Continuity Booth - Television News and Nostalgia » Soaps

Downtown Abbey was the big Christmas hit

Alan — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:49:00 +0000

Television’s Christmas number one in 2011 was the popular ITV drama series Downton Abbey, which managed to push the perennial favourite EastEnders into second place. Julian Fellowes’ period drama recorded impressive viewing figures of 11.6 million, compared to the 11.3 million viewers who tuned in to watch the usual festive fun at the Queen Vic.

Two more BBC shows, the Doctor Who Christmas special and the return of Jennifer Saunders’ sitcom Absolutely Fabulous, were also in the top five, alongside ITV’s long-running soap, Coronation Street. Christmas viewing figures are compiled each year by Barb, though the statistics do not yet take into consideration those who watched the programmes via on-demand services, despite their increasing popularity.

However, Barb is able to monitor those households who recorded TV shows and watched them at a later date; something which had a major effect on the viewing figures for the top two TV shows this festive period as they were actually screened at the same time.

According to the detailed figures, more people watched EastEnders “live” than ITV’s Downton Abbey, with experts speculating that viewers would have preferred to record the commercial station’s programme to allow them to fast forward through the adverts.

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Pauline Quirke leaving Emmerdale

Alan — Thu, 19 May 2011 04:46:18 +0000

At the end of her present contract, Pauline Quirke will be leaving Emmerdale, she has confirmed. She will be leaving the role of Hazel Rhodes on the ITV1 soap as the conclusion of this year. She will then be taking on the sitcom Birds of a Feather in a stage version in 2012.

She explained that she was asked to stay on until Christmas and then in 2012 she would be doing a tour of Birds of a Feather on stage. Adding that she thought the time was good to resurrect the three old girls so the tour will start next spring. But she will stay on the Woolpack steps until the end of December.

She had originally been contracted to appear just a year and then her contract was extended to the end of 2011 an Emmerdale spokesperson explained, so Hazel will be around for quite a few more months of drama.

Hazel currently is tied into an assisted suicide storyline in the soap as she has said to Jackson, her son that she would aid him in dying since he has repeatedly stated his desire to die due to his current state of paralysis.

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Eastenders huge numbers of baby death complaints

Alan — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 06:54:39 +0000

The show plot may have sent a shudder into the bodies of many Eastender’s viewers with Ronnie Branning swapping the body of her dead baby who died of cot death with another of Kat and Alfie Moon. The scenes upset the whole nation over the holiday season.

Social networking sites and internet forums were almost overloaded with throngs who went out on the attack against what they deemed gross insensitivity from the show writers to broadcast the story in such a traumatic manner in that very time.

Last night the BBC revealed that it has received almost 3,500 complaints from viewers incensed by the show, with the BBC expects to receive more over the course of the next months.

Some viewers have even threatened to boycott the show. Some viewers said they were “disgusted” by the manner of the show.

Bryan Kirkwood, East Enders boss, was quick to defend the show maker’s decision to run with the story. According to Kirkwood, the BBC, knowing the traumatic content of the storyline, had warned the viewers in advance. “And at the end of the show, we provided helpline numbers for those who were deeply affected by the content.”

10.5 million viewers have watched as Kat and Alfie identified the body of who they thought their dead baby.

Not all viewers, however agree on the incongruity of the storyline. Some believe it was an effective way to make people aware of the dangers of cot death. According to them, this traumatic experience will help people comprehend the severity of the syndrome; people should also understand the sensitivity of a serious killer that claims thousands of life every year.

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Half the country tunes in to Corrie crash

Alan — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 07:33:35 +0000

One half of the entire TV audience switched on to watch Coronation Street last night, as devastation struck in the form of a tramcar crash. Over 14 million watched as an explosion ripped open The Joinery, and caused a tram to dive from the viaduct above. In the ensuing destruction, the Corner Shop and The Kabin were wiped out, leaving viewers to consider the fate of beloved characters.

Weatherfield drew its largest audience in 5 years for the second episode, at nearly 13 million.

ITV1 rebroadcast the very first installment of Coronation Street from 1960, as well. The 50-year old segment drew almost 7 million to watch, but that still was not large enough to outdo the current installment of EastEnders. The shows were the kickoff of Coronation Street’s 50^th anniversary.

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11 Million say goodbye to Jack Duckworth

Alan — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 12:00:59 +0000

Eleven million viewers watched William Tarmey’s character, Jack Duckworth, make his exit from Coronation Street. Reporters said that it was among the most touching scenes they’d ever experienced on a soap opera.

In the culminating episode, Jack is scene celebrating his 74^th birthday amid his friends at Rovers Return. The character is seen leaving the club rather quietly and returning home to die in the same chair where his wife passed just two years prior.

As Jack Duckworth spends his last moments fading from consciousness, he is joined by the ghost of his wife. She first rebukes him for his unkempt appearance and then dances him from his mortal plane.

The Duckworth character was first seen on the show back in 1979 and then became a regular with a move onto Coronation Street later, in 1983. Both Jack Duckworth and his wife, Vera, were very popular on the show. They were best known for their continuous squabbling. Vera, played by Liz Dawn, attracted more than 12 million viewers for her last episode.

William Tarmey was reported to have been seeking retirement from Coronation Street earlier on, but was convinced by producers that he should remain for its 50^th anniversary season.

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Coronation Street drama coming from the BBC

Alan — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 02:01:46 +0000

In its first reviews, Coronation Street was panned by critics, with little excitement or appeal to be found. The executives who put it on the air even called it “dreary” and did not hold high hopes for the show.

The producer was told to find something to replace it with, but decades later, Coronation Street is still going strong, with no replacement in sight. Now, there are many in the business who wish for the success that the show has become. Although it was panned by critics, it was the show’s devoted audience that kept the show going for so many years.

Almost 50 years later, ironically the BBC will be making a drama about the story of the popular television series. The Road to Coronation Street will be broadcast next month, with some familiar faces playing many of the show’s original actors. Jessie Wallace will star as Pat Pheonix, while James Roache plays his father Bill Roache and Scot Celia Imrie plays Doris Speed.

Strangely, while the drama was being filmed, a plotline was underway on Coronation Street that saw James playing the grandson of Ken Barlow, whom his father played originally. The actual Coronation Street was being filmed in a studio right next to the drama. According to James, he would have to quickly change characters between his father and his father’s grandson as he switched between sets.

When the show began back in 1960, Granada Television made Coronation Street hoping that they would be able to get enjoyment out of a show that focused on the North, when most viewers would be used to the BBC material that focused mainly on London. Today, however, it seems that the BBC drama will not have to do the same, as many people continue to watch Coronation Street each day.

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BBC to make Coronation Street drama

Alan — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 01:12:18 +0000

Jessie Wallace, the actress that played Kat on the EastEnders will soon star in a new drama that documents the start of Coronation Street according to a new announcement by the BBC. Wallace will be playing Pat Phoenix who has starred as Elsie Tanner on the soap since its early days. The famous soap celebrated its 50^th anniversary this year.

Also slated to star in the drama is Celia Imrie as Doris Speed who portrayed Annie Walker on Coronation Street and Lynda Baron as Violet Carson who took on the role of Ena Sharples. The drama will be made in Manchester and air on BBC Four towards the end of 2010.

The plot will focus on how creator of Coronation Street, Tony Warren (portrayed by David Dawson) first launched his characters on television back in the year of 1960. Warren worked on the drama as a consultant along with writer Daran Little who also has worked as a writer for the soap opera for the last two decades.

Margaret Morris, the casting director for the show during its birth, will be played by Jane Horrocks while John Tompson is also slated to appear in an unknown role.

Keeping it in the family, Bill Roache who has been on the cast of Coronation Street since the first episode will be played by his son. Bill first showed up on the show as student Ken Barlow and a mere five decades later is now a retired grandfather on the popular soap.

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Campaign to bring out Best of Brookside DVD launched

admin — Fri, 21 May 2010 16:25:31 +0000

FORMER stars of Channel 4 soap Brookside are backing an internet Campaign to bring out a “Best of” DVD.

An online petition already has more than 4,600 fan signitures and now previous cast members are calling for episodes to be re-released including, Dean Sullivan, Louis Emerik, Suzanne Collins, Bryan Murray, Steven Fletcher, Stephanie Chambers, Kris Mochrie, Sarah White, Steven Pinder, Mickey Jones & more.

Gritty storylines included Soaps first lesbian kiss and the murder of wife-beater Trevor Jordach who was buried under the patio, Sheila Grants rape storyline, Also in the later years was the seige in 2002 & Anthony Murray’s bullying and on the last episode Drug dealer Jack Michealson was killed.

The last episide was aired in 2003 after 21 years on TV screens. Brookside launched the careers of Jennifer Ellison, Ricky Tomlinson and Anna Friel.

Now past stars from The Close say a whole generation of Soap fans have missed out and are calling for Channel 4 to bring out a box set.

Dean Sullivan, who played lovable rogue Jimmy Corkhill, said: “I would love to be involved in any initiative to keep the Brookside name alive.”

Lynsey McCaffrey who starred as Ruth Smith (one of the Gordons) added: “It’s great news regarding the Brookside DVD campaign its great to hear that Brooky hasn’t been forgotten! I was brought up watching it as a child so the show is very close to my heart.”

And Steven Fletcher who played Ste Murray said: “I believe that there is probably still a massive audience of hardcore brookside fans out there who would love to have access to some, if not all of the episodes that went out over the 21 years it ran for. For me working on the show was such a great experience and a fantastic form of training infront of a camera, it brought alot of opportunity to actors in the city and made headlines for its groundbreaking storylines. “

But there’s confusion over who actually owns the rights to the Scouse Soap Opera. Creator Phil Redmond owns the name “Brookside” but Channel 4 are not clear if they own the show.

Brookie fan Lee Brady from Liverpool & Danny Burton from Essex both came up with the idea of running a Campaign to get Brookie released onto DVD after a visit to the close in 2007.

Lee, 23, said: “Our aim is to get anything onto DVD really, we would love Box sets, spin-offs, Classic episodes, The Best of Brookie. All other soaps have DVD’s of Classics out on sale, They have Crossroads, Corrie classics to buy on DVD. Why not Brookie? Brookside was probably the Biggest ground breaking soap of all time. Brookside done everything first but it seems to be last bringing out a DVD. I grew up watching Brookie, and for me Brookside is regarded as an academy of excellence, not just for its behind-the-scenes teams, but for the sheer volume of acting talent that has come and gone through its doors over the 21 years, To support their Campaign please go to www.brooksidefans.webs.com.”

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