Ex-BBC boss admits EastEnders was almost set at ‘geriatric caravan park’ before takeover

Former BBC chief executive Lord Michael Grade opened up about his involvement in the production of EastEnders and spilled the beans on some of the beloved soap's biggest secrets

TPD

3 minutes read

Ofcom Chairman Lord Michael Grade confessed that EastEnders almost became a “geriatric caravan park in the Northeast” before he took over.

On Sunday (April 14) the senior communications regulator joined Jo Brand on her new radio show, Open The Box on Boom Radio. In the tell-all interview, the former controller of BBC One and ex-chief executive of Channel 4, 81, spilled some of the behind-the-scenes secrets on some of the biggest shows on the silver screen.

The former TV boss certainly didn’t hold back as he discussed his involvement in the development of the BBC One soap opera. During his time on BBC One, he was in charge of running the schedule and commissioning the programmes.

He explained how “one of the first decision I had to make, they had decided they were going to do a soap opera on BBC One. There was one in development when I arrived, and I asked to see the head of the drama series, Jonathan Powell, to tell me about this alleged soap opera.

“He said, ‘I’ve only just taken over and the show I’ve inherited is set in a geriatric caravan park in the Northeast’. My face fell,” he confessed. Lord Michael continued: “I said, ‘Really? Where is that now?’ He said, ‘I’ve binned that’.

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“And he said, ‘We’ve got a show called EastEnders, based on a square in the East End of London.” The star went on to explain that he chose to then leave the work up to the writers and producers.

However, he wanted them to send the first episode over to him once it was complete. He told the comic: “I said, ‘That sounds a bit better than a geriatric caravan park.’ He told me who was in charge, Julius Smith and Tony Holland, the writer.

https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/11087683/nelly-furtado-blood-falls-performance-coachella/ (Image: https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/11087683/nelly-furtado-blood-falls-performance-coachella/)

“I said, ‘I’ll leave it to you… send me the first episode’.” The TV boss then confessed he had his trepidations when it came to watching the first episode back in 1985 because he feared that the show could turn out to be “horrible”.

Lord Michael explained: “I remember with some considerable trepidation putting the cassette in the machine and thinking, ‘Oh my God, you know, this is a year’s commitment. This could be horrible’.”

But the TV boss had a change of heart when he saw the opening titles and admitted that he knew everything was going to work out for the best. He continued: “As the music and the opening titles played, I knew it was okay.

(Image: PA)

“You always know from the opening titles and the music if the producers and the director really know what they’re doing. I knew immediately this was going to be alright.”

During the interview, Jo Brand asked the former BBC One controller why the channel needed the soap on the airwaves. He explained: “ ITV had Coronation Street, which was through the roof every night, and Emmerdale Farm and Crossroads.

“And the BBC felt the schedule absolutely needed it. And they were right. They were lucky to have Jonathan Powell to pick it and choose Julia and Tony Holland to write it.”

(Image: PA)

Since EastEnders became a hit with viewers, the star revealed that other soaps have started taking inspiration from the show in terms of their tragic storylines after its success. He boasted: “People don’t realise this now – but Coronation Street was very gentle and fluffy, and lovely and warm, and nothing horrible ever happened in Coronation Street.

“It does now, but that’s a response to what we did on EastEnders. It became much more socially conscious, dealing with social issues and real hard pain in families and so on and so on. And Coronation Street eventually followed suit.”

As they came to the end of the interview, Grade touched on how the soap has developed to make viewers feel like they’re part of “another world for half an hour.” Sharing his love for the soap, he gushed: “The great thing about a soap opera is you go into another world for half an hour.

(Image: PA)

“And EastEnders, Coronation Street is brilliant at that – the Rovers Return; you’re going into somebody else’s world and you’re there for half an hour and you feel part of the neighbourhood.

“It was the same with EastEnders, there was a sense of community, a sense of place.”

Tune in to Jo Brand’s interview with Lord Michael Grade on Boom Radio on Sunday 21 April at 9pm.

TPD

3 minutes read

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