Celebrating Eastenders at 40!
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Kicking off with a dead body in 1985, EastEnders started as it meant to go on - with secrets, lies and brutal murder. It proved to be a formula for instant success with 13 million viewers tuning into the first episode. That historic debut introduced some of the soap’s most memorable characters as Arthur Fowler, Ali Osman and Den Watts discovered Reg Cox’s body after breaking into his flat. When Nick Cotton was revealed to be the killer, a classic soap villain was born.
The show was set up as a darker, grittier rival to Coronation Street and Emmerdale and quickly found loyal viewers for its twice- weekly broadcast tackling taboo subjects including homosexuality, drugs, AIDS and teenage pregnancy.
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Strong characters have helped EastEnders deftly deliver outlandish storylines in a relatable way. Den and Angie Watts, the soap’s first ever power couple, set a high bar that new stars have been aspiring to ever since. With Angie’s drinking and Dirty Den’s cheating, the pair transfixed viewers and drew in 30 million viewers for the 1986 Christmas Day episode, which saw Den (Leslie Gratham) shock his wife with divorce papers. In the aftermath, Anita Dobson, who played alcoholic landlady Angie, became the second most photographed woman in the UK - just behind Princess Diana.
Over the last four decades the show has given us legendary characters who have become part of our cultural fabric. From Pauline Fowler to Frank Butcher and Bianca Jackson, everyone has their favourite EastEnder. Successive occupants of the Vic have been just as vibrant as the original Watts family, with the Butchers, the Mitchells, the Moons, the Carters and even Ian Beale all having a go.
Now 40 years on, the pub is run by the Knight family - who are all no stranger to drama either. As the years have gone by, Albert Square’s Queen Vic has been Walford’s focal point, hosting weddings, funerals and even births. It’s even been burned down twice and looks set for more damage in the explosive 40th anniversary celebrations. Strong characters are an integral part of the EastEnders mix but they’d be nothing without big storylines – and EastEnders is awash with them. Over the years we’ve had baby swaps, cot deaths, whodunnits, domestic abuse and more besides. We’ve seen deaths faked, lovers caught out and even watched our favourites get away with murder. Long may it continue!
