[Loukas]

EastEnders will stop airing a weekly omnibus from April 2015.

Executive producer, Dominic Treadwell-Collins, explained that viewing figures for the omnibus edition of the BBC One soap have "steadily decreased" in recent years.

In a letter published by The Writer's Guild, he wrote: "The BBC is today announcing that the EastEnders omnibus will cease from April 2015. This decision has been taken after much consideration and detailed analysis of the audience research."

He said that the "advent of PVRs and the wide availability of BBC iPlayer" has contributed to a decease in demand for the weekly catch-up broadcast.

"With the anticipated introduction of 30 day catch-up on BBC iPlayer in the near future, as well as BBC One +1, there will be even more opportunities for viewers to watch episodes they've missed," he continued.

Treadwell-Collins assured writers in his letter that the BBC is "absolutely committed to the future of EastEnders", and that it "remains at the heart of the BBC One schedule".

A BBC spokesperson confirmed to Digital Spy: "EastEnders is a key part of the BBC One schedule but viewers are increasingly using their recording devices or iPlayer to catch-up on episodes they've missed rather than rely on the weekly TV repeat.

"As a result, from April 2015, BBC One will no longer show the EastEnders omnibus."

Digital Spy