'EastEnders' cancer plot is a responsibility, says Jo Joyner

EastEnders star Jo Joyner has pledged her commitment to ensuring that her cervical cancer storyline is as "honest and true to life" as possible.

The actress's character Tanya Jessop will be diagnosed with the illness later this month. Tanya's new plot begins next week when she learns that she has abnormal smear test results.

EastEnders bosses officially announced the storyline in June, confirming that the show had worked closely with various experts and charities including Macmillan Cancer Support for research purposes.

Meanwhile, speaking to All About Soap about how she has personally researched the plot, Joyner commented: "I've talked to a lot of survivors of cervical cancer through a charity called Jo's Trust - the name's just a coincidence! They also have a great website, which is very informative and has helped me a lot.

"It's a privilege to be given any sort of serious storyline and a real responsibility. I'm going to make it as honest and true to life as I possibly can."

Tanya receives the worrying news about her smear test results just as she is preparing to tell husband Greg (Stefan Booth) that she wants to be with her ex Max Branning (Jake Wood).

Asked whether it makes Tanya question who she wants to be with all over again, Joyner replied: "Definitely. She remembers her mum looking at her dad with pity [when he was ill] and she'd hate that happening to her. She has some serious thinking to do about her future now."

Soap Star Look-e-Likees

See below the hilarious soap star look-e-likees as mentioned on 'Steve's Soapbox' on www.portsmouthlive.tv last Friday.

'The Only Way Is Essex' to air for majority of 2012?

The Only Way Is Essex could reportedly broadcast for the majority of 2012 if plans to increase the show's run get the go-ahead.

The BAFTA-winning ITV2 series has so far comprised of two 12-episode runs, with a third of the same length due to air later this year.

However, The Sun claims that bosses now believe that the programme - which follows the lives of Essex residents including Amy Childs, Mark Wright and Lauren Goodger - could follow TV dramas such as Holby City and Casualty by being shown for up to 48 weeks of the year.

New cast members will apparently be brought in to ensure that there is enough going on to sustain the increased run, which could begin in the New Year.

"Everyone is still following their bust-ups and romances anyway so it feels like the cameras should still be there to capture everything," a source claimed.

"The gang would have to be up for it and a deal has to be struck with the producers. But the expectation is that the stars would all want to do it."

The Only Way Is Essex will be shown across Europe after creators Lime Pictures sold the show to a number of foreign broadcasters.

'Neighbours' Natasha 'plans plastic surgery'

Neighbours schoolgirl Natasha Williams will continue her rebellious behaviour when she decides that she wants plastic surgery in a forthcoming storyline, a report has revealed.

The troublesome teenager, played by Valentina Novakovic, becomes "obsessed" with improving her appearance as she feels upset and insecure over her father Michael (Sandy Winton) rejecting her in the aftermath of her raunchy photo scandal, according to TV Week.

In scenes which air in Australia next week, Natasha will apparently be seen searching the internet for "cheap nose jobs" before stealing Michael's credit card in order to book herself in for the procedure.

Viewers will then be left to wonder whether Natasha will go through with the idea or whether she can reconcile with her dad before it's too late.

Earlier this year, Novakovic admitted that she would like her character to be "nicer" and realise she "needs to grow up and mature".

Meanwhile, Neighbours bosses recently announced that fans will be introduced to Natasha's long-lost aunt later this year.

'EastEnders' Ronnie "couldn't go further", says Samantha Womack

Former EastEnders star Samantha Womack has said that her character Ronnie Branning left the soap at the right time, claiming that the troubled blonde "couldn't go any further" following her string of dark storylines.

The actress announced her decision to bow out from the BBC drama at the beginning of the year, and viewers recently saw her final scenes as Ronnie was jailed in the climax to the show's tragic baby swap plot.

Other hard-hitting stories featuring Ronnie had included the death of her long-lost daughter Danielle and her disturbing history with evil dad Archie.

Asked by The Observer whether she was glad to leave Ronnie behind, Womack replied: "I wouldn't say I was glad. Ronnie had had her time, she couldn't go any further. She had so much trauma that it wouldn't have been believable to put her through any more, I feel.

"It's a very hard thing to do - you get very comfortable being in regular employment, and I'm a jobbing actor again, and that's quite scary. I feel grateful to have had the experience but I'm glad to be moving in another direction."

Although Womack recently signed up for the stage role of Nellie Forbush in South Pacific, the 38-year-old dismissed suggestions that she is seeking a break from television jobs.

"I'm just trying to mix up the characters - the form in which they come is not important," she said. "Ronnie Mitchell in EastEnders was so withdrawn and secretive and dark, so Nellie - with her open quality and hick-style delivery - was a challenge I really wanted to take on."

Womack first appeared in the role of Ronnie in the summer of 2007.

Watch Ronnie's memorable EastEnders moments in the video below:

'Neighbours': Natasha's Long-Lost Aunt Set To Cause Scandal!

There's a Neighbours update today over Natasha's long-lost aunt for those who have been wondering what the character will be called.

Earlier this month, it emerged that Freya Stafford had landed the role of Tash's relative and show bosses later released the first picture of the newcomer as well as details of the storyline.

The character's name wasn't released at the time, but it has now been confirmed that she is called Emilia.

As previously reported, Emilia's arrival has been tipped to "expose a myriad of secrets and lies" that will set tongues wagging on Ramsay Street later this year.

Stafford has signed a six-month guest contract with Neighbours and her first episode will air on Australian screens in September.

Watch the latest Neighbours promo currently airing in Australia, focusing on Tash's latest drama:



Steve says: 50 quid she's the missing mum!

Corrie: Too Many Crooks & Baby Snatch Plot Coming!

'Coronation Street' Becky 'To Plot Baby Kidnap'

Coronation Street's troubled Becky McDonald will plot to kidnap Fiz Stape's baby daughter Hope in a forthcoming storyline, a report has claimed.

The former barmaid starts making her shock plan after striking up a bond with the youngster as they both continue living under the same roof at the Croppers' home in the coming weeks, The Sun claims.

Becky was recently left devastated when her nephew Max was taken into care. She had previouslypurchased the child from half-sister Kylie as her adoption dreams had been crushed and she is unable to have children of her own.

Hope, meanwhile, is living with Roy and Hayley while Fiz awaits trial in prison after being implicated in her husband John's crime spree.

However, when Fiz (Jennie McAlpine) decides that she wants Hope to move to the jail's mother and baby unit, Becky reportedly springs into action and considers fleeing Weatherfield with the baby.

A Coronation Street source told the newspaper: "Becky is baby-mad and is desperate for one. She grows close to Hope and dreams of bringing her up as her own."

The insider added: "Becky isn't thinking straight and believes jail is no place for a baby."

Katherine Kelly, who plays Becky, finishes filming with the soap later this year and her final scenes air in 2012.

Coronation Street boss Phil Collinson has admitted that there have been too many criminals on the soap.

'Too Many Crooks'

The producer of the ITV1 programme, which has recently been criticised over some of its storylines, said that they are going to cut down on crime in the future.

In an interview with OK magazine, he defended actress Michelle Collins who, as Rovers Return landlady Stella Price, has been attacked over her northern accent.

He also responded to criticism over a supposed influx of gay storylines, saying: "I haven't introduced any gay characters."

However, Collinson admitted that there is some room for improvement on the long-running show.

Asked whether there were too many criminals in Coronation Street, he replied: "Maybe I can take that one on the chin. I agree… we have been at the police station and the court room a little bit too much.

"As we move ahead, we will shift away from serial killers and crime storylines."

Recent killers have included psychopath John Stape and murderer Tony Gordon.

Former castmember Johnny Briggs recently said that the soap has become "boring and humourless".

Coronation Street actress Kym Marsh has dismissed rumours of a ratings crisis at the soap, describing recent press reports as "incorrect."

EastEnders Makes Viewers 'Seasick'!

EastEnders viewers have complained of motion sickness following a particular scene in the soap that featured shaky camera-work.

The episode in question first aired on July 14, and featured Christian Clarke (John Partridge) and Zainab Masood (Nina Wadia), in a discussion about Christian's relationship with Zainab's son Syed (Marc Elliott).

During the short scene, the camera appeared to wobble, with strange camera angles in comparison to normal EastEnders scenes.

Several fans took to BBC's Points of View online forums to comment about the odd scene, with one viewer writing: "Oh, what was with the wobbly camera? Surely, BBC isn't so bad off that it can't afford to buy EastEnders a tripod."

Another viewer added: "Am I the only one who thought the camera angles were bad during the Christian and Zainab scene? The camera was shaking and the angles were just all over the place."

Viewer Marie Marshall, 41, said: "It was really weird. At first I thought my own telly was playing up but then I went to another telly in a different room and it was doing the same thing.

"The picture was shaking so much it made me feel like I was sea-sick. Whoever was holding the camera must have been shaking a lot."

A spokesperson for the soap said that they were aware of complaints made about the scene, but have yet to offer an explanation for what happened, according to The Daily Telegraph.

Watch the scene in question below (one minute, five seconds in):

'EastEnders' To Introduce Another New Moon

EastEnders fans will be introduced to another member of the Moon family later this year as twisted villain Michael Moon meets his long-lost brother, reports have revealed.

Craig Moon, who has Down's Syndrome, will make his first appearance on screen in the autumn when family patriarch Eddie Moon arranges for Michael to meet the sibling he never knew existed, according to The People.

Elliot Rosen, 32, has taken on the role of Craig and is thought to have already filmed his first scenes. Reports suggest that he has been signed as a guest artist for a handful of episodes.

EastEnders bosses are believed to have worked closely with the Down's Syndrome Association while devising the new storyline for the Moon clan.

A Walford source told the newspaper: "It is something they are very proud of. They are determined to continue to raise issues like this."

Meanwhile, praising the soap's decision, a spokesperson for the Down's Syndrome Association commented: "Presenting people with Down's Syndrome living successful lives is always positive."

Michael, played by Steve John Shepherd, was the first of the new Moons to arrive on Albert Square - making his debut last year.

David Essex, Tony Discipline and Matt Lapinskas were later unveiled as other additions to the family, landing the roles of Eddie, Tyler and Anthony respectively.

EastEnders Cliches - Past & Present!

As mentioned in my 'Steve's Soapbox' section on Portsmouth Live TV several weeks ago, here's the full list of viewer defined cliches from 25 years of EastEnders.

Hilarious it truly is!



1. Janine is barred from the Vic at least once a month. Lines like 'Go on, sling yer hook!' and 'Get out you lying little tart!' are essential - if she resists, she must be flung out the doors. Bonus points if she ends up falling, if she does so someone then has to walk past saying 'Just where you belong Janine, in the gutter', before swanning off like they're so much better!

2. In Walford, your 100 times more likely to die or have one of your guests die/get severely injured on the day of your wedding than in any other place. You go from wedding to wedding not even aware of this obvious statistic.

3. Ian Beale will lick his lips in almost every scene he's in, Max Branning will shuffle his feet, Phil Mitchell will deflate at least once, and Ronnie Branning will stare into space like a robotic zombie per episode.

4. References to Pat the prostitute (which happened 100 years ago!) will crop up every so often.

5. Nobody even mentions the astounding similarities between Jodie Gold and Billy's ex Honey!

6. Dot will struggle to say Mr Pappadoppawappanoppalos and call Zainab 'Mrs Masmood' - before telling us she doesn't like to gossip before doing just that and quoting from the bible.

7. Nobody has a washing machine.

8. Everybody only goes to The Vic.

9. Somebody has to die or get married or have a baby at Christmas.

10. Anyone who has a baby in Eastenders will never have to look after them themselves. In fact, they can go to work, drink in The Vic, go to the beauty salon or have a night out at the R&R just as if they were single and childless.

11. There are always mysterious babysitters available to mind these forgotten children at any time of the day and night.

12. You can plan a Christmas wedding in about 2 days and everyone will be able to come.

13. Phil Mitchell will always be able to get you £10,000 at short notice but the minute he needs money himself he usually struggles.

14. When people move out they take all their belongings in a small case.

15. If a couple goes out for dinner they always choose the Argee Bhagee.

16. Each member of the Mitchell family has to mention it on a monthly basis.

17. Men such as Michael and Jack always wear suits even when they're just going to the cafe.

18. The "glamour pusses" such as Tanya and Vanessa don't own a pair of jeans/trainers/tracksuit bottoms.

19. People sit in their work clothes and shoes even in their own house when watching the tv.

20. People don't work or do a few shifts in the pub/launderette a week, yet can afford London rental prices no problem.

21. Heather will wear a headband/smock top/forlorn expression in every scene.

22. Ricky will look dazed and confused and utter "Pat" in a quizzical voice at every opportunity.

23. Any non-drinkers will drink nothing but orange juice - don't even think of asking for a coke/lemonade/tonic water.

24. After a major story has been revealed, the accused person will always have to walk through a massive crowd, with them watch his/her every move.

25. People going to the caff for all their meals, despite living round the corner

26. If you're upset you must go and sit on Aurthur's bench until someone takes pity on you even if it's late at night. An alternative, especially for the yougsters, is the tyre swing.

27. You can look 'everywhere' for someone only to find them in the cafe or Vic

28. The obligatory shouting/slanging match/revelation reveal in the middle of The Vic which leads to the jukebox mysteriously turning itself off

29. R&R is the go to club where a character goes if they want to get very very drunk and make a fool of themselves

30. Nobody ever finishes a drink, they always leave an inch or so in the bottom of the glass when they leave.

31. You never go to Tescos/Morrisons/Asda to do a "big shop" - you instead pay the inflated prices of the minute mart and never buy more or less than two carrier bags full.

32. You can get any job without any kind of formal application. Noone signs a contract and anyone can get hired and fired within minutes.

33. No one needs qualification/experience to get a job.

34. Contracts don't need to be signed during sales and transfers of properties.

35. Doctors handing out medications out to patients out of GP practice.

36. Everyone needs to do at least one shift at Beale's caff.

37. Anyone will be asked to babysit anyone's baby.

38. Most houses have unlimited number of bedrooms.

39. Everyone shops at the minute mart, which seems to stock everything and anything.

40. Giving someone £20 can enable them to pay a month's rent.

41. Most people don't have to work in order to afford living in London.

42. The new doctor will arrive and everyone will praise them for being such a well-respected pillar of the community - but they never realise this doctor will either be a raging nutcase or will end up sleeping with half of the people living in the area within their first 6 months in the job.

43. If you're thinking about anyone, simply look out of your window and they'll be there, and you'll probably make eye contact. The upstairs window of the Vic is particularly good for this.

44. You can leave a total stranger in charge of your market stall.

45. Police will take about 3 years to turn up if there's been a murder or any other serious crime. For lesser crimes they get there within 3 seconds.

46. No matter how skint you are, you will always have money to drink in the vic and eat in the cafe.

From http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1463814

EastEnders: Ronnie's Last Moments

Coronation Street: Phil Colinson Discusses Summer 2011 On 'This Morning'

Coronation Street: A New Take On The Tram Crash

Amazing!

'Coronation Street' Gay Plots Divide Opinion

Coronation Street's recent influx of more gay characters has attracted a mixed response.

At present, two same-sex couples reside on the cobbles: Sean Tully (Antony Cotton) and Marcus Dent (Charlie Condou) alongside Sophie Webster (Brooke Vincent) and Sian Powers (Sacha Parkinson).

Todd Grimshaw (Bruno Langley) and boyfriend Jools recently paid a visit to the street and have been tipped for a future return, while there will also be appearances from Ken Barlow's grandson James Cunningham (James Roache), who was also revealed to be homosexual last year.

Ben Summerskill of Stonewall praised the ITV soap for its involvement of gay characters, saying: "When it comes to reflecting modern Britain, the Street really is streets ahead."

However, former star Jean Alexander - speaking to the News of the World - argued that the number of gay characters is "excessive".

The 85-year-old, who played Hilda Ogden, said: "Every community has people who are gay and they are very nice people. I'm not running the Street down, and let's not forget its creator Tony Warren is gay. But three couples seems excessive."

Nick Cochran - who originally played Andy McDonald between 1989 and 1996 - agreed: "I'm not sure these storylines are realistic. I've got plenty of gay friends but they don't all live in a street full of gay people.

"How many streets in Britain would have schoolgirl lesbians, gay married couples, a transsexual and children to gay couples? It is a little bit far-fetched," Cochran added. "Fans love Corrie for its traditional values. I don't think it's the right platform to highlight so many gay issues all at the same time."

Meanwhile, a supposed insider suggested that the present cast agree with Alexander and Cochran, stating: "Many cast and crew think the storylines unrealistic."

Watch The EastEnders Moon Brothers Promo Below:

Good or bad? Tell us below...

'EastEnders' Return For Preeya Kalidas Confirmed

Preeya Kalidas has confirmed that she will reprise her role as Amira Shah in EastEnders.

The actress bowed out of the BBC soap in April 2010 after discovering her husband Syed's affair with Christian Clarke. Amira departed Albert Square without revealing her pregnancy to Syed.

Kalidas tweeted today: "To all the fans that ask me everyday.. This is for you.... She's coming back! AMIRA RETURNS!! (sic)"

An ongoing storyline sees recently-engaged Christian (John Partridge) and Syed (Marc Elliott) planning to adopt a child.

A source told The Mirror: "Amira left Walford a heartbroken woman. When she finds out Syed is planning to marry Christian she is furious. Amira is manipulative and her presence looks set to turn the lives of the Masoods upside down.

"The question is, has she moved on from her husband or will she do whatever she can to get him back? Only time will tell."

The 31-year-old actress is expected to begin filming again in a number of weeks, ahead of an on-screen return in October.

Since leaving the show, Kalidas was dropped by her record label after debut single 'Shimmy' charted at a disappointing number 85 in the UK chart.

EastEnders executive producer Bryan Kirkwood had previously teased the possible return of a former character, although it remains unclear if he was referring to Amira.

Corrie Boss 'Demands New Storylines For 15 Characters'

Coronation Street boss Phil Collinson reportedly called an emergency meeting with scriptwriters last month to demand new storylines for 15 characters.

The producer is said to have made a list of characters he thinks are "urgently in need of attention" to avoid viewers forgetting about them.

Newcomer Stella Price (Michelle Collins), husband Karl (John Michie) and their ­daughter Eva (Catherine Tyldesley) are top of the list. They need a big storyline so that they're "­accepted" by the audience, The People reports.

Chesney Battersby-Brown (Sam Aston) and his ­pregnant girlfriend Katy Armstrong (Georgia May Foote) were also ­highlighted as being in need of attention. Collinson apparently insisted that the pair can't simply disappear until Katy's baby is due around Christmas time.

Gail McIntyre (Helen Worth) and son Nick Tilsley (Ben Price) - who beds Becky McDonald (Katherine Kelly) later this year - will get new storylines. "Nick is a character that definitely needs work. We need a big story for him that will take him in a different direction," Collinson told scriptwriters.

"Previous ideas put forward for the character are not really appropriate. And where are we going with Gail? Does anyone have a story idea that will see her take centre stage?"

Meanwhile, Sean Tully (Antony Cotton) and Marcus Dent (Charlie Condou) will see their relationship under threat in the coming months when Dylan returns home to mum Violet Wilson.

Collinson also requested "fresh" plots for Norris Cole (Malcolm Hebden), Mary Taylor (Patti Clare), and Roy (David Neilson) and Hayley Cropper (Julie Hesmondhalgh).

The producer also suggested a change in direction for Gary Windass (Mikey North) and girlfriend Izzy Armstrong (Cherylee Houston), who is mugged in the coming weeks.

"Collinson really didn't pull any punches," a source said. "The team of scriptwriters was told in no uncertain terms that they ­needed to do much more."

'Coronation Street' Phil Collinson, Michelle Collins Hit Back At "Disingenuous" Claims

Coronation Street producer Phil Collinson and actress Michelle Collins have responded to tabloid reports that the show has suffered in the ratings recently.

The News of the World suggested that viewing figures had fallen by a quarter in just a month, with blame focused on a poor reception for Collins and viewers' unhappiness with the number of gay characters on the soap.

Collinson confirmed that he and Collins had asked to appear on ITV1's daytime magazine show This Morning in order to "answer back" the "inaccurate and disingenuous" claims.

Collins - who made her debut as Stella Price last month - explained: "I'm the sort of person... I'm quite dignified, so I was thinking, ' No, just sit back and it'll all go away'. But it hasn't gone away."

On criticism of her accent, Collins admitted that it was "not my choice" to do a northern accent in the role.

"I'm an actor. I was in a soap 15 years ago, and I've done lots of other jobs in between where I've had accents as well," she said. "To me, it was embarking on a new role.

"I'm not even sure that's many of the public. I think it's a few tabloid journalists that have picked up on something and then it escalates. It's very mischievous, I think they like to cause... they're just being mischievous, to be honest with you."

Collinson described Collins's accent as "brilliant", insisting that the soap "wouldn't want to" have her drop it.

"Just to robustly say, we are really happy with Michelle's performance," he said. "I think we're really happy with the character. We've got storylines planned for this new family right through next year."

Collins admitted that she is "bewildered" by the various claims, but added that she knew it would take time for the character to be accepted.

"I haven't even be on air for four weeks. It's like, hold on a minute. Jane Danson was telling me that when the Battersbys went in, there was a petition to get rid of them," she said. "When the Slaters went in [to EastEnders], I remember telling John Yorke, 'I don't like them. They're never going to work'. About five years later, he said to me: 'What did you say to me?' People just have to let you breathe. People are [not] used to me. I'm just sort of bewildered."

She continued: "I'm a big girl and I'm tough. What annoys me is that I'm quite bewildered by it. What annoys me is that most of the things they are saying are untrue. Coronation Street has made me very welcome and people among the cast haven't complained."

However, Collins did confirm that reports of a storyline which will see Stella knocked down by a drunk Carla Connor are true.

"Storylines are storylined six months in advance. So, whoever played Stella would have been involved in this storyline," she said. "It's not because they are trying to win viewers over. The public aren't silly."

Collinson also dismissed tabloid claims that Coronation Street's ratings have fallen dramatically, telling hosts Phillip Schofield and Jenni Falconer that the high figure mentioned had come from an instalment aired during the week of 9pm episodes scheduled between Britain's Got Talent shows. The lower rated episode was one which aired directly against an Andy Murray Wimbledon game.

"They took those two ratings," he explained. "It's a bit mischievous really. In actual fact, if we compare the ratings for the last four-week period with the same period for last year, we are actually around 5 or 6% up.

"There is absolutely no crisis at Coronation Street. The ratings are in brilliant shape. ITV are very pleased with the way the show is performing."

Finally, the producer took on complaints that the Manchester serial is too focused on gay characters.

Collinson said: "We have a very broad cast; 65 regulars and two gay couples. In the research that we do, Hayley, Sean and Sophie are among the most popular characters. They're right up there among the most popular characters in the show.

"Of course we are going to tell stories about our most popular characters. The audience want us to tell stories about these characters. There is no gay agenda. There is no soapbox. We are telling stories about love."

Collins concluded: "It's 2011 and we're talking about too many gay characters on TV? Come on people, this is crazy."

View the full interview here: http://www.itv.com/this-morning/life/ontodaysshows12711/

The Return of Dallas!

View here the first trailer of the revived grand daddy of all the soap operas, returning to US screens in summer 2012.

Fun At The Flicks - Episode 1

View my new film review show broadcast exclusively on Portsmouth Live TV.

portsmouth_live on livestream.com. Broadcast Live Free

'Home and Away' Boss Explains Show's Tone Change

Home and Away's series producer Cameron Welsh has confirmed that the soap's team have been aiming for a change of tone in recent months, bringing relationships back to the forefront of the programme.

The showrunner told TV Tonight that he believes the serial has cut down on darker storylines this year following previous plots about killers and stalkers.

In an interview with the website, Welsh described "the heart of the show" as "youth and teenagers who are growing up in what is an uncertain world and they seek the guidance of the people around them".

Discussing some of the soap's more recent seasons, he continued: "It did get particularly dark. All that I have described was going on but it was probably taking a bit of a back seat to some darker storytelling.

"But last year and definitely this year we looked to turn that around, and we got the focus back on to characters and relationships and pulled back on that stuff.

"This season has seen a lot of the River Boys and yes they are a bunch of rogues, but it's a different tone to the crazed gunmen and stalkers. They still provide a sense of danger and can be antagonists but not at the same tonal level."

Welsh also hinted that another disaster storyline could be on the way as a special week of episodes airing later this year will see "a major storm" hit Summer Bay.

Samantha Womack: 'I cried every day for two years at EastEnders'

Samantha Womack has admitted that her EastEnders plots left her feeling exhausted.

The actress announced that she was leaving her role as Ronnie Mitchell earlier this year, at the peak of controversy over the baby swap storyline. Ahead of her final scenes being broadcast next week, Womack has said that she hopes to find "some peace".

"I worked out I'd been crying or screaming at work every day for six days a week for over two years," she told Hello. "Can you imagine how exhausting and tiring that is?

"You're crying, weeping and telling your brain something awful has happened, so of course that is going to affect you and your body. My brain may know I am acting, but my body was doing a different thing. I needed to stop and find some peace, a bit like Ronnie."

Since arriving on Albert Square, Womack's plots have included the return and death of her long-lost daughter Danielle, a miscarriage, admitting that she was raped by her father and the death of her newborn son James earlier this year.

Scenes which saw Ronnie switch James's body for Kat and Alfie Moon's son Tommy became the most complained about storyline in the BBC soap's history.

Womack's final scenes air next week as Ronnie discovers her fate in an hour-long episode.

"I didn't speak out because I didn't want to say the wrong thing at the wrong time and reignite the situation," Womack said of her silence at the time. "But now I think it's important to set the record straight and tell my side. I did find the storyline very difficult to play. It was draining emotionally and physically and by the end I was shattered.

"Unfortunately, because of the way television is going - and by that I don't just mean just soap, but reality and also drama - there is a massive consumer need for controversy and high-risk storylines. We may not like it, but the viewing figures go through the roof."

Since leaving Ronnie behind, Womack confessed that the first thing she did was chop of the blonde locks she now associates with the "most damaged character I've ever played".

"I wanted to look different," she said. "I had my hair cut shorter and went red. It felt liberating, especially walking down the street afterwards as nobody recognised me."

Executive producer Bryan Kirkwood recently said that the "much-loved and much-missed" actress would be welcomed back to the show "at any time in the future".

Hollyoaks New opening Title Sequence

It's very quick and features new characters recently introduced to the show.

Jackie Woodburne 'Excited With Neighbours Story'

Neighbours actress Jackie Woodburne has described her latest storyline involving Susan and Karl Kennedy as "exciting".

It was recently revealed that Karl (Alan Fletcher) and Susan's (Woodburne) son Malcolm (Benjie McNair) will be returning to the soap in order to help save his parent's marriage when Susan becomes attached to another man.

Woodburne told Holy Soap that changes in Susan's life have led to her feeling "emotionally attached" to a new man, adding that she has been enjoying the new plot.

She said: "I'm very excited about it. It takes the Kennedys into a different direction because this isn't another infidelity story; it's a couple who have been married for a very long time and their lives are changing.

"She is at a point in her life where her children are now independent and she has to redefine herself. The 'other man' as such is Jim Dolan (Scott Parameter), who is terminally ill, and for a number of reasons she feels she needs to help this man, so she develops very strong emotional attachments."

On how Susan reacts to Malcolm's return, she said: "Initially she is thrilled to see Malcolm, but she does sense there is an agenda as to why he is here - it's been a long time - and then she realises that all the children have been talking about the situation. Someone has to step up, and I guess it's Malcolm's turn."

When asked whether the Kennedys' marriage will survive this latest setback, she added: "Hell yeah! It has survived an awful lot - affairs, illness, not just your run of the mill lying and cheating.

"I think they are a couple that are pretty strongly connected, and I think it would take a lot to sever the tie completely. They are so strongly bound to each other, I can't imagine it would break."

On McNair's return to the soap, she said: "Oh, it's great. Benjie is a terrific guy, and because he was an original Kennedy, he has stepped back into that familiarity and sense of family."

Brookside Creator Redmond Says 'TV Is Not Relevant'

Reality shows and tight regulations have stopped television tackling social issues, according to the creator of Brookside and Grange Hill.

Phil Redmond, who founded Mersey Television in Liverpool, said programmes do not connect with "real people in the street".

"Where are the challenging dramas?" Mr Redmond asked.

"Television used to have programmes like Auf Wiedersehen Pet, The Likely Lads and Boys From the Blackstuff."

He told BBC Radio Merseyside: "You were putting working class values on TV and at times eulogising working class values.

"They're not there because the regulations now are so tight.

"We have tons and tons of reality shows full of really weird people, they're cast deliberately trying to make it sensational.

"I think television itself has lost its way."

Working Class Portrayal

“Nowadays, they just go for safety all the time. People aren't willing to take a risk” Phil Redmond

Mr Redmond, who ran Liverpool's 2008 Capital of Culture year, believes programme makers are stereotyping working class people and not portraying them accurately.

"You always end up with a kind of loudmouth chavvy type character," he explained.

"The term 'chav' has become synonymous with working class people."

"We've all got a different view on what we think is a chav. Different governments, of different colours, have targeted the benefit cheats and the Asbo collector and started to call them working class.

Phil Redmond created children's drama Grange Hill for BBC One
"There's nothing that pushes back against it. There's nothing that offers the counterpoint."

Mr Redmond first started working in television in the late 1960s and went on to create the BBC children's series Grange Hill in the late 1970s.

He is critical of the introduction of family viewing policies by broadcasters in the 1990s, which saw programme makers restricted before 10pm to creating programmes which would not offend people.

"In the late '70s and early '80s it was a real force of social action," he explained.

"If you have Bobby Grant (in Brookside) and all the union activities, you've got to have that kind of level of emotion and aggression and also the language of the streets.

"You just can't come in with a trade unionist being happy and chirpy and making sure that there's peace and love on earth to all mankind."

Reality Show Dominance

Brookside was famous for its hard-hitting story lines addressing difficult subjects and issues, including the rape of Sheila Grant and the first lesbian kiss on British television.

"I wanted to just occasionally throw up a debate, to say this is something we should all be thinking about and be debating and actually see if we can male some changes," Mr Redmond said.

"That's what's missing now I think.

The Likely Lads is an example of drama TV no longer does says Phil Redmond
"We can all make entertaining drama, that's not difficult. But drama that leaves you at the end sometimes feeling slightly uncomfortable or thinking 'we should do something about that', that's the kind of area I was always interested in.

"Nowadays, they just go for safety all the time. People aren't willing to take a risk."

He said he was not anti-reality shows but thought their dominance meant new writing talent was not being developed.

"Those kind of shows are particular niche markets and that's fine, but the problem is the broadcasters are not balancing the schedules," he explained.

"When I came into TV there were people who wanted to make shows about the inequalities in society.

"I don't think commissioning editors are really looking for or know how to nurture great writers.

"Great writers need time and they need a lot of work and they need a lot of support.

"They need work with a lot of other producers and writers before they find their own voice. These days there is just not enough around."

Steve says:

As much as I admire Phil Redmond, who created some of the most influential programmes of my life so far (both Brookside and Grange Hill) he also created Hollyoaks, which started the complete fantasy-fest that has become dominant in all soap opera today. So you could say he himself created the bomb which has since destroyed mainstream, credible TV.

Brookside was amazing up until the death of Beth Jordache in 1995. After that it completely lost its way with dull as dishwater plots and characters that were designed to grab ratings rather than offer an intelligent analysis of UK society. And Phil himself admitted to this at the time. It deserved to be axed in 2003, although I would have killed it in 1997 as by then it had become completely unwatchable.

Michelle Collins Explains Stella's 'Coronation Street' Secret

Coronation Street's new recruit Michelle Collins has explained her character's shocking secret, admitting that Stella Price was desperate when she abandoned show regular Leanne.

Weatherfield bosses have now officially confirmed that Stella is Leanne's biological mother following weeks of rumours.

Stella was in a relationship with Les Battersby many years ago but left him to bring up Leanne (Jane Danson) when she was only a baby.

Speaking to Soaplife about her character's history, Collins commented: "Stella was only 17 when she had Leanne and at first everything with Les was great. But then he started drinking and leaving her alone with the baby and she struggled to cope.

"She left with every intention of coming back for her baby once she was settled, but when that time came, Les and his family wouldn't let her anywhere near and she didn't stand a chance."

Leanne discovers the truth about Stella at the end of next week when the Rovers Return's new bar manager is forced to come clean.

Collins added: "Stella regrets what she did every day of her life. For the past 29 years, all she's wanted is to be a mum to Leanne."

Leanne hears Stella's confession as she celebrates her 30th birthday at The Rovers next Friday.

Julie Walters Wanted For Corrie, Says Phil Collinson

Coronation Street boss Phil Collinson has revealed he would "love" Julie Walters to appear in the soap.

Speaking to Matt Johnson for This Morning, Collinson also named his favourite characters and storylines from rival soaps.

When asked for which "dream" cast member from the past he would bring back, he replied: "I'm a massive fan of Hilda Ogden. You loved it when she was in an episode. I'd love it if Jean Alexander decided to come back."

On which "fantasy" actor he would like to recruit for the soap, Collinson said: "Julie Walters keeps saying she'd like to be in the show.

"I have phoned her agent and I have asked. It's not ever come off, but I'd love it if she would, and be Audrey's sister. They'd be a great double act."

On choosing a character from another soap to switch to Coronation Street, he said: "I'd love to see Dot [Cotton, from EastEnders, played by June Brown] in the Rovers Return. That would be brilliant.

"Probably having a chat with Rita and Betty."

Collinson chose the recent 'right to die' storyline from Emmerdale as his favourite plot from another soap. He said: "It was so carefully and beautifully handled. It was very strong and a great moral dilemma, and something that genuinely got the nation talking."

Julie Walters has previously spoken of her ambition to appear in Coronation Street on a number of occasions.

'Coronation Street' Tipped For New John Stape Twist

John Stape is poised to return to Coronation Street, it has been reported.

The serial killer, who is played by Graeme Hawley, was last seen running away after surviving a 30ft fall from a hospital roof and being cornered by police.

According to The Sun, John will dramatically burst into the courtroom where wife Fiz stands trial for the murders of Colin and Joy Fishwick and Charlotte Hoyle, and confess that he was the killer and that Fiz was not involved.

"It will be a real shock for fans when John arrives in the nick of time," a source said. "Bosses are hoping it will be one of those classic moments in television when he returns to clear his wife's name."

It is believed that Fiz will still face charges for helping John move Colin's body from the Underworld factory to Weatherfield canal, but she will escape a jail sentence because of her time spent in prison on remand.

Coronation Street bosses announced earlier this week that Fiz would be facing murder charges, adding: "There's lots of twists and turns still to play out with that story."

Last month, Hawley said that he has enjoyed playing John because he's an "incredibly boring, normal character" who ends up in "the most extraordinary situations".

Hawley also admitted that he worries playing John may have affected his career in the future, saying: "Once the viewers start to hate a character then that's it, you don't get another job. I'm pleased I left while people still felt sorry for John. I just hope it won't affect me long-term. I'm still not sure how it will work out for me."

EASTENDERS: Executive Producer On 'This Morning'

See below this informative insight into EastEnders from the big man in charge.

'Emmerdale' boss teases Aaron's future, confirms trial

Emmerdale's series producer Stuart Blackburn has confirmed that there is a "long journey" ahead for show regular Aaron Livesy in the aftermath of his boyfriend Jackson Walsh's death.

Last week, viewers saw Jackson end his life by drinking a concoction of drugs which were given to him by Aaron (Danny Miller). Jackson had told his loved ones that he no longer wished to continue living with his spinal cord injury, which left him paralysed from the neck down.

Aaron begins to face the consequences of his actions in next week's episodes as he is charged with murder. Jackson's mother Hazel, who was also involved in the incident, is released without charge.

Discussing Aaron's future on This Morning today, Blackburn explained: "There will be a trial. It's going to be a long, long journey for Aaron. We're storylining now right up until October, November - and he's still trying to come to terms with what he's done.

"These are actions that he's taken that he's going to have a lot of remorse and regret about. And the real trial is among the village - people like Chas and Paddy who are having to step up to the mark and the after-effects of this. So there's a long way to go."

Emmerdale's assisted suicide storyline sparked a handful of complaints to the broadcasting regulator Ofcom, while spinal injuries charity Aspire branded the plot "negative, unrealistic and pretty inaccurate". Others, however, have praised the way the conclusion to Jackson's story was handled on screen.

Discussing the reaction, Blackburn commented: "All I can say from my point of view is that it's been brilliant. The one thing we knew we wanted was debate - and that's what we've got. There have been some complaints and some people aren't happy with the way we told it, and we understood that and appreciated it. But I think overall, it's gone down incredibly well and we're now sitting here having an adult debate about the issues it raised."

He continued: "I don't want to go out to offend, and we tried at every level to be as sensitive as we possibly could - and I think we achieved that."

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s12/emmerdale/news/a324800/emmerdale-boss-teases-aarons-future-confirms-trial.html

View below Stuart Blackburn discussing the story and viewers reaction on ITV's 'This Morning' show.

'EastEnders' Ronnie, Kat plot climax revealed?

EastEnders character Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace) will reportedly forgive Ronnie Branning for swapping their babies.

The Queen Vic landlady will initially become even angrier with Ronnie (Samantha Womack) and plan to get revenge. However, she changes her mind, screaming, "I forgive you" at Ronnie during her trial.

"Kat felt Ronnie had destroyed her life and even with Tommy back things would never be the same again," a source told the News of the World. "But the one thing she can relate to is the feeling of losing a child, and she comes to realise just how desperate Ronnie was when she did what she did.

"As far as Kat's concerned they can lock Ronnie up and throw away the key. The conversation that changes all that isn't one to miss.

"In the end she doesn't think jail will achieve anything and makes her feelings clear in the court. But will it do any good?"

April's conclusion to the actual swap was "soft and emotional" following controversy over the storyline.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a324433/eastenders-ronnie-kat-plot-climax-revealed.html#article_continue

View below the powerful, emotional and dramatic moments when Ronnie finds her baby dead, and when - months later - she gives Kat her 'dead' baby back.

'EastEnders' Dot is Christian role model, says BBC

BBC One controller Danny Cohen has claimed that EastEnders' Dot Branning (June Brown) is a Christian role model.

Cohen said that the chain-smoker, who is better known as Dot Cotton before she re-married, is an example of a Christian living out her faith in a "day to day way".

The BBC One boss made the remarks after being challenged to provide instances of ordinary believers on television who were not "freaks, geeks or antiques".

Cohen told delegates attending this year's Church and Media conference on Tuesday: "She is a single example of someone who lives out her faith on television in a charitable way."

However, the controller's case study did not go down well with some faith leaders and broadcasters.

Afterwards the Rev Hayley Matthews, chaplain for MediaCity UK, the new Salford base for BBC North, said: "I don't think Dot Cotton is very representative of Christians. I think a lot of people would be offended by that."

Matthew Adcock, from the London School of Theology, commented that although Cotton was portrayed as a Christian she did not represent the country's "growing younger demographic".

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a324870/eastenders-dot-is-christian-role-model-says-bbc.html

View below a clip of Dot being very un-Christian, depending on your point of view!

'EastEnders' Confirms Nicola Stapleton Return

EastEnders bosses have confirmed that Nicola Stapleton is reprising her role as Mandy Salter after 17 years away from Albert Square.

The residents of Walford are in for a shock when the tearaway makes a surprise return to the area later this year, stirring up trouble as she did during her teenage years in the '90s.

Viewers last saw Mandy in 1994 when she fled from the Square suddenly, heartbroken after her boyfriend Aidan had returned to Ireland.

As Mandy settles back into Walford life, fans will see that she has grown up slightly during her time away, but she remains fun, chaotic and wild.

Billed as a "manipulative force of nature", Mandy also has a spiteful streak and she is already being tipped to cause trouble for at least one of Walford's well-known residents.

Speaking of her EastEnders return, Stapleton commented: "I'm looking forward to playing Mandy again - it will be interesting to see what she's been up to all this time. I'm excited to be coming back and working with some old friends."

Since departing EastEnders, Stapleton has made appearances in Emmerdale, Hollyoaks Later and Bad Girls among other shows.

EastEnders fans will see Mandy's comeback scenes in the autumn.

See her as she originally appeared in a scene from 1994.

'Emmerdale' Jackson Plot Complaints Assessed By Ofcom

Ofcom is to assess complaints about Emmerdale's assisted suicide storyline after receiving overnight complaints.

Last night's episode of the ITV1 soap saw tetraplegic Jackson Walsh (Marc Silcock) take his own life after drinking a concoction of drugs, given to him by boyfriend Aaron Livesy (Danny Miller). A tetraplegic is somebody who has suffered a spinal cord injury and has then lost control of arms and legs.

The media regulator has received a handful of complaints about the controversial scenes, broadcast between 7pm and 7.30pm, reports PA. However, a decision on whether or not they breached rules will not be made until the plot and subsequent outcome have played out on screen.

Aspire - a group which works to help people in the UK who are living with a spinal cord injury - has voiced its criticism of the scenes.

"It is no secret that Aspire has been outspoken on this topic since we first had an inkling of where the storyline was heading. Peter Stanford, chairman of Aspire, voiced our concerns in The Daily Telegraph a couple of months back, which caught the attention of the producers of Emmerdale," a statement on the group's website read. "Subsequently we were invited to address our concerns with them at their offices in London.

"As is plain to see, our suggestions that they move away from the suicide storyline and to show his journey back to independence in a positive light fell on deaf ears. Perhaps ratings count for more than reality."

Expanding on its negative view of the plot, Aspire's director of services Alex Rankin continued: "This storyline had the potential to be ground-breaking in its approach to disability, and to challenge misguided opinions on spinal cord injury. Instead, too often, the script has opted for poor stereotypes or sensational misrepresentation.

"I sincerely hope that the 1,200 people who will be paralysed by spinal cord injuries this year, and their families, do not find themselves believing that Jackson's story represents their future."

Silcock had previously insisted that the scenes would be purposely "horrific" so that they did not "glorify" assisted suicide.

Meanwhile, an Emmerdale spokesperson said today: "We have always made clear that our motivation with this story is to drive constructive debate over this sensitive subject. We welcome feedback and 99% of the response we have had from viewers following last night's episode has been overwhelmingly positive."

'Emmerdale' assisted suicide plot blasted by charity

A charity has criticised Emmerdale's current assisted suicide storyline.

The plot sees Aaron Livesy (Danny Miller) help to end Jackson Walsh's life, but spinal injuries charity Aspire has warned that it could cause a "great deal of hurt".

Director of Services Alex Rankin told the Daily Star Sunday: "The storyline has been negative, unrealistic and pretty inaccurate. I've watched it very closely and have been incredibly disappointed with how Emmerdale have portrayed Jackson's situation.

"People with spinal injuries are not ill, they do not need to spend all their time in bed being spoon-fed soup. Emmerdale had a great opportunity to be inspirational with this storyline, to show that people who suffer similar injuries to Jackson's can, after much adjustment, go on to live a fulfilling life.

"What worries me is that it's basically saying that life with a spinal injury is not worth living. I don't think they've considered how those people in Jackson's situation will feel when they watch it. I think it's going to cause a lot of people a great deal of hurt."

An Emmerdale spokesman insisted that the story will be told "with integrity", adding: "We approached Aspire, keen to inform them about this storyline, and we welcomed their feedback which was fully taken on board."

Actor Marc Silcock recently described his character Jackson's departure as "an exit people will remember".

From http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s12/emmerdale/news/a323200/emmerdale-assisted-suicide-plot-blasted-by-charity.html

Michelle Collins struggling with Corrie accent

Michelle Collins has admitted that she has been "working hard" to perfect a Northern accent for her new Coronation Street role.

The 50-year-old filmed her first scenes as the Rovers Return's new landlady Stella Price last month. However, Collins has confessed to finding it tough to develop the right accent for the character.

"I've been working hard with a dialect coach to get the right accent but it's tough," she told Closer magazine. "At least I'm very good at pulling pints - I did that when I was an out-of-work actress."

On landing her new role, the former EastEnders star remarked: "I have to keep pinching myself that I'm actually in Corrie."

Collins previously confessed that she signed up for another soap role in order to have the financial security to ensure that her daughter Maia Rose can go to university.

"It is quite nice to have a bit of security in my life because my daughter is 14 and will be off to uni - so she will be able to go now," she said at the time.

Collins will be joined by Taggart star John Michie, who will play her on-screen husband Carl, and Catherine Tyldesley, who will portray their daughter Eva.

From: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s3/coronation-street/news/a323405/michelle-collins-struggling-with-corrie-accent.html

BBC NEWS: EastEnders Not Realistic, Says Boss!

EastEnders does not offer a realistic portrayal of working-class life and is not as multicultural as the real East End of London, its boss has admitted.

"EastEnders' East End and its version of working-class life are very stylised," John Yorke said.

"It's not realistic in that respect but you look for an emotional truthfulness," he told the Radio Times.

He said the BBC One soap "may be significantly white compared with the real East End".

But he added that it was "considerably more multicultural than it was even five years ago and is easily the most multicultural show on telly now".

The BBC's controller of drama production told the magazine that soaps had to find a balance in their storylines.

"Real life changes much more quickly than representations of it on television," he said.

"Soaps reach a point where they have a really big decision to make - do they stay true to the original vision or do they throw it away and adapt to a changing world?

"My own feeling is that the truth lies somewhere in between."

The magazine also interviewed Coronation Street executive producer Kieran Roberts.

He said the long-running ITV1 soap presented "a warm and cosy version of the world" but added "it's a community that's sufficiently real and sufficiently recognisable that people are drawn to it."

On the soap's ethnic mix, he said he felt they were getting it "about right".

"I'd be very worried if viewers - especially viewers from ethnic minorities - were saying they didn't think the show represented them fully."

From http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-13344427

Is this not stating the bleeding obvious???

And this guy gets paid quite a lot of money to create this 'contemporary' drama!

For years I've held the opinion that Albert Square is located on Mars and not on planet Earth. Ever since Arthur Fowler died the show has lost any credibility, being about trying to emulate a Tarantino influenced Kray Twins East End rather than any recognisable version of reality.

I used to live in North London and the ethnic mix there is extremely diverse, so in the East End it's even more so. Yet on this show 80% of the characters are WASPS.
When will they dare have a black man owning the Queen Vic? Or have a black guy as the stallion of the Square, regularly servicing all the local ladies? Something tells me not to hold my breath.

As for Coronation Street, I reckon the entire cast could be replaced with Wallace & Gromit plasticine animations and nobody would realise. It's so completely unrealistic it doesn't gauge my interest in the slightest. (And how quickly has that tram crash been forgotten!!)

SEE BELOW COMMENTS TAKEN FROM 'THE INDEPENDENTS' BLOG AT http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/eastenders-is-not-realistic-says-bbc-boss-2281791.html

ctthorn
Eastenders has always been predictable rubbish for those who need to watch arguments and shouting between entirely one dimensional characters( try smelling the roses..... or reading a book). I see it every couple of years, the characters change but certain types get recycled; viewers seem to need to watch characters suffering...its depressing and the worst of human nature is on show. It claims it pushes the boundaries with social issues but its a worthless claim and the writers should be ashamed that they get away with the same old tosh. Can I have my licence fee spent on something of quality, not competing like this with the other idiot channels on their terms? Note that I am working class and drama should inspire, make you think, change your life. Watching Eastenders does the opposite.

martin_lowe
I'm relieved that the BBC have admitted that EastEnders isn't real, because having families scream at each other in the way that they do on the programme was profoundly depressing when imagining that art follows life.

Feel Good UK
Big Brother is the modern day soap opera, magnifying dramatized trivia and the unpredictable absurdity of life, whilst suggesting the unspoken subtext of its characters in its edit. It's what killed off Brookside (though that show had resorted to trying to copy other films and TV shows rather than trying to reflect any 'reality' in its last years - something EE and Corrie are also in danger of doing).

The soaps have got too far fetched. More psychological truth - which audience members can relate to - can be revealed in showing two people rowing over whose peed on the toilet seat, than any sensational (we've nicked this plot from Take A Break magazine) UK soap at the moment.

Odysseus
Leave it owt will ya. Not wot? Reelistic? You wanna watch wot yor sayin mate - know what I mean do yer. Eh? DO YER?

Soap operas like East Enders don't reflect or represent reality, they create it. People adopt the predisposition of the characters in their everyday lives. It's totally depressing.

ALANG
The problem with all the soaps is that there are just too many episodes to fill each week. As somebody who acts as a carer for a TV addict, and is therefore to some extent a captive viewer, I have to say that not only some of the plots far fetched (The Stape Accidental Murders Case Coronattion Street the pick and mix addiction to drugs and drink shaken off at a whim in Eastenders by one of the main characters), the nudge here-wink there would-be sexuality of Emmerdale, with older men and women chasing younger men and women, like a Carry On film), some are just downright depressing (a man in his early 20s who wishes to be aided to commit suicide in Emmerdale, who, though plainly depressed, has never received psychological help or even anti-depressants.

Some stories are just downright tedious (the ridiculous Punch & Judy marriage in Eastenders of Jane & Ian(?) - one episode last week where the bovine husband divides the dining table was lifted straight out of the Steptoe & Son episode "Divided We Fall"), an "amnesia" plot in Emmerdale, handicapped by the man involved being a very wooden actor who would seem to be more at home in a cheesy sitcom, in the same series a very "straight" actor plainly embarrassed at having to play a "gay" man, and only grins or scowls. Or cries. But I think I'd be crying if I had to deliver some of the risible, repetitive garbage he has to.

It would be far better if all the soaps just agreed to produce only 2 or 3 episode each week - they obviously have unwritten agreements since they make sure they don't clash with each other.

There are far too many similar characters who are interchangable. I could go on, but I can't be bothered!

voxpop2012
EastEnders 'is not realistic' says BBC boss.

No sh*t Sherlock !

koos de la rey
But the BBC's Robin Hood series, set in medieval England "is" realistic? with it's Black African friar Tuck and litany of Asian and African faces, they should rename this show "Robin in da hood, bro!!!"

So long as it's "multi-cultural" though, eh. Oh yeah, thats all that matters. Jeez! So long as we see just what the leftwing have done to the native demographics of London over the past forty/fifty years.
3 people liked this.

icarus_69
It was arch-Conservative Enoch Powell who started the mass immigration from the West Indies, not leftwingers.
jeremy and 1 more liked this

Run4demHills
Eastenders and Corrie's popularity really depresses me.

Dick McLaughlin
I thought they were documentaries!

1HughJardon1
EastEnders 'is not realistic' says BBC boss
You need to try and explain that to the underclass in this country then, because I'm sure they think it's real

bleachers
Are you confusing class with stupidity?

FrankLe
The subtle but profound distortions that TV automatically uses when it's 'doing real' adds up to a monstrous lie! Everything is larger than life, more intense, sharper and extraneous details omitted.

Overall effect, to produce a reality that is more persuasive and convincing than peoples real lives.

Example; in the aftermath of a seriously life threatening incident overhearing someone say "better than watching it on TV though. . . " or hearing someone talking about something they had done "Nothing like it is on the telly. . . "

It used to be said that TV rots your brain but the truth is it's rotting your reality.

jillhare
But it's drama. Drama IS bigger than life. It always has been. It's meant to be. It can be politically correct, scarey, boring, funny. But it's still not real. Even reality TV isn't real. That's more like pantomime and certainly controlled and edited improvisation.
But I can't agree that drama is a 'lie'. If drama was 'real' or a re-creation of true human interaction, it would be unwatchable. Just listen to real conversations and the white noise of everyday life.

If TV is 'rotting ... reality' (presuming you're talking about drama programs), it must be those brains who've forgotten they're watching drama.

Your comment, FrankLe, is an exact explanation of what drama is. But it's not a lie.

FrankLe
I could sopena Plato, author of 'The Republic' here but I'll settle for Chris Lehmann.

"So on the pseudodocumentary machinery grinds-with the occasional lurid
intrusion from the actual real world to remind viewers that this isn't
all quite the harmless fun and games we're all encouraged to think it
is. In 2009, for example, VH1's gruesome bottom-feeding defilement of
human intimacy, "Megan Wants a Millionaire," was abruptly canceled when
one of its contestants, an investment banker named Ryan Jenkins, was
accused of murdering his real-life girlfriend, a swimsuit model named
Jasmine Fiore, who was found crammed into a suitcase discarded in a
trash bin in Buena Vista, California. Jenkins later committed suicide
while on the lam from authorities in Canada".

How's that for drama?

captain_swing
They've never been well written or well acted either.

Claus von Gettysburg
Well as long as the multicultural racial balance is correct then don't worry about the writing.

DelcanAhern
Yes, political correctness and tokenism are 'de rigueur' in broadcasting!

The reality of the multicultural and religious, ethnic and racial situation in the UK can best be seen via the results of Census 2001. Population of just under 59 million, religious and ethnic breakdown, ignoring references to Cornish identity and Jedi, it is immediately clear that more than 90% are white and Christian.

The other groups make up, at best, only a few per cent in each category. The simple truth is that there are indeed some elements of the population who are not Christian and a few percent who are not white!

Dark_Heart_of_Toryland
Conceivably, it may have escaped your attention that, in this age of globalisation, there are some parts of the country which are a bit more cosmopolitan and a bit less monocultural than the depths of rural Middle England, one of these places being London. The ethnic mix in London, where Eastenders is supposed to be set, is hardly reflected by the broad national mean, as measured by the census. Describing the country as 90% Christian is also wide of the mark. In fact, only 71% described themselves as Christian in the census; but of those, most appear to be of the 'birth, wedding and funeral' variety - at least to judge by the minimal levels of regular church attendance in the UK. It's also worth noting that in the same census, 15.5% marked themselves as 'no religion'

Ian1
Er, 90% of British people are Christian? Really? That'll be why the churches are so full to busting that they have to turn people away at the doors every week.

From the ONS website:

"There are 37.3 million people in England and Wales who state their religion as Christian."

Now, I'm no mathematical genius, but 37.3 million out of 59 million wasn't 90% last time I checked.

bleachers
The article is about Eastenders. That said, the ethnic makeup of the program should show the reality, 85% "minority" 15% white.

The BBC should change the name from Eastenders to Spot The White Man.

obidoug 2 hours ago
Stenders and Corrie have never been realistic

ALANG
I think, in a way, they depict life as it was seen years, decades ago. Quite often attempts at humour in Eastenders is as heavy handed as it was in some of the Ealing comedies of the 40s and 50s, and Coronation Street likewise, though the Frank Randall/George Formby type films of the same period. There are times you expect to see Hylda Baker in her curlers...

As for Emmerdale it is the Archers with pictures, it's cast the victim of a terrible plot.....abysmal dialogue and sub-standard production.