Thank you, Huntress!

Could you list the soaps from most popular to the least?

Sadly, as it celebrated its wedding of the year, Coronation Street (ITV One) didn’t survive its own home-grown terror threat. It’s hard to write an original soap wedding – every configuration, complication and interruption has been done. But David Platt’s detonation of his sister Sarah and Jason’s nuptials, written by Peter Whalley, was inspired – and all the crueller because while the young couple did tie the knot, they did so in the most deliciously offkilter and horrible circumstances.

As they exchanged vows, the police arrived to tell Sarah’s mum Gail that David’s car had been found in the canal. The wedding party split asunder, as the search for David began, though Sarah insisted she and Jason carry on exchanging vows. Gail rushed down to the canal, to the exact same spot where Richard Hillman had once tried to kill the entire family, and where the devil child had naturally decided to stage his own suicide.

David, played with astonishing assurance by Jack P. Shepherd, is the most compulsive villain in soap: as he drove his car into the canal his upset and dispossession were all too real but, as his shout-at-the-telly evil smile later revealed, he revelled in ruining his sister’s day. Oh, and thank you producers for bringing back that camp, arch waiter to Leanne’s restaurant. Him and Sean, in the Kabin swapping unpleasantries asap please.

Here are some clips from Wednesday's national tv awards

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=35nn9hrc_-I EastEnders winning most popular serial drama

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=j1J6mLCkve4 Lacey Turner wiining most popular actress

In this week’s battle of disastrous soap weddings, Coronation Street won by a mile. The union of Bradley and Stacey in EastEnders (BBC One) was notable only for dozy Tanya’s oft-repeated “What the ’ell’s going on?” and Stacey’s brother Sean – channelling Al Pacino does boyband – threatening throatily to expose Stacey’s affair with Bradley’s father Max. But nothing, bar some grizzling and heartfelt looks, happened. David Platt, you were sorely missed.

Max’s daughter Lauren set up a video camera in her bedroom (not sure why, as with so much in EastEnders), which conveniently recorded the revelation and the end of Stacey and Max’s affair after Stacey and Bradley had exchanged vows. And now, the video camera and its blinking red light have gone on honeymoon with the ill-starred couple. How long before it is seen by the wrong person? This is EastEnders – so, GROAN, months.

HOME & AWAY has been brilliant lately. Obviously the stalker storyline has been done before, but I am really enjoying it.

By the way, does anyone know where I can watch CORRIE/EastEnders online?

I get to see episodes of that latter so rarely and Corrie I have never seen and I really want to!

YRBB there are a lot of Corrie clips at youtube.

Peggy has a £40,000 debt... I want to see where this is going to end...

A HOST of former EastEnders favourites are returning to Albert Square – for Frank Butcher’s funeral, The Sun can reveal.

Much-loved Mike Reid’s character will get a traditional East End send-off in special episodes.

The actor died aged 67 after a heart attack in Marbella, Spain, in July.

Sophie Lawrence, who played car dealer Frank’s daughter Diane, and Charlie Brooks – his superbitch daughter Janine – have agreed to return for the funeral shows.

Last night a source said: “Frank was practically royalty in Walford, and he will be given a proper East End send-off, complete with a horse-drawn carriage.

“Getting so many old faces together again is going to set the cat among the pigeons. Tempers will flare as many of Frank’s family have grudges to settle.”

Peggy Mitchell (Barbara Windsor) and Pat Butcher (Pam St Clements) were at the centre of a love triangle with Frank in the BBC1 soap.

A date for the specials has not been set – but the source revealed it will last a week.

EastEnders bosses had not killed off Frank after Mike left in December 2005, always leaving the door open for him to return for brief stints. They haven’t revealed yet how Frank will die.

In one of his last appearances, Peggy was actually called to Spain after being told Frank had died in a car crash.

But he had faked his own death in a scam.

Mike’s on-screen son Sid Owen, who played Ricky, and his ex-wife Bianca (Patsy Palmer) have announced they are returning.

Meanwhile, EastEnders bosses were jubilant after 11million viewers tuned in to watch Stacey Slater wed Bradley Branning on Thursday night.

ITV1 rival Emmerdale got just six million viewers with its double bill.

Veteran Neighbours star Ian Smith has quit the Australian soap after 20 years.

The actor has played coffee-shop owner Harold Bishop on and off since 1997 but is now retiring from his 30-year showbiz career.

He will film his final scenes this month but has agreed to return for a number of special appearances next year.

Smith, who was also an actor and scriptwriter on Prisoner, originally left Neighbours in 1991. He returned five years later when his character was seen suffering from amnesia.

One Neighbours insider called him "the heart and soul" of the programme, saying: "Ian really set the tone of the show, both on the set and behind the scenes."

They added: "As well as being a consummate professional, he's all about creating a positive vibe that brings the cast together. He will be very missed but at least he'll be back to say 'hi' next year."

Smith's exit is a further blow for the soap, which has failed to attract more viewers despite a much-hyped re-launch earlier this year.

I always loved Ricky and Bianca. I'm glad to see them coming back. I'll never forget Bianca screaming "RICKKKAYYYY" way back when he left her for cheating on him.

And it's very sad to hear that Harold will be exiting. He is very much the heart and soul of the show. I think it was a great loss when they killed off Madge, though the plot did showcase a lot of good acting talent.

Edited November 6, 200718 yr by Matt P.

I am gutted to see Harold go but I think it was an inevitability. Ian Smith was restless and after killing off his family (big BIG mistake with the plane crash), there's nothing much left for him to do. The main thing is Karl and Susan are still on the show and show no sign of leaving.

Event for Writers of BBC Long-Running Drama Series



Do you write for a long-running drama series? Would you like to write Holby City, Casualty, EastEnders or Doctors? Do you have experience of working on any of those shows? If so, this is a unique opportunity to hear about how the BBC have been adapting their shows - and the working conditions on them - to make them more writer-friendly shows.

John Yorke, Controller Drama Production Studios for the BBC will be talking about changes he's made to the BBC's working practices and ways in which he is working to put writers back at the heart of the creative process. He will also be taking questions on this subject.

Other senior BBC drama executives will also be attending this event and will be available for questions.

This event is intended primarily for professional writers working in the TV industry and not as an opportunity to learn about ways in. Speakers will focus on current working practices in the BBC and ways in which the role and profile of writers on long-running drama series are changing.

The session will be chaired by Gail Renard, Chair of the Writers' Guild TV Committee on Wednesday 12 December 2007, 7pm until 9pm at the Writers' Guild Centre, 15 - 17 Britannia Street, London WC1X 9JN.

If you would like to submit questions anonymously in advance of the event, please send them to [email protected]

Tickets cost £5 for Guild members and £7.50 for non-members. There will be an opportunity to have a complimentary glass of wine and socialise after the event.

To book, please send a cheque to 'BBC Long-running Series Event', Writers' Guild, 15 - 17 Britannia Street, London WC1X 9JN. Cheques should be made out to the Writers' Guild of Great Britain or email: [email protected]

Gail Renard, Chair of the WGGB TV Committee, adds:

From time to time, the Guild receives complaints from members about series on which they’re writing. We always look into these complaints and take them seriously. Being writers, I’m surprised we don’t all complain a lot more. We work in a stressful, fast-paced, competitive industry where niceties… on both sides… can often fall by the wayside. And rumour has it we’re all human.

A few months ago, the Guild received many similar grievances about long-running series which we couldn’t ignore. A brave writer even wrote about his experiences on this blog. We took the issues to the BBC Forum, the meeting ground of the BBC/ PMA (Personal Managers Association) and the Guild; a civilised arena where we all get to share our concerns and resolve problems in a mature, Zen-like way. (I’m also pleased to announce an ITV Forum will be starting soon.)

As always, the BBC had enough respect for our members’ worries that they arranged a meeting for us with John Yorke, Controller Drama Production Studios for the BBC, and some producers from BBC soaps and long-running series, who were able to give us and our members many assurances. The outcome is that John Yorke, along with other senior BBC drama execs, will be coming to the Guild on December 12th for an event, to talk to you themselves. This is your chance to hear what they have to say, and to put any questions you’d like to the panel. The questions can be submitted to the Guild anonymously in advance, and I’ll read them out in my best voice. I’d like to thank John Yorke and all the execs for taking the Guild’s members’ concerns so seriously, and we look forward to seeing them.

The Guild listens to writers’ problems and does our best to solve them. This is your Guild in action.

Edited November 7, 200718 yr by Sylph

Putting the writer's back at the heart of EE, was the first thing John Yorke did, when he briefly took charge of the show back in 2005.

I just found a classic EE scene on you tube from 1998, where Pat and Peggy hit each other.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=sODawYfdXSs

Could you list the soaps from most popular to the least?

Yesterday's ratings:

01. Gute Zeiten, Schlechte Zeiten (RTL, 7.40 pm) | Total viewers: 4.21 | Viewers 18-49: 2.41 | Households: 14.3% | Households 18-49: 22.8%

02. Alles was zählt (RTL, 7.05 pm) | Total viewers: 3.44 | Viewers 18-49: 1.70 | Households: 12.7% | Households 18-49: 18.2%

03. Verbotene Liebe (ARD, 5.55 pm) | Total viewers: 2.60 | Viewers 18-49: 0.87 | Households: 13.6% | Households 18-49: 12.8%

04. Marienhof (ARD, 6.20 pm) | Total viewers: 2.50 | Viewers 18-49: 0.85 | Households: 11.2% | Households 18-49: 10.9%

05. Unter uns (RTL, 5.30 pm) | Total viewers: 2.01 | Viewers 18-49: 0.63 | Households: 11.6% | Households 18-49: 15.8%

Whereas RTL is a commercial network, the ARD is one of our two national television networks so they broadcast all of their programs without commercial breaks. None of the five soaps air in the same timeslot (well, UU and VL overlap for about five minutes).

You can find most of the opening sequences of MH, GZSZ and UU here: http://youtube.com/profile_videos?p=r&...sa98&page=4

Thanks, Huntress!