How long til they're gone?

[Barbara Fan]

I agree with that @pete lashmar

I dont have any subscription TV channels and only "normal" TV

I gave up on Corrie due to daft plots, unrealistic storylines and some bad acting (Chesney, Fiz, maria, constipated looking Billy, Craig, Gemma et al) and I totally agree that its on far too often,

Back in the day when it was great and very watchable it was on a Mon and Wed and thats enough, its over kill. There is little variety on TV - its either Quiz shows, cooking shows, gardening shows, Reality TV crap and the awful Ant and Dec presenting just about everything. Once in a while a little gem comes along like Unforgotten or a BBC 4-6 parter like Us, The Split, or Life but they are few and far between

I listen to the radio more now than I ever did before

 

[Sarah]

I really only watch Corrie - unless Linda appears in Hollyoaks again - have never watched an episode of Emmerdale in my life (may have been forced to watch Emmerdale Farm with my Granny as a child), I HATE EastEnders with a passion - but I digress.

I wish we could have just a solid one hour episode rather than a half hour and then this huge break and another half hour. Drives me insane.

 

[pete lashmar]

I really only watch Corrie - unless Linda appears in Hollyoaks again - have never watched an episode of Emmerdale in my life (may have been forced to watch Emmerdale Farm with my Granny as a child), I HATE EastEnders with a passion - but I digress.

I wish we could have just a solid one hour episode rather than a half hour and then this huge break and another half hour. Drives me insane.

Oh yes, the split episodes are a nightmare.

I've also noticed that something like Christmas Day TV, which used to be brimming with fun and entertainment on all channels has now become a dire soap/drama led schedule that leaves no other option than to switch off. I can't even imagine how people who are alone at Christmas deal with having only sad, depressing shows to watch.

 

[Ollie james]

Emmerdale is on fire the Meena storyline has been mental and unmissable in equal measure. I'm looking forward to enjoying life in the dales as it heads to its 50th birthday in October.

 

[AndyB2008]

Oh yes, the split episodes are a nightmare.

I've also noticed that something like Christmas Day TV, which used to be brimming with fun and entertainment on all channels has now become a dire soap/drama led schedule that leaves no other option than to switch off. I can't even imagine how people who are alone at Christmas deal with having only sad, depressing shows to watch.

In Australia/New Zealand, they tend to break soaps over Christmas/New Year as no one would be watching over their summer (our winter).

There is an exception, when TV2 in New Zealand continued Shortland Street over the Christmas/New Year break of 1995 rather than end on a season finale.

It meant the death of Carmen Roberts from a brain aneurysm (caused by being injured in the clinic truck crash) aired on Christmas Day of that year. Not what Kiwis were expecting.

Clearly there must have been complaints, as TV2 never aired Shortland Street again over Christmas after that.

 

[Carrie Fairchild]

plus they are developing a new northern based soap, the details of which are not yet known.

I could be wrong, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Waterloo Road revival ends up becoming the "Northern based soap" that they've been talking about. They announced that they wanted to launch something set in the North but didn't know what it would be. Then WR did very well when it was added to iPlayer, so I'm guessing that rather than take a chance on something new, they decided to revive a known brand which also ticked the box of being set outside London. I hope I'm wrong as I'd like to see a new soap but I think that's how it'll play out.

 

[pete lashmar]

I could be wrong, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Waterloo Road revival ends up becoming the "Northern based soap" that they've been talking about. They announced that they wanted to launch something set in the North but didn't know what it would be. Then WR did very well when it was added to iPlayer, so I'm guessing that rather than take a chance on something new, they decided to revive a known brand which also ticked the box of being set outside London. I hope I'm wrong as I'd like to see a new soap but I think that's how it'll play out.

I find the whole scrapping of Holby City/reboot of WR all very odd to be honest (not that I watch either). HC was cancelled as the BBC wanted more new drama to give viewers more new shows and then recommission WR.

It's very possible they did this for the reasons you gave, they've certainly been very quiet with regards the their "Northern project". However, looking back at the BBC announcement for it in March 2021 they stated that they planned "two new long-running network drama series over the next three years".

Maybe, like they did when planning EastEnders, they are giving producers and writers time to get things planned well, unlike Eldorado which cost the BBC an absolute fortune.

 

[Englishboy]

The only programmes I watched on Christmas Day were Strictly Come Dancing and the festive edition of The Larkins which didn't even make it into the top 10.

I worry how much longer ITV will be able to survive with ratings this low!

 

[Ome]

I wish we could have just a solid one hour episode rather than a half hour and then this huge break and another half hour. Drives me insane.

Looks like your wish has been granted.


Apparently,

Due to the schedule change Emmerdale will now air at 7.30pm consistently Coronation Street will now broadcast hour-long episodes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8pm.

 

[Angela Channing]

Looks like your wish has been granted.


Apparently,

Due to the schedule change Emmerdale will now air at 7.30pm consistently Coronation Street will now broadcast hour-long episodes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8pm.

That puts Emmerdale and Coronation Street in direct competition with EastEnders. The EastEnders audience figures have plummeted in recent years and being screened at the same time as Emmerdale and Coronation Street will probably mean a further decline in its viewing figures.

 

[Carrie Fairchild]

Looks like your wish has been granted.


Apparently,

Due to the schedule change Emmerdale will now air at 7.30pm consistently Coronation Street will now broadcast hour-long episodes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8pm.

That puts Emmerdale and Coronation Street in direct competition with EastEnders. The EastEnders audience figures have plummeted in recent years and being screened at the same time as Emmerdale and Coronation Street will probably mean a further decline in its viewing figures.

This is an interesting turn of events for a number of reasons. Not only will the ITV soaps be going head to head with EastEnders but also with whatever new 8pm dramas the BBC launch going forward (including the Waterloo Road revival). The live ratings for EE will definitely take a hit but it'll probably continue to pull in the required figures through iPlayer and catch up, so I don't think it's ready for the scrapheap just yet (nevermind the new set just being finished).

If BBC are worried about live ratings, their only options for avoiding the ITV soaps would mean either partially or completely displacing The One Show in order to accommodate EE. This would be the first time since the fourth episode was added in 2001, that any change has been made to their timeslots (excluding rescheduling for sports or special events). Historically, EE adding their third episode in 1994 left Brookside in the same predicament and Channel 4 ended up moving their soap to avoid the clash.

Finally, I think the move is another indication that ITV is recognising that streaming is the main game in town now and that their live schedules can be more fluid. Particularly when you consider how long Emmerdale has held that 7pm slot for, ITV clearly aren't concerned about losing habit forming live viewers in the move. Whatever happens, it'll be interesting to see it pan out.

 

[Ome]

I haven’t watch the soaps live on TV in probably 20 years, so timings and clashes have never affected me. Surely, as we go forward, more and more viewers watch their favourite shows when it suits them. My main reason has always been to avoid the ads and now it’s more about when I want to watch over when I’m told to watch.

 

[AndyB2008]

This is an interesting turn of events for a number of reasons. Not only will the ITV soaps be going head to head with EastEnders but also with whatever new 8pm dramas the BBC launch going forward (including the Waterloo Road revival). The live ratings for EE will definitely take a hit but it'll probably continue to pull in the required figures through iPlayer and catch up, so I don't think it's ready for the scrapheap just yet (nevermind the new set just being finished).

If BBC are worried about live ratings, their only options for avoiding the ITV soaps would mean either partially or completely displacing The One Show in order to accommodate EE. This would be the first time since the fourth episode was added in 2001, that any change has been made to their timeslots (excluding rescheduling for sports or special events). Historically, EE adding their third episode in 1994 left Brookside in the same predicament and Channel 4 ended up moving their soap to avoid the clash.

Finally, I think the move is another indication that ITV is recognising that streaming is the main game in town now and that their live schedules can be more fluid. Particularly when you consider how long Emmerdale has held that 7pm slot for, ITV clearly aren't concerned about losing habit forming live viewers in the move. Whatever happens, it'll be interesting to see it pan out.

Corrie I recall got moved when EastEnders added that third episode. Another casualty in this was World In Action got dropped.

It started at 7.20pm with The Living Daylights airing at 7.50pm, so they could try to get a headstart on EastEnders.

 

[Englishboy]

I haven’t watch the soaps live on TV in probably 20 years, so timings and clashes have never affected me. Surely, as we go forward, more and more viewers watch their favourite shows when it suits them. My main reason has always been to avoid the ads and now it’s more about when I want to watch over when I’m told to watch.

This is why I fear for the future of ITV as I'm guessing that they can only charge advertisers for the (increasingly diminishing) numbers watching it live as those watching on catch up will presumably fast forward through the ad breaks.

In contrast the BBC does not have this problem. For them it is the consolidated figure across all platforms that is important as they merely need to show that their output is being watched in sufficient numbers in order to justify the license fee.

 

[Carrie Fairchild]

I haven’t watch the soaps live on TV in probably 20 years, so timings and clashes have never affected me. Surely, as we go forward, more and more viewers watch their favourite shows when it suits them. My main reason has always been to avoid the ads and now it’s more about when I want to watch over when I’m told to watch.

I think, like you, a lot of people switched to watching them on catchup ages ago, with the streaming platforms now being an extension of this. Live & catchup ratings won't matter a great deal soon. I think the soaps will live and die depending on how they perform on the likes of ITV Hub, All4 and iPlayer. What I think will be lost in this transition is the wow factor that soaps can deliver when a shock death or surprise return happens. With people watching at different times and paces, it'll no longer be the communal viewing experience it once was.

 

[Barbara Fan]

in order to justify the license fee.

The BBC is going to have to come into the next century as so many people have to pay for it but rarely watch it, preferring other streaming services
I dont know how they can justify the ludicrous and over inflated payments to the likes of Gary Lineker and Zoe Ball to name but 2 and also the dumbing down of some of its presenters who cant speak basic intelligible English, have dreadful diction and cant read an autocue properly. I find myslef watching far less TV now as not a lot takes my fancy!

 

[Karin]

I think here in Sweden "Emmerdale" which is translated as "Hem till gården" is the only British daytime soap opera that has really taken off. It's been on TV over here as long as I can remember. I really like the opening theme too.

Coronation Street used to be broadcast here in the 1990s. But I am not sure it is even shown anymore.
I don't think Eastenders of Hollyoaks ever been broadcast here.

 

[AndyB2008]

I think here in Sweden "Emmerdale" which is translated as "Hem till gården" is the only British daytime soap opera that has really taken off. It's been on TV over here as long as I can remember. I really like the opening theme too.

Coronation Street used to be broadcast here in the 1990s. But I am not sure it is even shown anymore.
I don't think Eastenders of Hollyoaks ever been broadcast here.

Actually it is popular in Sweden, to the point The Cardigans (who are from Sweden by the way) actually called their debut album Emmerdale.

Sweden at one point did a version of Sons and Daughters called Skilda Varldar (Worlds Apart), using the original plotlines, similar to how the German, Bulgarian and Croatian versions were when they debuted.

Skilda Varldar ran for 6 years from 1996, so it lasted for the same length of time as Sons and Daughters's run on the Seven Network. Only the German version outlasted the S&D run.

 

[Karin]

I didn't realize that The Cardigan had named their album after that show!
But yes I do know that Emmerdale is popular over here. My grandma used to watch it. My parents watched it too at one point.

I didn't know "Skilda Världar" was a version of Sons and Daughters. But then again I never really watched that show as I was too busy watching the prime time soaps from the 1980s like Dynasty, Knots Landing and Falcon Crest for the first time at the time when it first came out.

 

[ArchieLucasCarringtonEwing1989]

There’s reports saying EastEnders won’t survive without Danny Dyer, but didn’t they say that when Den & Angie left in 1988 & 1989 respectively?
Or has EE really gone down hill that much?