[Me Me Me]

Shane Ritchie will be staying until Christmas and then leave. He will return after a 6 month break, according to the Daily Mirror...

[Pete Callan]

good, never wanted him to leave in the first place

[WalfordWill]

Oh Christ I wish they'd make an example of him and just slam the door behind him. Im sick of these wanderers on EE.

[BooHoo]

Oh no, Alfie really annoys me.

100th post by the way.

[Caramel]

So am I. They are what is ruining the programme, can't the producers see this? The stories to write them out and subsequently to write them back in are getting ever more ridiculous. All these characters think they are bigger than the programme. There are surely loads of great actors out there who would give a higher level of commitment to their work.

[Drifter]

What is it with this stupid merry-go-round of leaving and coming back?

Letitia Dean for one really shouldn't have the privilege, it's not like she adds THAT much to the show except history and comedy over-acting...

Trisha in Emmerdale was doing this. They obviously got sick of it and realized how silly it was, cause they killed her off! lol

[Me Me Me]

Blanche and Liz have both made about 60000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000million comebacks, so stop judging Sharon.

But I'm glad Blanche is in full-time now.

[Rovers Return]

Originally Posted by Me Me Me

Blanche and Liz have both made about 60000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000million comebacks, so stop judging Sharon.

But I'm glad Blanche is in full-time now.

I think your keyboard got stuck

[Caramel]

Originally Posted by Drifter

What is it with this stupid merry-go-round of leaving and coming back?

Letitia Dean for one really shouldn't have the privilege, it's not like she adds THAT much to the show except history and comedy over-acting...

Trisha in Emmerdale was doing this. They obviously got sick of it and realized how silly it was, cause they killed her off! lol

Let us hope EE realise too. Kat, Little Mo, Phil, Sharron, Dennis, Peggy, and now Alfie. The programme cannot take much more of this. Other soaps don't keep losing characters in this way. Or is it a case of the rats deserting a sinking ship?

[Agent Krycek]

Originally Posted by Caramel

So am I. They are what is ruining the programme, can't the producers see this? The stories to write them out and subsequently to write them back in are getting ever more ridiculous. All these characters think they are bigger than the programme. There are surely loads of great actors out there who would give a higher level of commitment to their work.

Agree 100% If he wants to go to Hollywood then just go, stop it with these extended breaks, they completely ruin the continunity of the programme. Get someone in who wants to do a good job and is willing to show some comittment (also someone's who acting range is a bit bigger then 'cheeky chappie' would be good as well)

[Drifter]

Erm, Liz has made the odd cameo apeparance when she left, then she returned full-time. It really isn't the same..

And as for Blanche, same thing really, except her break was for YEARS.

Ever since her return a few years back. Sharon seems to have come and gone in blocks of several months which is very irritating.

[WalfordWill]

It is, I totally agree, its very annoying. And none of the other soaps seem to put up with it, this is why EastEnders actors have so much history of bad behaviour on set, they are made to think they are the show. I hate Alfie Moon, the show could do without him. And I'm sure there are actors out there who are willing to commit and provide a higher standard of acting. Shane Ritchie thinks he's talented to go to Hollywood? yeh and I'm going to win the next series of the X factor!

[Whitney]

Originally Posted by WalfordWill

Oh Christ I wish they'd make an example of him and just slam the door behind him. Im sick of these wanderers on EE.

Here here, I completely agree

[Jayden]

Oh for crying out loud, kill him off and have done with it!

If they think that acting in EE is beneath them, kick em out to learn the hard way and dont accept them when they come crawling back when the council tax needs paying!!!

[Agent Krycek]

Originally Posted by Me Me Me

Blanche and Liz have both made about 60000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000million comebacks, so stop judging Sharon.

But I'm glad Blanche is in full-time now.

Blanche moved away - didn't come back for years
Liz moved away, wasn't seen for ages, then appeared briefly and was mentioned several times until moving back into the area to be near Jim. And also both actresses left the programme, they didn't ask for 'breaks'.

Neither of them declared they wanted 3/6 months off, with alarming regularity, popping back in whenever they felt like it. The differences are great. Nigel Harman is on his second extended break in a short period of time, Sharon pops in and out, seemingly, whenever she feels like it, and now Shane wants six months.

If they want to explore other things, great, go do them, if the programme still wants you back in a number of years then lets see if you can be written back in successfully and the programme still needs you. Stop leaving them this safety net. What happens if Shane does come back and then gets another couple of decent offers - another 6 months off then?

[WalfordWill]

Yeh I hate that whole mentality that soap is the bottom rung of the ladder, he said it himself "I'm only here for the money" I'd axe him because I hate his character and Shane Ritchie does my nut in.

[Cookie-L]

Originally Posted by WalfordWill

Yeh I hate that whole mentality that soap is the bottom rung of the ladder, he said it himself "I'm only here for the money" I'd axe him because I hate his character and Shane Ritchie does my nut in.

I agree. I used to love Alfie as a character (never really liked the 'actor') but I now hate him, as he's become pathetic, and has lost any charm he once had. The sooner he and his family leave, the better.

[SULLA]

Originally Posted by Drifter

What is it with this stupid merry-go-round of leaving and coming back?

Letitia Dean for one really shouldn't have the privilege, it's not like she adds THAT much to the show except history and comedy over-acting...

Trisha in Emmerdale was doing this. They obviously got sick of it and realized how silly it was, cause they killed her off! lol

I thought that Tricia was on maternity leave, which is somewhat different to a career break

[Drifter]

Originally Posted by SULLA

I thought that Tricia was on maternity leave, which is somewhat different to a career break

Of course, but it still poses the same problems (more so in fact, given all the limited camera shots and angles you can use when heavily pregnant).

[skp20040]

I read on Difgital Spy that the BBC had confirmed he was leaving at the end of the year with the door open for him to return , but no mention of six months . Usually if it is just a break like six months the BBC would mention it, as they did when Barbara Windsor first took her break they said more or less when she would be back (obviously that got extended due to her illness etc )

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds20714.html

[skp20040]

Originally Posted by WalfordWill

It is, I totally agree, its very annoying. And none of the other soaps seem to put up with it, this is why EastEnders actors have so much history of bad behaviour on set, they are made to think they are the show. I hate Alfie Moon, the show could do without him. And I'm sure there are actors out there who are willing to commit and provide a higher standard of acting. Shane Ritchie thinks he's talented to go to Hollywood? yeh and I'm going to win the next series of the X factor!

Totally agree , give it a few motnhs after his departure and you will see him back advertising Daz or Surf whatever it was.

Sorry but I just cannot see him on the big screen , somehow.