• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Clean Feed

Clean Feed

  • Timeline
  • News
  • Opinion
  • PresWatch
  • Bloopers
  • News+
  • Resources
  • Rewind
  • Showreel
  • Studio A
  • Pres Café
  • TV Pres

EastEnders’ long-term future in doubt?

Posted on 29th May 2021 by Andrew Nairn
Last updated on 29th May 2021 Filed under Opinion

In the mid-80s the BBC faced two crises.

Politically the corporation was under fire from those who accused it of left wing bias. The government of the day seemed intent on fundamental reform, perhaps scrapping the licence fee or privatisation. At the same time, BBC One was badly underperforming. This sounds familiar.

The past 15 months have, understandably, led to a situation where there are fewer landmark programmes than usual. Programmes of real note like Line of Duty are exceptions. Other popular programmes like Call the Midwife have had their runs reduced.

But perhaps the biggest problem is the “banker” programmes: EastEnders, Holby City and Casualty. Their durations have been cut and EastEnders’ ratings have suffered badly.

In ratings terms it is now very definitely the third soap and the ratings no longer prop up the rest of the schedule. To understand why this is a worry, the strategic importance of EastEnders to BBC One needs to be highlighted.

The big ratings in the 80s boosted the audiences for some other programmes too – even Tomorrow’s World at 8pm on Thursdays. Some of these viewers were those who’d normally prefer ITV and who may have felt they didn’t get value from their TV licence.

It seems hard to see how EastEnders can be restored until production is back to normal post-Covid. Then the episodes can return to a full half hour and they can be scheduled on the half hour again rather than at random times.

But when this happens, surely proper marketing and promotion will be needed? Otherwise the Walford Redevelopment Company could be bulldozing Albert Square one day.

There is no strategic point in a soap on BBC One unless it matches Coronation Street in popularity and brings audiences to more innovative or serious output. Otherwise it ties up resources which could be deployed elsewhere.

And does a world class broadcaster really want to be the home of Britain’s Number 3 Soap indefinitely?

It actually is now just about possible to start to contemplate BBC One without EastEnders and certainly possible to imagine the channel without 4 episodes a week.

There is no suggestion this is on the cards at present – and to stress the discussion here is strategic not creative – but the current ratings mean its long-term future cannot be taken as a given. If this sounds far-fetched, ITV ditched The Bill and Channel 4 dropped Brookside.

Time for marketing teams to prepare a big effort. This will take more than an extended happy hour at the Queen Vic.

The revival of BBC One in the mid-80s – led by EastEnders – helped see off fundamental political threats to the corporation.

And those who’d love to see a downsized corporation devoid of big popular programmes would love nothing more than BBC One without a big soap.

Related

Acknowledgements

Related

FEATURE IMAGE:

PICTURED: EastEnders opening titles. COPYRIGHT: BBC.

Related

Related

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Sidebar

Tags: BBC, BBC One, EastEnders

Dates for the Diary

3rd April 2023: BBC News Channel and BBC World News merge.

November/December 2023: World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC-23).

Q1 2024: SD versions of BBC channels close on satellite.

2024: BBC Four and CBBC go online-only.

2024: BBC Radio 4 Extra goes online-only.

Don’t Miss Out – Follow Us on Twitter

Our Twitter account will usually report the latest broadcast-related events shortly after they've happened and ahead of the website. You'll also catch a variety of items there that will not be covered on the website.
Clean Feed on Twitter.

Latest updates over on: Rewind

E4 continuity including service promotion for Film4 and programme promotion for The Sopranos (9th May 2001)

E4 continuity including service promotion for Film4 and programme promotion for The Sopranos (9th May 2001)

TV 3 continuity followed by Ireland AM (edits) (2 clips) (10th May 2001)

TV 3 continuity followed by Ireland AM (edits) (2 clips) (10th May 2001)

Wodehouse Playhouse closing, UK Drama continuity including programme promotions for Strathblair and Miss Marple (2 clips) (9th May 2001)

Wodehouse Playhouse closing, UK Drama continuity including programme promotions for Strathblair and Miss Marple (2 clips) (9th May 2001)

About This Site · Contact Us · FAQ · Privacy Policy · Terms and Conditions

© 2023 The TV Room. This site is not affiliated with any broadcaster, production company or design/marketing/talent agency.

Back to top