EastEnders' Shane Ritchie's bid for David Jason to join soap

Glasgow Times

2 days ago

Appearing on The One Show, Ritchie, 61, who plays Alfie Moon in the BBC soap, spoke about EastEnders' award-winning streak at the British Soap Awards last week.
The cast were presented the award for Best Soap by none other than Only Fools and Horses legend Sir David Jason – and it would appear that Ritchie would love to get him to become a Walford resident.
Speaking on The One Show last night (June 11), Ritchie told hosts Alex Jones and Angellica Bell that he is 'trying' to get David Jason involved.
"Well, we got presented the award by David Jason, and now this is between us," Richie joked with fellow guest, Marvel star Jeremy Renner, and the hosts.
"Davis Jason, big famous actor, say nothing, I'm trying to get him into EastEnders," Richie continued.
He jokingly turned to the camera and said: "Turn over, watch something else, you don't want to see this," before adding: "I'm trying to get him into it."
When Bell asked him whether he had spoken to Jason about it, Richie said: "I don't know yet! I might take him out for a beer."
Fans 'can't cope' with David Jason at the British Soap Awards
It appears that Shane Ritchie would not be the only one who would love to see Sir David on the Square.
Fans were delighted that the 85-year-old presented the soap award to the EastEnders cast, taking to social media to sing his praises.
'Witnessing the David Jason presenting the award for best soap and then EastEnders winning might be one of the most surreal things I have ever experienced,' one person said on X.
'Sir David Jason announcing EastEnders for Best Soap?! My worlds have collided, and I can't cope,' another added.
Others tweeted: 'Dreaming that David Jason has joined #EastEnders' and 'David Jason would be brilliant in #EastEnders!"
What has David Jason said about EastEnders?
During The Only Fools and Horses Story – a TV special that aired in 2021 to mark the 40th anniversary of the sitcom – Sir David suggested how EastEnders' Queen Vic could have been a "meeting place" to set the scene for more humour, like The Nag's Head.
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David said: "What John [Sullivan] tried to tune into was a huge mixture of like real people are.
"They laugh, they cry. They take the mick out of each other. They go on trips together down the pub.
"One of the great things I think John (Sullivan) did, which I'm very pleased to say and I'd wished they perhaps taken note at EastEnders, is that the pub was the central meeting place and it's full of very, very amusing characters."
EastEnders airs on Mondays to Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One.