I know that the decline of EE's ratings and popularity has not been as devastating as most people make it out to be, but although it's expected audience was far lower, a halving in ratings was what started Brookside's downfall 18 months ago and look what happened to it!

I have been a big fan of EastEnders since I was a child and have watched it on and off for most of its 19 years on air - its nearly the same age as me! I am just one of many million viewers who has become distant from EE in recent months and things don't appear to be getting better. Dirty Den arrived and really did make things interesting - his daughter's accent changing from American to English in a fortnight really annoyed me and appeared to be more insulting to viewer's intelligence than Den being brought back in a mainly pleasing but deeply risky story. He then took a break so he could be in a pantomime. Since he's came back it has been absolute garbage and its not just him.

There's been not one but two incredibly dull long running story arcs involving the Ferreiras, there appears to be no end of people who are leaving the show and then Leslie Grantham acts like a dirty old man on the internet and manages to do the one controversial thing that won't have people tuning in more.

Last night saw what can either be the kick up the jacksy that EE needs or the beginning of the end, ratings fell to under 7 million. I don't know what to think but the show has lost my vote for now, things have to improve soon or I fear that Holby City will be going three nights and EE will be eased out the door!

I am the last person who would jump to EE's defence, but you have to remember that it was only because of Emmerdale the ratings were halved. They don't just drop off like that and lose half their audience overnight, it was simply because another soap was on at the same time. Tomorrow will see it back to 10 million plus...

Of course, I would LOVE it if their viewing figures tumbled dramatically for most episodes these days. Realistically, I hope they gradually tail off if the quality remains this bad, because it's the only thing that will encourage changes. No matter what people say, do the BBC really care if they're still pulling in viewers? I for one am not watching for the time being...

Look at the attention it still recieves in newspapers, good or bad still good.

Take a look in magazines like heat, still more attention than any of its rivals.

Recently EE:revealed beat Coronation Street's similar programme about family on the street.

EE has actually seen ratings increasing, up until this.

EE had the highest soap episode rating last year?

EE omnibus on both BBC1 and BBC3 are still prooving ratings winners.

EE swept the soap awards, voted by THE PUBLIC.

I'm actually not suprised that ratings fell to 7 million. It was going to happen sooner or later.

Depends on where you "start" from. If you're talking about 2004 then the highest rated ep is Steve & Karen McDonald's wedding.

But how long is all this going to be last when figures are tumbling and the quality of the show is plummeting? And didn't Corrie get the highest soap ratings of last year with Richard's confession?

Last year, when it was still under heavy criticism it managed 17 million which was the highest soap episode last year I think But 2004 im not sure theres still plenty of time to go though.

I really cannot see how EE gets average 11 million viewers on average when everyone seems to hate it, unless its just a programme you love to hate?
I think it could easily be restored to its glory days, id just like to know when.

Richard was the year before, or was it?

Anyway, everyone seems to say "Look at Brookside" but also look at Coronation Street when it had really really BAD storylines about save the cobbles, toyah being raped well thats all I can remember and look at it now...

Den's return was the top rated ep of DepressEnders last year, but an episode of Corrie was the highest rated soap one of the year. Unfortunately I can't remember what the episode in question was at the moment...but it will come to me, eventually.

It was either Richard's confession or his demise...I suspect the latter.

In any case, you can't judge either on one-off episode ratings. You have to look at it as a whole, and certainly Corrie had higher ratings for most weeks of 2003 AND this year, if I'm not mistaken.

The highest rated ep was when Richard kidnapped the Platts & drove the car into the canal. It aired on Wednesday March 12th.

Having the top rated episode of a year is great, but Brookie got an all time high of 7million viewers once and the fact that its ratings became unacceptable for a show with its role as its Channel's flagship soap meant they downgraded it and booted it when it's contract was up for renewal.

EE's storylines are weak and boring, the characters are becoming stale and annoying and the show is now using past glories in an attempt to revive it.

A new executive producer, the commissioning of writers who only write for shows now and again alongside a few of the regular guys and a gradual introduction of enjoyable, happy storylines mixed in with a bearable amount of gritty stories will get it back on its feet and moving forward again!

A big overhaul in some areas would do the show a world of good.

I am also the last person to jump to Eastenders defence but the loss of ratings last night can be attributed to many things. Audience figures generally go down in the Summer anyway and last night saw a potentially exciting hour long edition of Emmerdale. Usually when this happens the Beeb will move Eastenders to a later time but for some reason last night they didnt. With the repeat available on BBC3 and also Sundays omnibus to come audience figures should even out a bit. That doesnt excuse the fact that the programme is in urgent need of a new producer and decent scripts. At least a dozen characters need to be axed and there needs to be less reliance on Kat and Alfie Moon with a storyline that has become boring very quickly. I dont think the programme is ever going to be axed but now is time to make changes. Even the viewers who watch the programme are not happy with certain plots at the moment. Does Louise Berridge ever visit the shows Official Messageboards?

The highest rated episode last year was Corrie with an episode that got just under 20 million viewers (19.something) I Think it was Richard's demise, if not it was his confession to Gail.

Yeah but whether the ratings are lower than usual or not, its not going to be cancelled is it. Come on seroiusly, do you see EE not being on? The BBC would never cancel its highest rating show in a million years so you'll just have to deal with the fact that EE is here to stay! So what if Corrie gets higher ratings at the moment. They have got a brilliant storyline going and as soon as EE find one to match the figures will be soaring again. Just wait and see.

Yeh but the thing is Starlett, have been waiting 1 and half years for a storyline that is any bit realistic and gripping, but we havent had any!

So they are taking the piss!

I see what you mean. I am a huge EE fan. I always have been and always will be and even I admit that there has been a downfall recently but I won't stop watching! I doubt I'll ever stop watching for as long as its on! I don't get why people say, and I'm not talking about you directly lala, that they find EE really boring and rubbish at the moment but even thought they say all of this, they still keep watching! I just don't get it.

Its called watching it out of habbit Starlett!

Its a bit hard you see to stop watching a programme you have watched nearly all your life! Even if you dont enjoy it, you still watch it out of pure habit!

Surely you can understand that! Old habits die hard etc etc.

No, I definatly understand what you are on about! I will always watch it as I feel I have a duty to always watch it. I know that sonds a bit weird but I couldn't think of another way to put it. I hope you get what I'm on about, but I definatly understand what you are saying lala. Even though, I am enjoying some of the current storylines so I always enjoy watchng it.

Eastenders is never ever going to get axed, it's hear to stay. As a commercial brand, it's more valable then Corrie and that's a fact as it's the most popular show for young people on British television. Anyway the BBC isn't going commerical just yet but still. it's the beebs flag ship show, they use it to bring viewers to BBC1 in the evening, it's the backbone of the schedule. It's going nowhere.

However yes, the show has gone downhill, characters are dull and uninteresting (is there a point anymore to Kate, The Dulleries, Billy, Gus & his bro?) Storylines yawnsome and all very dark (Kat sleeping with Andy, Laura's death, Mark's death) and going nowhere fast. Episodes seem long drawn out affairs just to pad out 28 minutes and the writing is truly shoddy, they desperately need some new talent writing for that show.

If you all want to do something I suggest you email mal.young@bbc.co.uk or louise.berridge@bbc.co.uk and tell them what you think. directly

Let's face it. EE is total rubbish. It's no surprise, at all, that viewers are deserting the soap.

Half the cast can't act. The scripts have been ridiculous of late.

I feel an Emerdale type mass cull coming on!

What amazes me more is that when Crossroads was first taken off the air it had 13 million viewers.

EE has half that and will probably survive!

The difference being............................... Crossroads was on the commercial ITV. EE is on state owned BBC.

WHAT A WASTE OF LICENCE PAYERS' MONEY!

I'm a big fan of Corrie, but I wouldn't blindly watch it forever, if its standards plummeted.
From the little I've seen of Eastenders over the last year or so, it's about as interesting as paint drying, but I don't want it scrapped, as there are obviously still people who enjoy it.
But perhaps if it went back to three episodes a week, it could pause for breath, try to get itself back on its feet and perhaps things would pick up again? Just a thought.

Spot on.
Too many episodes! (and I'm not just talking EE).

I really hope that things get better for EE but at the moment there is a need for something new and fresh. Mal Young has mentioned bringing in Phil Redmond and he would not necessarily be coming in with some disaster storyline, he knows what makes a popular show tick and he would give the BBC biggest show a major injection of new ideas and a different attitude.

Kid A - huge fan of the Radiohead song written about you by the way!

To use an Ulster expression "Slap it up 'em!!" I mean, it's all very well having characters with morals like alleycats, but when the actors who play them-I "name" Mr Leslie Grantham and Mr Shane Ritchie (sp?)-are the same, then it's time for decent, God fearing, Christian folk to boycott this load of rubbish-if there's a TV set in Hell, it'll be permanently switched to Eastenders, as the Devil watches his chief disciples!