EastEnders actor Shane Richie and his wife, Christine, have reportedly split after almost 20 years of marriage. It is claimed that Christine, whom Shane wed in 2007, had grown 'fed up' with his behaviour.
Shane, 62, who has played Alfie Moon on Albert Square since 2002, and Christine, 47, are said to have dissolved their marriage last month. As claimed by The Sun, this was mere days before the soap star was arrested for drink-driving at a petrol station in Harlow, Essex.
Divorce finalised in July
The former spouses' divorce is understood to have been finalised on July 23. A source said Christine 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.'
They added that the separation was not due to 'one specific incident' but rather 'a build-up of things'. Still, Christine 'did not take the decision lightly'. However, she has decided not to 'boot' Shane out but rather 'be a grown-up about it'.
Family concerns
'She still has a lot of love for him but decided they could not go on as husband and wife,' the insider said. 'They have three children together, so that is her main concern.'
As well as his three kids with Christine, Shane also has two sons, Shane Jr and Jake, from his first marriage to Coleen Nolan (1990-1999).
Speaking previously about his marriage to Christine, Shane said meeting her in 2001 was one of the happiest moments of his life. During his I'm A Celebrity stint, he recalled locking eyes with her at a pub and being introduced by friends after a panto performance. Shane added: 'At the moment I went, "I've just met my future wife".'
Arrest and court date
On July 31, Shane made headlines when footage emerged from a row he had with staff at a Tesco garage. Shane, real name Shane Roche, had been driving his white Hyundai with what looked to be a flat tyre before the incident unfolded as he appeared to be waiting for someone to come and assist him.
Footage obtained by The Sun showed Shane growing irritated and swearing at employees after they warned him to stop vaping on the forecourt. E-cigarette in hand, he told the employees, 'I don't give a f**k,' explaining that it was 'not smoking, it's a vape'.
The manager ultimately called the police, telling them he had grown 'aggressive'. An officer escorted him to the police car upon arrival, which is where the footage cut off. Shane was subsequently arrested.
In the aftermath, a source said it was 'extraordinary' and 'stupid' how he'd behaved. The workers reportedly did not know who Shane was at first but recognised him once police identified him.
Shane, who is currently taking a break from EastEnders, along with his on-screen wife Jessie Wallace (Kat Slater), was later charged and is due to appear before Colchester Magistrates' Court on September 9. Reps for Shane Richie have been contacted for comment.
