EastEnders’ Alfie Moon to be diagnosed with prostate cancer

EastEnders‘ Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in an upcoming storyline.

In tonight’s (14th August) episode of the BBC One soap, viewers saw Alfie at odds with his son Tommy after he found him drinking with his friends in the park, with Tommy lashing out and punching Alfie for showing him up.

Tomorrow, still experiencing pain from the punch, Phil insists that Alfie is checked over at the hospital where he is shocked to learn that the blood in his urine could be indicative of prostate cancer.

Soon, the diagnosis will be confirmed and the storyline will follow Alfie and those around him as he comes to terms with his illness. The BBC One soap is working with Prostate Cancer UK and Macmillan Cancer Support to ensure the storyline is told as accurately and sensitively as possible.

Chris Clenshaw, Executive Producer said of the storyline:

“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.”

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About one in eight men in the UK will develop prostate cancer during their lifetime. The disease primarily affects men over 50, and is the most common cancer in men. The number of men diagnosed with prostate cancer each year in the UK exceeds 52,000.

Symptoms include an increased need to pee, straining while you pee, and a feeling that your bladder has not fully emptied

Amy Rylance, Head of Improving Care, at Prostate Cancer UK said:

“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.”

Dany Bell, Macmillan Cancer Support’s Strategic Advisor for Treatment, Medicines and Genomic, 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.”

EastEnders airs Monday-Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer