History Of East Enders
EastEnders was launched at a critical moment in the BBC's history and was intended to demonstrate the BBC's ability to produce popular programming. It started airing on the night after a major identity change for the channel, with the show representing the "new face" of the BBC. Critics first derided the new offering, as it was clear that the BBC wished to bridge the gap between the network and its competitor, ITV. One news source went as far as to accuse the channel of only having the courage to air the soap after Patricia Phoenix (Elsie Tanner) left Coronation Street.
The BBC brass was vindicated, however, when EastEnders became wildly popular and displaced Coronation Street from the top of the ratings for the rest of the 1980s and much of the 1990s and 2000s.
A precursor in UK soaps also set in an East End market was ATV's Market in Honey Lane between 1967 and 1969.
Read more about History Of East Enders: Conception and Preparations For Broadcast, 1980s Broadcast History, Changes Into The 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, Celebrity Appearances
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