Kat Slater & Alfie Moon

[Glen1]

..

[Perdita]

EastEnders has delivered another bombshell storyline twist, revealing that Kat Moon has a secret son she knows nothing about.

Kat gave birth to twins in 1984 when she was only 14 years old, but she only remembers the arrival of one of the children - her daughter Zoe Slater.

The truth was revealed to viewers in Friday evening's emotional episode (May 1), which saw Kat pay a visit to the convent where she remembered giving birth to Zoe.

Kat confided in a nun called Sister Ruth (June Whitfield) who had been at her side at the time, but once Kat left it became apparent that Sister Ruth knew one vital detail that she didn't.

Checking the 1984 birth records to verify her suspicions, Sister Ruth found an official note from Kat's previous visit which read: "February 1, 1984. Kathleen Slater, 14. Live births - 2. One girl and one boy."

Sister Ruth makes a discovery
© BBC
Sister Ruth makes a discovery

As Sister Ruth only did her digging once the visit was over, Kat remains completely unaware of the life-changing revelation.

Show bosses are keeping tight-lipped about all further details, leaving fans to wonder whether the secret of Kat's son could take centre stage in EastEnders' upcoming Ireland-based spinoff featuring her and husband Alfie.

Some fans are also speculating that Stacey Slater's brother Sean is the mystery man in question - could it be that Jean isn't his biological mother after all?

[lizann]

i welcome a sean return but could he and zoe past as the same age

i think ryan or a newbie would be better

[lizann]

i welcome a sean return but could he and zoe past as the same age

i think ryan or a newbie would be better

[Perdita]

EastEnders star Shane Richie has assured fans that he won't be leaving the show for good.

The actor's character Alfie Moon will soon be taking a break from Walford alongside his wife Kat (Jessie Wallace), but this paves the way for a new BBC One spinoff show featuring the popular couple.

Tabloid reports yesterday (May 4) suggested that Richie had ruled out a return to EastEnders after the new project, but he has now rubbished the rumours on Twitter.

Lovely people, seems I've been mis-quoted, I'm NOT leaving @bbceastenders #walfordforever

Kat and Alfie's spinoff will be a six-part drama series which sees them embark on a new life together in Ireland after mending their troubled marriage. Production on the programme will begin this autumn ahead of transmission in 2016.

Alfie comforts Kat
© BBC
Kat (Jessie Wallace) and Alfie (Shane Richie)

Viewers recently discovered that Kat has a secret son, which has left fans wondering about whether this story will be explored further in the new show. At least one other twist for Kat and Alfie is expected to air before they go to Ireland.

Away from the soap world, Richie has secured another role, as he was recently filming for BBC One daytime series Moving On alongside former Coronation Street actress Julie Hesmondhalgh and comedian John Thomson.

[Perdita]

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2...pc4H33wFiY2kR0

The National Lottery has toasted EastEnders' Kat and Alfie Moon on winning £1 million on a scratch card.

The pair found out they had won after spending a day together in London rekindling their marriage, in tonight's episode of the Albert Square serial. Now, the National Lottery has posted a congratulatory video to the couple starring Barry Evans (Shaun Williamson).

Car salesman Barry, presumed dead after Janine Butcher pushed him off a cliff in 2004, taps Alfie (Shane Richie) up with a project he's looking for investment on... wind-powered cars.

Let's face it - it's not the worst idea Barry has ever come up with.

Alfie wisely turns Barry down and presumably returns to celebrating with Kat (Jessie Wallace) and Stacey (Lacey Turner).

Kat and Alfie were stunned by their win
© BBC
Kat and Alfie were stunned by their win

The win sets up Kat and Alfie's exit from the soap - as they star in a six-part drama series spin-off set in Ireland which will air in 2016 on BBC One.

Viewers have also recently discovered that Kat has a secret son she knows nothing about, leaving fans to wonder whether this story could take centre stage in the upcoming spinoff.

[tammyy2j]

The sensible thing for them to do with the money is buy a house and business and put some away for the kids but no off on holidays probably

[Perdita]

Kat Moon will be furious on EastEnders next week when she learns of her husband Alfie's plans to reclaim the Queen Vic.

Friday's episode of the soap saw Alfie (Shane Richie) approach the pub's current landlord Mick Carter with an offer to buy him out.

The surprise development came after Alfie and Kat (Jessie Wallace) won £1 million on a scratch card, leaving them with some big decisions to make over their future.

Mick and Linda consider the proposal, but when Kat finds out what Alfie has planned, she is completely unimpressed and insists that they should be starting a new life rather than returning to their old one at The Vic.

Kat is unimpressed when Alfie tells her he has made an offer for the Vic
© BBC
Kat and Alfie have a heart to heart

When Kat explains that she just wants to concentrate on being a good mum, Alfie suggests that they should move away from Walford - and he already has a location in mind.

With Kat still unhappy over Alfie's ideas, she soon offers forward a surprising suggestion of her own.

The Moons' current storyline is building up to a temporary exit for the couple, as they will soon be taking a break from the soap.

Kat and Alfie will be starring in a six-part BBC drama series set in Ireland next year, but producers have confirmed that they will be back in Walford afterwards.

[parkerman]

The sensible thing for them to do with the money is buy a house and business and put some away for the kids but no off on holidays probably

I think with a million pounds they could afford a holiday as well!

[Perdita]

Reunited EastEnders couple Kat and Alfie Moon say their goodbyes to Walford next week as the BBC soap airs a temporary exit storyline for the popular characters.

Kat and Alfie are bidding farewell ahead of their upcoming BBC spinoff drama, but don't expect them to leave quietly as Alfie will be hiding a huge secret when he goes.

Here, Shane Richie - who plays Alfie - chats about the Moons' farewell scenes and the surprises to come.

How is Alfie feeling in the wake of his big scratchcard win?
"Oh, he is ecstatic! It's strange. He believes they should have a bit of luck after everything they've been through, so he is kind of taking everything in his stride - whereas Kat is panicking, thinking this is all too good to be true."

Why did Alfie put the offer in for The Vic?
"He thinks that's where they belong. He thought Kat wanted to set up and get back to where they first met 13 years ago, but once again he got it so wrong! There are so many demons there, ghosts from the past, so Kat told him that she wants a fresh start away from Walford.

"That kind of throws a bit of a curveball to Alfie and he doesn't know how to react. It's all these juggling balls - winning a million pounds and not quite knowing what to do with it, other than his first reaction of 'Right, let's buy The Vic!'"

Can you tell us anything about their plans for a new life?
"At first they start talking about Spencer, Alfie's brother, because he lives in Australia. They start making plans saying 'Yeah, we can go to Australia, start a new life, maybe open a bar, get some money to spend, bring all the kids'.

"But then they realise that it's a little bit too far. As Kat wants to get a reconciliation with Zoe, she suggests a move to Spain, where Kat and Alfie have already spent a lot of time running a bar six years ago. It doesn't take much persuasion, but she talks Alfie into it and they forget Australia. Alfie says okay and gets the wheels in motion about going to Spain!"

How do they feel about leaving Walford?
"They're alright about it - there's not much snot and tears! I've sat on the M25 in traffic for three hours knowing I could've gone to Spain and back, so they know they won't be too far away from Mo and family and Stacey.

"But by going to Spain, in the sunshine, they're looking forward to it and starting their life again. They're really excited about it and start looking at places to buy in Spain and planning their lives together out there and what they're going to do."

How do their loved ones react to the announcement?
"They're alright! They tell very few people and it's all very last minute - it really is on a whim! Alfie looks after Stacey and helps her out, as does Kat, and Mo's off doing her thing anyway. They have a little leaving party in The Queen Vic which doesn't quite go according to plan. Obviously I can't give too much away, but it is all very last minute! Within 48 hours they're packed and ready to go. Beautiful!"

What can you tell us about Kat's fears?
"Kat's worried that they're gonna get there and it's all too good to be true. What if the dream doesn't live up to its expectation? That's what she's worried about! She really does want a clean start, forgetting everything that's happened in the past, and to leave the whole Harry thing behind.

"By leaving Walford we leave the fire behind, we leave Alfie and Roxy's relationship, everything that's happened, everything is just left behind in Walford. I think that's really what they want to do, but little do they know the baggage they're actually taking with them!"

How does it feel for Kat and Alfie to be reunited again?
"Oh, it's brilliant! It was almost inevitable. I think that they say money doesn't bring you happiness, but in this case they felt like they deserved it, just a little bit of good luck. It really was a series of errors that brought them to the mini-mart to get the scratchcard - it really was down to their last couple of quid in their pocket."

How did you react when you heard they were going to win the lottery?
"When we were told we were going to win the lottery, my first reaction was, 'Are Kat and Alfie going to buy The Vic?' Dom was playing around with all the possibilities and then we got thrown the curveball. We got a call from Dominic saying, 'No, we're taking you out the Square'. My first reaction was 'Why?!'

"Then he said, 'We're going to do a spinoff drama'. Me and Jessie were just... we didn't see it coming. We were like 'Wow, what's this got to do with the lottery?' He said 'nothing', it just sets them on a journey which takes them to Spain, and then how we end up in Ireland is going to be fantastic!"

How do you feel about it all and having your own show?
"Really excited! It's a complete honour! Me and Jessie still giggle over the phone and I pinch myself. It's interesting because there's no blueprint, there's no-one I can speak to, and it's the same with Jessie. It's not as if we can speak to other actors that have done something like that. There's been bubbles but it's always been tied in with the show. With us, the only link with Walford is that we're Kat and Alfie.

"There's going to be new storylines and new characters. Jessie and I are looking forward to reading the scripts. We are still in the dark about what happens - we've got an idea because it's going to be tied in with the storyline when we leave Walford. You'll see how the storylines that come on the screen in May come to fruition in Ireland. It's brilliant and once again it's Dom thinking outside the box, which he does so well."

How do you feel about filming in Ireland?
"Oh, I can't wait! I'll be going home because I come from a big Irish family anyway. You know Jessie and I love a pint of Guinness and just getting our teeth into it, and doing single camera - it's completely different. With something like EastEnders when you're doing multi-camera, you're doing sometimes 20 scenes a day.

"With single camera you end up doing maybe two, three, a maximum of four scenes a day, so it gives you a chance to sit down and rehearse. As lovely as that is, it really is all about the script, so we're really excited. At EastEnders we have some of the best writers on board, so we're just excited, but it still feels like early days yet."

Can you give us a little bit of a teaser about the big news that Alfie receives before he goes?
"It's just the biggest curveball I think Alfie has ever been thrown in his 13 years that I've been there. I've told very few people about it at the moment, but it is a major, major, curveball. It will be interesting to see the reaction. Just when you think they're finding happiness, something like this happens. It's a dark secret which Alfie takes to Ireland with him. The audience will know, but no-one else will."

How does it impact on Alfie leaving Walford?
"He just wants to go. It's typical Alfie putting his head in the sand and not acknowledging what's just happened. That really is evident on the very last scene and you just kind of think 'Oh Alfie'."

How do you think it would impact Kat and Alfie if Kat found out she's got a son out there that she doesn't know about?
"Wow, it just starts another whole big story doesn't it? Just another whole big chapter in the Kat and Alfie saga! Just when you think, 'Oh they're going to live happily ever after!' No, not a hope in hell. I think they're together forever now, they've split up and got back together - that's done. But it's about life's adversities and facing them together, with what the audience know about Kat and also Alfie's secret.

"Once those two stories come together, it will implode, and it will be interesting to see the reaction. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to do anything with June Whitfield, which was a shame but I've known her a long time. I know Jessie was so happy, she just felt like she was working with a legend.

"Once again this is down to Dom - Dom just bringing in wonderful actors and it raises all our games. I would like to think in the future there might be something in Ireland where June comes to Ireland and we can see what happens there."

What was it like filming the final scene?
"It was great! It felt really strange actually because at that time we knew we were going to be doing another show but only a few people knew. We weren't saying goodbye to our characters like you normally would when you leave the show - we're still going to be Kat and Alfie. It's very strange. The other actors were going 'What do you mean you're leaving?' and they didn't know. I was out of the country the day they announced it. It was very odd."

How did everyone react?
"I've not seen anyone yet but it's been great. I've spoken to a few of the cast, though, and they think it's brilliant."

Are you glad Kat and Alfie are getting a happy ending for now?
"For Kat and Alfie as a couple it's a happy ending, we're closing the door on that particular chapter, but a whole new story is starting to open up with both secrets. What's interesting though is that Kat doesn't know what the audience know and Alfie is harbouring his own secret - it's very clever the way it's played."

What will you miss the most about Albert Square?
"It's a home from home! I've been there with my dressing room for so many years. I know everybody - it's like being at school but a really fun school where you know everyone and you have your little habits. It's like I'm going on to a new school, but it's strange because we're still playing the same characters and a lot of the crew will be the same. We're just shooting in a different environment and shooting six one-hour episodes as opposed to the time scale at EastEnders where you shoot four episodes in ten days."

Can you give fans a teaser for the Kat and Alfie drama?
"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."