to be in this unbelievable drama and working alongside some of Ireland’s finest actors.

“At the moment it’s a whirlwind so I’m just getting into the new scripts, which are electric.”

Talking about Redwater, Fionnula said: “This is a fascinating character, full of secrets, deceit and manipulation. My favourite!”

The Dublin-born actress, who has starred in three Star Trek spin-off TV series, added: “It’s a wonderful story which will keep you guessing forever and ever.

“Great writing and a fabulous director.”

Irish actress Fionnula Flanagan (Irish Film and Television Awards/PA)

Redwater is a picturesque Irish harbour village, a quiet rural idyll by the sea where the Kelly and Dolan families have lived for generations.

When Kat and Alfie Moon arrive in search of her long-lost son, Kat’s quest for the truth uncovers secrets the village of Redwater would rather were left buried at sea.

The BBC One series, produced by Casualty’s Vicky Wharton, will be broadcast in 2017.

#Redwater pic.twitter.com/y5fQaCI0bz

— DomTreadwellCollins (@dominictc) March 30, 2016

Directed by multi-award-winning Dane Jesper Nielsen, of Borgen fame, it has been scripted by EastEnders writers, including Life On Mars creator Matthew Graham, Casualty’s Julie Dixon, Holby City’s Lauren Klee and Death In Paradise’s Matthew Barry.

Dominic hailed Redwater as 'very special', while Jesper pointed to 'echoes of a Shakespearean drama'.

“It was our intention from the start to create a new contemporary ensemble drama set in Ireland and we are so thrilled and lucky to have such a talented team on board for Redwater,” Dominic said.

EastEnders’ Shane Richie and Jessie Wallace (Ian West/PA)

“It is testament to the quality of Jesper, Matthew and the other writers, as well as the producer Vicky’s tenacity that we have assembled such a high calibre of cast and crew to join Shane and Jessie in such a beautiful setting. We all know that we are creating something that is going to be very special.”

Jesper said: “We have a really important and fantastic story to tell. About how one woman’s search for a lost child opens Pandora’s box; revealing the terrible lies and secrets in the little village of Redwater.

“A story about how the strong bonds of love in a family can hold everything together, and yet at the same time – destroy everything. It has echoes of a Shakespearean drama, told in a rich cinematic style, loaded with humour and suspense. I cannot wait to start the shooting and see the characters coming to life.”

Filming begins next week in Ireland.

EastEnders’ outgoing executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins has given fans a tantalising first look at Kat and Alfie Moon spin-off Redwater.

The soap boss tweeted a picturesque view of the Albert Square favourites’ new home in Ireland’s County Waterford.

#Redwater pic.twitter.com/y5fQaCI0bz

— DomTreadwellCollins (@dominictc) March 30, 2016

As life continues to have its ups and downs for Kat (Jessie Wallace) and Alfie (Shane Richie), they will head out of Walford together to look for Kat’s long-lost son in Redwater.

The six-part drama series has been created by producer Dominic and it will be written and produced by the EastEnders team.

Auditions will be held later this week as the mini-soap broadens out the cast.

Kat and Alfie Moon, played by Jessie Wallace and Shane Richie (Ray Burmiston/BBC)

Speaking about the new drama at the time it was announced, Dominic said: “My team here are very excited about creating a whole new drama that stands apart from EastEnders while taking our style of storytelling to a place of stories, myth, secrets and immeasurable beauty.”

Shane said he was 'absolutely thrilled' and called Redwater an 'amazing opportunity'.

Jessie added: “To be exploring the next chapter for Kat as well as working alongside my best mate, Shane, is a dream come true and a huge compliment.”

EastEnders’ Shane Richie and Jessie Wallace (Ian West/PA)

Fans of the London-set soap may recall a previous time the EastEnders cast decamped to Ireland.

In 1997, Pauline Fowler, played by the late Wendy Richard, also went looking for a long-lost relative. However, the three episodes were not received positively by critics and some fans due to the stereotypical depiction of Irish people.

The EastEnders stars will begin filming in the picturesque village of Dunmore East in April.

Redwater is due to be broadcast later this year on BBC One.

They may have won £1million on a scratchcard last year and moved to Spain, but when Alfie and Kat returned to Walford for Christmas, it was clear money couldn't buy them happiness. The couple's marriage seemed on shaky ground, and Alfie was preoccupied with the brain tumour diagnosis he's been keeping from his wife. So when he gets a call from his doctor this week, he fears the worst…

It's not the start to the year Alfie wanted as he gloomily reflects on why the hospital needs to see him at short notice.

Ian spots Alfie sitting on his own looking troubled and asks him if everything is OK.

Offering support and encouragement, Ian accompanies Alfie to his hospital appointment.

Alfie's terrified about undergoing a brain scan, fearing what it may reveal.

As time ticks on, Ian worries about missing Bobby's boarding school interview. Then he spots Phil…

But is the hard nut the sort of man likely to offer sympathetic support during a health crisis?

In this case, it seems so, as Phil and Alfie have a deep and meaningful chat in the wake of the scan. But what have the doctors told Alfie? Is his brain tumour a death sentence? Find out on EastEnders from Monday, January 4.

Kat and Alfie Moon left Albert Square full of love and hope for the future. But will they still have that when they make their shock return to Walford this Christmas?

“Christmas in Walford is always the perfect time for uncomfortable family reunions – and Kat and Alfie’s brief return will lead tears, laughter… and a mountain of secrets being unearthed for the Slater family,” says EastEnders’ boss Dominic Treadwell-Collins.

Stacey Branning has secrets of her own to share with Kat

“This is the greatest place on Earth,” Alfie Moon shouted to his friends and family, as he, Kat and his “three Amigos” - sons Tommy, Bert and Ernie - drove out of Albert Square in May and headed for Spain.

Kat and Alfie are back with their "three Amigos" - Bert, Tommy and Ernie

So no wonder they come back when they need support…

Stacey Branning (Lacey Turner) will be happy to see them, especially as she’s got some secrets of her own she’s battling with.

But Kat and Alfie won’t be staying long.

“As Kat and Alfie hold on to each other and their marriage, the discovery that Kat has a secret son will lead to seismic waves through the Slaters – and ultimately lead to the Moons realising that the answers to so many questions lie across the sea in Ireland,” adds Dominic.

And that’s not the only secret to be dealt with…

Has Alfie admitted the truth to Kat about his brain tumour? As they head home to Walford it seems secrets are set to explode.

And the fall-out sets the scene for their new, six-part, BBC One drama, which will see Kat and Alfie head off to Ireland.

Alfie left Walford with a terrible secret: he has a brain tumour

Speaking of their return Shane Richie said: “I’m really excited to be heading back to EastEnders with Jessie this Christmas.  It’s wonderful to be back in Walford and to be playing out several big twists to Kat and Alfie’s story that will set the scene for their new life in Ireland.”

Kat loves Alfie… Does she now know he's very ill?

Jessie Wallace adds: “I can’t wait to start filming these episodes. The drama that Kat and Alfie have in store when they return to Walford is huge and although secrets will be revealed, more questions will be raised leading them to head off to Ireland in search of answers...” 

Kat and Alfie will be leaving again after Christmas

Sounds like Christmas is going to be a real cracker for Kat, Alfie - and Stacey…

EastEnders, BBC1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hk08VBiqo1M

EastEnders couple Shane Richie and Jessie Wallace may be taking a break from the soap, but they're not taking a break from each other after signing up to play a married couple on stage.

The pair, who play Alfie and Kat Moon in the hit BBC soap, will appear in a touring production of The Perfect Murder, by best-selling crime writer Peter James.

Shane Richie and Jessie Wallace (Yui Mok/PA)

They play couple Victor and Joan Smiley, whose marriage is murder, in the show which will mark the first time they have appeared on stage together.

Jessie said: “As soon as I read the script, I knew I had to do it. Watch out because sparks are going to fly and it’s the perfect murder.”

Author Peter said the casting was a 'dream come true'.

He said: “Shane has been a fan of my books for a while, as I have been of Shane.

Shane Richie and Jessie Wallace (Ian West/PA)

“He and Jessie have been loved on television by huge audiences over a number of years, which just goes to show how great they are together and I can’t wait to see Shane and Jessie planning to murder each other on stage every night.”

The pair, who left Walford temporarily to star in their own spin-off series, will be seen on TV again when their EastEnders characters visit Ireland to put their rocky past behind them in a six-part drama.

The stage show opens in Cheltenham in February 2016, before moving to theatres across the country including Newcastle, Edinburgh and Brighton.

Once again, Kat and Alfie Moon are departing EastEnders. On Friday night, Albert Square's new millionaires emigrate to Spain.

But just as the on-off, on-off couple prepare to wave goodbye to Walford, Alfie has visited the doctor after an optometrist's test revealed an abnormality. An MRI scan later, Alfie has been diagnosed with a brain tumour!

It's just another obstacle in the path of their romance. Will they ever find a period of calm and happiness in their relationship, or are they destined to be Walford's Burton & Taylor forever?

We've looked back a the highs and lows and the ups and downs of the Moons and put together... the A-Z of Kat and Alfie."]

Photos of the square's Lottery winners as they depart Walford forever

EastEnders favourite Shane Richie has teased an explosive new story for his character Alfie Moon, saying he is harbouring a dark secret connected to him leaving Walford.

Alfie and Kat (Jessie Wallace) are set to take a break from Albert Square as Shane and Jessie will be filming a six-part spin-off series for their soap alter egos, but before they bid farewell to Walford Alfie will get some shock news that taints their departure.

Shane told the Radio Times: “It’s the biggest curveball I think Alfie has ever been thrown in the 13 years that I’ve been here. I’ve told very few people about it. It will be interesting to see the reaction.

Shane Richie and Jessie Wallace play Alfie and Kat in EastEnders (BBC)

“Just when you think they’re finding happiness, something like this happens. It’s a dark secret that Alfie takes to Ireland with him. The audience will know, but no one else will.”

But Shane warned that as usual, Alfie wouldn’t deal with the problem: “He just wants to go. It’s typical of Alfie to put his head in the sand and not acknowledge what’s just happened. And that really is evident in the very last scene. You just kind of think, ‘Oh, Alfie!’”

Will Alfie (Shane Richie) and Kat (Jessie Wallace) get a happy ending in EastEnders? (BBC)

Talking about what fans can expect from the Kat and Alfie spin-off, Shane added: “They can expect nothing like they’ve seen before! This is Kat and Alfie on a grand scale. This is almost like Kat and Alfie the movie! That’s what we’re hoping for and it will be massive with big stories.

“It’s about faith, it’s about two people’s journeys that are finally coming to a head. We’ll find out who Kat and Alfie really are and the dark secrets they’ve kept for years and where they’re going. It’s going to be mystical, dark, explosive, and it’s also going to be beautiful.”

Alfie and Kat rekindle their romance with a trip out west on EastEnders

EastEnders stars Jessie Wallace and Shane Ritchie, who play estranged husband and wife Kat and Alfie Moon, are to get their own Enders spin-off drama next year.

Executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins said the two characters would temporarily leave Albert Square for a period of soul-searching and adventures in Ireland, which would be a six-part series.

We saw that soul-searching start on Good Friday, after Kat kissed Alfie goodbye then tried to kill herself, with Alfie coming to her rescue.

"In the next few weeks on EastEnders, viewers will witness several huge twists for Kat and Alfie that will change their lives forever," says Dominic.

"Now is the perfect time to take two of EastEnders' most beloved and enduring characters out of their comfort zone as they head to Ireland to search for answers to some very big questions."

Dominic added: "My team here are very excited about creating a whole new drama that stands apart from EastEnders while taking our style of storytelling to a place of stories, myth, secrets and immeasurable beauty."

Shane added: “Jessie and I are absolutely thrilled to be given this amazing opportunity. To have a whole drama focused on Kat and Alfie is a huge honour for us both and we just can't wait to start filming."

EastEnders, BBC1

Life’s tough for Alfie Moon but EastEnders star Shane Richie – who plays him – is all smiles about his life, as he tells Soaplife...

What made you decide to host Decimate?

“With Kat [Jessie Wallace] and Alfie not being in the Queen Vic any more, I was freed up and had some time. I went and had a holiday with Christie and the kids, did some writing [a panto], played some gigs with my band The Prelude and filmed this new show.”

Contestants are in with a chance to win big money…

“Three contestants start with £20,000, which for an afternoon show is a lot of money! They have to answer questions correctly to keep the cash. With every one they get wrong, the money goes down. I recorded 25 shows in five days… we filmed it at the studios where they do The X Factor.”

Are you any good at quizzes yourself?

“No! And this one is hard. I’m no brain box and they’re answering questions ranging from One Direction to the Roman Empire. I get asked to do Pointless, but I’d just embarrass myself. Me and Christie [Shane’s wife] also get invited to do Mr & Mrs but, well, we’d have to reveal all our secrets!”

You turned 50 last year – was that tough?

“It was in March and I was in a bad mood. I’d had a row with Christie and she said we were going to dinner. I said I wasn’t going and she said, ‘Don’t then’, but she knew that if the babysitter was coming round, I’d want to get out of the house. I turned up at this restaurant and 50 of my mates were there. It was great.”

What’s the hardest job you’ve ever done?

“That’s definitely being a dad. Professionally – well, my job’s not tough, is it? Tough is digging roads. My dad was a bin man and my mum was a cleaner. That’s tough. All I do is stand there with someone talking down my ear, saying, ‘You got it wrong Shane, say it again’.”

Do you mind when people call you Alfie in the street?

“I used to, but when I hit 50 I thought, ‘Wow, I’ve made it to 50, call me whatever the hell you want’.”

We hear you are doing some stand up comedy, too?

“Yeah, I’ve started turning up unannounced and doing gigs in comedy clubs. It’s something I miss. I miss the adrenaline and the buzz of going on and just freewheeling. Hopefully, later this year, I may do a tour. I say this every year… it’s just a matter of finding the time. My last tour was 15 years ago.”

What are the jokes you tell about?

“Being 50, what it’s like having young children, having a famous son… EastEnders. My life really.”

Decimate is coming soon to BBC1 daytime.

EastEnders/Decimate, BBC1. Click here for dates and times.

EastEnders viewers will see Alfie Moon faced with a terrible dilemma as his wife Kat lies in hospital.

Alfie (Shane Richie) will struggle with his conscience over whether to tell Kat (Jessie Wallace) that he was the reason for the fire at their home, but he will face alienating his family if he does admit the truth.

Kat is in hospital after being injured in a blast from the fire, which was started by Alfie in desperation at their financial problems.

Alfie had thought that Kat was out at a party, and he was panic-stricken when he spoke to her on the phone to find that she had stayed at home and was unable to get back in time to save her.

He is wracked with guilt when he sees her in plaster and lying in a hospital bed, while Stacey Branning (Lacey Turner) and Big Mo Harris (Laila Morse) are devastated at the news of what they believe was an accident.

The scenes will screen on EastEnders tonight (September 18) on BBC One.

EastEnders' Shane Richie tells Soaplife about the phone call that changes desperate arsonist Alfie’s life - the one he gets from Kat, telling him she's inside the house he's just set fire to!

How desperate is Alfie?

"Alfie has lied about getting a bank loan and he's lied about money he said he was getting. He's lost his job thanks to Aleks [Kristian Kiehling]; he's been let down for another job and he's about to lose his house, so this is the last line of defence."

How does he start the fire?

"He sets fire to the bin in the living-room. He thinks he'll have to get the painters and decorators in afterwards and will make a few grand out of the insurers. However, he doesn't realise that Mo [Laila Morse] has left a load of hairspray in the house, which causes an explosion."

How does he find out that Kat is still in the house?

"Alfie is off to play cards at Phil's and Kat calls him. She wants him to come home. The phone gets cut off. He looks at the house and all the smoke and realises she’s inside. He's now starting to wonder if the twins are there, too, along with Tommy, Mo and Stacey [Lacey Turner]. He tears back and when he gets to the house there's an explosion."

But he does save Kat…

"Alfie is in the house, terrified that the people he loves are in danger and he doesn't realise that other people have gone in after him. There was one scene where the actual framework of the door went up in flames and the real firemen had to come in! It was very hot. Filming the fire was good fun – I wanted to hear the Indiana Jones music!"

Did you do the stunts yourself?

"I had a stunt double. He looked so much like me that when he was standing next to people, they were like, 'Oh my God, it’s Alfie’."

What will Alfie do if Kat dies?

"He wouldn't be able to go on. Obviously, that wasn't in the plan. He thinks he's doing the right thing. He does a bad thing for the right reasons. You look back at everything Kat [Jessie Wallace] and Alfie have been through and now here they are, they've got their twins and Tommy and can ride off into the sunset. Then Alfie does this and is on the verge of ruining everything…"

EastEnders continues on BBC1. Click here for dates and times.

EastEnders' Kat and Alfie Moon are over the moon to welcome twin sons - Bert and Ernie.

Kat's waters break while she is at the hospital with Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) and after struggling through labour she gives birth to two healthy young boys.

Kat (Jessie Wallace) and Alfie (Shane Richie) already have a son, Tommy, whose biological father is Alfie's cousin Michael Moon, but are delighted to welcome Bert and Ernie together.

The twins' arrival comes following a dramatic week for both Kat and Alfie after Jean turned up on their doorstep with a plan to free her jailed daughter Stacey Branning (Lacey Turner).

The twin boys arrive on EastEnders tonight (Friday August 8).

EastEnders’ Shane Richie reveals to Soaplife that after kissing Kat, Alfie realises his life is meaningless without her… just as he’s about to marry Roxy!

When did Alfie realise he still loves Kat?

“Michael’s funeral brought them together. Kat read something into it that Alfie was oblivious to at the time. It was on his stag night that it hit him. He felt out of control and had to talk to Kat.”

And he kisses her! What does Alfie do when Kat later tries to talk about their kiss?

“He stops her by saying, ‘About last night, that was the drink talking’. He makes out that he didn’t mean what he said.’

And that’s it? Finished?

“Kat resigns herself to the fact that there’s no future for her and Alfie and tells Bianca she isn’t going to the wedding.”

Why is Alfie still going ahead with this wedding?

“His heart isn’t in it, but he believes he should marry Roxy and try to make it work with her. He’s been given a million reasons not to show up, but he does…and so does Kat. A part of Alfie thinks Kat’s going to stop the wedding. Meanwhile, Kat doesn’t think that Alfie is going to go through with it. There’s this whole miscommunication thing that they’re always doing and Alfie ends up thinking that Kat doesn’t want him any more.”

So he marries Roxy?

“I can’t tell you that! But what does happen is brilliant.”

Find out if the wedding goes ahead on EastEnders from Monday, November 25.

Alfie and Kat's reunion has all the inevitability of a Christmas brawl in the Vic - and the writing's on the wall when they kiss in EastEnders next week.

Alfie and Kat have a moment when they're the only mourners at Michael Moon's funeral and, later, Alfie slips out of his stag do when he isn't in the mood... Then finds himself hot-footing it across to Kat's.

There he reveals his true feelings to her – and kisses her! How will Kat react to this declaration?

Get the scoop on EastEnders:

EastEnders favourite Shane Richie has hinted that his alter ego Alfie Moon has a big, exciting new story coming up.

The actor told Bella magazine he couldn't wait to get started on the new plot, which would have big repercussions for his character.

He said: "The storyline that we are about to film is massive, it's a big story for my character, which I am really looking forward to.

"I hope Kat and Alfie reunite. It is something that may happen very soon, but I couldn't possibly say."

Shane also said he was very happy at EastEnders and hoped to be there for a while yet: "I will stay as long as they want me there and as long as they keep coming up with great stories.

"I've got a wife and children to look after and I pay my older kids' phone bills even though one of them has just toured with Justin Bieber!"

*VOTE NOW for your most-loved stars and shows in the TV Times 2013 Awards and enter a draw for 47in LED TVs, YouView boxes and John Lewis vouchers.

Photos of the funeral of Michael Moon

EastEnders' Alfie Moon and Coronation Street's Bet Lynch have been named the UK's favourite TV landlord and landlady.

A survey of 1,000 adults by the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) showed that Alfie (played by Shane Richie), of Walford's Queen Vic was the clear winner in the landlord category, receiving around a quarter of the votes - almost twice as many as any of the other candidates such as Frank Butcher (Mike Reid), also from EastEnders, or Coronation Street's Alec Gilroy (Roy Barraclough).

Voting was closer for landladies, with EastEnders' Peggy Mitchell (Barbara Windsor) receiving 20 per cent of the total, just behind the winner, Corrie's Bet (Julie Goodyear), who received 22 per cent.

To mark the competition, Camra is offering a free pint of beer to anyone dressing as Alfie or Bet at its Great British Beer Festival in London on August 15.

But is Alfie's heart really in it - and will Kat ruin Roxy's happiness?

EastEnders' Alfie Moon is set to get all romantic after holding a charity speed-dating event at the pub - and asks Roxy Mitchell to marry him.

Roxy (Rita Simons) is worried when she discovers Alfie's decree nisi has come through, meaning his marriage to Kat is officially over, but he hasn't told her.

Always one for big romantic gestures, Alfie (Shane Richie) organises a surprise candlelit dinner for Roxy and tells her he is now officially a single man again, and asks her to marry him.

But Roxy is wracked with doubts that Alfie may still have feelings for Kat (Jessie Wallace), so viewers must wait to find out if she accepts his proposal.

Shane and Jessie have both hinted Kat and Alfie will get back together by the end of the year, and even EastEnders' executive producer Lorraine Newman hinted: "Hopefully they'll be getting back together. It's a great love story, we'd be foolish not to."

The speed-dating evening and Alfie's marriage proposal will screen on EastEnders on Tuesday, July 16 and Thursday, 18.

EastEnders' Kat Slater and Alfie Moon are set to get back together.

EastEnders' executive producer Lorraine Newman let slip about the plot twist at the TV Baftas, according to The Daily Mirror.

Lorraine said: "Hopefully they'll be getting back together. It's a great love story, we'd be foolish not to."

Shane Richie, who plays Alfie, also seemed to confirm the reunion with Kat, played by Jessie Wallace.

He said: "I found out a little bit of what might be happening over the next few months. We're in for a big ride between now and Christmas.

"Of course we'd love another 10 years of Kat and Alfie, there are genuinely exciting times ahead. I do miss working with Jessie."

The EastEnders co-stars were at the TV Baftas to collect their award for best soap and continuing drama.

Shane said he thought the couple's rocky relationship had helped clinch the Bafta: "I think that was wonderfully executed over a series of months. I always think the best stories are the slow burners that take time."

Jessie added: "I'd like it if they got back together because there's a lot more there for them as a couple."

Kat and Alfie married in 2003, but split last year when Alfie discovered she was having an affair with Derek Branning (Jamie Foreman). Alfie is now living with Roxy Mitchell but even Rita Simons, who plays Roxy, recently said: "I'd actually love Alfie to go back to Kat."

Shane Richie reveals to Soaplife how Alfie breaks his own heart in EastEnders when he decides to ask Kat for a divorce and tells her he doesn't love her any more. But is his future really with Roxy?

Alfie may still love Kat but he can't trust her, which means he has to give up on her and give her a divorce. But, reveals Shane, the writers haven't given up on them. "They're doing the whole, 'Will they, won't they?' thing,' Shane tells Soaplife. "But while they're both in Albert Square I don't think they can start again. There are too many memories for them." Uh-oh, we hope Shane's not hinting at another double exit...

Is Alfie sure he wants to divorce Kat?

"He thought he was but after he's told Kat, he kind of gets cold feet. He realises that perhaps he should have thought about it a bit more."

But Alfie tells Kat he doesn't love her any more. Is that true?

"No. I think he's trying to convince himself and the people around him, but the only person he's fooling is himself."

So does Alfie love Roxy?

"She's his rock. He genuinely has feelings for her, but is he in love with her? I don't know."

Kat's cheated on him before... Why is it different this time?

"It's the big trust issue. Alfie got mugged off and the affair with Derek was all so public. That was a bitter pill for him to swallow. He tells Kat he can't trust her again, yet at the same time he's looking at her and his heart is breaking."

Then Kat and Roxy have a fight in The Vic... Whose side is Alfie on?

"Roxy thinks that Alfie is going to side with Kat, but he doesn't. He takes Roxy's side and shows her he's going to move forward with her."

So why does he go looking for Kat to make sure she's OK?

"Exactly! This is where he's torn you see. After everything Kat's done to him, he still doesn't want to hurt her."

But Kat hurts him again by jumping into bed with Michael! How shocked is Alfie?

"To him it just highlights the truth of who and what Kat is. It makes him believe he's doing the right thing in divorcing her. He tells her he's disgusted. But then he tells Michael, 'If you're doing this to get your thrills I feel sorry for you. But if you have got feelings for her, don't hurt her.' And that says it all really."

Are Alfie and Kat really finished for good?

"Well, something else is set to happen which we're filming now and people are going to go, 'Oh my God, Alfie, please!'"

Alfie's wife sees red – then falls into the arms of her ex…