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BBC to Launch New Soap Opera to Rival ‘Coronation Street’

Photo: ITV

It’s something every soap fans loves to hear that a new soap will be developed and debut.  It’s something here in America we just never hear about happening behind the scenes anymore … that a new daytime drama will launch.

However, now comes word that the BBC is set to put in production and launch a new soap opera focusing on the north of England and less-London-centric, but other reports share it may be more of a weekly series, than a daily one.

According to The Telegraph, the plan is for BBC to produce a show to rival the long-running Coronation Street from ITV.

 

They share that,”The BBC will relocate 400 jobs, including 200 in the News department, to locations including Cardiff, Birmingham, Glasgow and Leeds. A further 600 new roles will be created.  Viewers will see “a noticeable shift in portrayal of different parts of the UK in key genres such as drama, comedy and factual” including a soap “from the North of England”‘.

The moves come as part of a new six-year plan and are part of a project entitled “Across the UK”, and is partly a response to criticism that the BBC is too London-centric and fails to represent the social and political viewpoints of all license fee payers.

Tim Davie, the director-general of BBC expressed: “Now, as we look to the future, we must play our part in supporting social and economic recovery; rebuilding the creative sector and telling the stories that need to be heard from all corners of the UK.”

So, what do you think of a new soap in development in the UK that will be targeted to viewers from the north of England? Do you think we can ever launch a new soap opera that lasts for years here in the United States? Comment below.

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Corrie is way too dark like our American serials

I could sign up for this! I really could! Beginning from scratch in 2021 is interesting, however, the only place I could imagine this happening is the UK, so I am here for it. I know American television could not accomplish this, whether in daytime or even primetime on a potentially five-episodes-per-week basis. Let’s hope it is available to American viewers via Hulu, because I don’t want to miss this one!!! I’ve also begun watching Coronation Street on Hulu, and, while it is not Hollyoaks, I am enjoying it thus far. We need more British soaps on American streaming!

I would also love to see Australian soaps come to America, as well, because even they look quite interesting. I’m also wondering: in all these years, I do wonder why Canada has never produced its own soap opera. I would think the audience would be there!

Scott, You should also try and catch the New Zealand programme, SHORTLAND STREET. It is wonderful! X

I have heard about Shortland Street, and I will have to see where I might be able to check it out! Thank you, Eden!

So what does this mean for EastEnders?

BBC can’t produce two soaps at once?

Kate Oates who went from Emmerdale to Coronation Street to the BBC to rescue Eastenders which was really failing. A bus crash through the market stalls, Denise eating out of trash cans. John Yorke came back and helped her fix it quickly now she’s heading up all programming at the BBC including Holby City(the deadliest hospital on earth I call it); and Casualty. I’m not surprised they’re letting her create another soap.

It’s interesting an ODD, that BBC has a new soap in the works.
Post-Covid, it’s flagship EastEnders has become unwatchable. Makes one wonder that it’s not due to Covid production, but a rather blatent attempt to to kill and replace?..to appease the politically correct, yet ignorant masses? Hmmm.
I unsubscribed from Britbox a month ago, I joined just to watch EastEnders, but post Covid it just became a mess?
Things are not as they seem.

I’m too late getting into Coronation Street, but my experience in watching Brit tv over the years is that they turn out really good shows with good actors. So if it’s shown here across the pond I will give it a try, especially if it takes up the unwatchable space in the afternoon the networks are giving us now with talk shows.

Yes. I cannot wait to watch!

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George Cheeks, CBS President & CEO, on Timeline to Launch New Daytime Drama, ‘The Gates’: “We’re So Focused on Getting it Right”

March 2024 will be remembered in the TV and soap world when the news broke that CBS is prepping a brand new daytime drama. Many had thought a major network would never bring a new daytime soap into the world, given that the last time it was attempted was 25 years ago when the now defunct Passions bowed on NBC.

However, The Gates is definitely in development and moving forward with some major players associated with it including: Michele Val Jean as The Gates writer, showrunner and one of its executive producers, and Sheila Ducksworth from NAACP Venture

Now, for the first time since its announcement, George Cheeks, the president and CEO of CBS and chief content officer for news and sports at Paramount+, spoke on the project that will feature a Black family as its central focus who live in a wealthy gated community.

Photo: NAACP

Speaking with Vulture, and when asked if The Gates is really something that truly has a chance of getting on the air, Cheeks clarified, “It’s super real. And just to give you a little bit of the backstory,  when we hired Sheila Ducksworth to run the NAACP Venture, she and I had multiple meetings talking about what different genres she was going to lean into, and we talked a lot about daytime.”

Cheeks added, “One of the things that the data made very clear to both of us is that daytime soap operas over index with Black women, and yet when you look at soap operas, it’s usually sort of a white-led family with supporting characters that reflect more of our society. So we just thought, wouldn’t it be interesting to flip that and make the core anchor family a Black family, and then make the other characters reflect more the broader scope of society?”

Photo: JPI

The CEO gave props to Michele Val Jean,  and how Ducksworth came to the table with the former B&B and GH writer. “She found this great writer, Michele Val Jean, who’s been in the soap opera space for 30 years. She came up with a pitch, and we loved it,” shares Cheeks. “We brought Procter & Gamble into it as well, because if there were going to be (product) integrations, we could do it more holistically and organically. All of that is to say, we did a lot of work on the front end to put this together. So while yes, it’s development, it’s accelerated development.”

When prodded on the timeline of when The Gates could come to full fruition, Gates related, “The actual timeline and when we’re going to do it is still uncertain, because we want to get this right. I mean, there hasn’t been a new soap opera launch since I can’t even begin to tell you when. But we have great success with Bold and the Beautiful and Young and the Restless, and so we think we’re the right folks to be launching a new soap. I wish I could tell you more about exact timing, but we’re so focused on getting it right, and that will dictate when we’re ready to launch it.”

The CBS exec also shared that whether The Gates will wind up an hour soap or half-hour is not yet determined, but that it is being developed as an hour show.

So, after reading what George Cheeks, the CBS President & CEO had to say about ‘The Gates’, are you even more excited for what looks to the first new network soap in 25 years? Comment below.

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Robyn Bernard, ‘General Hospital’s’ Terry Brock, Dead at 64

Former General Hospital star, Robyn Bernard, who played aspiring singer Terry Brock has died. She was 64-years-old.

Bernard’s body was found Tuesday in San Jacinto, California. A Riverside County Coroner told TMZ they identified the actress’ body using her fingerprints after deputies responded to a death investigation call on Tuesday March 12th.

Sources told the outlet that Bernard’s body was found in the wee hours of the morning. The cause of death has yet to be determined.

Photo: ABC

Bernard joined General Hospital back in 1984 as Terry Brock, the daughter of the abusive D.L. Brock (played by David Groh). Robyn remained on the ABC soap opera for six years before making her exit in 1990. At one point, Terry’s stepmother would become Bobbie Spencer (the late Jackie Zeman) when the nurse married her father.

Terry was involved in the Laurelton Murders storyline and after first setting her sights on Frisco Jones, wound up with killer Kevin O’Connor. Later, Terry was blamed for several murders and in the end killed Kevin in self-defense. In addition, Terry had a relationship with Dusty Walker played by none other than Shaun Cassidy.  She eventually left Port Charles after landing her own recording contract.

Photo: ABC

The last time GH Fans may have seen Bernard was in 2014, when she appeared at the GH Fan Club Weekend Past Cast event. Robyn is pictured below with the late Susan Brown (ex-Gail) at the fan gathering. She has been out of the limelight for several years.

Photo: JPI

In addition to her role on GH, Bernard was featured throughout her TV career on primetime’s Simon & Simon, Tour of Duty and The Facts of Life.

Share your remembrances and condolences for GH alum Robyn Bernard and her loved ones via the comment section below.

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Breaking News

51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Announce Broadcast Date on CBS

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) revealed on Tuesday, that the 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards will be broadcast live on Friday night, June 7th (8 – 10 PM, ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network, and available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+*.

This year will mark the 18th time CBS has broadcast the Daytime Emmy Awards, which is more than any other network.

The 2024 Daytime Emmys will take place at the Westin Bonaventure in downtown Los Angeles. Back in December of 2023, the delayed 50th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards were also held at that venue. The June 7th date for the upcoming ceremony will be the first time in several years that the event is scheduled a few weeks earlier than normal; excluding last year’s revised date to the actors and writers strikes.

Photo: NATAS

Lifetime Achievement honoree, nominations, host, and additional information will be announced in the coming weeks.

In a statement, Adam Sharp, President and CEO of NATAS noted, “We eagerly anticipate our return in June as we once again partner with CBS to recognize the exceptional and talented individuals who make daytime television great. We’re thrilled to kick off our second half-century of the Daytime Emmys.”

The Daytime Emmy Awards have recognized outstanding achievement in television programming and crafts since 1974, honoring work in a variety of categories, including daytime dramas, talk shows, instructional programming, hosting, culinary, and legal/courtroom programs. In 2021, NATAS and the Television Academy jointly announced plans to realign the Daytime and Primetime Emmy Awards to be organized by content genre, as opposed to program airtime.

Photo: JPI

The 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards will once again be produced by NATAS and Associated Television International (ATI), which produced Daytime Emmy Award ceremonies on The CW in 2009 and on CBS in 2010, 2011, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. Adam Sharp and Lisa Armstrong are executive producers from NATAS, while David McKenzie is executive producer from ATI.

So, glad to know that the 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards honoring performance and shows in the 2023 calendar year, will be held in early June this year, and once again broadcast on CBS? Comment below.

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