WITH Neighbours now cancelled after four decades and Holby City shutting its doors following 23 years of medical mayhem, it seems no soap opera is safe from the axe.
Viewing figures for Britain’s biggest weekly dramas are in freefall in the face of stiff competition from streaming services and social media.
EastEnders lost 37 per cent of its viewers between 2017 and 2019, while Coronation Street suffered a 19 per cent fall and Emmerdale 22 per cent.
Lorraine Heggessey, controller of BBC One from 2000 to 2005, said: “Alarm bells are ringing for soaps. They only pull in two to three million viewers a night.”
Grant Rollings looks at how each show fares now compared with its most-watched episode and recalls some of the most important storylines.
And Kevin Kennedy, who played Corrie’s Curly Watts for 20 years, explains why soaps are part of the fabric of British life.
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Soaps are OUR lives on TV and that’s why we’ll keep watching, says Kevin Kennedy
SOAP operas are as British as Sunday lunch, football and pantomime.
We invented them and it is hard to imagine television without these regular slices of everyday life.
They highlight particular aspects of society that we might not feel comfortable discussing openly.
But if you are watching a soap and something happens to a character you care about, suddenly these issues become very real.
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These thoughtfully written stories can touch on subjects that are seen as taboo or that people don’t want to discuss on social media for fear of a backlash.
Over the years various plotlines have helped to educate viewers on important topics, whether it was Mark Fowler contracting HIV in EastEnders or domestic abuse in Coronation Street.
Ultimately, though, these shows are there to entertain.
My character, Curly, was one of the regulars who provided light-hearted moments, while also facing serious problems such as divorce.
The reason why it works is that British soap operas are the best in the world, thanks to the great writing, acting and high production values.
The teams put these programmes out with precision at high speed.
Suranne Jones, Sarah Lancashire, Anna Friel, Ricky Tomlinson and Ben Hardy are just some of the British soap stars who have gone on to have stellar careers.
While we are not hitting the viewing figures we did from the 1960s to 1990s, these shows still have millions of devoted fans.
They are programmes that the whole family can sit around and watch without squirming over a scene that might upset your granny.
And I believe they are still attracting younger viewers with new cast members, while keeping older fans happy with familiar faces.
There are innovations on the way, too – such as the forthcoming flashbacks to 1979 on EastEnders and the hour-long episodes on Coronation Street.
I think that doubling the traditional half an hour shows gives the actors more opportunity to explore their storylines and I think the audiences really appreciate that.
I enjoyed a cameo on Holby City and it was very sad that the show came to an end, as is the loss of Neighbours.
But I don’t believe that will happen with Britain’s other long-standing soaps. In this ever-changing world, we need a constant.
And when the theme tune for Corrie or EastEnders begins, there is a comfortable reassurance in knowing what you are going to get.
Coronation Street
- 1987: 26.7 million
- 2022: 4.7 million
AS the original, it set the benchmark of what makes a great soap, with tears and drama but real heart.
ITV’s Corrie has lost a lot of legends but is still one of the most-watched programmes on the box – consistently ruling the telly ratings.
Most recently, in a storyline that reads like a Liam Neeson thriller, Gary Windass tracked down his kidnapped surrogate daughter before getting into a vicious fight, pulling in 4.9million fans.
Its highest-ever figures – 26.7million on December 25, 1987 – were for gossip Hilda Ogden’s big exit, with actress Jean Alexander ditching her famous curlers after 23 years.
EastEnders
- 1986: 30.2 million
- 2022: 3.3 million
AT its peak, it was a national obsession and pulled in 30million viewers.
But these days Beeb bosses have resorted to stunt casting and bringing back old faces in a bid to halt dwindling ratings.
The death of EastEnders newbie Avery Baker was an underwhelming storyline[/caption]
Last month the soap drew just 3.3million viewers when Mitch Baker was shocked to receive a letter about the death of his brother.
Avery had only been in the drama briefly, so will fans even care he has died?
It’s all a far cry from the 30.2million who tuned in on Christmas Day, 1986, to see Leslie Grantham’s ultimate soap baddie Dirty Den serving divorce papers on his long-suffering landlady wife Angie.
Emmerdale
- 1993: 18 million
- 2022: 4.3 million
IT’S always played second fiddle to Corrie in ITV but in recent years Emmerdale has been the big winner at awards shows and now outranks EastEnders in the ratings.
Recently the action has been ramping up for its 50th anniversary.
In July, 4.3million watched as Amelia visited Noah Dingle in prison while Marlon was seen worrying about his engagement party.
But it’s still a long way short of the 18million who switched on in late December, 1993, to witness an airplane crash into the once-sleepy village, bringing several storylines together and killing off four of the soap’s characters.
Hollyoaks
- 1999: 2.6 million
- 2022: 222,000
IT launched on Channel 4 with a string of sexy young stars and was known as the raciest soap on TV.
Now it is more famous for doing storylines on worthy issues and hiring out-of-work celebs and pop stars such as Eternal singer Kelle Bryan and Blue’s Duncan James.
Hollyoaks viewing figures have been below Neighbours[/caption]
A paltry 220,000 watched this week as Liberty Savage struggled with Damon’s confession that he had murdered Warren.
Meanwhile, 2.6million fans were there in October 1999 to see villain Rob Hawthorne try to drown Lucy, Tony, Ruth and Lewis at a nautical test centre, only for Tony to find a hatch and save the day.
Neighbours
- 1988: 20 million
- 2022: 300,000 (not the finale)
IN its heyday on BBC1, the Aussie soap was so good some viewers watched episodes twice a day.
But last week it ended with dodgy editing, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it-cameos and Kylie Minogue on mute.
Long running soap Neighbours has now been axed[/caption]
Three weeks before the grand finale, 330,000 diehard fans tuned in to see legendary character Harold Bishop return to Ramsay Street, while the much-hyped last episode on July 29 drew three million viewers on Channel 5.
But the wedding of Jason Donovan’s Scott and Kylie’s Charlene in November 1988 was a genuine must-see TV event, pulling in 20million addicts.
Casualty
- 1993: 16.6 million
- 2022: 2 million
IT launched in 1986 on BBC1 with lofty claims that it was a feminist, anti-racist, pro-NHS and anti- Conservative “television revolution”.
But it is probably the show’s meaty plots and well-rounded characters that have made it the longest- running medical drama in the world.
On December 11, 1993, an impressive 16.6million tuned in to see movie star Peter Postlethwaite play a traveller wrongly suspected of having Aids.
But Casualty hasn’t managed to escape a drop in viewers either.
In July 16, it pulled in just two million as nurse David Hide helped save his neighbours after an explosion in the building where he lives.
How soaps took on big issues
HIV: WHEN Mark Fowler said: “Mum, I’ve got something to tell you” in 1991, he spoke for thousands trying to come to terms with an HIV diagnosis.
Todd Carty’s rebellious character demonstrated it was wrong to believe hetrosexual men could not contract the potentially deadly virus.
LESBIAN KISS: IN 2022 two women kissing on television would not be remarked upon, but when Anna Friel’s Beth Jordache puckered up with Nicola Stephenson’s Margaret Clemence in 1994 it was a landmark for British television.
It was so important the clip featured in the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics.
TEEN PREGNANCY: THE nation was rocked by the revelation that Sarah Louise Platt was pregnant at the tender age of 13.
The 2000 storyline is credited with helping other young mums to deal with giving birth at such a young age and for deterring others from unprotected sex.
THE WEATHERFIELD ONE: WHEN Deirdre Rachid (formerly Barlow) was jailed for fraud while her conman lover walked free back in 1998 the then Prime Minister intervened.
Tony Blair told The Sun that there should be an investigation into the fictional case, which gripped the nation.
RAPE: TOYAH BATTERSBY was beaten up and raped on Corrie in 2001, sparking criticism from some former cast members for being too sensational.
But actress Georgia Taylor defended the plotline, arguing that it would encourage other women to seek help.
RIGHT TO DIE: EMMERDALE character Jackson Walsh, who was paralysed from the neck down, asked his partner to help him die.
Actor Marc Silcock was praised for his performance, but there was criticism of the euthanasia plot.
GAY RAPE: IN 2000 Hollyoaks tackled the issue of male rape when footballer Luke Morgan was visciously assaulted by troublemaker Mark Gibbs.
Gary Lucy was praised for his performance as Luke, who showed the devastating aftermath of the rape.
WHO SHOT PHIL? ONE of the biggest Albert Square storylines arrived in 2001 with viewers desperate to find out who gunned down villain Phil Mitchell.
The big reveal (it was ex-girlfriend Lisa) caused the third biggest power surge in the National Grid’s history as 20million people tuned in.
