DRW50

From the September/October 1990 issue.

From the March/April 1992 Episodes, ABC's in-house soap magazine.

What I want to know if why there wasn't outrage over stuff like Lauren running over Max? It's just double standards. This story did at least show one family grieving from cot death without any baby stealing. There are so many sick, lazy stories on British soaps, really trashy stuff, yet none of those get any criticism, but this one does. It's very annoying to me, and while I can see that some people are genuinely upset, so much else of this seems like people who hate the BBC/Eastenders/Kirkwood just using it as an opportunity. And if this means more stories like "Who's the Daddy?" or gruesome mysteries, then British soaps will ultimately lose viewers.

The August 6, 1982 Digest (Network Publishing Co).

I think Kirkwood will go. There's been a lot of anger towards him for a long time on some of the message boards, and if this controversy continues he will be seen as an easy choice. I don't think John Yorke will go too, as some are suggesting, but I'm sure he must be very bewildered by all of this. I'm still bewildered too. Far more offensive stories have never gotten protest. I just wonder what we will now see onscreen in place of this story. Is it going to be a return to last February and March when they had to fill gaps with crap like the stolen post? I say just let a few characters like Kim take up half the episodes with some fun moments - let them improvise if they have to. I think even last year had a fair amount of instability, but certainly the last few months have been crazy. I think Collinson is probably very safe, as much as I might complain about him - no one has criticized him and the ratings are good.

Yes I do. Frankly, if he's still employed by the end of next week, I will be surprised. You may remember that when the hiring was announced, I wasn't sure of Kirkwood, because I had a whole lot of issues with Hollyoaks in 2008. But I was willing to give him a chance, and I think he's done a good job - sometimes a big mess but sometimes brilliant. Many people seemed to write Kirkwood off from before he even started, blaming him for the teens, blaming him for Barbara Windsor leaving. And it has kept on since then. On DS for weeks and weeks you had the same few posters constantly starting threads about how he had ruined the show and was terrible and he had to go. Every decision at Eastenders, even those that probably had little to do with him, like Melissa Suffield's firing, was placed at his feet. There was even a tizzy when he didn't appear on a morning talk show. There has been a feeding frenzy attitude towards Kirkwood all along and this has just blown the whole thing up. I just cringe when I read the "Bring Santer back, he's a brilliant producer and that's what this show needs." Save Eastenders, Diedrick! and so on. Santer is a big reason the show had the very messy 2010 that it did and he also helped pave the way for the shock value stories that are only now suddenly generating controversy. He was also a big part of setting up the Ronnie pattern that the show is only now getting criticism for. Yet he is deified at every turn.

I think if it was up to them he'd have stayed forever. But I think he was right to leave. He seems to want a long-term career outside of soaps, and beyond that, although this probably didn't have to do with his decision, the material for Graeme over the last year has been poor. There are a lot of characters Collinson doesn't seem to get, and Graeme is one of them. Michelle Keegan is very talented but I wouldn't be too sad if she left with him. They ruined her character, and putting her in the Rovers to be stuck up and rude is an odd idea after she's already been written as rude for months and months. They have drained her of any life. In other news, Kym Marsh is taking her maternity leave four months earlier than anticipated. She wants to make sure the baby is going to be OK. I can understand her reasoning and I hope everything turns out well for her and Jamie Lomas. I think Michelle was supposed to have some sort of new romance, but I guess that won't happen now. It is now running on two full years since she last had a storyline (the thing with Peter and Luke Strong). I wonder when Corrie might eventually realize that they don't need Michelle.

I think of all the characters Marquess actually wrote out and who didn't leave of their own choice the only two who should have stayed were Michaela and Zak. I would also say Dave, but I'm not sure if he was fired. I would have said Charlotte but Marquess said she wanted to leave. I have mixed feelings about Dom - I don't miss him a lot but I hated his exit. The new characters are a problem though. People love Brendan and to a lesser degree Jason so much that it's easier to ignore just how flat, and in the case of the O'Connor's, soul-sucking many of these new characters are.

Beth became a real bitch, although that seemed to suit Beth Chamberlin. Her best scenes were with Ben Warren, that was such a complex relationship. Unfortunately the show did not want to commit to that and Ben was sucked into the Carmen and Santos orbit while Matt and Beth had that awful stuff about Beth telling Vanessa to get plastic surgery (Maeve Kinkead, of all people...have you seen that face?), then the boring Beth/Jim. Lillian could be a very self-righteous cow, especially in the mid/late 90s; I remember those bizarre scenes, which, as you mention, Mitch, showed McTavish didn't get history, when Lillian and Vanessa sat around with Annie, trashing Reva. Lillian was the last person who should be passing judgment on anyone for breaking up a marriage.

Those are great ideas. The show uses Myra better than Lucy Allan did but they could still do more with her. At DS someone said they spoke to a Daily Star reporter or editor on Twitter and that they told them Marquess was fired. Given the huge expense that must have been incurred with all the reshoots I guess that could be true. I've heard some fans say it was worth it, but really, why cast the Sharpes in the first place? You could see how shockingly bad Amber was from the start. And were they they much worse than other dud characters? I don't think they were. If the reshoots were for the Warren/Mandy return that was an even bigger mistake. I also hope that we might start getting long-term building of couples. Nancy/Darren and Rhys/Jacqui were so sudden and it's still jarring, and Rhys/Jacqui in particular don't work for me.

Could Tina have meant the writers who after Phillip's 1996 return, said Beth was now with another man? I liked Harley and Phillip at first but then it became a real energy drain, Harley lost all her spirit and life and humor and Phillip judged her too much. They also had this "wacky" theme that played in every scene, it drove me crazy. That's surprising about Alex and Sally. I never knew that. I guess I can see why that bothered Beverlee less than the JFP stuff because with JFP Alex just became a crazy and obsessive old lady. Did you enjoy the Sonni/Alex friendship? That seems so unique to me, compared to most of Alex's relationships.

Yes, if you're going to give that story to someone, why not Myra, instead of the odious Cheryl? I know she behaved unprofessionally but I wish they could also get Hollie Jay Bowes back as Michaela, along with Zak. Kent Riley is such an underrated actor and deserved better.

Thanks GLNo1 for the dates - I wish I had been as quick to save things and remember dates when I started watching GL. Mitch, how did Alex let Sally die? I always thought Sally had some heart condition or something and she died when she was going to let everyone know that Marah was Josh's daughter. What did you both think of Sonni/Solita?

Well Sonia came back

They might have had John say that because they know so many have issues with Bryan Kirkwood and they wanted this to seem more official.

I hope those who say that this story made Sam quit and how could they not realize might realize now that she was very likely going before this ever started.

I do wonder what to think here -- Marquess hasn't been a soap producer in ten years and went on to shows like The Bill, so perhaps he really was only going back for a brief time. But he never gave any hint in previous interviews of only staying for a year. Only a few days ago his interview came out talking about plans for 2012! The show has been a mess for months - at the time I wondered if all the reshooting of the fire episodes, having to write the Sharpes out in a hurry and months of story being dumped, was going to take a toll. Could he be leaving because of this? I still think there's some hope for Hollyoaks. They have a good family in the McQueens, and although I don't really care for him, Brendan seems to be a fan favorite. The story with Jason also seems to be getting interest. This is what I would do immediately: Write out all the O'Connors but Sinead Write out all the Costellos but Jason and Mitzeee Get rid of Teencop. Come up with better comedy stories for Lee or get rid of him. Kill Cheryl now. Silas can dispose of her. Break up Ste and Brendan for good and move them into separate stories. Figure out what to do with Carmel and Theresa. Send Gilly, Frankie, Tom, and Duncan away to a new life. Have Gilly and Frankie get together. I don't care. I think Jack is still an important part of Hollyoaks and I would like to see him alone again with Darren. Kill Mandy if they can't come up with a good story for her. Have Ricky vanish - who cares? Make Jacqui, Amy and Nancy lead heroines. Give Texas a big love/hate romance, one that builds over time. Have Myra inherit millions and millions and use that to further storylines. Age Bart to at least 20. He is ridiculous as a 15/6 year old and that makes the whole Jason story seem less believable.

Craig Gazey is leaving. http://www.itv.com/coronationstreet/news/craiggazeytoleave/ I never liked the character after they put him with Tina. This especially damaged her character and has made her a bit player. I just hope no one thinks it's a great idea to put her back with David, or with Nick.

It's a bandwagon - a mix of those who are genuinely upset about the story, those who haven't really seen it and just assume the worst, those who hate Eastenders, and those who hate Bryan Kirkwood and want him replaced. This type of thing will just have a chilling effect on all the soaps and will ultimately help hasten their decline if too much attention is paid.

I never knew Jordan Clarke and Catherine Hicks were close friends. I wonder if they still know each other.

If it were me I would have Dennis come back from the dead. If not that then I would put her with someone like Max. Or a new character. Do you prefer Eastenders when the show is very smooth and functions well or when it's out of control? I was thinking about some comments people were making about the show seeming out of control. I wonder if that's why I'm enjoying it more lately. I kind of liked some of 2003-2005 for that same reason (although 2005 seems to be a popular year in general with EE fans, at least now)...

I think this is seen as different because they have a cot death, which is a sensitive subject. Add in that a lot of the press hates the BBC/Eastenders, a lot of online fans don't like Bryan Kirkwood, and a lot of Ronnie fans are upset... They sped up Ronnie's pregnancy in order to get the time right for the story. She had sex with Jack, in the hospital, in April. In September she refused to go into the Vic fire to save Phil, and when Roxy asked why, Ronnie said she was pregnant. How awful that would be. I would hope that she or someone would stop that from happening. Phil is past any romances and the stuff with Shirley is a non-starter. I do wonder if they might bring her back since Ronnie is leaving. There is going to be a huge hole in the canvas because of so many characters going. I think the show can move on, but they might need a distraction. I'd say, hey, bring Sue Osman back, but then that is probably never going to happen. Someone at DS said that Simon Ashdown said they'd been talking about the baby swap with Kat/Ronnie before Kirkwood ever showed up. Yet he will likely get the blame.

Oh, and Y&RWT, you should write the BBC and tell them it's time to bring Sharon back.

Apparently The Sun and Daily Mail are running stories that Sam Womack has quit. The rumors about her wanting out have been going on for over a year, even when Santer was producer, but sure enough the hype is that she is quitting because of the baby swap story, that she gave a note asking them not to do this, they offered her more money and lighter stories if she stayed, but she won't, because she's a mother first and an actress second, and so on. Some of the media over there are really sinking their teeth into this, I think due to their general hostility towards the BBC - running a lot of stories about anger from a celebrity who lost her child to cot death in 1991 (Anne Diamond), stories about backpedaling from the charity which helped Eastenders with details about the cot death part of the story (not the swap), etc. It will be a shame if this makes the BBC force Kirkwood out because by and large I think he has done a good job and the viewing figures have stayed healthy. I like Ronnie but I roll my eyes when I hear "she's the star of the show!" No she's not. Eastenders does not have a star, and frankly, they pretty much finished Ronnie as a character a year and a half ago.