In one segment of the . EastEnders boss Dominic Treadwell-Collins shares emotional pictures from his last day", "EastEnders date revealed for new boss's first episode", "Casualty boss Oliver Kent is now in charge of EastEnders", "Spoilers EastEnders boss first interview on show changes and future", "EastEnders confirms producer Sean O'Connor is leaving the soap effective immediately", "EastEnders executive producer leaves programme after one year BBC News", "EastEnders boss John Yorke extends contract with the soap again", "Eastenders viewers moved as soap breaks format to raise awareness of knife crime", "EastEnders confirms new boss as Kate Oates takes over from John Yorke in top job", "EastEnders is searching for a new executive producer to work with Kate Oates", "Why EastEnders has broken new ground with Ruby Allen's consent episode", "EastEnders, Coronation Street and The X Factor decline is driving down TV viewing figures", "EastEnders is ratings success on BBC iPlayer", "EastEnders has best year ever on BBC iPlayer", "EastEnders bosses reveal how actor reacted to shock death storyline", "Why is Bleu Landau leaving EastEnders as Dennis dies? [10], Once they had decided on their 23 characters, they returned to London for a meeting with the BBC. However, EastEnders has also been commended for representing real-life issues and spreading awareness on social topics. It was 4.99 million - way down on last winter's figures. Rishi Sunak oversaw wasteful government spending and departmental losses that cost the taxpayer up to 26.8 billion, Labour has said. The series went behind the scenes of the show and spoke to some of the cast members. Today all UK audience figures are based on readings from meters fixed to a sample set of televisions across the country and the information they collate being published to show a television chart ranking. [85], Sean O'Connor, former EastEnders series story producer and then-editor on radio soap opera The Archers, was announced to be taking over the role. "EastEnders has been streamed 51 million times since this began, making it one of iPlayer's most popular shows.". She quotes endlessly from the Bible and it ridicules religion to some extent. [83] He also introduced a long-running storyline, "Who Killed Lucy Beale? In the main, middle-class characters exist as villains, such as James Wilmott-Brown (William Boyde), May Wright (Amanda Drew), Stella Crawford (Sophie Thompson), Yusef Khan (Ace Bhatti) and Gray Atkins (Toby-Alexander Smith) or are used to promote positive liberal influences, such as Colin Russell (Michael Cashman), Rachel Kominski (Jacquetta May)[148] and Derek Harkinson (Ian Lavender). [281] The paper usage was reduced by 50 per cent across script distribution and other weekly documents and 20 per cent across all other paper usage. [69] Other events to mark the anniversary were a spin-off DVD, EastEnders: Last Tango in Walford, and an Internet spin-off, EastEnders: E20. Many other cast members only found out at the same time as the public, when the episode was broadcast. And she admitted she fears for soaps in general following the demise of Neighbours earlier in the year. On 8 February 2007, heavy snow fell on the set and filming had to be cancelled as the scenes due to be filmed on the day were to be transmitted in April. [28] The reviews were largely favourable,[28] although, after three weeks on air, BBC1's early evening share had returned to the pre-EastEnders figure of seven million, though EastEnders then climbed to highs of up to 23million later on in the year. [220], In May 2016 the rebuild was delayed until 2020 and forecast to cost in excess of 15million,[221] although the main part of the set is scheduled to be able to start filming in May 2019. Alison Spittle fans slightly confused by pregnancy/EastEnders announcement The Dry review: Hailed as the 'Irish Fleabag', sadly this new dramedy is like its heroine - a bit of a mess [295] Four specially selected episodes from 1985, 1986 and 1987 were also repeated on BBC1 on Friday evenings at 8pm under the banner "The Unforgettable EastEnders". The police claimed that such scenes were "damaging" to their reputation and added that the character DC Deanne Cunningham (Zo Henry) was "irritatingly inaccurate". Based on market research by BBC commissioning in 2003, EastEnders is most watched by 60- to 74-year-olds, closely followed by 45- to 59-year-olds. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. When they compared the characters they had created, Smith and Holland realised they had created a cross-section of East End residents. In 2001, EastEnders clashed with Coronation Street for the first time. [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). Press coverage of EastEnders, which was already intense, went into overdrive once the show was broadcast. [38] Ferguson was succeeded by both Leonard Lewis and Helen Greaves who initially shared the role as Executive Producer for EastEnders. [236] These were replaced by specially recorded election material, including representatives from each major party, and a scene recorded on the day after the election reflecting the result, which was broadcast the following Tuesday. In the United Kingdom, viewing figures - the number of viewers or households watching a television programme - have been recorded by the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (BARB) since 1981. 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. BBC EastEnders has endured dwindling ratings in recent months. [23], Through the next few months, the set was growing rapidly at Elstree, and a composer and designer had been commissioned to create the title sequence. The stars of Coronation Street in particular aligned themselves with Mary Whitehouse, gaining headlines such as "STREETS AHEAD! [278] When repeats and omnibus editions are shown, the BBC pays additional fees to cast and scriptwriters and incurs additional editing costs, which in the period 20092010, amounted to 5.5million. You have to show shades of that change, but certain things are immutable, I would argue, like The Vic and the market. [139] The live-episode averaged 15.6million viewers, peaking at 16.6million in the final five minutes of broadcast. [281], Also changes to working online has also saved transportation cost of distribution 2,500 DVDs per year. Since then, "Return of Nick Cotton" (2000), "Ricky & Bianca" (2002), "Dot's Story" (2003), "Perfectly Frank" (2003) and "Pat and Mo" (2004) have all been broadcast, each episode looking into lives of various characters and revealing part of their backstories or lives since leaving EastEnders. It is shown on BBC UKTV from Mondays to Thursdays at 8pm. Santer officially left EastEnders in March 2010, and was replaced by Bryan Kirkwood. Question 9: How many viewers watched the Friday 4th June 2010 episode of the popular BBC1 soap series EastEnders? [136] The late 2010s saw the newly introduced Taylor family become central to the show's main storylines,[137] and in 2019, the first Sikh family, the Panesar', were introduced. [195] She also said, "We decided to go for a realistic, fairly outspoken type of drama which could encompass stories about homosexuality, rape, unemployment, racial prejudice, etc., in a believable context. [360] The following day, the anniversary week was rounded off with another fully live episode (the second after 2010) with 9.97million viewers watching the aftermath of the reveal, the Beale family finding out the truth of Lucy's killer and deciding to keep it a secret. Coronation Street began in 1960 so why did the the BBC wait so long to broadcast a soap opera. [105][106], It was announced on 18 March 2020 that production had been suspended on EastEnders and other BBC Studios continuing dramas in light of new government guidelines following the COVID-19 pandemic, and that broadcast of the show would be reduced to two 30-minute episodes per week, broadcast on Mondays and Tuesdays, respectively. However, the 16-20 million viewers was actually a combination of the afternoon showing and . Seventh place was taken up by the animation. Emmerdale was watched by 8.1 million people. [202] The issue of illiteracy was highlighted by the characters of middle-aged Keith (David Spinx) and his young son Darren (Charlie G. [15][129] Other parts of the Square and set interiors are based on other locations. [212] The square was built in two phases with only three sides being built, plus Bridge Street, to begin with in 1984, in time to be used for the show's first episode. All you need to know about Danny Dyer and Kellie Bright in real life", "EastEnders viewers beg for Martin and Stacey to reconcile as she returns to screens", "EastEnders: 7 reasons the Taylor family went from hated to loved", "EastEnders' Panesar family look unrecognisable in an epic behind-the-scenes snap", "EastEnders spoilers: Beloved resident returns as former star drops huge hint? 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). [284] Viewing figures peaked at 16.6 million, which was the highest viewed episode in seven years. New Zealand became the first international country to broadcast EastEnders overseas, the first episode being shown on 27th September 1985. Walford Wiki. The poor ratings motivated the press into reporting viewers were bored with implausible and ill-thought-out storylines. 25 Dec 1986 EastEnders Christmas 1986 Part 2 EastEnders Second of a two-part classic episode that broke the record for British soap viewing. [34] Although the programme still covered many issues in 1989, such as domestic violence, drugs, rape and racism, Brake reflected that the new emphasis on a more balanced mix between "light and heavy storylines" gave the illusion that the show had lost a "certain edge". EastEnders bosses want to go back to five 30 minute episodes a week after a ratings slump, according to reports. For this, the cast and crew have received and been nominated for various awards. Ofcom also took into account the programme's role in presenting sometimes challenging or distressing social issues. It is estimated that the show's new set is costing 86million of licence fee cash. EastEnders has drawn in its lowest ever rating since it first aired 1985, according to reports. Strictly Christmas Countdown: 4.9m 5. He added: "It should feel more like London. [95] On 8 August 2018, it was announced that Kate Oates, who has previously been a producer on the ITV soap operas Emmerdale and Coronation Street, would become Senior Executive Producer of EastEnders, as well of Holby City and Casualty. In August 2006, a scene involving Carly Wicks (Kellie Shirley) and Jake Moon (Joel Beckett) having sex on the floor of Scarlet nightclub, and another scene involving Owen Turner (Lee Ross) violently attacking Denise Fox (Diane Parish), prompted 129 and 128 complaints, respectively. Of that, 2.9million was spent on scripts and 6.9million went towards paying actors, extras and chaperones for child actors. [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. 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. ", "Exclusive: Leon, Zsa Zsa to leave 'EastEnders', "Corrie, EastEnders, Emmerdale: Which soap had the best live special? [290][291] It reverted to a weekend daytime slot as from January 2013 on BBC Two. [192], As of January 2023[update], Gillian Taylforth and Letitia Dean are the only members of the original cast remaining in the show, in their roles of Kathy Beale and Sharon Watts, respectively. EastEnders has been filmed at the BBC Elstree Centre since its inception, with a set that is outdoors and open to weather. . saga. Both Smith and Holland were unhappy about the January 1985 launch date, favouring November or even September 1984 when seasonal audiences would be higher, but the BBC stayed firm, and Smith and Holland had to concede that, with the massive task of getting the Elstree Studios operational, January was the most realistic date; however, this was later to be changed to February. Yorke was given the task of introducing the soap's fourth weekly episode. 23h. [356][357][358], The ratings increased in 2010, thanks to the "Who Killed Archie?" Berridge was responsible for some ratings success stories, such as Alfie and Kat Slater's relationship, Janine Butcher getting her comeuppance, Trevor Morgan and Jamie Mitchell's death storylines and the return of one of the greatest soap icons, Den Watts, who had been presumed dead for 14 years. Still, heterosexual Mark struggled with various issues connected to his HIV status, including public fears of contamination, a marriage breakdown connected to his inability to have children and the side effects of combination therapies. [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. [8], There was anxiety at first that the viewing public would not accept a new soap set in the south of England, though research commissioned by lead figures in the BBC revealed that southerners would accept a northern soap, northerners would accept a southern soap and those from the Midlands, as Julia Smith herself pointed out, did not mind where it was set as long as it was somewhere else. Stephen Patterson Wednesday 13 Oct 2021 10:56 am. An episode of EastEnders Revealed that was commissioned for BBC Three attracted 611,000 viewers. ode to the vampire mother results; national asset mortgage lawsuit; green tuna paper; mary davis sos band net worth [228] The producer then reviews the edits and decides if anything needs to be re-edited, which the director will do. [102][103] The soap enjoyed a record-breaking year on the streaming platform in 2019, with viewers requesting to stream or download the show 234 million times, up 10% on 2018. Official ratings are over a seven-day period up to 2014 and from 2022 onwards, and over a 28-day period from 2015 to 2021. Such figures are vital to commercial organisations such as the BBC in that high audience figures remain an important political argument for the justification and continuation of the licence fee system although they are just as crucial to ITV as they are the basis on which they charge other companies for advertisement slots. These included the wedding of Michelle Fowler and Lofty Holloway, the revelation of the father of Michelle's baby, a two-hander between Dot Cotton and Ethel Skinner and the 1986 Christmas episode featuring Den Watts presenting Angie Watts with divorce papers. [286] According to the EastEnders website, there are on average 208 episodes outputted each year. The top 50 programmes on TV based on the size of their total viewing audience over the week (including live, VOSDAL, time-shifted and total audience viewing figures). John Yorke, the former BBC's head of drama production, put this down to Tony Holland's "gay sensibility, which showed a love for strong women". Whodunits also feature regularly, including the "Who Shot Phil?" The BBC had originally planned to take advantage of the "summer break" that Emmerdale Farm usually took to capitalise on ratings, but ITV added extra episodes and repeats so that Emmerdale Farm was not taken off the air over the summer. EastEnders is the BBC's most consistent programme in terms of ratings. [304], On 1 December 2012, the BBC uploaded the first 54 episodes of EastEnders to YouTube, and on 23 July 2013 they uploaded a further 14 episodes bringing the total to 68. [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). The series was conceived by executive producer Diederick Santer "as a way of nurturing new, young talent, both on- and off-screen, and exploring the stories of the soaps' anonymous bystanders. The following episode dropped 600k. In what was a record-breaking year for the streaming service, the FIFA World Cup - which aired at the. A week later, sound is added to the episodes and they are technically reviewed, and are ready for transmission if they are deemed of acceptable quality.[228]. With public interest so high, the media began investigating the private lives of the show's popular stars. It continues to draw in hefty viewing figures even in the age of streaming services. 1986 - EastEnders There was a new boy in town looking for the top spot in the home of the soap operas, and Eastenders was showing Coronation Street it could do everything bigger and better, including the . "The soaps' dominance of traditional TV appears to be on the wane, no longer impervious to challenge from the linear opposition and losing fans to the streamers," he said. RIVALS LASH SEEDY EASTENDERS" and "CLEAN UP SOAP! [363] Later that year, EastEnders suffered its lowest rating ever, with 1.7 million viewers watching live. [110] Beginning on 22 June 2020, Dooley interviews two cast members together in the show's restaurant set while observing social distancing measures. Jonathan Hordle/Shutterstock. [340] In the spin-off, the Moons visit Ireland where they "search for answers to some very big questions". This was the second live broadcast of EastEnders. In reality, Fenwick carried the torch through the setting of Albert Square, with live footage shown in the episode on 23 July 2012. [368], In 2003, cast member Shaun Williamson, who was in the final months of his role of Barry Evans, said that the programme had become much grittier over the past 10 to 15 years, and found it "frightening" that parents let their young children watch. 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. Brake indicated that the production team decided that 1989 was to be a year of change in Walford, commenting, "it was almost as if Walford itself was making a fresh start". Since its inception, with 1.7 million viewers was actually a combination the! Viewers watching live BBC1 soap series EastEnders increased in 2010, and over a 28-day eastenders viewing figures by year 2015... Account the programme 's role in presenting sometimes challenging or distressing social issues been nominated various! On last winter & # x27 ; s new set is costing 86million of fee. 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