'EastEnders' hits "lowest ever ratings"
EastEnders hit what could possibly be its lowest audience ever last night (Tuesday), early ratings figures indicate.
According to the data, the 7.30pm edition of the soap averaged just 6.4 million viewers and a 34% share of the audience, around half than would normally be expected. Ratings were down across the board last night due to the unusually hot weather but crucially, EastEnders was down by 20 percentage points from its regular 55% audience share. It also lost out to an enlongated episode of Emmerdale on ITV1, which averaged 7.6 million viewers between 7pm and 8pm.
A BBC spokeswoman said that the corporation wasn't "particularly worried" about the figures: "In terms of share, it was very healthy with 34%, which is a third of TV viewers. Our audience was split with Emmerdale. The weather was also very nice and if you look at the other programmes all shares were down because it was a sunny evening. We know our viewers know that there's another chance to catch up with the omnibus at the weekend so we're not particularly worried."
Today's news is just the latest in a line of disappointments for the soap. Earlier this year it missed nomination at the prestigious BAFTA award ceremony for the first time ever, and in more recent weeks it has been rocked by allegations about top star Leslie Grantham. There has also been much criticism of the shift towards more sensational storylines, including rape, gangland shootings, robbery, murder and extortion.
Many of the cast have also left or been sacked in the past year: Charlie Brooks (Janine Evans), Shaun Williamson (Barry Evans), Todd Carty (Mark Fowler), Lucy Benjamin (Lisa Fowler), Elaine Lordan (Lynne Hobbs), Hannah Waterman (Laura Beale), Sid Owen (Ricky Butcher), Lucy Speed (Natalie Evans) and Tony Caunter (Roy Evans). Other favourites including Barbara Windsor (Peggy Mitchell), Steve McFadden (Phil Mitchell) and Kacey Ainsworth (Little Mo) are on extended absence.
By contrast, ITV rival Coronation Street has gone from strength to strength, with a series of character-based storylines drawing in huge audiences over the past year.
The continued misfortune of EastEnders puts further pressure on exec producer Louise Berridge, who has already received calls to quit the post.
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds14518.html
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Originally Posted by urbanmiffs
, I also stopped watching corrie when they removed the cat from the roof in the opening credits 
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