Y&RWorldTurner

It doesn't sound like this new cast will be transitioning to the main show, which is something Santer made clear when the first series started. And no thanks, I don't need to see Roxanne McKee on the main show. Awful actress with nothing but looks.

A bigger picture of Steve John Shepherd (Michael Moon): http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/scoop/a251934/first-look-enders-newcomer-michael-moon.html

That's right, didn't Chrissie swear revenge on Sharon for sending her to prison? Whatever problems the show has with Letitia Dean, they need to sort it out. There's no reason why Sharon shouldn't still be on the show. Did you know that when Letitia left in 2005, it was only supposed to be an extended break, according to a BBC spokesperson? She never came back... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4148146.stm I know that Letitia has said in interviews that she's very open to returning too. Though, Kirkwood's said after Kat and Alfie return, he doesn't want to do another return for at least a year, which I think is wise.

The actor that played Jake quit during Kate Harwood's tenure in charge, right? Very little she did made much sense. I'd love to see Chrissie again, but I don't think she'll ever come back and there's nothing really left for her in Walford anyway. I always thought Chrissie was the best thing about Den's return...

I don't think Jake matters much for them to say if he's alive or not, everyone assumes he's dead, Alfie included, so unless he's had contact with Alfie or now Michael, they have no reason to believe he's alive or explain where he is.

The spoilers make it sound like Lisa

I loved Max's line to Darren, "Whoever it is, you shouldn't have to put your cherry picker though the cheese grater!" And then Abi looking it up in the dictionary.

Alfie will be getting another cousin, Michael Moon played by Steve John Shepherd. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a251698/alfie-moons-cousin-to-arrive-in-enders.html The character sounds intriguing and it's good that Kat and Alfie will have more ties and people to interact with. I've seen the actor in other things, he's quite good and cute. I hope Kat doesn't sleep with him off the bat or something, as I don't think giving Kat and Alfie another adultery story would be the best way to bring them back, but I don't think they'll go in that direction, if they do, I would hope they'd just spend a year building to it or something. I wonder if he'll be a new love interest for Roxy, she hasn't had anyone stable since Sean, and she's always attracted to the wrong types of guys, and Michael appears to be in her age range.

Tuesday's episode was really good, even the little moments. Diane and Don continue to act their hearts out. The scenes where Denise came out of the boarded house and then broke the board off the front door were quite harrowing. It was funny to see Peggy and Phil getting their asses sassed by that guy from Social Services. I didn't expect that at all. Dot was hilarious in this episode, her scenes with Fatboy and Mercy and then Liz were just classic Dot. It really felt like the old-school Dot that I've seen. I guess Kirkwood wasn't kidding when he said Dot is his favourite character. I thought the episode was very enjoyable overall, and really makes me look forward to Thursday's episode...

Yeah, I don't think it's true, I remember Kirkwood being quoted as saying

I didn't think they would be able to pull in over 9 million viewers, especially with the little promotion and this being summer. I think it shows that the show still has a lot of life in it with the viewing audience, and how a show like EastEnders can always renew its audience somehow. I don't think anyone would have thought in 2004-2006 the show would be on the ratings track it is now. Corrie is still slightly ahead in the yearly averages, but not by much, and this is the closest the two soaps have been since 2002, but EastEnders has apparently gained more viewers than Corrie has this past year so far. This story has been dragged out forever, and Santer neglected it for months, so I'm surprised so many are still invested in it, but I can see how some would be over it by now. I think this is the perfect week for it to climax. I think Kikrwood was smart to shift the focus onto Lucas and Denise's marriage, which according to Diane Parish's interview, wasn't really the direction Santer wanted the story to head in.

Last night's episode topped over 9 million viewers in the ratings. Apparently, the last time the show accomplished this during a summer month was in 2007... http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a251301/enders-tops-9m-for-denise-hostage-story.html The article strangely neglects Emmerdale's ratings, which were 6.7 million last night...

Today's episode: I thought the Denise and Lucas scenes were very well acted and had a strange but intimate atmosphere to them. They almost felt like theatre, they were so real. I'm glad this storyline is concluding this week though, it's been going on long enough. So happy Pat called Bianca out on what a selfish cow she really is and how horrible she treats everyone around her. Bianca had some nerve thinking Pat is selfish in that last scene. Max and Darren and then Max at the Vic with Peggy and Pat was hilarious. The Pat and Peggy stuff was really good too, I'm so glad they're out of that lame comedy routine Santer had them in during his final week's worth of material. Has anyone read the detailed spoilers for next week on DS? It really feels like the show is transitioning out of Santer's storylines and into Kirkwood's next month. The new stories seem to be building and it looks like Carol will be having a lot more to do. It all looks very promising from what I've read, I think the show is going to enter an interesting and potentially very good era.

James Sutton interview: Part 1: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s12/emmerdale/interviews/a250902/james-sutton-ryan-lamb-emmerdale.html Part 2: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s12/emmerdale/scoop/a250912/sutton-on-oaks-enders-and-soap-awards.html

The Walford Webcam is back up on the BBC EastEnders site. The Vic, due to the fire is boarded up, but strangely, so is Ian's house. So, I wonder if Ian's house is also getting torched in this fire, or maybe it's just renovations being done to that particular set for the switch to HD. http://www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders/webcams/

Has anyone seen this from the Last Tango In Walford DVD that was released in February and chronicled Ricky and Bianca's relationship? Some nice lipsyncing going on... <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value=" name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

New Hollyoaks trailer: It highlights both existing and newer characters. I wonder if some of the interactions are hints to upcoming storylines... <object id="flashObj" width="510" height="335" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9/3924638001?isVid=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=260720886001&playerID=3924638001&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9/3924638001?isVid=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=260720886001&playerID=3924638001&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="510" height="335" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" swLiveConnect="true" allowScriptAccess="always" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object>

Funny you post that, I've heard that Saturday was the third anniversary of the debut of the Mitchell sisters on the show. Funny thing is, I think only these past few weeks they've scratched the surface of who Ronnie and Roxy are and their relationship to one another...

Amanda Donohoe is leaving Emmerdale http://www.dailystar.co.uk/posts/view/146003/Emmerdale-s-Amanda-Donohoe-to-quit-the-show/

I'm surprised they used music (Snow Patrol's Give Me Strength) for Shadrach's final moments...

A short preview scene between Lucas and Denise from one of next week's episodes: <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value=" name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

I wonder if Kat and Ronnie will bond over the childhood molestations... Though, I can't imagine that Kat would tolerate either of those Mitchell sisters, especially Roxy. I think Daphne was only here for this one episode and will be gone by Monday's episode, not sure though. I think Kim is here for a few more though. DS has updated their weekly spoilers with more information about Denise's return!

Today's episode: I'm really surprised they kept Denise's whereabouts a secret until today. I was beginning to think she was really dead. Her "funeral" was mostly a set up for stuff to follow I assume. But the episode did have some nice moments with Chelsea and Libby by the swings, and Patrick's little eulogy where he talked about how even though they weren't related, Denise was still a daughter to him. I didn't mind her, but Denise's sister Daphne's missing front teeth bugged me. Liz had some nerve showing up to the wake... I had to laugh at Jodie's scream after seeing Darren's penis, and Darren/Charlie G. Hawkins has the bod of a 9 year old... Max was hilarious when he walked in on Darren though. I guess this is the beginning of Peggy's exit story. Her family has abandoned her and don't want to be around her. Phil, Roxy, and Ronnie are avoiding her like the plague, and she's all alone. She also has the Vic to run by herself again, which she's always wanted since losing it, but she's lost her family at the same time. I wonder how Denise is going to escape that cellar Lucas is hiding her in...

Diane Parish interview: Part 1: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/interviews/a249245/diane-parish-denise-johnson-eastenders.html Part 2: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/scoop/a249264/more-enders-reaction-chat-from-di-parish.html and another part to Tameka Empson's interview: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/scoop/a239213/enders-tameka-empson-on-that-denise-twist.html Don't read either if you don't want to be spoiled, especially if you haven't seen today's episode yet...

Pics of Shadrach's demise http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s12/emmerdale/scoop/a248400/emmerdale-pics-shock-exit-for-shadrach.html