That's quite interesting but the whole beating one another motive annoys me.

I wrote an essay last year at uni on the ratings battle between the BBC and ITV in the 50's and 60's and it was clearly obvious that they both didn't need to compete with each other due to programming and technology impacting on both broadcasters. How times have changed!

I did tell you on here some months ago that Hollyoaks was the best soap right now and had moved away from being the youth orientated show it kept being said it was on here. And, indeed, was once much more so than now. They have made deliberate attempts to upgrade it, promoted the older cast to the credits for the first time and attracted well know soap and drama actors. It has also had a great mix of storylines that earned the success it brought.

I think you can see that some real soap fans have seen the change and progress and that it has been the best overall soap during a period when East Enders was starting to make a slow recovery and Coronation Street was in a stagnant period.

Probably a one off but correctly earned.

ITV was the clear victor in the 1956-62 period with the top ten shows always being from ITV and in 1959, ITV had 73 per cent of the audience( in areas that could receive ITV). The BBC began a gradual fightback in the early sixties by popularising its output, but it wasn't until 1965 that BBC shows became regulars in the top 10 and the BBC drew level with ITV.
Indeed in the 1955-85 period ITV was always ahead of BBC One in the ratings, and it wasn't until Michael Grade decided to compete very aggressively with ITV by introducing soaps and upping the quality of many programmes, that BBC One went ahead in 1986-87. ITV was also hit to an extent by the rise of Channel 4 in this period, which was taking 10 per cent of the audience by 1986, and for all people on here mention ITV demos, in the mid eighties the network was concerned that too many of its viewers were elderly and working class and unattractive to advertisers. Hence the cancellation of Crossroads, World of Sport, old style variety shows and the transfer of racing to Channel 4.

Agreed re Strictly.
Any spin off would lessen the impact of the main show-especially as It Takes Two effectively means the brand is on every day for 3 months. The BBC have created a fantastic success over a ten years with Strictly -not the least because they haven't gone to the well too many times.
I think the BBC should experiment in some way with quarter two. An untried format failing is obviously better than The Voice being torn apart with all the other distractions. And who knows they might find a hit.

(big health warning on that last bit though )

Well Hollyoaks ratings have been high lately haven't they? A good recovery as it was doing terribly on C4 and first look for a while but not anymore I don't think.

I congratulate them on what's been done though I do not watch the show. I know they brought in a new family with Gillian Taylforth and brought back popular characters like John Paul, as well as having a load of exciting stories, stunts and event weeks. They put in constant effort within their constraints and I think that shows. So that's great!

The opening credits are so tacky and "unlike the show" though, definitely should go back to the 90s style.

Obviously two factors contributed to Hollyoaks winning Best Soap:

* encouraging people to vote after each episode and the fact it's audience is young enough and savvy enough to be able to do this easily;
* the fact that neither EastEnders or Coronation Street is particularly on form at the moment.

But still, a refreshing change and a just reward if the show has improved to the extent people claim. Not that I'll be watching the soap awards, but always nice to see the underdog come through and it's probably what the big two deserved.

Incredible turnaround really. Hollyoaks looked dead and buried not that long ago. The team there have worked miracles to get it back to this point.

It seemed to be slipping as far down the rankings as Home and Away a few years ago, but well done to Hollyoaks for bouncing back as Channel 4 is short of hits these days. Also would I be right in saying it's far more popular with young viewers than the Australain soaps now?

On Monday it got 1.1m on C4 and 728k on +1. Strong figures, Neighbours by comparison got ~550k.

Oh goodness yes, the early 80's for BBC 1 was dreadful ratings wise. ITV trounced them and then in 84 (we've talked about this before) Michael Grade became controller and turned BBC 1's fortunes around.

I don't begrudge Hollyoaks' victory last night but I would argue EastEnders is definitely on the way up - the last two to three months have been especially strong. All subjective, of course, and I realise how fashionable it is on Digital Spy to attack EastEnders.

Neighbours had 764k last Monday teatime. Still a comfortable victory for HO but not quite the devastating margin you are indicating.

I wasn't attacking EastEnders per se, merely summarising what I have learned on here and from my soap watching friends and family.

And for all that EastEnders very recently might have got its act together to at least some degree, across the past year generally it's widely been acknowledged it hasn't been as strong as it could be.

This was Hollyoaks' year; their big chance to pounce - and fair play to them - they made no mistake. A reasonably well executed campaign by C4 who love nothing more seemingly than adding to their awards collection.

True, and including the lunchtime showing it got 1.3m so it was a bad comparison, I should have used H&A. Apols

Yes EastEnders is much improved now, but it's only been since Christmas time, half of last year was shite so just because its "on the up" doesn't mean it deserved to win when half the year was slated as rubbish

BBC 1 was booming at the start of the eighties, also helped by ITV suffering the after effects of a massive strike in 1979. Shows like Dallas, The Generation Game, The Two Ronnies and All Creatures Great and Small were pulling in at least 18 million viewers and the BBC was still dominating Saturday nights while ITV had weak entertainment and imports.
Then by 1982 the legendary BBC 1 Saturday schedule was in tatters. Alan Hart replaced Bill Cotton as controller of BBC 1, DW was moved to weekday nights, The Generation Game was cancelled as it started to tank against stronger ITV offerings, Parkinson and Mike Yarwood jumped ship and Noel Edmonds struggled in his first Saturday night slot. The malaise then spread to weekdays, where imports, cheap and uninspired programming and heavy going current affairs filled the schedule, saw BBC One fall from 41 per cent of the audience to 32 per cent by the end of 1983. Certainly given the choice between Auf Wiedersehen Pet or Knots Landing on BBC1, three times as many viewers went for Pet.
Indeed it could be said Bill Cotton, who was given overall control of BBC TV in 1984, and Michael Grade saved BBC 1 from terminal decline under Alan Hart. ( Most of the decent BBC shows were to be found on BBC 2 then). A revamped news service was the first change, new idents in February 1985, the arrival of Eastenders, Wogan in a peak time slot, more comedy and a reduction of serious programming in peak time saw BBC 1 draw level with ITV by the autumn of 1985.

If that was aimed at me, I was in no way suggesting that EastEnders was worthy of a "best soap" award last night - I was simply responding to dancc's point that EastEnders wasn't / isn't on particularly good form. I am well aware of how awful it was for the best part of 2013 as a long-suffering fan.

Any predictions for the British Can't Get a Job Elsewhere As An Actor Awards?

Below 5million average, one of its worst ever ratings.

I do hope so. Awarding mediocrity at its finest.

Speaking of which, I'll be sticking The Internship on

Well there is something interesting on BBC One at 21:00.

Its the Coro St. Appreciation awards these days. I suspect the awards voting website link are plugged after episodes which helps.

I have a feeling the top notch drama Quirke will win the 9-10pm slot.

Tempted by Quirke so I'll stick it in the planner, Fargo at 9 for me

Speaking of which still not seen that Next Door thing from New Years Eve on BBC1...worth a go?

EastEnders mentioned the awards after episodes as well. Don't know why ITV don't do the awards live like The NTAs? Would stop leaks and might boost ratings.

Hart came from BBC Sport and really didn't have a clue about scheduling

Another awards ceremony that you've declared worthless because ITV actually did quite well. I assume next year when EE win best soap it will be equally worthless

Did you used to be a bad loser at sports day at school as well?