[Sophii3x]

Get Enders 5 times a week
EASTENDERS is to be screened FIVE times a week to do battle with rival Coronation Street, The Sun can reveal.

BBC1 bosses are set to film an extra half-hour episode of the soap, tipped to be broadcast on Wednesday nights. That would add up to 2½ hours of EastEnders per week — exactly the same as ITV1 rival Corrie.

A Beeb insider said: “BBC1 controller Peter Fincham is very keen to match Corrie episode for episode.

“He’s made no secret that he’d like EastEnders to go five times a week and is in discussions with drama chiefs to firm up the plans.”

EastEnders, whose stars include John Bardon as Jim Branning, now airs on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday nights, with an omnibus on Sundays.

Corrie has a Monday double bill and is also shown on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

The extra half hour of EastEnders, which could alternatively be shown on Sundays, follows months of criticism over scripts and storylines.

The show went four times a week in August 2001, to match Corrie, which introduced a fourth episode in 1996.

Stars had to be pacified by TV chiefs, who were said to have given them £50,000 pay rises for the extra workload.

Last night an EastEnders insider insisted the cast had NOT been told of plans for a fifth weekly episode.

A BBC spokeswoman said: “We constantly examine our schedules for possibilities.”

The Sun

[MarkWaldorf]

God. It's crap enough.

[Lauren]

Hope this doesn't happen. It lost it's spark long ago.

[stacey]

i still like eastenders
i think there should be a soap on, on a saturday because on a saturday night people who dont like reality shows like dancing on ice. have nothing to watch and when they have finished nothing is on

[BB-Rocks]

I dont like EastEnders, but i from what ive heard about Eastenders i would rather watch Corrie.

[andybigbro]

i dont watch eastenders lol its just boring now i prefer hollyoaks

[Sophii3x]

How can you lot not love EE?
I haven't watched it in a while, but Iv'e started too again
And it's great

[Ruth*Star]

Oh Great! its fine as it is. i do like EE but i'd rather whatch Corrie anydays. actaully i'd rather whatch Hollyoaks.

[Sophii3x]

The only soaps I watch now are EE and Neighbours

[Red Moon]

I hope the BBC know what this will do to the NHS drug budget.

More viewers will be needing happy pills.

[Sophii3x]

Originally posted by Red Moon
I hope the BBC know what this will do to the NHS drug budget.

More viewers will be needing happy pills.

haha! EE is pretty depressing at some times, but it isn't real so I find it funny

[Bubs]

I have to say I am more of a hollyoaks fan rather then EE or Corrie (I lost track of them forever ago) but my mum still watches both and whenever I am home and that is on I feel like gauging my eyes out rather then watch EE it is depressing I am surprised at this decision though as I believed it was losing audiences.

[Sophii3x]

Bubs, they are doing it to get more viewers