THE END OF EASTENDERS | Why The BBC's Soap Needs To STOP

EASTENDERS SHOULD COME TO AN END... in my personal opinion!
The 38-year old soap opera has seen a decline in viewership over the past couple of years, but that isn't the only factor at play when it comes to the shows future. I go through a few points that I feel warrant the retirement of the folks down on Albert Square, and whether or not this should have happened some time ago...
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[@AdamMartyn]

Thank you all for tuning in! Just to reiterate this is just my two cents regarding EastEnders. If you love the show and want it to go on then more power to you! You can disagree with me all you like, constructive debate is healthy! There's no need to be bitter or rude to myself or anyone who shares a different view to you. And at the end of the day, it's a show about some Londoners, I'm sure the world will keep spinning even if we disagree! 😂 Thanks for watching, see you in the next one!

[@derekhorne8076]

@Adam Martyn. I for one haven't meant to be rude, but this current trend of 'if the under 30s don't watch it' is actually quite offensive to many of us over 30 (I'm 'only' 46). As I've said it works both ways. There are programmes that I and others don't like that younger viewers like but I, for one, don't call for them to be cancelled. I accept that tv is there for everyone and there should be programmes available for all tastes and all ages. I accept that you don't like soap operas, but maybe just a little balance or acknowledgement that there should be room for all, might have been a little helpful? Of course you are entitled to your taste and your opinion but, to be fair, so is everyone else 🙂

[@aaronkury7975]

Whilst I think some of your points are fair (ratings are down, then again what shows ratings aren’t?) but I do think some more research would have benefitted this video more, maybe a for and against? As of writing this viewing figures are on the rise YoY and the flashforward thing you spoke about is getting people talking about it again, albeit not as much as people used to talk about it. You also mentioned it being an “older” show with an older viewing audience but actually if you looked into it I’d say it has the youngest viewing audience of the big 3 soaps. Obviously, this is an opinion piece and you don’t have to do any research at all if you don’t want to but I’d definitely encourage in future that you look more into the things you talk about. Love the ident videos tho!

[@Samdemaeyer]

Wtf man

[@Samdemaeyer]

@@aaronkury7975 indeed

[@Samdemaeyer]

Research is key this is a bad video

[@ennythinn]

If older audiences, the ones that still watch linear tv, are watching then that's still ok. Not everything needs to appeal to the younger crowd.

[@jacetaneneko_vt]

Plus I’m 14, I absolutely love game shows, soaps, basically whatever is stereotypical towards the “older” generation

[@ennythinn]

If there comes a time when the show is losing appeal across all ages, then it can be retooled rather than just end. Maybe change it back to 2 episodes a week so it's a smaller commitment. The brand name is just too valuable.

[@ESCMattUK88]

Whilst I do agree that Eastenders has had it's day, most of the fans would say that it's on the rise. The storylines last year were getting quite poor, however a new Producer has been brought in who's really took the show back to it's roots and is really helping to turn the show around. The show also now has alot of young characters in it. Eastenders premiers at around 6am on BBCiplayer from Monday-Thursday. It's then shown at 7:30pm on BBC 1. It was also shown as a boxset every Monday last year during the football etc.

[@Pauldjreadman]

Soaps go through writers and producers like water.

[@LouellaCarnie]

I fully agree with you it’s only on the up just wait till the Xmas episode comes out!! 😌🙌👌👏💯

[@Pauldjreadman]

@@Narrowboat.and.offgrid.living There should be a TV rule against soap content?

[@chris7921]

On the rise? 😂 What is this? The Empire Strikes back? Gayest things I’ve read lol it’s a dying soap, no new producer can turn a soap around, when they resort to making flash forward episodes you know that it’s in trouble. Soaps had a majorly of the viewership in the 80’s and 90’s because there was bugger all else to watch, now that people actually have great entertainment on demand at their fingertips why would most people with a brain cell watch Eastenders? Or any other soap for that reason

[@carlosfrog5090]

@@chris7921That’s just factually untrue though. Look at the ratings, they are are up compared to last year, hardly “dying” is it? Why does a flash-forward episode signify that it’s in trouble? It’s a fresh new idea, which, in general, has gone down very well. You’re welcome to your opinions, but you can deny reality.

[@andrewshiels8633]

I remember that my mum still watched Corrie and Emmerdale but she just stopped watching EastEnders suddenly she never said why

[@peter0010]

It's golden ages were 1985 to 1988, and 1998 to 2005 (the exception of 2004). I'm only a couple of years older than you by the sounds of it and I remember storylines growing up watching 1998 onwards.

[@HalfbrickVHS]

The 1994-1996 era was excellent aswell.

[@CharlestonRat]

I've never been a fan of soap operas. Even before streaming came along, soaps just weren't for me. That having been said, this does make me wonder not only if/when Eastenders should end, but how it should end. What storyline would one come up with to close a show that's been on the air for nearly four decades?

[@daviddukes9392]

It should have been cancelled over 10 years ago

[@handsoffmycactus2958]

As you say considering they recently spent almost £100 MILLION on a new set, and they have planning permission to continue in to phase two of the new set, demolishing the old set and extending Walford it seems very unlikely EE will go anywhere. Only the BBC will know exactly the numbers off iPlayer but looking at what trends, every time it airs it trends on Twitter and there’s loads of stuff I see on TikTok. It has a huge fan base and lots of engagement online. You can’t really say what you’re saying when you’re not a fan. I don’t understand the video, I wouldn’t make a video about Marvel cos I don’t get it, I don’t like superhero stuff and I don’t get it, I would make a video on a series I’ve never watched. I wouldn’t make an in depth video about Love Island, because I’m not a fan and I’ve only seen bits of it. I think EE has gone a bit downhill but that’s mostly because of the lack of older characters and some poor decisions, such as killing off Pat (Pam St Clement), Ronnie and Roxy, etc. I’ve noticed a lot of mockery online about Corrie but not much about EE. And interestingly from what I hear from mates is so many people are sticking with TV and iPlayer/ITVX and free streaming, and moving away from Netflix and Amazon. The only platform people seem to use that I hear of now is Disney Plus. And that’s to watch old stuff. People hate the new stuff on Netflix and tend to watch older shows and they’re the ones which trend too.

[@johnking5174]

Well Adam, considering the BBC spent close to £87 million to complete, I doubt that they will ever cancel it, no matter what the ratings are. Soap operas have lost audiences due to numerous reasons, but for me the main reason is there is just too many editions of each soap on air each week in prime time. US soaps are relegated to daytime where they pull in decent but average ratings, with no US soap ever airing in US prime time schedules.

[@ifaiful]

To that I picture “from another world “.

[@Benwilo2]

Us soaps are low budget TV that's why. UK soaps generally have a more well known cast, often with household names, production budgets twice the size and huge permanent backlot sets. It's a different market. EastEnders isn't going anywhere as the viewership has shown, they are up year on year. If they keep going they could be back up to 4 million viewers by Christmas which in 2023 doesn't sound like a dying show

[@johnking5174]

@@Benwilo2 Everyone looks at the overnight figures for Eastenders. GB News and Talk TV who both hate and despise the BBC always look at the low overnights and ignore the consolidated figure. One Eastenders episode did attract a very low overnight of 1.7 million viewers, GB News and Talk TV poured cow shit over the BBC for this, but ignored that after 7 days that figure passed the 3 million mark. It's a PR game we are in with Eastenders, they need to stand up for themselves more

[@kyleroberts4180]

The last time Eastenders could be classed as anything near good was about 2009 it’s been truly awful since then it needs putting out it’s misery. It is almost sad to see the state it is in now compared even with the early 2000’s let alone the 80’s and 90’s.

[@imrandarr1094]

You should have seen the state it was in the mid 2000s. 3 EP’s in the space of half a year, scripts being ripped up and rewritten, and it was so bad in early 2005, it nearly went off air!

[@Pacmanfan-po9rn]

@@imrandarr1094 wait really

[@joyskiies9709]

And yet ppl still complained smh

[@shortangel333]

I'm nearly 20 and watch soaps a lot. Idk its comforting to watch fictional people suffer all the time.

[@MrSmith1984]

There is one thing that almost nobody talks about EastEnders. How inaccurately it portrays the modern East End of London. Accurately reflecting the area would be the creative shot in the arm that the show could use.

[@DoctorVision]

I've been watching EastEnders on a regular basis for around 11-12 years now. I got into it by accident and have stuck with it ever since. It's something me and my mum sit down to watch each evening that it's on - a tradition I would find quite hard to relinquish I think. I've also been watching the daytime classic repeats for a couple of years now - spanning 1988-2002 currently so my investment in the show is rooted quite deep. The ITV soaps have never interested me, I've only ever seen snippets when round at my nan's house (who religiously watched the Big 3) or my late gran's house (who watched Corrie since it started, more or less) - they just fill me with boredom. I don't know if I have a particular bias towards the BBC and its programmes (I've never really liked the 'commercial' feel of ITV which the two soaps fit under as well I always felt) but I've always gravitated towards it, being a big Doctor Who fan and comedy fan growing up, I always had the BBC on and consumed its content more than the other terrestrial channels, and EastEnders seemed to appeal to me more as a result. Plus it felt a big grittier which I've always preferred I think. Granted, it hasn't always been plain sailing - it's had its up and downs over the years - but it's always managed to entertain me which is the most important thing I feel and I would hate to see it cancelled. Which is unlikely as others say considering they have just spent millions on a new set. Unless the BBC is completely disintegrated in the years to come - which frankly I wouldn't put past the incumbent Tory government - I can't see the show being cancelled. iPlayer ratings are the focus going forward and from what I hear the show always ranks quite highly in them and lately it has been garnering a lot of attention on the likes of TikTok with the underage pregnancy storyline, so I feel like the youth are engaging with it somewhat, especially recently with the new Producer coming in and managing to steady the ship from the last EP's rather tumultuous reign.

[@Epalvosh]

It's one of the ITV soap operas which needs to end. There's no need for two of them especially now they are essentially the same. In any case, the BBC has spent an absolute fortune, needlessly, on a new set so I doubt EastEnders is going anywhere soon.

[@Hilda_ogden]

Corrie and Emmerdale are very different. I can't describe it but the vibe of the two shows is different. Emmerdale is a lot more likely to focus on drama rather than comedy (although it had both) whereas Corrie has some humor in every episode.

[@Epalvosh]

@@Hilda_ogden I guess so but I was leaning towards the fact how Emmerdale has changed so much since it started and has become much more like Coronation Street. Whereas the difference between the two ITV soap operas and EastEnders is much more noticeable.

[@adamaze2679]

I'm 23 and EastEnders is the only show I watch on TV. 😂😂. I would go crazy if it ends hahahha

[@LouellaCarnie]

My fave show at last a young person that agrees too!! 🙌👌👏😌💯

[@adamaze2679]

@@LouellaCarnie right! Anytime I mention I watch eastenders to friends they would reply, “are you elderly” 😅🤣🤣😂

[@theodimopoulos3825]

Eastenders will never end i like eastenders and i have faith it wont end

[@mikeyandwho]

I put it on recently having been watching the old ones on UKTV. And the biggest change for me is the credibility of the acting. A really noticeable drop in quality of acting and also dialogue.

[@Pauldjreadman]

The problem with soaps the turn around is very fast. It might effect the acting.

[@MrSmith1984]

That might be because of the number of episodes being produced gradually rising over the years. That's why the BBC would be wise to go back to a Twice-Weekly Format.

[@mikeyandwho]

@@Pauldjreadman I reccomend dropping in on the eos on UKTV app starting year 2001. Great acting, especially the Sonya's baby storyline. Heartbreaking.

[@macey74]

Totally agree. If I ever happen to see one of the older episodes, the quality of the acting stands out.

[@VixxOT6Starlight]

Absolutely agree with you on the dialogue. It feels so dumbed down and the banter is just not the same.

[@samgalloway7141]

If there's any soap that should be axed it's Coronation Street. That has gone right downhill over the last few years

[@Pauldjreadman]

When it started it had a gangster feel and when Dirty Den was killed off they introduced the two mechanic brothers which worked. I don’t like soaps I never have. They are damned boring. Eastenders was the first on to look dirty and gritty. Not my thing at all.

[@philipmurphy2]

Soaps come from a time where there was nothing better to do, Nowadays they just relic of the past. Then again the whole of live TV is on its way out.

[@josephharrington4502]

I’ve gone off with EastEnders years ago because the storylines are getting boring. The last time I watched it is Dot’s Funeral because June Brown who played Dot sadly passed away last year.

[@alangiles2763]

The current producer (Clenshaw) seems intent on dragging the programme back to the 80s and 90s with the return of so many old characters - the plank of wood known as ¨Ian¨, ageing temptress ¨Cindy¨ and the old characters like Billy , Kat, Stacey and Phil just going through their old routines, rinse and repeat. He needs to look to the future not the past. If he can´t, either replace him with somebody who has modern ideas or get rid of the programme.

[@AlfieEdwards]

I'm a bit younger than you, and watched emmerdale since 2021. Honestly, I think i've watched it live on a television about three times in total - ever. nearly always on catchup. even when i do "watch live" it's doing it through the ITV hub watch live. I like seeing it each day, gives you to something to watch during lunch or when you get home during/after tea. Binge watching makes me feel obligated to see it all at once and it gets boring in that big a dose. I actually like the contrived, ridiculous, over the top storylines. It's funny how ridiculous it gets, the realistic/relatable stuff isn't interesting to me. As a writer, I find the idea of them needing 2-4 shocking plot twists/cliffhangers per DAY as a fun exersize in story.

[@KRPTV]

Have to admit I don't watch Eastenders much these days purely because it's on at the same time Emmerdale is, yesterday however I found Emmerdale a little boring so I flicked over to Eastenders for the first time in ages and what was the first thing I saw? Stacey Slater taking pictures of her feet! I was like WTAF! So basically if that's what's becoming of Eastenders now then I wholeheartedly agree with you!😄😄😄

[@L1am21]

I didn't know eastenders was on at the same time as emerdale I thought they all went out their way not to compete with one and other.

[@BH-98]

If they’re getting Quinton Tarantino to direct episodes now then it can’t be all bad 😅

[@channelI748]

It's so miserable, who needs that in their lives.

[@2511dhall]

Don’t forget in the later years you had Royal events and Sport, Streaming etc, plus with Covid-19 as well.

[@Spagle87]

Hollyoaks tried to do flash forward in 2019. Then the pandemic happened, I know it’s not there fault. But I felt I didn’t work.

[@MATTY110981]

I think the biggest problem with Eastenders is that doesn't represent East London and it hasn't for a good 20 years. For starters they would all be property millionaires ( a joke Alistair McGowan did in the early 00's). The move away from grounded story lines I would argue has turned more people of Corrie and Eastenders than the advent of streaming.

[@anthonyrippa686]

I lost interest decades ago when the plots became borderline science fiction/ fantasy.

[@johnriley7312]

I don't even know who's in EastEnders anymore, problem with soap operas is the over the top storylines like serial killers and explosions

[@KyleJBAwesomeness-OfficialChan]

The theme song is now a viral KZbin Poop meme joke

[@RobTheEnby]

I will agree. There's currently an 'Only fans' storyline on EastEnders where someone is selling feet pics... Wtf.

[@tokublwhovian]

Please don’t shame s*x workers. Not everyone can easily get a job or afford things like you.

[@imrandarr1094]

That’s kind of a real life thing at the moment. Many people are turning to OnlyFans because of the cost of living crisis. Some are going to absolute desperate measures to make money.

[@alangiles2763]

Stacey is the type that would go on the game and have done with it. A red light in the porch and adverts in the newsagents window

[@kitezzz360]

The origins of soaps where from a pre internet era when everyone knew their neighbours and congregated in pubs to socialise. The real World is no longer like that, pub culture is dying and more and more people don't know their neighbours and socialise and meet through the internet. The problem with soaps is they don't reflect modern life so they are no longer relatable, everyone in a soap lives life like it was pre internet days. Younger generations can't relate to this and as the older generation dies off they will continue to lose viewers. I agree it times to move on from 'soaps', everything that has a beginning has an end and to drag these things out 'forever' just because its a 'soap' is utterly pointless

[@MoInspire]

To be honest, the show might aswell come to an end since the producers for some reason always axe the good written and entertaining characters and always keep the boring ones who bring F all to the show!!

[@SuperMax_____0.0_____]

Im not even english speaker, but that opening theme is like a forgotten single from Elton John after he did Sacrifice, it would have been a fabulous hit

[@Acidonia150reborn]

How do you end a Soap they go on so long next to no viewers will be happy with what ever ending they have.

[@tokublwhovian]

That’s what I’ve always thought about. The only way would be to kill off all the characters or sell the fictional places.

[@Acidonia150reborn]

@@tokublwhovian Brookside destroyed all the street for a Road. The reboot of Crossroads made the whole show just one characters Dream. Bikergrove just 4th walled itself that a Magic Type writer existed creating everything. As for Eastenders id end it that it was just a TV Show that people watched in the Dr who Canon.

[@therealautisticdj]

I mean for Waterloo Road (Series 10) they ended that where they stop the school from merging and you heard some past characters voices and shown shots of the school. So they bound to have an epic finale for the show they would do...

[@darrenwall8229]

It’s the only thing I watch cause I like drama everyday life if u are that botherd don’t watch it I’ve watched since day 1

[@jayfriday9485]

I’m not a fan of the soap genre at all, but eastenders is especially depressing. wouldn’t be sad to see it go..

[@kevinaikman8286]

How can you have an opinion on a show if you've never watched it?

[@RachyRooM]

Because some people need to be offended by something (ANYTHING) that they have a small (but existant) chance in getting cancelled, so, for example, they go gunning for people's favourite TV show just to cause uproar and feel powerful // morally superior.

[@edmundprice5276]

Sometimes the problem with soaps is the only way to progress the story is to make the scene subject to a thermonuclear bomb

[@cityhawk]

The problem with soaps is that it's contrary to what a story is, any story, an end, or a direction to an end. If it doesn't look like it's coming to an end, people get drained by it and eventually walk away. If it keeps going endlessly (or seemingly so), eventually it becomes directionless. To keep it going, you're desperate for a storyline to keep it going, even to the point of absurdity. Soaps have never appealed to me as a genre. I want a story that has a beginning, middle, and end. Don't drag a story longer than it needs to.

[@WakaWaka2468]

11:22 Baffling. More watched Dirty Den than watched the Queens funeral or the Moon landing in the UK

[@HalfbrickVHS]

I'd hazard a guess alot of that 30 million were the same viewers being counted twice. The original showing got 19 million, whilst the omnibus edition got 11 million.

[@jlbwho7913]

I'd argue coronation street seems the most tired and is well beyond it's expiry date

[@asterickjones]

In terms of consuming Eastenders' history there has also been Drama showing it from the beginning again from 2018, it is now up to late in 2002 (Classic Eastenders is also on UKTV Play) and I've collected all the episodes they've shown, together with 2008-2011 being shown on BBC FOUR then BBC IPlayer that's a fair amount of its history. I do find that 2022/2023 has seemed weak for the show and the ratings are much lower than they once were, but it would make BBC ONE prime time even more threadbare than it is already.

[@Rockaria23]

I stopped watching all soaps back in 2005. I mainly watch old films on Talking Pictures TV and old comedies and old music on That's TV.

[@ghostface_tardis]

From an outside perspective it does seem like it hasn’t changed or doing the same thing repetitively but the recent change in EP has definitely changed things. Would be a shame to see it go as I believe that it shows and represent an audience, it’s got a large audience from younger people and even changing to 6am Online releases. With streaming platforms at the height of the whole industry right now I can see the shows struggle in keeping an audience but, it’s still the n.01 most watched show and gets millions of viewers on Iplayer weekly.

[@diaquallo]

Now I get why I kept seeing that soap opera on my TV every weekend on channel 2. Wherever it's antiques roadshow or this. Btw I live in Florida so every weekend I watched them.

[@charlesschofield4018]

EastEnders became more depressing after the Trevor Morgan story-line ended with a bang in 2002. And if that's not enough, Dirty Den's 2003 resurrection mark the end of EastEnders' golden era before at least Hollyoaks gave it a run for its money since 2005.

[@owenmcshortpants9730]

I'm a passive fan of EastEnders and I completely see your argument. There would be such a stink kicked up if it was to permanently end. Maybe a hiatus could do it good. I believe kudos due when they took it off due to the lurgy, it came back all guns blazing. You have got me thinking, thank you for this. As long as BBC don't f*** about with it's best programme again... (Roll on 23/11/23)

[@Pm12654]

A Question for the march Sunday catch up Can you do a video scaries on DOE

[@EmmaJones925]

Onw looking at the future of Casualty would be good, As with Holby getting axed last year and Casualty which often gets shifted

[@LouellaCarnie]

My favourite show I have watched it religiously pretty much since I was 4 or 5 albeit a few gaps alongside my bro and sis we are all big fans , I am now 27 and will never give up on it and hope it doesn’t get cancelled it would break my heart especially now it’s got much better with the new ep!!😌🤩🙌👌✊✨

[@jamesmt142]

The way the BBC treated the show in the aftermath of the Queen's death spoke volumes. A huge week of key episodes were due to TX. Rather than hold them all back until after the mourning period and then go 5 nights for a bit to catch back up, they put them out in a very scattergun approach, including on one night moving it from 7.30pm on BBC One to 8.30pm on BBC Two - only to switch to 8pm back on BBC One at the 11th hour! I appreciate it was an exceptional set of circumstances but you had a week of huge episodes that nobody saw because they were thrown out in such a scattergun approach. Even in a Cat A OBIT situation, the way the show was treated during London Bridge paints a picture of a BBC that couldn't give a stuff about EastEnders and certainly didn't care if viewers missed it though the last minute timeslot and channel changes. It's like they saw an opportunity to kill it off.

[@annemariestones3984]

I think you could say the younger generation won't watch Corrie and Emmerdale either not just EastEnders. I don't watch any of them but used to for many yrs.

[@therealautisticdj]

EastEnders seem to have some Gen Z in the show but it can't compete with Hollyoaks in a way...

[@isthisatitleforayoutubecha3035]

I think it might be reduced to daytime television by around 2040 then will abruptly end one day and no one will notice because no one watches it at that point.

[@powerspyin1games]

A lot of people in their twenties (like myself) who use to watch EastEnders weekly only tune back in during the Christmas season. That's like their annual big showing now (case in point, the flashforward which occurred last month). EDIT: Accidentally said Flashback instead of Flashforward

[@RachyRooM]

It was a flash forward and actually makes viewers want to tune in regularly until Christmas, so they can "guess" how the characters end up in the flash forward Christmas scenario. So completely defeats your point lol 😉🙃

[@RachyRooM]

*flash forward to Christmas 2023, obvs 🙂

[@Pastelfloofi]

While this DOES appeal to an older demographic, I myself am only 18 And have been watching this show for years! Loving every episode of it. While it does become quite tiresome at times, it does have its good moments! I think the BBC need to give it some new life in some way. To try and reach out to other audiences. As for the weekly episodes, that was purely due to other forms of media being broadcast onto BBC One such as Wimbledon. I think if they started fully dropping weekly batches, it WOULD get very tiresome quite quickly.

[@chadyepipia8383]

I think Home and away should end first. I love Eastenders it is going well since last year and right now it's incredible and the best right now.

[@beith69]

With a small rejig of the set, and some creative lighting, they could move eastenders to the moon, and make it into a gritty courtroom drama. Maybe cast hugh jackman as a bionic lawyer , striving to bring justice for the space market traders

[@RogerMelodicMusic]

Definitely in fact all the soaps they are always arguing on these soaps such as Emmerdale and Coronation Street and Eastenders is no exception, It’s depressing watching these soaps it’s all fictional and these soaps very rarely have any humour in them…I wouldn’t waste my time with them I watch factual programmes not the Soap CRAP that is so dated now.

[@rockisheaven]

The only thing I know about Eastenders is that Brian May’s wife Anita Dobson used to be on it :p Great video, I learned quite a bit!

[@tj_90z]

I have been watching EastEnders since 1998 to previous day. 2011/2012 and a couple more years wasn’t the best times, but continued watching despite that. Since Chris Clenshaw returned to the EE Team and been credited with his promotion to executive producer the whole storylines and soap is amazing kinda going back to its roots whilst maintaining a modern era. Definitely don’t want it to end, and doubt it will anytime soon as BBC built a new set costing £87/£88 million (£27 million over budget) I hope and think it will last at least another 10 years.

[@jamespitman2373]

Eastenders, (running since 1985), will likely go as far as six months beyond it's 40th anniversary, due in February 2025, and the show will certainly be over. Emmerdale has been round since 1972, but won't last last long, and will presumably finish by end of 2025 / 2026. Coronation Street has run since 1960, but will end its live run in little more than two years from now, by 2026 at most. Hollyoaks, (running 1995), no longer serves much interest, and will be most likely to end before it can turn the corner of its 30th anniversary. Heartbreaking factor: British soaps are over.

[@ianoliver7271]

I'd confidently say that EastEnders right now is on the rise in popularity!!

[@michaelclarke1792]

I’m an older generation and I don’t specifically watch Eastenders, I occasionally have it on in the background so subliminally see it. My puzzle that many of the characters don’t have regular work, but always seen making expensive purchases and have amazing Christmas decorations etc Also how can the poor or lower middle class characters there live in £1 million + houses? Mostly rented - given extortionate London rents? Finally the last time I was in the East End it was mainly populated by Pakistanis, Bengalis and other ethnic groups - so does the soap actually truly represent the area; I don’t think so.

[@StevenOBrien]

I don't watch much television any more, but any time I do happen to see a soap, I just get depressed, because it's 90% the same characters who all have exactly the same flaws and problems that they had thirty years ago, except they now look substantially older. It's just depressing.

[@L1RW]

Soccer AM has been cancelled by Sky. You should do a history of it!

[@FMCREPAIRARMAGH22]

I haven't watched it since 2009, and even then, it was just the Christmas episode.

[@FH4Player6397]

I never watch any "soaps", I prefer youtube, streaming etc. Awesome content as always Adam!

[@handsoffmycactus2958]

And soaps you can stream so your comment makes no sense. Loads of streaming platforms have big tv shows which air episodes once a week as well. And most people I know now have cancelled Netflix especially. It’s too expensive and the stuff on there isn’t worth it

[@FH4Player6397]

@@handsoffmycactus2958 Ok, but I don't care about if my comment "doesn't make sense"

[@craigyboy7843]

I grew up with watching all the soaps in the 80s. Most people watched them then. Now, the world is a very different place and the concept of soap is out of date now. I stopped watching all soaps, but EastEnders back in 2010. You can only watch so much of the same old stories, affairs, murders or whatever. In 10 to 20 years time they won't exist as most of the older viewers will have passed by then. The now young will be middle aged and the majority of them don't watch now, so won't in the future.

[@subhaan7861]

Am 26 and i been watching Eastenders since 2004. And the real goldon Era is 2000-2005 after 2005 the show lost its class 2005 was the last gold year of the show.

[@roberthindle5146]

I think all soap operas need to end. They are a lazy, archaic formula that doesn't really fit with modern expectations. They're just variations on familiar social themes.

[@imrandarr1094]

While I respect your opinion, I have to disagree with you. EastEnders is one of the BBC’s biggest programmes and almost everyone in the fanbase is talking about how good it is right now, especially with last month’s flash forward episode having everyone coming with wild theories. If it was to be cancelled, there would be riots! Yes, the new EE will never be like the EE of the old when Ferguson, Yorke, Santer or even Tradwell-Colins were in charge but it’s fanbase will always be loyal and it might still draw in new viewers. It’s also still continuing to tackle hard subjects like HIV and underage pregnancy. And given the fact the BBC spent millions on a new set, it’s highly unlikely they would choose now to cancel it. I think EE has got a lot good years left in it’s self.

[@LouellaCarnie]

I fully agree with you it’s too big and too old a show too end especially with how much the BBC has invested in it it would be insane too axe it and it would ruin the BBC’s reputation forever!!😌🙌👌👀

[@nevercolo8661]

I think the issue as far as I know is that audiences don't really seem to want anything so samey and odd. I admit, I'm not much of a TV watching (Mostly as I work late) but given there is still somewhat a future, It might not be doom, they just need to keep on with their average 4 and a half million viewers with not enough new ones. Or maybe there isn't much for people to get invested with these days what with so many Crime dramas and big lack of comedies. I could be wrong but given TV audiences are dropping due to factors like On demand stuff, its a gamble.

[@CFCDanielS20]

I used to watch EastEnders everytime but I now haven't watched it in years.

[@EricE549]

i guess you could say the… eastend is near.

[@vincentcushnahan5292]

When the Tick Box knight family comes in on June 1st its NITE NITE FROM ME

[@victoriaharbach5968]

i bet EastEnders and casualty will be end up like Brookside

[@Redrally]

I've never enjoyed soap operas so I've never understood their appeal. BUT One thing that is only sometimes brought up, which should be a bigger factor, is that Eastenders hasn't properly reflected the London East End in a very long time. It's supposed to highlight everyday dramas of the humble (mainly white) working class. The area now is very multicultural and VERY bougie.

[@2511dhall]

The week in advance was for football tournaments.

[@natasha8966]

I think as they shifted emmerdale half an hour later, it’s annoying as they are both on the same time, I used to watch eastenders all the time but it has gone stale, it seems they will copy storylines from each other or past ones. I also feel that streaming has took over a lot where you would watch it 15 years ago, now people rarely watch live tv. I can catch up with clips on KZbin if I have to, whereas now you don’t need to watch every episode like it’s a must see thing, it doesn’t pull viewers like it used to tv and internet have changed.

[@LizM894]

They could do a 6 episode spin off binge watch story just for iplayer or later night on BBC 1.

[@HalfbrickVHS]

The reason for that big drop off in 2002 is because BARB stopped combining the omnibus edition rating to the main showing from 2002 onwards.

[@henrythegamer2.0thepgera59]

EastEnders do need to end

[@connorwythe8919]

I think Eastenders should end as it getting boring!

[@weird-guy]

I’m not from the Uk and don’t watch eastenders even though plays on bbc entertainment, but if linear tv is for old people it makes sense to continue to make soap operas because is the target demographic. I don’t fully understand Uk,us and Australian soap opera running for so long, because in my country the normal is one year , if is super successful you can maybe get two year, also soap opera is the only fiction they produce in my country they make two per year per private network with an average 300 episodes per year, and they play Monday to Friday.

[@therealautisticdj]

2 things... 1. Someone talking about Doctor Who should be stopped. Nah... that shouldn't. I am starting to enjoy it again. 2. A soap drama that airs 4 nights a week is a but much. Once or twice a week is simple enough. I mean I don't watch soaps myself because they just meh. I prefer something comedy and positivity shows (e.g. Family Guy or Modern Family, etc). For a soap to end, they should end it off on a high note though when viewing figures drop below a certain target viewership (I.e. 10K viewers or less) But what about BBC International (such as BBC America, BBC UKTV, BBC Earth, etc) channels that provide with advertising? Don't BBC earn money from that as well?

[@fishandchips1762]

Our soap operas always looked so poor. I preferred the glossier soaps like dynasty Howards way etc.

[@hallilthompson8001]

"I don't really watch it and I'm not really aware of it..." - I left when you stated that in the first 30 seconds. Talk about the stuff you are aware of.

[@John-zw7vh]

Im 44 and been watching Eastenders since mid or late 90s. It has its good moments but it takes a while to get there.

[@livesteam125]

Hollyoaks is just as bad yet many still feel it deserves to live...

[@meridian2000]

@Adam Martyn Once again, you are in the minority and no one is gonna agree with you, Eastenders is one of the BBC's very important shows along with other shows that have been axed which shouldn't have like schools programmes such as Numbertime and Words and Pictures, Despatch Box, On the Record, Kilroy, City Hospital, Crimewatch, Live & Kicking, Working Lunch, Grandstand, Generation Game, National Lottery, Parkinson, Holby City, Clarkson, The Natural World, Watchdog, Top of the Pops, and loads more, I would say the BBC should axe Strictly Come Dancing, Waterloo Road, Doctor Who, The Apprentice, Morning Live and Homes Under the Hammer.

[@derekhorne8076]

@Jacob Rowley. I couldn't agree more! If the BBC (and ITV for that matter) where to turn the scheduling clock back 20 or 30 years then maybe there would be something worth watching rather than then endless auction, makeover, 'reality' and z list celeb shows that are on now. Some days the soaps are the only proper programmes on tv worth watching. I think perhaps some people (and yes I include Adam) should remember that tv is there for everyone and there maybe many people that would like to cancel the programmes that they enjoy!

[@JackassJunior627]

As someone who watched it on and off since I was a kid from the 90’s. My biggest gripe is some of the storylines. Some are exciting and emotional, but then some are pointless, some drag on too long, and some are just disappointing. For example one of the best was the who killed Dennis Rickman, and the Mitchell brothers faced the killer. Or for an emotional story, Lola battling and her eventual loss to cancer. An emotional journey we took with her. An example of one that dragged on for too long was Gray Atkins, a three year storyline that just got boring after a year. And the best example of a disappointing story, who killed Lucy Beale? So many eagerly waited, only for the killer to not even be in the roster. Was a let down. Now a similar thing is happening with the Stacey Slater and Theo story, with finally the guy getting beaten to a pulp, but now Freddie faced police custody. Like seriously? There’s realism but also too much of it. Wrap it up and move on as it’s already feeling like a drag.

[@brandonlee7382]

I've started watching eastenders with my mum and it's been decent. The storyline is wild but still believable and worth watching. I watch it sometimes live then sometimes through catchup. Hopefully viewers start to go up again

[@2511dhall]

Doctors is the last soap recently made.

[@Jay-Del]

I'm 25 now and have been watching since I can remember what TV was, and have continued to watch without missing an episode by watching live or catching up on iPlayer. Most people my age -3 +8 find it very strange/comical that watch it. But I guess it was just what me and the family did together every evening. Definitely Generational.

[@Bellabambina123]

I've dipped in & out of watching over the years. Growing up the only soaps we watched on the TV were EastEnders, Neighbours & Hollyoaks. I've watched it a bit as an adult, but I think people like it as a bit of escapism possibly. Some storylines are much better than others. There was once a storyline I liked and it was drawn out over a long time, & I wanted to see what happened so kept watching but was disappointed in the way they ended it. I had spent over a year watching for a very poor ending for the characters that was barely resolved. I also find it a bit intense sometimes and a bit depressing. Better for my mental health not to watch 😂 I quickly turn the channel over now if I hear the theme starting after the one show! 😄

[@liamgillett9068]

The model is for Eastenders currently is that they upload an episode at 6am every day it airs so it’s available to watch basically 12 hours before it actually airs which I think is a bit stupid because surely if you wanted as many viewers as possible you would at least try and get as many people to watch it before putting it on iplayer

[@L1am21]

Its public funded so proud dont care about ratings as much maybe they care about I player views abit more.

[@stevenbruce8422]

What about Hollyoaks that another one need go in bin

[@derekhorne8076]

Ah but Hollyoaks is aimed at teens and those in their twenties. It's programmes that those of us over 30 might enjoy that should be axed - even tho that we are told that teens and twenties don't watch traditional tv anyway. Those of us over 30 are half dead so who cares what we might enjoy?

[@hibbiea8841]

This theme song sounds similar to Bad Apple and Inspector Gadget

[@0owmjapo0]

I was thinking this many years ago in one of my past lives