BetterForgotten

I wonder how Tony Jordan and John Yorke feel about these Slater stories, they really loved and invested in that family. Charlie was mostly a nothing character, but I will miss him too and don't see the value in killing him off as he's not even a main contract character anymore. I see Sarah Phelps has been praising the these stories on Twitter, and it's making me reconsider the pedestal I've placed her writing ability on, and she did write some of the best episodes for Kat and Stacey at one point... As weird as these stories are, I'll always have a special place in my heart for the Slater's, and the show has failed to introduce a successful family dynamic on the show since the initial years of this family.

Kat is wearing the same top she wore in 2001 for the Kat/Zoe reveal - if only the show had the same quality today as it had in those days.... http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/news/a778591/eastenders-fans-have-made-a-fascinating-discovery-about-kats-outfit/

Queen, and your favs only wish they could: http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6821619/adele-25-billboard-200-fifth-week-sells-another-million In just 5 weeks, it has already crossed the 7 million mark in the US ALONE. If the sales trend continues, she'll have another diamond certified album on her hands very soon. Absolutely amazing feat during this era of music.

Due to DTC's devotion to Ronnie and Samantha Janus/Womanck, Ronnie will likely never pay for her crimes under his tenure (and probably not as long as his goons Alex Lamb and Sharon Batten are still there as well). Notice how Ronnie and Stacey are the only two characters they try to make excuses for, no matter how wrong both are - they always try to write an "out" for both. It's disgusting writing that's ruining both characters more than they already are. Watch Dot forgive this bitch 5 mins after finding out about the Fatboy situation. Ronnie deserves an epic death that's akin to Steve Owen's from 2001.

Or that his character is a rapist that needs to die (alongside Ronnie).

I believe this is the last time they used the extended end theme to close an episode - 11 years ago for Karen's exit (though, I think this episode actually aired on the 26h of December 2004).

This is show is overrun with murderers and rapists and those who willingly overlook their crimes. Ugh, DTC and his minions really need to go. And Sharon, just go the f.ucking police already.

It's really time for DTC to go, I don't understand why type of power he has over at the BBC and why it's warranted.

Elaine Lordan's problems were much wider, supposedly it was her cursing out Mal Young at a public event that got her fired in 2004. The show was so huge and popular back then, and Jessie and Kat seemed to become the public face of the show over night. I don't think she was prepared for all that attention and let the worst of that sudden success consume her. From 2001-2005, I swear she was on the cover of every UK tabloid I came across. Though, these days, she's a completely different person and seemed to learn from the experience of those initial years.

I don't want to see Zoe ever again, but I bet the reason they haven't recast the character is because the Kat/Zoe storyline and reveal was and still is very iconic. It was THE British soap moment of the 00's and the show has tried and failed miserably at trying to recreate it ever since with various other characters. I think the first time we saw Belinda was the week of the Kat/Zoe reveal where she showed up to Lynne's hen do. I can't remember if they mentioned her before that though. That was a great week of episodes - I've said it before, but, that era of the show was so strong and helped me get through a lot of things that were going on in my life at the time (by share entertainment and seeing people more screwed than people I knew). It will always have a special place in my heart. EE hasn't been able to write families since the early years of the Slater's, so a family unit like that wouldn't be able to thrive on the show as it is currently.

That's a shame. It looks like they are planning something with the Slater's, Kacey Ainsworth said she was asked back, but couldn't commit as she's doing a show for Sky. I doubt Elaine Lordan or Micelle Ryan were asked back though...

What happened to the original actress? I liked her a lot, and Belinda was a hoot.

Everything about Full House was stupid, so at least they're being consistent.

Looks f.ucking terrible:

I think the pop categories are her best bet.

It's probably best she quit, I can't imagine what silliness Bet would be reduced to if she was on the show currently. Could you imagine her propping up the likes of Michelle and Sean? Ugh. However, the Rovers would probably still be a genuine establishment if she was still there, that's for sure.

It wasn't a terribly written return (there's been a lot worse), I think the only reason it gets so much sh!t was because Julie abruptly quit and it was during the era in the early 00's where they show wasn't very popular with the general press. I do have to wonder if there's a lot more to why Julie quit than she's ever let on. I know she said she severely disliked the shooting schedule as it had changed and was more grueling than when she left in 1995, but I feel like it had to have been something or someone else that led her to quit so quickly. Corrie was very lucky to have Suranne Jones back then, she really carried a lot of the material they thew at Karen. She was probably the most popular actress on UK soaps when she left, and I'm glad she's never looked back.

Probably my favourite pop song that hit #1 in the UK in 2000: The remix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_uIdh_t4i8

She peaked really fast in her career and burnt out, that was the point. And the reason why that happened was not because she was untalented (she has talent), but she wasted her moment in the sun with cheap gimmicks, a passive-agressive feud with a legend (Madonna), and progressively crap material (I'm sorry, BTW and AP were not great albums) that ended up flopping and damaging her commercial career. All that and she's not even 30 yet. Everything she does now feels like an engineered PR plan to rebuild her public image and recover from the fall she's had with the general public, and I don't particularly feel it's working.

There is no career upswing though, she hasn't had a hit single in what, 3 years? When you're doing duets and commercials with Tony Bennett and still in your late 20's, something isn't right. Her career ran out of steam in 2010 and she's been clinging on ever since. I'd be very surprised if her next albums sees more success than her last two. It seems like her team is trying to soften her image a bit with paid for PR, but it's too little, too late IMO.