The impact of TV drama cutbacks on soaps is "a real tragedy", according to critically acclaimed writer Jack Thorne. "It feels like we're killing ourselves a little bit," the BAFTA-winning screenwriter and playwright has told Sky News. Those who watch the soaps will know Christmas means Turkey trimmings with a side-order of high-drama.
While it is, of course, all kicking off on the cobbles and at The Queen Vic as you'd expect at this time of year, off-camera it's been quite the tumultuous time for those working on a number of long-running dramas. Two years after the end of Holby City, this year the BBC axed Doctors and cut the number of Casualty episodes.
"Holby was a bastion of great writing," Thorne insists, "and the lack of those shows is going to be a problem for our future.". "It's a really, really hard time being a writer in this country… and I think that's going to be a real problem, it's been something that's been growing for a while.".
Grace Dent to replace Gregg Wallace on the BBC's Celebrity MasterChef. Chris McCausland becomes Strictly Come Dancing's first blind winner. James Corden says Gavin & Stacey 'changed' his life 'in every way' - as first look finale pictures released. The BBC cited increased production costs as the reason Doctors had to go. After 24 years, the very last episode aired in November.
Elisabeth Dermot Walsh who played the scheming Dr Zara Carmichael admits she was gutted for both cast and crew. "So many people got their first breaks particularly on Doctors, from writers to camera assistants, through to the assistant director department, to producers," she says.
