EastEnders' Alfie Moon is to be diagnosed with prostate cancer.
EastEnders' Alfie Moon will be diagnosed with prostate cancer
The cheeky-chappy character - who is played by Shane Richie, 59, in the BBC One soap - has dipped in and out of Walford since 2002 after marrying and divorcing Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace, 51) , the mother of his eight-year-old twin boys Bert and Ernie, but in a new hard-hitting plot he will be dealt the devastating news that he has the disease.
Executive producer Chris Clenshaw said: “When we first embarked on this storyline we knew it was imperative that we worked alongside Prostate Cancer UK and Macmillan Cancer Support to take on and accurately portray such an emotional and pivotal storyline for Alfie, and one that many viewers may relate to Shane [Richie] has thoughtfully portrayed the realities of being diagnosed with prostate cancer with grace and understanding.
"We hope that this storyline resonates with the audience, and that we represent it as sensitively, and as accurately as possible.”
The charities deemed it a “pleasure” and “vital” to work alongside the 'EastEnders' writers, and praised the move to show the reality of the disease, because it is one of the most common cancers battled by men.
Amy Rylance, the head of improving care at Prostate UK, said: “It’s been a pleasure working alongside ‘EastEnders’ on their prostate cancer storyline, and we salute the BBC for approaching Prostate Cancer UK to ensure the narrative is as close to real life as possible.
"Every man’s experience of prostate cancer is unique, and it’s so important for viewers to be given accurate information about the disease.
"It’s been a privilege to provide insight into Alfie Moon’s journey with prostate cancer, ensuring an authentic story is told every step of the way.
"Introducing Shane (Richie) to one of our supporters affected by prostate cancer gave him the opportunity to understand what it’s like to experience the disease first hand.”
Macmillan Cancer Support’s Dany Bell said: "Storylines like Alfie’s play a vital role in helping to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of prostate cancer and the impact a cancer diagnosis can have on individuals and their families.
"We also know that men can often find it difficult to talk about cancer, to protect the people around them or simply wanting to stay strong.
"We hope that seeing a character like Alfie go through this experience will help open up these vital conversations and highlight the array of support that’s out there.”
Tagged in Jessie Wallace