The "foreign soaps" topic

[dannigold]

EastEnders creator Holland dies

EastEnders creator Tony Holland has died aged 67 in a London hospital after being unwell for some time, a BBC spokeswoman has confirmed.

Holland devised the primetime soap with Julia Smith, who he met on the set of Z Cars in 1971. His other credits include Angels, District Nurse and Eldorado.

EastEnders was first broadcast in February 1985 and still regularly draws audiences of up to 10 million.

Executive producer Diederick Santers described Holland as a "true genius".

"All of us at EastEnders are forever indebted to him for creating the programme with the late Julia Smith," he said.

Tony will be remembered with great affection and respect by everyone at EastEnders."

Alan Yentob, BBC Creative Director, said: "Tony was intimately involved in every aspect of the show for the first four years including the classic blockbuster Christmas episode featuring Dirty Den and Angie in 1986."

John Yorke, Controller of BBC Drama said: "Tony's contribution to popular drama and BBC One is immeasurable.

"It's impossible to imagine the BBC without EastEnders and it will stand as the ultimate testament to his career."

It was said Holland created half of EastEnders' original cast of characters, with Smith coming up with the others.

The writer was also involved in casting, and approached actress Wendy Richard to play Pauline Fowler, despite the fact she was originally thought to be too glamorous for Albert Square.

But Richard, then best-known for playing Miss Brahms in Are You Being Served, told Holland: "I'm sick of glamour. I want to play my age."

In 2002, Holland won a special achievement award at the British Soap Awards.

[JamesF]

It's a real shame.

I remember a documentary a few years ago about what went wrong with Eldorado (what didn't) and it would seem the experience had left him a rather frail, bitter man as well as killing off his writing career for the UK market. I think he said at the time that he was involved in supervising a couple of European efforts.

[Huntress]

"Alles was zählt" unveiled its new opening yesterday after the male lead character Julian Herzog (played by Thorsten Grasshoff) had died during his wedding with Diana Sommer (Tanja Szewczenko). Instead of Diana-Julian-Jenny-Diana, the order is now Jenny-Oliver-Annette-Diana. The other main characters can only be seen in the background.

The old opening (September 4th, 2006 - November 28th, 2007)

The new opening (November 29th, 2007 - present)

[Sylph]

OK, off-topic, but what's going on with Trinny and Susannah? Are they still on BBC?

[JamesF]

No, ITV. "Trinny and Susannah Dress the Nation" I think the show's called. What Not to Wear is still on the BBC but hosted by singer Mica Paris and model Lisa Butcher.

[Sylph]

Thanks, James. Is the show a success or a flop?

Increase of minimum rates for TV writers negotiated with the BBC

The minimum rates for writers commissioned under the WGGB / PMA / BBC TV agreement have been increased by 4% as a result of negotiations between the three parties, effective from 1 November 2007.

The following per minute minimum rates for TV writers will now apply:

* Teleplays: £166.47

* Series/Serials: £151.00

* Dramatisations: £104.34

* Adaptations: £66.06

* Educational Drama: £101.44

In addition:

* Attendance fees: £88.73

[dannigold]

Here is a promo for the Christmas day episode of EastEnders

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=XQHbPCw8v_M

[dannigold]

EASTENDERS will screen its most gruesome death yet when Kevin Wicks gets killed in a car smash on New Year’s Eve.

Kevin, played by Phil Daniels, will be driving one of Phil Mitchell’s bent motors.

The car will career through Albert Square when a fault causes a crash.

In the accident, the car is flipped into the air and lands on its roof, impaling Kevin through the chest with a piece of wreckage.

And just to make sure Kev really is finished off, the death-trap vehicle then explodes in a ball of flames.

Kevin is caught up in Phil’s shady deals while trying to raise the cash to take son Deano on a round-the-world trip when he comes out of jail.

Phil (Steve McFadden) has blackmailed him by threatening to stop him renting the car lot unless he takes part in the dodgy car scam.

We told last August how actor Phil, 49, was quitting.

His decision prompted EastEnders chiefs to also axe Kevin’s kids, played by Kellie Shirley and Matt Di Angelo.

Kevin’s missus Denise is also set to vanish from screens because the actress who plays her, Diane Parish, is pregnant.

A source said: “Kevin’s death will be the horrid highlight of New Year’s Eve.”

[Sylph]

I'm not sure if this is the most recent show, but here it goes (I'm not a huuuge fan of T&S, but I do like to watch them; sometimes they annoy me with the self-confidence talk, boobs and bum, no "black & colour" and much of their comments, but...):

[Sylph]

I was freaked out as much as Susannah after I saw the transformation... So off-topic, but still...

[Sylph]

Yorke unveils drama series code of conduct

At a special event at the Writers' Guild last night, John Yorke, BBC Controller Drama Production Studios, unveiled a new code of conduct to cover drama series' work with writers.

In a wide-ranging speech, Yorke explained how he and his team have worked to put writers at the heart of the creative process on drama series. There had, he admitted, been difficulties on shows including Casualty and EastEnders in recent years following the big expansion in the number of episodes commissioned each year. We'll be posting a full report on the event on the Guild's website next week.

The code of conduct is as follows:

• All contracted scripts will be acknowledged on receipt, and writers will then be contacted within 24 hours to be given an indication of when notes will be given.

• Where possible notes will be given at face to face meetings or by phone. If notes are to be given by email, a courtesy phone call should precede the email.

• Productions will make allowances for writers’ time constraints where practicable.

• If scripts delivery schedules are changed, a new schedule will be put in place immediately.

• Adequate times must be scheduled for the completion of each draft.

• Writers will be guaranteed a clear editorial contact throughout the script process that covers for any staff leave or absence.

• Where possible, programmes should communicate clearly with writers as to whether they are likely to be used again.

• Writers will be told immediately when scripts are taken away from them, and the percentage rewrite involved will be indicated to them within two weeks.

• Scripts are deemed to be accepted on publication of the production script.

• Rebriefs are paid at a 10% minimum

[dannigold]

EastEnders tops Christmas ratings

The BBC scored a festive ratings success with nine of the 10 most watched TV programmes on Christmas Day, according to overnight viewing figures.

The second half of an EastEnders double bill was top show - with a peak of 13.9m viewers watching as Stacey and Max's former affair was discovered.

Dr Who was second on 13.8m, while the return of To The Manor Born got 10.1m.

Coronation Street was ITV1's sole Top 10 entry, with a peak of 9.6m, as it went up against Strictly Come Dancing.

CHRISTMAS DAY FIGURES

1. EastEnders part two (13.9m)

2. Dr Who (13.8m)

3. EastEnders part one (11.8m)

4= To The Manor Born (10.1m)

4= Shrek 2 (10.1m)

4= BBC News at 1800 (10.1m)

7. Strictly Come Dancing Special (9.9m)

8. Coronation Street (9.6m)

9. Finding Nemo (8.3m)

10. The Queen's Christmas Message (7.5m*)

These initial figures do not include viewers who recorded the programmes to watch at a later date, meaning the actual audiences are likely to be higher when the final totals are released. It also does not take into account of catch-up episodes shown of the major soaps on BBC3 or ITV2 later the same evening.

The second part of an EastEnders double bill, screened at 2000 GMT, saw the aftermath of the revelation that Stacey Branning had an affair with her father-in-law Max in the months before her wedding to husband Bradley.

The double bill was spread across the evening, with the first half at 1820.

ITV1 soap Coronation Street, was the only entry in the top ten most viewed programmes, with 9.6m viewers watching at its peak. The episode saw Kevin Webster attack John Stape after discovering that the teacher was having an affair with his teenage daughter Rosie.

However, a festive edition of Strictly Come Dancing, in which the programme's 2005 winner - cricketer Darren Gough - triumphed with his dance partner, attracted 9.9m viewers.

Meanwhile, the Queen's annual address to the nation attracted a total audience of 7.5m viewers as it marked the 50th anniversary of her first televised Christmas address.

Her speech was broadcast simultaneously on BBC One and ITV1. However, it was watched by 5.9m on the former, compared to 1.6m on the latter.

[Sylph]

I saw that Vicki Delow isn't a script producer for EastEnders any more. Sharon Batter, I believe, took over.

I also noticed that there's a new job in EE script department: series story scheduler... Whatever that means. Some girl, Kayla...

[UKBoi]

The EastEnders Christmas episodes were great so it's good to see they came out on top. The climax of the Max/Stacey storyline delivered some great acting, especially from Jo Joyner (Tanya) and Charlie Clements (Bradley). I hope they are able to keep up the momentum into '08.

[Paul Raven]

Former Neighbours scriptwriter Susan Bower has been named as the Aussie soap's new executive producer.

Bower will take over from Ric Pellizzeri, who is bowing out after five years, when production resumes in the New Year.

Though the soap's recent revamp has failed to have the positive effect on Oz ratings that producers had hoped, Bower has insisted that she is confident about further changes which will be seen in 2008.

"I'm really excited to be working on an Australian icon," she revealed. "The talented people who have worked on the show for years have made significant changes which will bear fruit very soon."

"I have the greatest respect for serialised drama," Bower added. "I never call them soapies."