EastEnders slammed by former producer and writers as ratings plunge to 700k
ALBERT Square’s future may be in jeopardy over on BBC One as viewer figures are on a decline.
Former EastEnders producer and writers have blasted the show’s low ratings, believing the soap to be “unsalvageable.”
Could the iconic BBC One show, on the air since 1985, be headed towards the axe?
As its ITV rivals, Coronation Street and Emmerdale, have encountered minor declines in their ratings, EastEnders’ viewers figures are becoming a growing cause for concern.
For the third time in July, 2022, according to The Times, live audience for the soap dipped below one million last week as it only attracted 706,000 viewers over on BBC Two.
Meanwhile, Emmerdale still managed to captivate the attention of 2.9 million viewers, ready to find out who the father of Amelia Spencer’s baby is.
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But there’s more bad news for the London-based drama as overnight viewer figures are said to have plunged 11.9% in 2021 compared with 8.4% for Coronation Street and 5.5% for Emmerdale.
The ratings are making show bosses quake while a former producer and writers for the soap are seeing red, underlining its “terminal decline.”
These former bosses have branded the soap “toast” and “unsalvageable” with one of them even claiming EastEnders is in the palliative care ward.
All are demanding radical shifts in the show’s production, particularly since the BBC spent over £86 million for a new set against an initial budget of £59.7 million.
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“It’s been bled dry”, one former producer asserted, “but there’s no one at the BBC with the skills of the power to say to [chief content officer] Charlotte Moore, ‘this is what you need to do to save it’, because the best people are working for Netflix of Sky.”
Another former soap boss echoed these concerns, believing there is a disconnect between the show and its audience and deeming it “a series for Brexit Britain written by Remainers.”
“There are too few people sympathetic to the concerns and experiences of characters in the show — they don’t know what it’s like to sign on or do a manual job”, they added.
Another agreed: “EastEnders is no longer a show reflecting audiences lives back to them . . . It has lost its identity. It’s also sensationalised.”
One former writer complained about the show’s recent storylines, blaming multiple exits for the considerable decline.
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“Upping the ante was never the answer”, they stated, “that’s caring about real characters.”
“Most of the time the cast are talking trivia — that’s what EastEnders used to be, now it’s all killing people and jumping off roofs.”
In recent months, BBC has called Chris Clenshaw back at the helm and it’s becoming clear to viewers that a huge, drama-packed autumn is ahead.
Multiple characters have already been sent away as another prepares for an emotional on-screen death.
But these exits are only making room for new and familiar faces.
Bobby Brazier, the son of late reality TV star Jade Goody, will be taking on the role of Freddie Slater who hasn’t been seen in Walford since the noughties.
Meanwhile, Shane Richie aka Alfie Moon will also be back in the Square just in time for Kat Slater’s wedding to Phil Mitchell.
BBC One viewers can also expect a flashback episode set in 1979 with a young Peggy Mitchell portrayed by Jaime Winstone.
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Could it save EastEnders from a potential chop?
EastEnders airs from Monday to Thursday on BBC One.