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Do Soap producers take any notice of public opinion on this forum?


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Old 06-09-2015, 16:25
SepangBlue
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In the short time I've been enjoying this forum it's been very noticeable to me just how many thread contributors continually voice a serious dislike of Anthony Cotton as Sean Tully in Coronation Street. There are other examples of course, but this one really does stand out.

This got me thinking .. Do the producers of popular long running shows ever read any of the posts on here and if they do, is there the slightest possibility that they might notice more than a little weight of opinion against a particular actor?

And just to be absolutely clear .. I do mean actor and not the character he/she portrays.
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Old 06-09-2015, 16:39
EE.Live
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I think that a few producers would probably look on the forum since some actors, who most people find bad, seem to leave quite quickly. Although they wouldn't axe a character who they personally love even if the actor is quite bad.

On EastEnders Tosh was deemed a terrible actor here and she seemed to have a rushed exit where she got a new job in Croydon after beating up her girlfriend. Also Dexter (a chav-type character) was harmless as a character but the role was pointless and many did not like the actor - he ended up leaving after Nancy was angry at him, to be with his mum...

Also Dexter left on January 2nd this year along with Emma (police officer who died) and DTC wrote a thank you / we will miss you on Twitter saying how he will miss the Emma actor who had been on screen for 8 months and he didn't say anything about Dexter who had been on the show for 2 years, so I think he didn't like the Dexter actor anyway

I also think a few actors read a few posts on the forums as Adam Woodyatt in 2010 mentioned in an article that he's read a few suggestions here (but he has clarified that he didn't mean it like this):

"I've read things on the forums about Kathy being in witness protection and faked her death - yeah, do you really want to destroy the credibility of the programme?! It was plausible with Den, but not with Kathy!" Awkward.

Source: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2...pnweQKZJzHUBR4
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Old 06-09-2015, 16:49
joe gillott
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Who knows.

sometimes it could be a good thing but lthers are just stupid. Not
All suggestions posted here will work. i have see a fair share of WTF storyline ideas like a terrorist attack on Albert square...
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Old 06-09-2015, 17:00
Pink_Smurf
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I remember reading something about Antony Cotton slagging off the soap forum of Digital Spy and Kelvin Fletcher also slated DS. I'm astonished that Antony Cotton is still in Coronation Street as his acting is absolutely dreadful. There is a tiny minority on here that like him but the general opinion is that he's a crap actor. Apparently he approached ITV and "suggested a homosexual character for Corrie" and somehow got a role. Personally I think it was a case of WHO you know rather than how good an actor he is. He seems to be only able to portray characters that are a carbon copy of himself. I would imagine that the TV channels or soap producers employ people to monitor forums and things like Facebook and Twitter. If they do read DS surely they would read that hardly anyone on here likes watching Antony Cotton? There are threads going back years criticising his terrible acting.
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Old 06-09-2015, 17:12
Ell_Ren
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Possibly, I sincerely hope not though. If they did all the characters I like would end up being axed!
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Old 06-09-2015, 17:14
Andybear
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I remember reading something about Antony Cotton slagging off the soap forum of Digital Spy and Kelvin Fletcher also slated DS. I'm astonished that Antony Cotton is still in Coronation Street as his acting is absolutely dreadful. There is a tiny minority on here that like him but the general opinion is that he's a crap actor. Apparently he approached ITV and "suggested a homosexual character for Corrie" and somehow got a role. Personally I think it was a case of WHO you know rather than how good an actor he is. He seems to be only able to portray characters that are a carbon copy of himself. I would imagine that the TV channels or soap producers employ people to monitor forums and things like Facebook and Twitter. If they do read DS surely they would read that hardly anyone on here likes watching Antony Cotton? There are threads going back years criticising his terrible acting.
Only a very, very tiny minority of soap viewers come on this forum and I'd be worried if TPTB took notice of such a small minority. Incidentally everyone I know away from here who watches Corrie likes the characters of Sean and Fizz - two characters who are slated a lot on here. So the views on here aren't necessarily a cross section of the views of the general viewing public who don't come on here.
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Old 06-09-2015, 17:19
kitkat1971
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I'm sue they monitor feedback on here, not all the time but it is kept an eye on, especially for big things like how live week was being received.

That said, I don't think it would ever dictate creative decisions such as axeing actors. Basically if the Producer likes them, and they can come up with storylines for them, then they will stay even if there is a lot of negative feedback with the ethos thay "you can't please all of the people all of the time" and it is has to be said that some people, even on DS have said they like Sean and/or Anthony Cotton, or at the very least don't understand the hate he gets. So even a seemingly 'easy' decision like that wouldn't please everybody.

A character that was meant to be short term proving immensely popular might encourage them to look at extending their contract but i don't think negativity will get them to axe them.

Personally i think that is right, tailoring all your creative decisions to try and please a minority of the Audience (and let's face it, most viewers don't post on social Media) opinions, no matter how vocal is a recipe for disaster.

ETA. I think the actor that played Dexter (was it Khali Best) had very bad publicity relating to an alleged attack on a taxi driver so that won't have endeared him to TPTB come contract renewal time - his future will have been shaky due to that, even if they considered him the best actor and character ever.
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Old 06-09-2015, 17:21
kitkat1971
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Only a very, very tiny minority of soap viewers come on this forum and I'd be worried if TPTB took notice of such a small minority. Incidentally everyone I know away from here who watches Corrie likes the characters of Sean and Fizz - two characters who are slated a lot on here. So the views on here aren't necessarily a cross section of the views of the general viewing public who don't come on here.
I hadn't read this before I posted where I've said something similar so absolutely agree.

The only time viewer reaction would cause a hige U-Turn would be something like the EE baby swap which wasn't just Social media but a tidal wave of 'normal' viewers as well ringing the BBC, writing to them, newspapers etc to complain and say they'd be switching off.
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Old 06-09-2015, 17:49
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I blame DS for the daft idea of bringing Kathy back from the dead.
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Old 06-09-2015, 18:23
Pink_Smurf
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Only a very, very tiny minority of soap viewers come on this forum and I'd be worried if TPTB took notice of such a small minority. Incidentally everyone I know away from here who watches Corrie likes the characters of Sean and Fizz - two characters who are slated a lot on here. So the views on here aren't necessarily a cross section of the views of the general viewing public who don't come on here.
I hadn't read this before I posted where I've said something similar so absolutely agree.

The only time viewer reaction would cause a hige U-Turn would be something like the EE baby swap which wasn't just Social media but a tidal wave of 'normal' viewers as well ringing the BBC, writing to them, newspapers etc to complain and say they'd be switching off.
I suppose there is only a handful of people on Digital Spy compared with the millions that tune in, I can't argue with that but I think a cross section of people do come on here. The newspapers have quoted Digital Spy along with quoting Twitter so I think we get more attention than we might think from TPTB. I don't know anyone in my friends circle who likes Antony Cotton / Sean Tully however I know a few people who do love Kym Marsh as Corrie's Michelle and like the woman as a celebrity. Kym Marsh isn't popular on here. A couple of my male straight friends fancy her big time! Unfortunately I don't think hundreds of people will write to ITV asking for Sean Tully to be axed for crimes against drama so we're stuck with him for the time being
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Old 06-09-2015, 18:30
cyrilandshirley
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I think the PR people or researchers or whatever come on here to take the temperature regarding certain characters and their popularity, and pairings.

If someone is popular, or there's a popular pairing, they take note of it. If someone's not popular, or a pairing isn't, they take a lot less notice, either because it's hard to write them out straight away, or because they've got some cussed determination to hang on to them.

I know back in the day, Paul Marquess on HO knew there was a really enthusiastic fanbase for Brendan Brady on here. He also knew the Sharpes were a disaster and got rid, probably a bit too brutally. On the other hand, when Emma Smithwick was in charge, her teen group was absolutely *hated* on here - but she was determined to keep shoving them at the front of the show, and kept on doing it until the show tanked in the ratings.

So I guess it's one place they look for feedback, but they don't always follow what they see, for their own reasons.
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Old 06-09-2015, 19:34
Good_boys
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So I guess it's one place they look for feedback, but they don't always follow what they see, for their own reasons.
Exactly. A great example would be when Brookside adopted the filmic effect, fans overwhelmingly hated it, but rather than get rid sharpish, they kept it, until the end of the series.
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Old 06-09-2015, 20:17
theshadow
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There's been huge support here for Bonnie Langford - now she's been made a regular - wonder were producers keeping an eye on forums like this?
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Old 06-09-2015, 20:25
NoughtiesMusic
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Either they do, or it's purely a coincidence if certain things happen on soaps as per the wishes of us folks on here

Bryan Kirkwood clearly doesn't.

A couple of weird/roundabout things have happened though for EE. I've mentioned in passing a couple of times that Honey Mitchell could be brought back. The mini storyline from last year kept the door open and Lola's exit suggested there was a gap for someone in Billy's life. Well guess what this week's Sunday midnight announcement turned out to be

I remember when we were discussing who could play Ada Fox, Denise and Kim's mum. I brought up Ellen Thomas' name and although she has turned out to be Vincent's mum, she is connected to the Fox's and it was not too long after we had the discussion.

The Kathy prediction at the start of the live week was amazing given what happened on Friday. That said, DTC probably had this under wraps for a while so we guessed very well.

I don't know if he 'listened' to the criticisms of the Carters taking up a lot of TV time, but they had a pretty long break from EE over the summer, making only sporadic appearances.

Still waiting on whether our Zainab prediction (or hope) of a return comes true

The one which I doubt will happen is Chrissie Watts coming back despite her popularity on here.
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Old 06-09-2015, 20:44
CherryRose
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I know for a FACT that they find my opinion of particularly high value

DTC allegedly has my post list saved in his favourites.
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Old 06-09-2015, 21:05
Pink_Smurf
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I know for a FACT that they find my opinion of particularly high value

DTC allegedly has my post list saved in his favourites.
In that case can you ask DTC to bring Zainab back? Also can you ask ITV to order TPTB at Coronation Street to axe Antony Cotton and I'd like Ross Barton to be topless in every scene in Emmerdale
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Old 06-09-2015, 22:08
cyrilandshirley
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There's been huge support here for Bonnie Langford - now she's been made a regular - wonder were producers keeping an eye on forums like this?
It's hard to know. They film well ahead, so a lot of the time they'll already have made their own mind up about whether someone plays well on screen - but I guess a bit of immediate audience feedback can strengthen the case to extend someone's contract.
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Old 06-09-2015, 22:39
Belligerence
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Although the Corrie staff and storyliners are pig-headed and don't take critique on here, they do read the forums.

Stolen many a line and nickname.
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Old 06-09-2015, 22:47
Foxster Hotpot
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Although the Corrie staff and storyliners are pig-headed and don't take critique on here, they do read the forums.

Stolen many a line and nickname.
I thought this after the McMutton thing started circulating on here and then Tracy said something about Liz being mutton dressed as lamb in the show but I thought it must just be coincidence at the time though.
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Old 06-09-2015, 23:24
boddism
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I blame DS for the daft idea of bringing Kathy back from the dead.
Indeed, this has been suggested on this forum last year, more than enough time ago for it to be read by TPTB & thought about.

Strange how Kathy faking her own death was suggested on DS then VOILA! A few months later she's coming back to EE having, errr, faked her own death!!

Personally I don't particularly want her back, I think after a few months this'll turn out to be a dud.

There have been other occasions recently on EE, eg: when a character insulted Phil with a phrase that had uncanny similarity to insults written in this forum. I was actually taken aback to see it on the show.
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Old 06-09-2015, 23:28
Andybear
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I thought this after the McMutton thing started circulating on here and then Tracy said something about Liz being mutton dressed as lamb in the show but I thought it must just be coincidence at the time though.
"Mutton dressed as lamb" is a very common saying. At least it is in the area I live in.
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Old 06-09-2015, 23:32
boddism
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There's been huge support here for Bonnie Langford - now she's been made a regular - wonder were producers keeping an eye on forums like this?
The timing wouldn't be right- its filmed 8 weeks ahead don't forget & she hasn't been in the show THAT long.

I think it can have a negative effect in characters though- Dexter being an example, another being Denise Van Outen.
DTC hyped her up, saying she'd make a great addition to the show.
she made a brief appearance, was universally panned in here, then never appeared again. It may be that Jake Woods break was known by then, but I suspect that it was more that he introduced her briefly as a "test", the public response was negative, so she was dropped quietly.
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Old 07-09-2015, 00:38
Tom-Bennett.
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I think secretly they do, Dev's kids in CS were constantly being called "Asda" and "Aldi" as a recurring joke among the forums. Up until they put it in the script for Sue Johnstone
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Old 07-09-2015, 00:48
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If DTC had just listened to me, we'd have a very different, much better Eastenders.
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Old 07-09-2015, 03:18
SuperAPJ
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I remember there being a scene in Corrie where Izzy was seen to stand up unaided and there was some fuss on here after that, with some posters claiming a wheelchair user wouldn't be able to do that. A matter of weeks later, we saw Izzy randomly explaining her disability to another character and saying that people see her standing up and think she's not really disabled! If that was just a coincidence, it was an amusing one!
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