EastEnders star Shane Richie has revealed bosses had shocking original plans for Alfie Moon.
The actor, 58, has opened up about returning to the soap as the scheming former Queen Vic manager.
He has told how bosses originally planned for Alfie to have a shocking age-gap romance with Walford legend Peggy Mitchell.
Peggy was played by late star Dame Barbara Windsor.
It was said to be inspired by classic movie The Graduate, starring Dustin Hoffman and the late Anne Bancroft.
However once he began filming, they saw Shane’s chemistry with co-star Jessie Wallace, 50 and quickly abandoned the plans.
Instead they brought Alfie and Jessie’s character Kat Slater together.
Shane said: “When I turned up 20 years ago, they were going to create The Graduate story with Alfie and Peggy.
“I was going to be Dustin Hoffman.”
EastEnders original plans for Alfie Moon revealed
He continued: “Off camera me and Jessie were having a right laugh. The writers saw this chemistry. So that relationship happened by accident. From that it escalated”.
The decision has spawned more than two decades of storylines for the on-screen couple.
They even had their own spin-off, the much-maligned Redwater, before Jessie returned to EastEnders.
Shane is now set to make a comeback within weeks as Alfie.
Other than a brief video chat appearance last month, Alfie hasn’t been seen in Walford since January 2019.
He is set to return to the Square for Kat’s wedding to Phil Mitchell – and attempt to win her back.
Read more: Who is leaving EastEnders this year?
But will he manage it? Or will it end in tears?
Shane said: “It’s an absolute honour and privilege to be asked back to my TV home of Albert Square.”
EastEnders boss Chris Clenshaw previously said: “Shane created one of the most iconic, loveable and most memorable characters in soap, and to welcome him back is an absolute pleasure.”
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EastEnders usually airs weeknights at 7.30pm on BBC One.
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