Actor Shane Richie has returned to filming on the set of EastEnders after receiving a stern dressing down from BBC bosses following a recent drink-driving charge.
The 62-year-old performer was seen back at the BBC studios in north London, filming scenes as his long-running character Alfie Moon alongside co-star Jessie Wallace, who plays his on-screen wife Kat Slater.
During the shoot, Richie packed on the public displays of affection with Wallace before diving down a fairground water slide into a small pool of water, wearing a black bucket hat and a matching floral shirt.
Richie returned to work while dealing with the fallout of an arrest at a petrol station forecourt in Harlow, Essex, which occurred amid the breakdown of his 19-year marriage to his wife Christie, 47.
BBC executives reprimand actor over charge
Senior BBC executives reportedly confronted Richie over the criminal charge, though production leaders have elected to support the actor through his personal difficulties rather than taking formal disciplinary measures.
An insider told The Sun that Richie had a strip torn off him by EastEnders bosses over the arrest, but confirmed that show executives intend to stand by him and offer assistance.
"Shane had a strip torn off him by EastEnders bosses for his drink-driving arrest, however they are sticking by him and no further action is being taken," the source said. "He’s a huge part of the show and the cast and crew only want the best for him. They’ve offered him help, support and are sticking by him."
The Daily Mail contacted an EastEnders representative for comment regarding the matter.
Late night altercation at Tesco petrol station
The drink-driving charge stems from a late-night altercation on July 29 at a Tesco petrol station in Harlow, Essex, where staff challenged Richie after seeing him using an electronic cigarette on the forecourt just after 11pm.
Video footage recorded at the scene captured staff informing the actor that smoking was prohibited on the premises. Brandishing his vape, Richie replied: "It's not smoking."
Upon realising he was being filmed, the soap star claimed: "This is not a vape." When employees warned him that the vape posed a risk, Richie reached back inside his car with his back to the staff member and said: "I don't give a f***."
As the petrol station manager phoned police, claiming Richie was being aggressive, the actor told the person filming: "Someone's coming to change my tyre."
Police officers arrived at the forecourt shortly afterwards. Richie was arrested and later charged with drink-driving, with a court appearance scheduled for next month. Under UK law, anyone charged with drink-driving can legally continue driving until they are convicted of the offence in court.
While smoking tobacco is a criminal offence at petrol stations due to the ignition risk posed by fuel vapor, forecourt operators also strictly prohibit vaping under company rules to prevent potential fire hazards.
Pressure mounts following marriage breakdown
The arrest came during a difficult period in Richie's personal life, following the end of his 19-year marriage to wife Christie. Their divorce was finalised on July 23, just six days before the petrol station incident.
A report in The Sun claimed that those close to Richie fear he could be spiralling and could ultimately be let go from the soap if his struggles persist.
"This has been a long time coming. Shane has been struggling to keep up with the demands of his workload and it appears it has all got a bit much. Everyone is so concerned about him," a source told the publication.
The insider explained that Richie's schedule has been exceptionally demanding since his character Alfie Moon took over as landlord of the Queen Victoria pub on Albert Square, putting him at the centre of the show's storylines.
"It is a pretty gruelling schedule. Plus he's got a big tour in September which he has been rehearsing for. When Shane gets stressed he does like a drink, he has made no secret of that," the source added. The source also suggested BBC bosses won't take the incident lightly and that it wouldn't be a surprise if they suspended him.
Surrey family home sold amid divorce proceedings
Amid the marital breakdown, Richie was forced to sell his family home of 18 years in Surrey. The £1.75million five-bedroom property was put on the market in March and is now sold subject to contract.
Richie and Christie bought the house in 2008 and completed multiple renovations over the years, including an extension to build a dressing room and an orangery.
The former couple first met by chance at a pub in Wimbledon in 2001 while Richie was performing in pantomime. They married in 2007 and share three children.
The split was reportedly initiated by Christie after she grew fed-up with his spiralling behaviour. A source said: "Christie was at the end of her tether with Shane and had had enough. The divorce was her decision and she pursued it after talking it through with relatives. She had put up with a lot over the years and has had a really hard time of things lately."
The source added: "There was not one specific incident that led to the end, but a build-up of things. She got fed up with his behaviour and did not take the decision lightly. There is a feeling he has been working hard and playing hard and that his behaviour has spiralled a bit."
Questions over their marriage had emerged earlier in June, when Christie was terminated as director of their joint business, Bluebelle Skye Productions, removing her control over the corporate entity they had run together since 2017.
