Shane Richie to visit holiday parks for caravan show

Shane Richie is to travel across the UK visiting holiday parks for a new show.

The \'EastEnders\' star will front Channel 5 programme \'Caravanning with Shane Richie\' later this year, and he was impressed with the facilities of luxury caravans nowadays.

He said: "I was staying in luxury caravans - and boy have they changed since I last stayed in one."

Shane got into the spirit of the show by dressing up as a pirate when he visited Conwy Castle in north Wales, and he rolled back the years when the programme took him to the Isle of Wight, where he began his professional career as a bluecoat entertainer at Pontins holiday camp Little Canada.

He is quoted by The Sun newspaper\'s Bizarre TV column as saying: "It reminded me of when I worked on a holiday park - and I got to call bingo again."

Shane - who plays Alfie Moon in the BBC One soap - previously admitted how he bunked off school aged 15 and auditioned for Pontins, despite being three years too young, leaving his mum having to fork out on fines because he missed exams.

He said: "There was a Sliding Doors moment when I was 15. I had been accepted for the National Youth Theatre\'s summer course, but I also bunked off school and went to audition for Pontins.

"You had to be 18, so I forged my doctor\'s certificate and off I went. My mum, bless her, had to pay fines because I did no exams.

"I had done some acting, I\'d ticked that box for the moment, so I decided to tear the arse out of it on a holiday camp and learn to be an entertainer.

"I loved that life - you did sketch shows, sang with bands, danced, called bingo and had a great time. I\'d make the same decision now."