[362], Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the soap, EastEnders suffered a ratings drop after 2020. [15], After they decided on the filming location of BBC Elstree Centre in south Hertfordshire, Smith and Holland set about creating the 23 characters needed, in just 14 days. In 2012, 24.5 people watched "Olympics. They report that EastEnders used to have 6.6million regular viewers in 2017, but by 2020 it had 5 million. [310] The series was broadcast in the United States until BBC America ceased broadcasts of the serial in 2003, amidst fan protests. [10] They also looked at Brookside but found there was a lack of central meeting points for the characters, making it difficult for the writers to intertwine different storylines, so EastEnders was set in Albert Square. The Scripts are full of hard, sharp drama, plus great one-liners which will translate well to Holland. When Danny joined, EastEnders was pulling in up to eight million viewers an episode, but in the past year those figures have dropped to 2.5 million. After a successful revamp of the soap, Ferguson decided to leave EastEnders in July 1991. EastEnders fans will know that Danny Dyer left his role as Mick Carter on Christmas Day last year (Sunday December 25, 2022). ", Don't miss out on the biggest soaps gossip! The show also features a large number of gay, lesbian and bisexual characters (see list of soap operas with LGBT characters), including Colin Russell (Michael Cashman), Barry Clark (Gary Hailes),[184] Simon Raymond (Andrew Lynford), Tony Hills (Mark Homer),[185] Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy), Naomi Julien (Petra Letang),[186] Tina Carter (Luisa Bradshaw-White), Tosh Mackintosh (Rebecca Scroggs),[187] Christian Clarke (John Partridge), Syed Masood (Marc Elliott), Ben Mitchell (Harry Reid/Max Bowden), Paul Coker (Jonny Labey),[188] Iqra Ahmed (Priya Davdra), Ash Panesar (Gurlaine Kaur Garcha), Bernadette Taylor (Clair Norris), Callum Highway (Tony Clay) and Eve Unwin (Heather Peace). Call The Midwife: 5.4m 3. NOTE: Please do not add content from the BBC iPlayer's early episodes until it has been aired on television, as it is intrusive to our readers who may not have seen the episode on iPlayer. The Beale and Fowler family represented the old families of the East End, who had always been there. [110] Beginning on 22 June 2020, Dooley interviews two cast members together in the show's restaurant set while observing social distancing measures. Newman stepped down as executive producer after 16 months in the job in 2013 after the soap was criticised for its boring storylines and its lowest-ever figures pointing at around 4.8million. [281] The production team now use recycled paper and recycled stationery. The long-running storyline of Mark Fowler's HIV was so successful in raising awareness that in 1999, a survey by the National Aids Trust found teenagers got most of their information about HIV from the soap, though one campaigner noted that in some ways the storyline was not reflective of what was happening at the time as the condition was more common among the gay community. Episodes are shown roughly one week after their UK broadcast. [273], According to the book How to Study Television, in 1995 EastEnders cost the BBC 40,000 per episode on average. In a flashback episode which revisited the night of the murder, Bobby was revealed to have killed his sister. [231] During the filming week, actors can film for as many as eight to twelve episodes. [18] The first central family was the combination of the Fowler family, consisting of Pauline Fowler (Wendy Richard), her husband Arthur (Bill Treacher), and teenage children Mark (David Scarboro/Todd Carty) and Michelle (Susan Tully). [361] In 2013, the average audience share for an episode was around 30 per cent. [387], In December 2010, Ronnie Branning (Samantha Womack) swapped her newborn baby, who died in cot, with Kat Moon's (Jessie Wallace) living baby. He axed the majority of the Di Marco family, except Beppe di Marco, and helped introduce popular characters such as the Slater family. BBC EastEnders has endured dwindling ratings in recent months. [397], In 2010, EastEnders came under criticism from the police for the way that they were portrayed during the "Who Killed Archie?" After more than 30 years a new Albert Square is being constructed on a former car park elsewhere on the Elstree site. The videotape editor used the director's notes so they knew which scenes the director wanted to appear in a particular episode. storyline and second wedding of Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen) and Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer), and the show's first live episode on 19 February 2010. It shouldn't just be a distraction from your own life, it should be an exploration of the life shared by the audience and the characters. The main engine of that week is great stories that'll get people talking. Subscribe now for more! Posted on: February 14, 2023 Download The key viewing figures In January, adults watched an average of 2 hours of commercial linear TV each day. [222] In December 2018, it was revealed that the new set was now planned to cost 59million but a National Audit Office (NAO) report stated that it would actually cost 86.7million and be completed two-and-a-half years later than planned, in 2023; the NAO concluded that the BBC "could not provide value for money on the project". Coronation Street began in 1960 so why did the the BBC wait so long to broadcast a soap opera. The show was presented by Angellica Bell and was available to digital viewers at 8:30pm on Monday nights. Street Star Bill Lashes "Steamy" EastEnders". "[389] The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) praised the storyline, and its director Joyce Epstein explained, "We are very grateful to EastEnders for their accurate depiction of the devastating effect that the sudden death of an infant can have on a family. [247], If scenes during a normal week are to be filmed on location, this is done during the normal recording week. When they compared the characters they had created, Smith and Holland realised they had created a cross-section of East End residents. [33] The first time this happened was in December 1985 when Pauline (Wendy Richard) and Arthur Fowler (Bill Treacher) travelled to the Southend-on-Sea to find their son Mark, who had run away from home. The British Film Institute described Market in Honey Lane thus: "It was not an earth-shaking programme, and certainly not pioneering in any revolutionary ideas in technique and production, but simply proposed itself to the casual viewer as a mildly pleasant affair. [271] The episode was then copied onto D3 video. It is estimated that the show's new set is costing 86million of licence fee cash. Most Read. [384], Some storylines have provoked high levels of viewer complaints. But data has shown that Walford's woes outdo those on the Corrie cobbles. Ant and Dec were back presenting their adored show as it returned to ITV on Saturday (February 25) with a brand new series where David Tennant was the guest presenter. [7] After the concept was put to them on 14 March 1983, Smith and Holland then went about putting their ideas down on paper; they decided it would be set in the East End of London. Monthly TV Viewing Report: November 2021 In November, adults watched an average of 2 hours 5 minutes of commercial linear TV each day. In November 2011, a storyline showed character Billy Mitchell, played by Perry Fenwick, selected to be a torch bearer for the 2012 Summer Olympics. Around 3,400 complaints were received, with viewers branding the storyline "insensitive", "irresponsible" and "desperate". [250] In 2003, filming took place at Loch Fyne Hotel and Leisure Club in Inveraray, The Arkinglass Estate in Cairndow and Grims Dyke Hotel, Harrow Weald, north London, for a week of episodes set in Scotland. The table below summaries the chart rankings for EastEnders for each year since 1985. [98], In late 2016, popularity and viewership of EastEnders began to decline, with viewers criticising the storylines during the O'Connor reign, such as the killing of the Mitchell sisters and a storyline centred around the local bin collection. A temporary set will be created on-site to enable filming to continue while the permanent structure is rebuilt. The writers would be paid 75 per cent of that fee for any repeats of the episode. He told entertainment website Digital Spy, "It's really important that the feel of the week is active and exciting and not too reflective. In April 2018, it was announced that Drama would be showing repeats starting 6 August 2018 during weekdays[306] and they are also available on-demand on the UKTV Play catch-up service for 30 days after the broadcast. Dr. Indarjit Singh, editor of the Sikh Messenger and patron of the World Congress of Faiths, said: "EastEnders' Dot Cotton is an example. [317], EastEnders is shown on BBC Entertainment (formerly BBC Prime) in Europe and in Africa, where it is approximately six episodes behind the UK. [4] Demolition on the old set commenced in November 2022.[5]. [394] On 17 November 2014 it was announced that Ofcom will investigate over the storyline. 25th July 1985 was the first time the show's viewership rose to the first position in the weekly top 10 shows for BBC One. In 2006, EastEnders became largely dominated by the Mitchell, Masood and Branning families, though the early 2010s also saw a renewed focus on the Moon and Slater family, and, from 2013 onwards, the Carters. [133] E20 was entirely fictional when it was created, as London East postal districts stopped at E18 at the time. The first episode was watched by 17 million viewers. In February 2016, the repeat moved to W, the rebranded Watch, after BBC Three became an online-only channel. New Zealand became the first to broadcast EastEnders overseas, the first episode being shown on 27 September 1985. On 21st September 2004, Louise Berridge, the then executive producer, quit following criticism of the show. Although the Euros have an effect on viewing figures, many now watch what they want when they want on . Hawkins). [257] A week of episodes in 2011 saw filming take place on a beach in Thorpe Bay[258] and a pier in Southend-on-Seaduring which a stuntman was injured when a gust of wind threw him off balance and he fell onto rocks[259][260] with other scenes filmed on the Essex coast. During his reign, EastEnders won the BAFTA for "Best Soap" in consecutive years 1999 and 2000 and many other awards. During her time at EastEnders, Berridge introduced popular characters such as Alfie Moon, Dennis Rickman,[48] Chrissie Watts, Jane Beale, Stacey Slater[49] and the critically panned Indian Ferreira family.[50]. [213] Then in 1986, Harris added an extension to the set, building the fourth side of Albert Square, and in 1987, Turpin Road began to be featured more, which included buildings such as The Dagmar.[214]. EastEnders is built around the idea of relationships and strong families, with each character having a place in the community. [199] EastEnders has also covered the issue of Down syndrome, as Billy (Perry Fenwick) and Honey Mitchell's (Emma Barton) baby, Janet Mitchell (Grace), was born with the condition in 2006. She quotes endlessly from the Bible and it ridicules religion to some extent. The wedding of Scott Robinson and Charlene Mitchell in Episode 523 got 20 million viewers when it aired in the UK in November 1988. Mrs Brown's Boys flopped in the Christmas Day 2021 TV ratings - while EastEnders trailed behind the other soaps, the viewing figures have revealed. Turner was told only 30minutes before the live episode and to maintain suspense, she whispers this revelation to former lover and current father-in-law, Max Branning, in the very final moments of the live show. From 10 August 2001, EastEnders then added its fourth episode (shown on Fridays). [272], Since 2010, EastEnders no longer uses tapes in the recording or editing process. [312] Episodes air two months behind the UK schedule. [359] In January 2010, the average audience was higher than that of Coronation Street for the first time in three years. [324], In 1991 the BBC sold the programme's format rights to a Dutch production company IDTV, the programme was renamed Het Oude Noorden (Translation: Old North). It is the 30th anniversary of Eastenders and all the hype is around the live show on Thursday. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. For this, the cast and crew have received and been nominated for various awards. [34], As the show progressed into the 1990s, EastEnders still featured hard-hitting issues such as Mark Fowler (Todd Carty) revealing he was HIV positive[199] in 1991, the death of his wife Gill (Susanna Dawson) from an AIDS-related illness in 1992, murder, adoption, abortion, Peggy Mitchell's (Barbara Windsor) battle with breast cancer,[199] and Phil Mitchell's (Steve McFadden) alcoholism and violence towards wife Kathy. [335] A second 10-part series started in September 2010, with twice-weekly episodes available online and an omnibus on BBC Three. EastEnders' overnight viewing figures have been 'hit hard', says BBC drama boss Piers Wenger (Picture: BBC) BBC drama boss Piers Wenger has . Den Watts (Leslie Grantham) returned 14 years after he was believed to have died, a feat repeated by Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) in 2015. John Yorke returned as a temporary executive consultant. Over the years they have been joined by the likes of Mo Butcher (Edna Dor), Jules Tavernier (Tommy Eytle), Marge Green (Pat Coombs), Nellie Ellis (Elizabeth Kelly), Jim Branning (John Bardon), Charlie Slater (Derek Martin), Mo Harris (Laila Morse), Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker), Cora Cross (Ann Mitchell), Les Coker (Roger Sloman), Rose Cotton (Polly Perkins), Pam Coker (Lin Blakley), Stan Carter (Timothy West), Babe Smith (Annette Badland), Claudette Hubbard (Ellen Thomas), Sylvie Carter (Linda Marlowe), Ted Murray (Christopher Timothy), Joyce Murray (Maggie Steed), Arshad Ahmed (Madhav Sharma), Mariam Ahmed (Indira Joshi) and Vi Highway (Gwen Taylor). [101] As of 2019, the soap is one of the most watched series on BBC iPlayer and averages around 5 million viewers per episode. Other permanent staff included the producer's office, script department and designer, meaning between 30 and 35 people would be working full-time on EastEnders, rising to 60 to 70 on filming days. It has been criticised for various storylines, including the 2010 baby swap storyline which attracted over 6,000 complaints, as well as complaints of showing too much violence and allegations of national and racial stereotypes. [224] The BBC said the new set would be more suitable for HD filming and better reflect the modern East End of London. Danny decided he wanted to leave the BBC soap because of the dwindling viewing figures, . Emmerdale was watched by 8.1 million people. [7] This was the beginning of a close and continuing association between EastEnders and audience research, which, though commonplace today, was something of a revolution in practice. On 2 March 2007, BBC signed a deal with Google to put videos on YouTube. [200], In the early 2000s, EastEnders covered the issue of euthanasia with Ethel Skinner's (Gretchen Franklin) death in a pact with her friend Dot Cotton (June Brown), the unveiling of Kat Slater's (Jessie Wallace) sexual abuse by her uncle Harry (Michael Elphick) as a child (which led to the birth of her daughter Zoe (Michelle Ryan), who had been brought up to believe that Kat was her sister), the domestic abuse of Little Mo Morgan (Kacey Ainsworth) by husband Trevor (Alex Ferns) (which involved marital rape and culminated in Trevor's death after he tried to kill Little Mo in a fire),[199] Sonia Jackson (Natalie Cassidy) giving birth at the age of 15 and then putting her baby up for adoption, and Janine Butcher's (Charlie Brooks) prostitution, agoraphobia and drug addiction. In the show's narrative, Albert Square is a 19th-century street, named after Prince Albert (18191861), the husband of Queen Victoria (18191901, reigned 18371901). Original production designer, Keith Harris, left the show, and Holland and Smith both decided that the time had come to move on too; their final contribution coinciding with the exit of one of EastEnders' most successful characters, Den Watts (Leslie Grantham). This rating is not combined with the omnibus; the lowest rating for an episode with a combined rating was 12.02million. The finger of blame was also pointed towards the show's lack of distinctive icons like those of yesteryear, such as Peggy Mitchell and Dot Branning, while Corrie has stuck by its veteran stars like Bill Roache who plays Ken Barlow. [1] EastEnders has been important in the history of British television drama, tackling many subjects that are considered to be controversial or taboo in British culture, and portraying a social life previously unseen on UK mainstream television. [28] Anticipation and rumour grew in equal measure until the first transmission at 7p.m. on 19 February 1985. 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