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Hot on the heels of the return of Alfie Moon this autumn, Walford is soon to welcome his cousin, Michael Moon, played by Steve John Shepherd, well known for his portrayal of Jo in This Life.

Michael Moon is a cheeky chap with a silver tongue, who loves a lot of female attention – much like his older cousin, Alfie. However, Michael has a slightly more manipulative streak and a competitive nature, which means he doesn't think twice about screwing people over – even those he loves.

Michael loves to live life dangerously, taking risks, and can be as ruthless as he is charming.

Steve John Shepherd has previously been seen in This Life, Layer Cake, Waking The Dead and, more recently, the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Three sitcom Lunch Monkeys.

Regarding his arrival in Albert Square, Steve commented: "I can vividly remember watching the first ever episode of EastEnders and I'm very excited to be joining such a fantastic and iconic programme.

"Michael Moon will be an exciting character to play – on the surface he a loveable, cheeky chappy but, underneath, he has hidden depths which will be exciting to explore."

Bryan Kirkwood, executive producer of EastEnders, explains: "I've been a fan of Steve John Shepherd's work for years. He's a fantastic signing for EastEnders, an exciting addition to the Moon family, and is set to cause a big splash in Albert Square from the moment he arrives."

Notes to Editors

EastEnders can be seen on ´óÏó´«Ã½ One, Mondays at 8pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7.30pm, Fridays at 8pm and as part of the Sunday omnibus.

HT