Thought this idea for a thread might be fun: post random facts about your favourite soaps(s) that other fans might not know!

I'll start with these two from Home and Away:
-Dannii Minogue originally auditioned for the role of Marilyn
-Summer Bay's postcode is 2495!

Baby Spice auditioned to play Bianca Jackson

Never knew that! Imagine that... BIANCA as a pretty blonde... she'd probably be a glamorous soap siren by now!

And imagine if Patsy Palmer had, by an amazing coincidence, joined the Spice Girls! Handbags at dawn over who gets to be Ginger!

Haha, that is one crossover I would love to see!!

Mel B prior to The Spice Girls did a stint on the checkouts at Bettabuys in 1993 in Coronation Street

Not a soap fact but random. Apparently Snoop Dog wants a part in Corrie and wants a relationship with Deirdre

The longest running soap on UK TV produced by the BBC is:

EastEnders was originally planned to be filmed in a real square (Fasset Square) in Hackney, but this was considered impractical, so the 'lot' at Elstree was built.

There have been 3 Coronation Street 'exterior' sets - the original, which was actually built in the studio, a (quite small) exterior set used from 1969-1982, and the current set used from 1982. The 4th exterior set will come into use sometime next year (barring any further construction problems).

Additionally, there have been 3 Emmerdale/Beckindale villages - the original village was Arncliffe, then Esholt from 1976, then the current purpose-built village in the grounds of Harewood House.

The only location to have been used consistently throughout the show's 40-year history is Creskeld Hall, which doubles as the exterior for Home Farm.

The exterior set for doomed BBC soap 'Eldorado' cost ten times what it cost to built Albert Square, yet the soap only lasted a year.

Before the Irish soap, The Riordans, every soap was filmed on an inside set. In fact, The Riordans was the template for Emmerdale, and the creators of Emmerdale spent a period of time in Ireland finding out how The Riordans was filmed outside, so they could use it on their new rural soap.

Prior to 'Emmerdale (Farm)' - most soaps used film rather then video for exterior location shoots; hence there was the obvious jump from exterior film to interior video.

By the mid-80s all soaps used video for both exterior and interior shots.

There is actually a "Coronation Street" in Manchester

(and very nice it looks too!!)

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Cor...,21.42,,0,2.12

Russell Crow has Neighbours to thank for his career

Robbie Williams appeared in Brookside as an extra in his teens and years appeared in Eastenders as a background extra in a scene in the Queen Vic, talking to someone on the phone.

Norman Coburn who played Donald Fisher in Home and Away appeared in Coronation Street in the 60s I believe in a minor role.

There is a few Albert Squares in London, one near Stockwell and another in Stratford

An oldie but a goodie: at age 11 Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan played brother and sister in 1 episode of Australian soap 'Skyways'.

Dannii Minogue guested in another episode of 'Skyways'.

Home and Away's Kate Ritchie (Sally) was again married to Martin Dingle Wall (original Flynn) in an episode of Underbelly - and again she watched him die!!

Pauline Fowler was axed in 1989 but was saved when a new EP took over. She was going to get killed by cancer

Eastenders was originally going to be called East 8 (like estate) I'm so glad it wasn't!

Mel B auditioned for Fiona the hairdresser in Corrie. Think it came down to her and Angela Griffin for the role.

Kimberley Walsh of Girls Aloud fame got down to the final three to play the role of Maria in Coronation Street. Suzanne Shaw and (obviously) Samia Smith were the other two

Apparently Bryan kirkwood wanted to axe Ian beale

Jo Joyner was initially against joining EE

Cliff Richard was once an extra in the rovers on Corrie in the 70's

Idk who Diedre is but she should run away, run like the wind!