Eastenders’ Shane Richie on the property prowl on the Costa del Sol

Alfie Moon may be stuck in Albert Square, but Shane Richie is eyeing more exotic climes, and has been house hunting on the Costa del Sol.

Albert Square may have its strengths – a cosy local pub, a bustling market, a greasy spoon café, a surprisingly popular launderette, and a phantom train station – but it pales into comparison with the Costa del Sol…

This fact has not been lost on actor Shane Richie, whose Alfie Moon character has been an Eastenders favourite for many years. The Olive Press newspaper has reported that Ritchie, 52, has been house hunting in and around the Costa del Sol for the past couple of months.

Richie was originally interested in snapping up a beachside property in Calahonda, but it is now understood that he and his wife, Christie Goddard, have widened their search, heading inland to view a number of traditional townhouses on the outskirts of Marbella.

The couple married in 2007 and have three young children, and the Costa del Sol would make a perfect summer bolthole for the family, who currently live in London.

Richie first fell for Spain after spending a large amount of time on the Costa Brava while filming smash ITV show, Benidorm. According to an Olive Press source, the actor is keen to keep his options open. “They are pretty keen on the Calahonda area but are looking at villas, townhouses and beachside properties as well.”

Richie would not be the first British soap star to fall in love with the Costa del Sol. Beverley Callard, who played Liz McDonald in Coronation Street, has been a regular famous face along the coast for years, while Mike Reid – who played Frank Butcher on Eastenders – lived out his final years in and around Marbella before his death in 2007.

Other TV stars who have called the Costa del Sol home at various points over the years include Cilla Black, Freddie Starr and former The Only Way is Essex (TOWIE) star Elliott Wright.