Spencer Moon | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EastEnders character | |||||||||||||||||
Portrayed by | Christopher Parker | ||||||||||||||||
Duration | 2002–2005 | ||||||||||||||||
First appearance | Episode 2420 29 November 2002 | ||||||||||||||||
Last appearance | Episode 2868 7 January 2005 | ||||||||||||||||
Classification | Former; regular | ||||||||||||||||
Created by | Louise Berridge | ||||||||||||||||
|
Spencer Moon is a fictional character from the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders , played by Christopher Parker between 2002 and 2005. Spencer is the brother of Alfie Moon (Shane Richie).
Spencer arrives in November 2002 with his older brother Alfie (Shane Richie). Alfie takes over management of The Queen Victoria public house and he and Spencer move into the upstairs flat along with their grandmother Nana Moon (Hilda Braid). Both Spencer's parents were killed when he was young, and since then, he was brought up by his brother and grandmother.
On New Year's Eve 2002, after much chasing, Spencer receives a kiss from Kelly Taylor (Brooke Kinsella). He believes it will lead to a relationship so tries to woo her, plying her with gifts and following her wherever she goes. Kelly does not take him seriously and he ends up looking foolish. His inexperience with women is obvious and as his 18th birthday approaches he admits to Alfie that he is a virgin and believes he is likely to remain that way. Alfie gives him advice to go for less attractive girls. On his birthday, Spencer gets a kiss but the girl finds out he was only interested because he deemed her an easy target and leaves. Kelly witnesses his plight and, to cheer him up, takes him home and the two have sex. However, Alfie ruins things by offering Kelly money to take Spencer out the following day. Kelly, an ex-prostitute, immediately thinks that Spencer is trying to buy her body, and refuses to see him again. Spencer begins to think the only way to be taken seriously by women is to impress them with money, so he started selling stolen goods provided by Mickey Miller (Joe Swash). Spencer is given forged money in return for his goods and gets in trouble when he spends the money in a club owned by local gangster and boss of The Firm, Jack Dalton (Hywel Bennett), and Spencer discovers the last person to spend forged notes in Jack's club was killed. Alfie is forced to use his own savings to save Spencer, but Jack cannot let the matter go due to his reputation. Alfie takes the blame and gets a severe beating.
Spencer tries to settle down and works for his brother as a barman to keep out of trouble. Further problems arise when a one-night stand with Vicki Fowler (Scarlett Alice Johnson) leaves her pregnant. Spencer soon warms to the idea of being a father but a horrified Vicki has an abortion behind his back. Spencer finds it difficult to forgive her, but eventually does on New Year's Eve 2003, when they are both stranded on the Scottish moors following a motor accident. Vicki tries to set Spencer up with Kelly, locking them in the office at nightclub Angie's Den. After initially arguing, and a revelation from Kelly that she only slept with him out of pity, they being talking. When Vicki lets them out, she finds them kissing. During the summer, Kelly, Spencer and Kareena Ferreira (Pooja Shah) decide to become holiday reps in Ibiza. Kelly and Kareena pass their interview but Spencer is forced to stay behind while Kelly goes away. On the day of her departure, Kelly tells Spencer she loves him, which he reciprocates, and she promises to return to him. However, Kareena returns on her own, and tells Spencer that Kelly met someone else and was not returning.
In June 2004, Spencer gets trapped in the remains of a helter skelter that collapses after one of the bolts loosen but is later rescued.
Spencer starts working as a cleaner for Ian Beale, but boasts about his high-power status to Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner). Spencer was thrilled when she shows an interest in him, and they end up in bed together after a single date. Perceiving him to be wealthy, Stacey blackmails Spencer claiming she is only 15. Fearing he would end up in prison, Spencer pays her money and illegally serves her alcohol in the bar. He is relieved when he finally discovers her true age and that he has not committed a crime. Spencer's cousins Danny (Jake Maskall) and Jake (Joel Beckett) arrive in Walford, and Danny stashes drugs in Pauline Fowler's (Wendy Richard) home. He convinces Spencer to retrieve the stash, but Spencer is seen breaking in by Dot Branning (June Brown), who promptly phones the police. Spencer is caught in the act, while Danny leaves him to take the blame. Spencer is arrested and spends New Year's Eve in prison. In his final appearance, Spencer infuriates Alfie by telling Jake and Danny about his history with Andy Hunter (Michael Higgs). Off-screen, Alfie sends him to live with another cousin Maxwell (Andrew Paul) in Australia to keep him out of trouble. Since living in Australia, Spencer has reunited with his ex-girlfriend Vicki.
In January 2014, Sharon Rickman (Letitia Dean) tells Alfie that Spencer and Vicki are looking for somebody to help them open a bar in Sydney.
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2010) |
Parker was cast in the role of Spencer in 2002, of which he expressed surprise, saying "I can't believe I've achieved my biggest ambition so fast." [1] In November 2004, Parker was rushed to hospital, [2] and during his recovery, EastEnders bosses excused him of all filming commitments. [3] After three weeks of extended leave, Parker and the production staff reached a mutual decision that he would not return to the series, [4] writers created a storyline to explain the character's absence, [5] rewriting existing scripts to do so. [6]
In April 2010, it was reported that EastEnders producers were considering bringing Spencer back to the series, and would make their decision after Alfie returns to the show later in the year. [7] However, a BBC spokesperson denied the report, saying "There are absolutely no plans to bring Chris Parker – or the character of Spencer Moon – back to EastEnders." [8]
Shane Patrick Paul Roche, known as Shane Richie, is an English actor, comedian, presenter and singer. Following initial success as a stage and screen performer, he became best known for his portrayal of the character Alfie Moon in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders and then in its spin-off RTÉ Drama Redwater in 2017. In 2020, he appeared on the twentieth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here and finished in fourth place.
Christopher Parker is a retired English actor and television presenter, best known for portraying Spencer Moon on BBC One soap opera EastEnders between 2002 and 2005.
Dr Anthony Trueman is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by British actor Nicholas Bailey. He made his first appearance in the episode broadcast on 11 December 2000 and left in 11 July 2003 but returned in 2004 and 2005 for brief stints such as the wedding of Yolande Duke and Patrick Trueman. Anthony made a brief return on 22 July 2014 following Patrick's stroke.
Victoria "Nana" Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Hilda Braid. In a special episode, Kate Colgrave Pope played her as a 24-year-old in a flashback episode from 1944. She was introduced alongside her grandsons, Alfie and Spencer Moon, and made her first appearance on 3 December 2002. She was introduced by executive producer Louise Berridge in 2002, and a decision was made to kill off the character in 2005 following the announced departures of her on-screen family, and made her last appearance on 16 December 2005.
Alfie Moon is a fictional character from the BBC drama EastEnders, played by Shane Richie. He made his first appearance on 21 November 2002, and left on 25 December 2005. He returned on 21 September 2010, following the return of his on-screen wife, Kat Slater, two episodes previously, and they continued to feature until 22 May 2015. Alfie appeared in a guest stint between 26 December 2015 and 25 January 2016, before starring in the six-part drama spin-off series Kat & Alfie: Redwater in 2017. Richie returned for two short stints in 2018, concluding with his exit on 22 January 2019. Richie then made a virtual cameo appearance on 12 July 2022, followed by a permanent return from 12 September 2022.
Kathleen "Kat" Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jessie Wallace. She was also played by Kate Peck in a flashback in 2001 and Sumar-Elise Sandford in a flashback in 2018. Kat is the second eldest Slater family sister and first appeared on 18 September 2000. Kat's usual dress is very short skirts and leopard-print tops, with much make-up and heavy fake tan. Her initial stint saw her involved in many storylines, most significantly in a plot twist that sees her supposedly sister Zoe Slater, revealed to be her daughter after she was raped by her uncle Harry Slater as a child. Kat and Zoe's relationship is tested several times, and a feud forms when they compete against each other for the affection of Anthony Trueman. Another key aspect to the character's storylines is her marriage to Alfie Moon, prior to which she became briefly engaged to Andy Hunter ; after Kat jilted Andy on their wedding day, he blackmailed her into sleeping with him in his revenge bid against Alfie and Kat. Kat was absent between November 2004 and May 2005 following Wallace's maternity leave, but returned early to tie in with Zoe’s exit storyline. Kat later left the soap on 25 December 2005.
Jake Moon is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders, played by Joel Beckett. Jake appears in the show in episodes originally broadcast in the United Kingdom between 30 December 2004 and 20 October 2006. His casting was announced by executive producer Kathleen Hutchison on 20 October 2004. Jake is introduced alongside his younger brother Danny Moon and upon his arrival was described as "the sensitive brother who had an eye for the ladies", while Beckett expressed his happiness at joining the show. In March 2005, Beckett and Maskall were axed but Jake was reintroduced to the show later in the year and remained until late 2006 when actor Joel Beckett decided to leave.
Zoe Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michelle Ryan. She made her first appearance on 18 September 2000. Zoe arrives in Walford along with her father, Charlie, sisters Kat, Lynne, Little Mo, and grandmother Big Mo.
Vicki Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Emma Herry from the character's birth in 1986 to 1988, Samantha Leigh Martin from 1988 to 1995, and Scarlett Alice Johnson from 2003 to 2004. She is the daughter of Michelle Fowler and Den Watts. The character is born in the serial, conceived in a controversial storyline about teenage pregnancy. Exploiting a whodunit angle, at the time of the first showing, viewers were not initially told who was the father, and press interest in the fledgling show escalated as journalists attempted to guess. The audience finally discovered his identity in October 1985 in episode 66. Written by series co-creator and script editor Tony Holland, and directed by co-creator and producer Julia Smith, it was considered a landmark episode in the show's history. Early suspects were Ian Beale and Kelvin Carpenter, but then four possible suspects are seen leaving Albert Square early in the episode: Tony Carpenter, Ali Osman, Andy O'Brien, and Den Watts. As Michelle waits by their rendezvous point, a car pulls up and the fluffy white legs of the soap landlord's poodle Roly leap out of a car to give it all away: Den Watts is the father of Michelle's baby. After this storyline the programme started to appear in newspaper cartoons as it moved more and more into the public mainstream. Vicki's character was written out in October 1995, after Susan Tully, who played Vicki's mother Michelle, decided to leave the soap.
Mickey Miller is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Joe Swash. He made his first appearance on 15 April 2003. Introduced as a guest character, Mickey proved popular and was turned into a regular by executive producer Louise Berridge. The character is portrayed as a wheeler-dealer, involved in various money-making scams. A family was built around the character in 2004 when the other Millers moved to Albert Square. It was announced on 25 February 2008 that the characters of Mickey and his stepfather Keith had been axed by EastEnders' executive producer Diederick Santer. Mickey left on 1 July 2008. In July 2011, it was announced Swash would reprise his role for the departure storyline of his screen brother Darren and appeared for two episodes on 19 and 20 September 2011. Mickey made a second two-episode return stint between 9 and 10 December 2024, with Swash's return being an unannounced surprise.
Gus Smith is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Mohammed George. He made his first appearance on 28 May 2002. It was announced in January 2008 that Gus would leave the show later in 2008, and he made his last appearance on 1 May 2008.
Kelly Taylor is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Brooke Kinsella. The character was introduced by executive producer John Yorke, in 2001. She was only due to appear in eight episodes as part of a prostitution/homelessness storyline featuring Michelle Ryan's established character, Zoe Slater, who had run away from home in late 2001 and was living at the same brothel as Kelly. However, the viewer response to Kelly was positive, so she was reintroduced as a regular at the end of 2002. The character remained in the serial until 2004, when executive producer Louise Berridge decided that her storylines had come to a natural end.
Roxanne Lizette "Roxy" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, portrayed by Rita Simons. Roxy arrived in Walford with her sister Ronnie on 24 July 2007 and decides to move permanently to Walford from Ibiza where they ran a bar together. Roxy is the younger of the two sisters. She is described as the "fire", as opposed to Ronnie's "ice". Simons took a temporary hiatus in 2016, with Roxy off screen from 1 January until 4 May 2016. Following the announcement that Womack would be leaving the series, Simons' departure was also announced. Roxy departed the series in scenes broadcast on 1 January 2017, when she drowned in a hotel swimming pool along with Ronnie. Simons returned in 2019 to record a voiceover as Roxy, which was broadcast on 3 May 2019. A younger version of Roxy, played by Elodie de Rohan Willner, appeared in a flashback episode broadcast on 5 September 2022, which focuses on the Mitchell family in the 1970s. Simons reprised her role on 27 April 2023 for a one-off appearance as a hallucination to her daughter, Amy Mitchell.
Michael Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Steve John Shepherd. The character is a second cousin once removed of Alfie Moon, and first appears on 1 October 2010 after Alfie's return. He is also the father to Tommy Moon, whose mother is Alfie's wife Kat Moon. Michael is later joined by his father Eddie Moon and half brothers Tyler Moon and Anthony Moon.
The Slater family are a fictional family from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, that have appeared since Episode 1,997, first broadcast in September 2000. The family are introduced as a central family unit, originally consisting of father Charlie Slater, grandmother Mo Harris, Charlie's daughters, Kat Slater, Lynne Slater, Little Mo Morgan and Kat's teenage daughter Zoe Slater, and Lynne's partner Garry Hobbs. A fifth sister, Belinda Peacock, was introduced one year later. The family were the eighth to be introduced in the soap's history, replacing the di Marco family who departed during the previous month. The Slaters were created by Tony Jordan and introduced by John Yorke. The Slater sisters were cast in an improvisation session. In their first years on the show, the family were involved in storylines about child sexual abuse and domestic violence.