EastEnders Live
Encyclopedia
"EastEnders Live" is a live episode of the British television soap opera
EastEnders
, broadcast on BBC One
on 19 February 2010. The episode was commissioned as part of the show's 25th anniversary celebrations, and was the first EastEnders episode to be broadcast live. It was the series' 3,952nd episode, and was written by Simon Ashdown
, directed by Clive Arnold
and produced by Diederick Santer
. The episode concludes a "whodunnit" storyline about the murder
of Archie Mitchell
(Larry Lamb
), revealing his killer to be Stacey Slater
(Lacey Turner
). It also sees the exit of Charlie Clements
as Bradley Branning
, who falls to his death from the roof of The Queen Victoria
public house
.
Turner only learned that Stacey was Archie's killer half an hour before the episode aired, in a bid by the production team to maintain the storyline's secrecy. 51 EastEnders cast members appeared in the episode, with several expressing trepidation about performing live prior to the broadcast. Cast members had two weeks to rehearse the episode, with one rehearsal filmed in case of any serious problems during transmission. When Turner fell ill with the flu
on the day of broadcast, it was feared the producers may have needed to use the pre-recorded tape, but in the event she recovered enough to appear.
"EastEnders Live" was Santer's final episode as EastEnders executive producer. He expressed his pleasure with the episode, despite several errors during transmission, including mis-delivered lines and some problems with sound and camera shots. Viewers gambled on the identity of the killer, with bookmakers Ladbrokes
experiencing record levels of gambling on a television series, and William Hill
taking £500,000, surpassing the amount placed on the outcome of Dallas
Who shot J.R.?
storyline in 1980. The episode was watched by 19.9 million cumulative viewers, becoming the most watched show of the year to date. EastEnders Live: The Aftermath, a documentary which followed the episode on BBC Three
, was seen by 11.6 million viewers, drawing the station's highest ever ratings. "EastEnders Live" received mixed reviews from critics. It was described as "a triumph" by Shane Donaghey of The Belfast Telegraph
, praised by Tom Sutcliffe
of The Independent
for including stunt work, and commended for Clements and Turner's acting by Tim Teeman of The Times
. In contrast, however, The Guardian
Nancy Banks-Smith
felt that viewers would be "incredulous" with the episode's outcome, and Cate Devine of The Herald
criticized problems with lighting and sound effects.
(Lacey Turner
), Bradley Branning
(Charlie Clements
) is urged to flee Walford
by his father and uncle after becoming the prime suspect in the investigation of the murder of local landlord Archie Mitchell
. Bradley's father Max
(Jake Wood
) distracts the police while Bradley and Stacey attempt to escape from Albert Square
. Elsewhere, Archie's youngest daughter Roxy
(Rita Simons) suspects that her sister Ronnie
(Samantha Womack) is the murderer. She accuses Ronnie, who tells her that their father raped Stacey, and confesses that he did the same to her when she was a child. Ronnie and Roxy's cousin Phil
(Steve McFadden
) ransacks the home of Ian Beale
(Adam Woodyatt
), believing that Ian has in his possession a cufflink which would implicate him in Archie's murder. He exits without finding it, leaving Ian and Dot Branning
(June Brown
) to watch an old videotape of their family and friends, reminiscing about the past.
Phil's mother Peggy
(Barbara Windsor
) is accused by Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks
) of attempting to frame her for the murder. As Janine prepares to flee Walford, Peggy finds Roxy and Ronnie fighting. She tells the girls that she too was present the night Archie was killed, arriving to find him injured but alive, however left without calling for medical help. Outside, Bradley and Stacey are about to take a taxi to St Pancras railway station
when Bradley realises he has forgotten their passports. He tells Stacey to wait and hurries back home to collect them, but is spotted by the police. A chase ensues, and Bradley climbs onto the roof of The Queen Victoria
public house
in an attempt to escape. He shouts for Stacey to run before losing his footing and falling to his death. In the immediate aftermath, Stacey is comforted by Max, and confesses that she is the one who killed Archie.
announced plans to broadcast the first ever live episode of EastEnders
, to celebrate the show's 25th anniversary. The air date was set for 19 February 2010, with the episode to be broadcast from the BBC's Elstree Studios
in Borehamwood
. EastEnders executive producer
Diederick Santer
initially refrained from discussing the episode's plot, but commented that it would resolve a "big storyline" which would "keep the audience (as well as the cast and crew) guessing until the very last moment." EastEnders storylines saw Archie Mitchell
, landlord of The Queen Victoria
public house
murdered on Christmas Day 2009, with many characters considered potential suspects in the crime. Santer confirmed that the killer would be revealed in the live episode, and that their identity would be kept secret until the night of broadcast, even from the cast member playing them. Another aspect of the episode is the remarriage of characters Bianca Jackson
(Patsy Palmer
) and Ricky Butcher
(Sid Owen
). Santer deemed it the "soap wedding of the year—and perhaps the soap wedding of the decade", commenting that playing the romance against the "thriller" of the "whodunnit" storyline provided a balance he hoped audiences would be "gripped by and satisfied with."
, announced that he would be leaving the soap in 2010. It was rumoured that Bradley
would be seen to commit suicide during the live episode, but this was refuted by an EastEnders spokesperson. It was later revealed that Bradley would make his last appearance in the live episode, urged to flee Walford
by his father Max
and uncle Jack
(Scott Maslen
) after becoming the prime suspect in the investigation into Archie's murder. Bradley's motive for murder came from the discovery that Archie raped his partner Stacey
. In an interview with daytime television show This Morning
, Clements stated it was possible that Bradley was responsible, but was unsure whether he "[had] it in him", though felt that it would be "quite historical to go down as the one who killed Archie Mitchell". In the event, Bradley exited the soap by falling to his death from the roof of The Queen Victoria
public house during the live episode. Immediately after filming, Clements stated that he was "drained", referring to his character's death as "a big way to go out."
In total, 51 EastEnders cast members were involved in the live broadcast. Several cast members expressed trepidation at the prospect of the live episode. Before details of the episode's plot were confirmed, Turner hoped that she would not be involved in it, deeming herself "awful" at performing live, unable to even deliver speeches. Neil McDermott
feared that he would lose his composure and laugh during the broadcast, while Palmer hoped that the episode would not turn into a pantomime
, commenting: "I hope we're a bit more professional than that." Simons stated that she was looking forward to the challenge the episode presented, though she would be happier once she had seen the script. Clements denied any apprehension, likening the performance to acting in theatre, and Nina Wadia
stated that she was "really looking forward to it", enjoying experiences with an "adrenaline rush." Once the script was released, Wadia was "disappointed yet relieved" to learn she did not have a speaking role, explaining: "You want to be in it, but not to mess it up." She expected to feel "uncomfortable" during the broadcast, as the episode is set the day before her character Zainab Masood
gives birth, necessitating the wearing of a body suit with a large "baby bump" sewn in.
. The first read-through took place on 8 February 2010, though producers held back the part of the script revealing Archie's true killer. Eight different possible endings were rehearsed, with Santer reiterating that the actor playing the killer would only be told so on the night of broadcast. He revealed that the actor playing the killer would be informed of their actions at 7:30 pm on 19 February, 30 minutes before the episode's transmission, with their reaction filmed for the documentary EastEnders Live: The Aftermath, which aired on BBC Three
immediately after "EastEnders Live" was broadcast, narrated by Lamb's son George
.
Santer explained that the killer "may be revealed to the audience rather than the Square
", preserving secrecy as the crew began filming episodes to be transmitted after the live broadcast. Actress Charlie Brooks
, who plays Archie's former lover Janine Butcher, found the secrecy difficult to work with, explaining: "In the episodes to be shown afterwards, you’re being told to look or speak a certain way, but not why." Santer confirmed that the cast found the episode challenging, stating: "They are as desperate to know who did it as the viewers", though believed they were all capable of coping with the pressure of the live episode. He explained that the cast typically film scenes in one take anyway, and observed that several EastEnders actors had formerly appeared in live broadcasts for other series. Cast members had just two dress rehearsals in advance of the live episode, and only one read-through of the entire episode.
the scene to be filmed, then begin shooting with the director on the studio floor. For "EastEnders Live", cast and crew had two weeks to work on the episode, rehearsing, blocking scenes and discussing the characters' journeys at length.
Once technical rehearsals began and cameras were added in, Ashdown moved from the studio floor to an outside broadcast truck. All cameras on set were cabled to the truck, allowing Ashdown to oversee the entire episode remotely. Ashdown approached the episode as though it were a theatrical performance, explaining: "We can work on performance and blocking early on, discussing issues and discovering the text as we go. Actors know to save their energy when technical rehearsals are taking place and then it's quite magical when all elements are combined close to the first performance. Of course, our theatre company will have it's opening and closing night on Friday, February 19!"
Ashdown explained that filming "EastEnders Live" to look like a typical episode of EastEnders was difficult, giving the example of a scene involving a ringing mobile phone. In a usual EastEnders episode, the viewer would see a shot of the phone and know who was calling. In the live episode, the caller would have to be visually or audibly obvious, as a result of the camera set-up and inability to edit scenes. He described the episode's biggest limitation as the weather, explaining that "EastEnders Live" begins with a direct pickup from the previous episode of EastEnders, with the same characters in the same outside location, leaving the crew hoping for a dry night. Sound was also a problem, as sound quality is better using boom rod
s than radio microphones, but booms often dip into shot during the filming of EastEnders. Ashdown commented that the production crew would be using booms where possible, but that all cast members with dialogue would be given a radio microphone as backup.
and was unable to speak. In the event, Turner recovered enough to appear, though was given permission to whisper her lines if necessary. She was able to deliver her dialogue as planned, however was too ill to appear on EastEnders Live: The Aftermath following the episode. Turner commented that nothing could have stopped her from appearing in the episode, as the cast had worked so hard on it, and it was "such a big part of TV history". Several errors were made during the transmission. Barbara Windsor
as Peggy incorrectly called Janine "June" and Maslen stumbled over several of his lines. During the final scene, a camera was visibly jostled, sound became muffled and some zoom shots "misfired". Following Bradley's death, Clements' fingers were seen to move, and Wood was observed inserting his fingers into his throat to help him retch. The script called for Wood to be sick, though there was not enough time for him to put the liquid into his mouth, and he stated that a person would put their fingers into their throat anyway, "to get it all out". During a scene in which Roxy and Ronnie argued in the Minute Mart, Womack took a bottle of paint stripper
from the shelves, but forgot to stop at the counter to pay for it before exiting.
Santer, who stood down as executive producer after the episode's transmission, succeeded by Bryan Kirkwood
, commented that he was happy, relieved and proud with the broadcast. Santer stated: "I just think everyone did brilliantly tonight—the cast, the crew, everyone. It's everything I wished for and more. I'm thrilled with how it went. It was quite remarkable. Everything went to plan. I spotted a couple of little wobbles but what I was proudest of was the recovery. The technical crew, the cast—every time we maybe veered slightly off course, they pulled it back round." Santer explained that he had always intended for Stacey to be revealed as Archie's killer, and was never tempted to air a different conclusion, despite at least ten characters having strong motives. Turner was surprised to learn that Stacey was the killer, and hoped that viewers would sympathise with her character, observing: "She not only has to deal with the guilt of what she did but she also knows that she's inadvertently responsible for Bradley's death. I think that's going to hurt her more than anything."
Dan Sabbagh observed that the storylines which will culminate in "EastEnders Live"—Ricky and Bianca's remarriage and the Archie Mitchell "whodunnit"—have seen the show undergo a revival, overtaking rival soap opera Coronation Street
in the ratings for the first time in over three years. Tim Teeman of The Times
highlighted the Archie storyline as representative of male characters in EastEnders offering an "essential foil" to their female counterparts, who he appraised as being "key" to the show's success, using the example of Archie's relationship with his wife Peggy
and daughter Ronnie
. He felt that the episode deserved high viewership, deeming EastEnders "a brilliant drama".
Conversely, Alison Rowat of The Herald
felt that the current storylines indicated "the best days of EE are over", commenting: "Contrast it with the ever sprightly Coronation Street, where the scenes featuring Gail “Black Widow” McIntyre and her lucky white heather husband have been perfect soap fare. What does EastEnders have? Another murder investigation in a place that has a higher homicide rate than The Wire
Baltimore
. Andrew Billen of The Times refuted claims by the BBC that "EastEnders Live" was not a "gimmick" but in fact proof of the soap's "innovative vigour". Billen deemed the live episode a "reactionary move", observing that Coronation Street had aired a live episode for its 40th anniversary in 2000. He reminded readers: "live television drama is nothing new but rather harks back to the earliest days of television and, beyond them, to theatre itself." The Mirror Jane Simon hoped for multiple errors during the transmission of "EastEnders Live", commenting: "It's time EastEnders gave us a laugh."
company Bodog
offered live odds during the episode, allowing viewers to continue to bet on the identity of Archie's killer as events unfolded. Although "in-running" betting is common during sports events, it had never before been offered for a soap opera. Odds on the killer's identity changed frequently in the fortnight preceding the transmission of "EastEnders Live". On 5 February, the clear favourite was Stacey, with odds at Bodog of 2/1. By 9 February, Stacey's odds had shortened to 6/4, though the character dropped into third place by 12 February, usurped by her brother Sean Slater
(Robert Kazinsky
) at odds of 9/4, and Ben Mitchell (Charlie Jones
) at 7/2. On 14 February, the unlikely favourite became Tracey the barmaid (Jane Slaughter
), a background character whose odds shortened considerably from 40/1 to 11/4. Sean moved back into first place on 16 February, with odds of 2/1, and remained there until the eve of broadcast.
Bookmakers estimated that over £1 million would be spent gambling on the outcome of the storyline. Ladbrokes
experienced its busiest ever 24 hours of gambling on a television series ahead of the episode's transmission, taking £100,000 in bets on 30 different characters, while William Hill
took £500,000, surpassing the amount placed on Dallas
Who shot J.R.?
storyline in 1980. Spokesman Rupert Adams commented: "The BBC were amazing keeping this quiet. We have broken even which in a market like this is amazing. We have had a roller-coaster but have enjoyed every minute."
and BBC Three
in the week of broadcast lifted the televised total to 18.8 million viewers, with a further 1.1 million watching the episode on BBC iPlayer
. The episode became the most watched show of the year to date. EastEnders Live: The Aftermath drew a total of 11.6 million viewers. It was watched by 4.54 million people on its initial airing, attaining a 15.9% audience share and becoming BBC Three's highest rated programme ever, as well as the most-watched multichannel programme of the day. The documentary drew a further 6.6 million viewers over four repeat broadcasts, and 0.5 million viewers via iPlayer. The original broadcast was the third highest rated television episode of 2010 in the UK, beaten by a 2010 FIFA World Cup
match between England and Germany, and the final of the seventh
series of The X Factor
.
Santer was delighted by the viewing figures, stating: "To get this incredible response from the audience is truly remarkable—these numbers go far beyond what we ever hoped for. I am so proud of our cast and crew for their incredible performance last night. This rating is the icing on our silver anniversary cake." Jay Hunt
, controller of BBC One
commented: "[The] extraordinary live episode was a fitting celebration of 25 magnificent years for EastEnders. The audience were clearly gripped by one of the greatest soap whodunnits ever." Discussing the ratings for EastEnders Live: The Aftermath, controller of BBC Three Danny Cohen
appraised: "It is an amazing testament to the EastEnders team and the brave and brilliant drama they provided." Yorke responded to the high consolidated ratings with the statement: "The best birthday present EastEnders could possibly have is to know that 25 years in it can still grab the biggest audience in the UK. It's a real tribute to the show's creators that a quarter of a century on, everybody's still talking about it."
, and was nominated in the "Best Live Event Coverage" category of the Broadcast Digital Awards 2010. It received mixed reviews from critics. Tom Sutcliffe
of The Independent
rated "EastEnders Live" 4 out of 5, noting that there were "a couple of moments where the seams showed", but that "half the fun in watching was seeing if you could spot them". He praised EastEnders for not "playing safe" by including stunt work, and commented that Ian Beale's line: "I wish we could go back and do it all again. Do it right this time." could potentially have been "a horrible hostage to fortune", however felt that: "in the end they more than got away with it." Tim Teeman of The Times
also rated the episode 4 out of 5, calling the revelation of Stacey as Archie's killer a "genuine surprise", and commenting that "EastEnders Live": "sometimes creaked under the weight of its own ambitions – but who cares, gold stars for effort." Teeman praised Clements and Turner, feeling that they "excelled themselves despite the odd strained pause", though noted that in the aftermath of Bradley's fall, "the perils of live TV became apparent", commenting that: "The direction slackened at just the wrong moment, and you were left hoping someone would get to a bit of script to ward off any more bizarre shots of Jack and Max fighting to free themselves from a policeman's soft grip."
Mike Higgins of The Independent deemed the episode "a technical triumph", praising the "smooth, almost flawless" and "fluent" production. Shane Donaghey of The Belfast Telegraph
also called the episode a "triumph", opining that it could not possibly have lived up to the hype surrounding the storyline, but that transmitting live gave EastEnders "an energy it normally lacks, with great violence, excellent direction". He summarised: "the story gripped so well you forgot to look for the cock-ups, before a genuinely shocking denouement that you never saw coming amid all of the hype." Pat Stacey of the Evening Herald
felt that revealing Stacey as Archie's killer was "a slight let-down" and "a little bit predictable", calling the episode "a triumph of logistics over logic". However, Stacey wrote that aside from the "damp-squib" ending, "EastEnders Live" was "surprisingly enjoyable [...] even for a committed 'Endersphobe like [her]self." She felt that transmitting live "added a tangible layer of tension" to proceedings, lamenting: "If only EastEnders was this exciting all the time." The Guardian
Nancy Banks-Smith
similarly felt that transmitting live made for "tension, not clarity", commenting that bookmakers would be "absolutely delighted" with the outcome, but that viewers would be "incredulous". Cate Devine of The Herald
was similarly critical, describing the episode as "30 minutes of cheesy dramatic counterpoint", and highlighting the "ropey lighting and poor sound effects."
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
, broadcast on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
on 19 February 2010. The episode was commissioned as part of the show's 25th anniversary celebrations, and was the first EastEnders episode to be broadcast live. It was the series' 3,952nd episode, and was written by Simon Ashdown
Simon Ashdown
Simon Ashdown is a British television writer, best known as being a BAFTA award-nominated EastEnders writer.Ashdown is currently series consultant and lead writer on EastEnders. He was involved in the creation of the Slater family, and along with other writers, developed the characters around the...
, directed by Clive Arnold
Clive Arnold
Clive Arnold is a British television director, known for his work on the BBC One soap opera EastEnders.-Career:Arnold began in showbusiness as an actor, working for six or seven years for the BBC. During this time he realised his talents may lie in working behind the camera, so joined the BBC as a...
and produced by Diederick Santer
Diederick Santer
Diederick Santer is a British television producer and is best known for his work on the popular BBC television soap opera EastEnders, a post which he assumed on 23 October 2006 and left on 1 March 2010...
. The episode concludes a "whodunnit" storyline about the murder
Who Killed Archie?
"Who Killed Archie?" is a storyline from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which began on 25 December 2009, Christmas Day, when the character Archie Mitchell, played by Larry Lamb, was murdered by an unseen person. Events leading up to and following the murder put several characters in the frame, in...
of Archie Mitchell
Archie Mitchell
Archibald Lionel "Archie" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Larry Lamb.The character of Archie is the father of already established characters Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell , and a member of the Mitchell family, who have appeared in the soap since 1990...
(Larry Lamb
Larry Lamb (actor)
Lawrence Douglas "Larry" Lamb is an English actor who has worked frequently in television. He is best known for playing one of the greatest villains of British soap Archie Mitchell in the BBC television soap EastEnders, Michael Shipman in the BBC television show Gavin & Stacey and Mischievous...
), revealing his killer to be Stacey Slater
Stacey Slater
Stacey Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Lacey Turner. She made her first appearance on 1 November 2004. The character was introduced as a feisty and troublesome teenager, an extension of the already established Slater clan...
(Lacey Turner
Lacey Turner
Lacey Amelia Turner is an award-winning English actress. She is best known for portraying the role of Stacey Slater on the BBC soap opera EastEnders, a role for which she has won 33 awards...
). It also sees the exit of Charlie Clements
Charlie Clements
Charlie Clements is an English actor, best known for the role of Bradley Branning in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from January 2006 to February 2010. He has won several soap and magazine awards for his performance.-Biography:...
as Bradley Branning
Bradley Branning
Bradley Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Charlie Clements. He made his first appearance on screen on 24 January 2006 and last appeared on 22 February 2010. Clements has won multiple awards for his portrayal....
, who falls to his death from the roof of The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria is a fictional Victorian public house in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. It has the fictional address of 46 Albert Square, Walford, London E20.-Appearance and development:...
public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
.
Turner only learned that Stacey was Archie's killer half an hour before the episode aired, in a bid by the production team to maintain the storyline's secrecy. 51 EastEnders cast members appeared in the episode, with several expressing trepidation about performing live prior to the broadcast. Cast members had two weeks to rehearse the episode, with one rehearsal filmed in case of any serious problems during transmission. When Turner fell ill with the flu
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
on the day of broadcast, it was feared the producers may have needed to use the pre-recorded tape, but in the event she recovered enough to appear.
"EastEnders Live" was Santer's final episode as EastEnders executive producer. He expressed his pleasure with the episode, despite several errors during transmission, including mis-delivered lines and some problems with sound and camera shots. Viewers gambled on the identity of the killer, with bookmakers Ladbrokes
Ladbrokes
Ladbrokes plc is a British based gambling company. It is based in Rayners Lane in Harrow, London owned by Bhavin Kakaiya. From 14 May 1999 to 23 February 2006, when it owned the Hilton hotel brand outside the United States, it was known as Hilton Group plc...
experiencing record levels of gambling on a television series, and William Hill
William Hill (bookmaker)
William Hill plc is one of the largest bookmakers in the United Kingdom. Its headquarters is in the north London suburb of Wood Green and in Leeds, West Yorkshire. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-History:...
taking £500,000, surpassing the amount placed on the outcome of Dallas
Dallas (TV series)
Dallas is an American serial drama/prime time soap opera that revolves around the Ewings, a wealthy Texas family in the oil and cattle-ranching industries. Throughout the series, Larry Hagman stars as greedy, scheming oil baron J. R. Ewing...
Who shot J.R.?
Who shot J.R.?
Who shot J. R.? is an advertising catchphrase that American network CBS created in 1980 to promote the television series Dallas.In the final scene of the 1979–1980 season, the character J. R. Ewing, played by Larry Hagman, was shot by a hidden assailant. The episode, titled "A House Divided", was...
storyline in 1980. The episode was watched by 19.9 million cumulative viewers, becoming the most watched show of the year to date. EastEnders Live: The Aftermath, a documentary which followed the episode on BBC Three
BBC Three
BBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
, was seen by 11.6 million viewers, drawing the station's highest ever ratings. "EastEnders Live" received mixed reviews from critics. It was described as "a triumph" by Shane Donaghey of The Belfast Telegraph
The Belfast Telegraph
The Belfast Telegraph is a daily evening newspaper published in Belfast, Northern Ireland by Independent News & Media.It was first published as the Belfast Evening Telegraph on 1 September 1870 by brothers William and George Baird...
, praised by Tom Sutcliffe
Tom Sutcliffe (broadcaster)
Thomas Sutcliffe is a British journalist and arts broadcaster.Sutcliffe studied English at Emmanuel College, Cambridge...
of The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
for including stunt work, and commended for Clements and Turner's acting by Tim Teeman of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
. In contrast, however, The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
Nancy Banks-Smith
Nancy Banks-Smith
Nancy Banks-Smith is a British television critic; she began writing for The Guardian in 1969. In 1970 she was recommended for the Order of the British Empire, which she declined.*1951- 1955: Northern Daily Telegraph, reporter...
felt that viewers would be "incredulous" with the episode's outcome, and Cate Devine of The Herald
The Herald (Glasgow)
The Herald is a broadsheet newspaper published Monday to Saturday in Glasgow, and available throughout Scotland. As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 47,226, giving it a lead over Scotland's other 'quality' national daily, The Scotsman, published in Edinburgh.The 1889 to 1906 editions...
criticized problems with lighting and sound effects.
Plot
In the wake of his wedding to Stacey SlaterStacey Slater
Stacey Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Lacey Turner. She made her first appearance on 1 November 2004. The character was introduced as a feisty and troublesome teenager, an extension of the already established Slater clan...
(Lacey Turner
Lacey Turner
Lacey Amelia Turner is an award-winning English actress. She is best known for portraying the role of Stacey Slater on the BBC soap opera EastEnders, a role for which she has won 33 awards...
), Bradley Branning
Bradley Branning
Bradley Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Charlie Clements. He made his first appearance on screen on 24 January 2006 and last appeared on 22 February 2010. Clements has won multiple awards for his portrayal....
(Charlie Clements
Charlie Clements
Charlie Clements is an English actor, best known for the role of Bradley Branning in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from January 2006 to February 2010. He has won several soap and magazine awards for his performance.-Biography:...
) is urged to flee Walford
Walford
Walford is a fictional borough of east London in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The name Walford is both a street in Dalston where one of the series' creators, Tony Holland, lived and a blend of Walthamstow, where Holland was born, and Stratford. The suffix 'ford' is also found throughout East...
by his father and uncle after becoming the prime suspect in the investigation of the murder of local landlord Archie Mitchell
Archie Mitchell
Archibald Lionel "Archie" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Larry Lamb.The character of Archie is the father of already established characters Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell , and a member of the Mitchell family, who have appeared in the soap since 1990...
. Bradley's father Max
Max Branning
Max Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jake Wood. He made his first appearance on 27 June 2006.-Backstory:Max is the fifth child and second son of Jim and Reenie Branning...
(Jake Wood
Jake Wood
Jake Dylan Wood is an English actor, best known in his homeland for playing Max Branning on "EastEnders" and in the United States as the current voice of the GEICO gecko.-Biography:...
) distracts the police while Bradley and Stacey attempt to escape from Albert Square
Albert Square
Albert Square is the fictional location of the BBC soap opera EastEnders. It is ostensibly located in the equally fictional London borough of Walford in London's East End. The square's design was based on the real life Fassett Square in Hackney, and was given the name Albert Square after the real...
. Elsewhere, Archie's youngest daughter Roxy
Roxy Mitchell
Roxanne Lizette "Roxy" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, portrayed by Rita Simons. Roxy arrived in Walford with her sister Ronnie on 24 July 2007 and decided to move permanently to Walford from Ibiza where they ran a bar together. Roxy is the younger of the two...
(Rita Simons) suspects that her sister Ronnie
Ronnie Mitchell
Veronica Elizabeth "Ronnie" Branning is a fictional character from the British BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Samantha Womack. Ronnie and her sister Roxy were introduced by executive producer Diederick Santer in July 2007; Ronnie is the "ice" to Roxy's "fire"...
(Samantha Womack) is the murderer. She accuses Ronnie, who tells her that their father raped Stacey, and confesses that he did the same to her when she was a child. Ronnie and Roxy's cousin Phil
Phil Mitchell
Philip James "Phil" Mitchell is a long-running fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Steve McFadden.Phil first arrived in Albert Square on 20 February 1990, and was soon joined by his brother, Grant, sister Sam and mother Peggy...
(Steve McFadden
Steve McFadden
Steve McFadden is an English actor, known for his role as Phil Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which he has played since1990.-Early life:...
) ransacks the home of Ian Beale
Ian Beale
Ian Albert Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Adam Woodyatt. He is the longest-serving character and the only remaining original character to have appeared continuously since the first episode on 19 February 1985...
(Adam Woodyatt
Adam Woodyatt
Adam Brinley Woodyatt is an English actor and media personality, best known for his role as Ian Beale in the long-running BBC soap opera EastEnders...
), believing that Ian has in his possession a cufflink which would implicate him in Archie's murder. He exits without finding it, leaving Ian and Dot Branning
Dot Branning
Dorothy "Dot" Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera, EastEnders, played by June Brown since 1985. In a special episode entitled EastEnders: Dot's Story a young Dot was played by Tallulah Pitt-Brown in flashbacks. Dot first appeared in EastEnders in July 1985 as the mother of...
(June Brown
June Brown
June Muriel Brown, MBE is a British actress, best known for her role as the busy-body, chain-smoking gossip Dot Cotton in the long-running British soap opera EastEnders and for making other high profile television appearances on shows such as Doctor Who, Coronation Street, Minder, The Bill and...
) to watch an old videotape of their family and friends, reminiscing about the past.
Phil's mother Peggy
Peggy Mitchell
Margaret Ann "Peggy" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Peggy was initially played by Jo Warne when she first appeared on 30 April 1991, featuring in the series on a recurring basis over several weeks. Peggy was reintroduced in 1994, recast and was then played by...
(Barbara Windsor
Barbara Windsor
Barbara Ann Windsor, MBE , better known by her stage name Barbara Windsor, is an English actress. Her best known roles are in the Carry On films and as Peggy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders....
) is accused by Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks
Charlie Brooks
Charlene "Charlie" Brooks is a Welsh actress, best known for playing Janine Butcher on the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Acting career:...
) of attempting to frame her for the murder. As Janine prepares to flee Walford, Peggy finds Roxy and Ronnie fighting. She tells the girls that she too was present the night Archie was killed, arriving to find him injured but alive, however left without calling for medical help. Outside, Bradley and Stacey are about to take a taxi to St Pancras railway station
St Pancras railway station
St Pancras railway station, also known as London St Pancras and since 2007 as St Pancras International, is a central London railway terminus celebrated for its Victorian architecture. The Grade I listed building stands on Euston Road in St Pancras, London Borough of Camden, between the...
when Bradley realises he has forgotten their passports. He tells Stacey to wait and hurries back home to collect them, but is spotted by the police. A chase ensues, and Bradley climbs onto the roof of The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria is a fictional Victorian public house in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. It has the fictional address of 46 Albert Square, Walford, London E20.-Appearance and development:...
public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
in an attempt to escape. He shouts for Stacey to run before losing his footing and falling to his death. In the immediate aftermath, Stacey is comforted by Max, and confesses that she is the one who killed Archie.
Origins
On 15 September 2009, the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
announced plans to broadcast the first ever live episode of EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
, to celebrate the show's 25th anniversary. The air date was set for 19 February 2010, with the episode to be broadcast from the BBC's Elstree Studios
Elstree Studios
"Elstree Studios" refers to any of several film studios that were based in the towns of Borehamwood and Elstree in Hertfordshire, England, since film production begun in 1927.-Name:...
in Borehamwood
Borehamwood
-Film industry:Since the 1920s, the town has been home to several film studios and many shots of its streets are included in final cuts of 20th century British films. This earned it the nickname of the "British Hollywood"...
. EastEnders executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
Diederick Santer
Diederick Santer
Diederick Santer is a British television producer and is best known for his work on the popular BBC television soap opera EastEnders, a post which he assumed on 23 October 2006 and left on 1 March 2010...
initially refrained from discussing the episode's plot, but commented that it would resolve a "big storyline" which would "keep the audience (as well as the cast and crew) guessing until the very last moment." EastEnders storylines saw Archie Mitchell
Archie Mitchell
Archibald Lionel "Archie" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Larry Lamb.The character of Archie is the father of already established characters Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell , and a member of the Mitchell family, who have appeared in the soap since 1990...
, landlord of The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria is a fictional Victorian public house in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. It has the fictional address of 46 Albert Square, Walford, London E20.-Appearance and development:...
public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
murdered on Christmas Day 2009, with many characters considered potential suspects in the crime. Santer confirmed that the killer would be revealed in the live episode, and that their identity would be kept secret until the night of broadcast, even from the cast member playing them. Another aspect of the episode is the remarriage of characters Bianca Jackson
Bianca Jackson
Bianca Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Patsy Palmer. The character was introduced by executive producer Leonard Lewis and appeared initially from 1993 to 1999, when Palmer opted to leave. In 2002 executive producer John Yorke brought the character...
(Patsy Palmer
Patsy Palmer
Patsy Palmer is an English actress. Palmer made an early television appearance on the children's drama show Grange Hill, but is best known for playing Bianca Jackson in the popular British television soap opera EastEnders. Originally in the cast from 1993–1999, Palmer returned to EastEnders in...
) and Ricky Butcher
Ricky Butcher
Richard Francis "Ricky" Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Sid Owen. Introduced as a school boy in 1988, Ricky is one of the longest-running, male protagonists to feature in EastEnders. Owen originally left the role in 2000 to pursue a music career...
(Sid Owen
Sid Owen
Sid Owen is an English actor, television presenter and former singer, most famous for playing the role of Ricky Butcher in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, which he appeared in from 1988 until 2000, 2002 until 2004 and then again from March 2008.-Career:Prior to his role in EastEnders he had a...
). Santer deemed it the "soap wedding of the year—and perhaps the soap wedding of the decade", commenting that playing the romance against the "thriller" of the "whodunnit" storyline provided a balance he hoped audiences would be "gripped by and satisfied with."
Cast
In November 2009, actor Charlie ClementsCharlie Clements
Charlie Clements is an English actor, best known for the role of Bradley Branning in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from January 2006 to February 2010. He has won several soap and magazine awards for his performance.-Biography:...
, announced that he would be leaving the soap in 2010. It was rumoured that Bradley
Bradley Branning
Bradley Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Charlie Clements. He made his first appearance on screen on 24 January 2006 and last appeared on 22 February 2010. Clements has won multiple awards for his portrayal....
would be seen to commit suicide during the live episode, but this was refuted by an EastEnders spokesperson. It was later revealed that Bradley would make his last appearance in the live episode, urged to flee Walford
Walford
Walford is a fictional borough of east London in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The name Walford is both a street in Dalston where one of the series' creators, Tony Holland, lived and a blend of Walthamstow, where Holland was born, and Stratford. The suffix 'ford' is also found throughout East...
by his father Max
Max Branning
Max Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jake Wood. He made his first appearance on 27 June 2006.-Backstory:Max is the fifth child and second son of Jim and Reenie Branning...
and uncle Jack
Jack Branning
Jack Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Scott Maslen. He made his first appearance on 29 October 2007. He is the youngest child of Jim and Reenie Branning and the brother of April Branning, Carol Jackson, Derek Branning, Suzy Branning and Max Branning...
(Scott Maslen
Scott Maslen
Scott Alexander Maslen is an English actor and model, best known for his portrayal as DS Phil Hunter in ITV's The Bill and now Jack Branning on the BBC's flagship soap EastEnders.-Early and personal life:...
) after becoming the prime suspect in the investigation into Archie's murder. Bradley's motive for murder came from the discovery that Archie raped his partner Stacey
Stacey Slater
Stacey Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Lacey Turner. She made her first appearance on 1 November 2004. The character was introduced as a feisty and troublesome teenager, an extension of the already established Slater clan...
. In an interview with daytime television show This Morning
This Morning (TV series)
This Morning is a British daytime television programme broadcast on ITV. As of September 2011, its main presenters are Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, with various other presenters standing in for illness or contributing to sections of the programme.The...
, Clements stated it was possible that Bradley was responsible, but was unsure whether he "[had] it in him", though felt that it would be "quite historical to go down as the one who killed Archie Mitchell". In the event, Bradley exited the soap by falling to his death from the roof of The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria is a fictional Victorian public house in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. It has the fictional address of 46 Albert Square, Walford, London E20.-Appearance and development:...
public house during the live episode. Immediately after filming, Clements stated that he was "drained", referring to his character's death as "a big way to go out."
In total, 51 EastEnders cast members were involved in the live broadcast. Several cast members expressed trepidation at the prospect of the live episode. Before details of the episode's plot were confirmed, Turner hoped that she would not be involved in it, deeming herself "awful" at performing live, unable to even deliver speeches. Neil McDermott
Neil McDermott
Neil McDermott is a British stage and television actor who is best known for portraying Ryan Malloy in the BBC television soap opera EastEnders from April 2009 until 2011.-Career:...
feared that he would lose his composure and laugh during the broadcast, while Palmer hoped that the episode would not turn into a pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
, commenting: "I hope we're a bit more professional than that." Simons stated that she was looking forward to the challenge the episode presented, though she would be happier once she had seen the script. Clements denied any apprehension, likening the performance to acting in theatre, and Nina Wadia
Nina Wadia
-Television and film:Wadia first came to prominence in BBC sketch show Goodness Gracious Me, playing characters such as Mrs "I can make it at home for nothing!" and one half of The Competitive Mothers...
stated that she was "really looking forward to it", enjoying experiences with an "adrenaline rush." Once the script was released, Wadia was "disappointed yet relieved" to learn she did not have a speaking role, explaining: "You want to be in it, but not to mess it up." She expected to feel "uncomfortable" during the broadcast, as the episode is set the day before her character Zainab Masood
Zainab Masood
Zainab Masood is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by comedienne Nina Wadia. She made her first appearance on 16 July 2007.-Backstory:...
gives birth, necessitating the wearing of a body suit with a large "baby bump" sewn in.
Rehearsals
The EastEnders cast and crew had two weeks to rehearse the episode prior to its live transmission. The script was issued on the afternoon of 5 February 2010, written by series consultant and lead show writer Simon AshdownSimon Ashdown
Simon Ashdown is a British television writer, best known as being a BAFTA award-nominated EastEnders writer.Ashdown is currently series consultant and lead writer on EastEnders. He was involved in the creation of the Slater family, and along with other writers, developed the characters around the...
. The first read-through took place on 8 February 2010, though producers held back the part of the script revealing Archie's true killer. Eight different possible endings were rehearsed, with Santer reiterating that the actor playing the killer would only be told so on the night of broadcast. He revealed that the actor playing the killer would be informed of their actions at 7:30 pm on 19 February, 30 minutes before the episode's transmission, with their reaction filmed for the documentary EastEnders Live: The Aftermath, which aired on BBC Three
BBC Three
BBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
immediately after "EastEnders Live" was broadcast, narrated by Lamb's son George
George Lamb (presenter)
George Martin Lamb is a Scottish-born British radio and TV presenter. He is the son of actor Larry Lamb.-Career:Lamb's radio career peaked with presenting his own daytime show on BBC Radio 6 Music for two years from October 2007 to November 2009, before being moved the early weekend mornings for 6...
.
Santer explained that the killer "may be revealed to the audience rather than the Square
Albert Square
Albert Square is the fictional location of the BBC soap opera EastEnders. It is ostensibly located in the equally fictional London borough of Walford in London's East End. The square's design was based on the real life Fassett Square in Hackney, and was given the name Albert Square after the real...
", preserving secrecy as the crew began filming episodes to be transmitted after the live broadcast. Actress Charlie Brooks
Charlie Brooks
Charlene "Charlie" Brooks is a Welsh actress, best known for playing Janine Butcher on the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Acting career:...
, who plays Archie's former lover Janine Butcher, found the secrecy difficult to work with, explaining: "In the episodes to be shown afterwards, you’re being told to look or speak a certain way, but not why." Santer confirmed that the cast found the episode challenging, stating: "They are as desperate to know who did it as the viewers", though believed they were all capable of coping with the pressure of the live episode. He explained that the cast typically film scenes in one take anyway, and observed that several EastEnders actors had formerly appeared in live broadcasts for other series. Cast members had just two dress rehearsals in advance of the live episode, and only one read-through of the entire episode.
Directing
Arnold was initially sceptical when approached about directing "EastEnders Live", but agreed once it was explained that the impetus for the episode was motivated by the "whodunnit" storyline. He explained: "We pre-record TV drama for lots of very good reasons and doing a live episode can sometimes come across a little gimmicky, so for me, story is the one and only reason a drama should go live." Direction of the episode differed from typical episodes of EastEnders, whereby actors briefly run through their lines, blockBlocking (stage)
Blocking is a theatre term which refers to the precise movement and positioning of actors on a stage in order to facilitate the performance of a play, ballet, film or opera. The term derives from the practice of 19th century theatre directors such as Sir W. S...
the scene to be filmed, then begin shooting with the director on the studio floor. For "EastEnders Live", cast and crew had two weeks to work on the episode, rehearsing, blocking scenes and discussing the characters' journeys at length.
Once technical rehearsals began and cameras were added in, Ashdown moved from the studio floor to an outside broadcast truck. All cameras on set were cabled to the truck, allowing Ashdown to oversee the entire episode remotely. Ashdown approached the episode as though it were a theatrical performance, explaining: "We can work on performance and blocking early on, discussing issues and discovering the text as we go. Actors know to save their energy when technical rehearsals are taking place and then it's quite magical when all elements are combined close to the first performance. Of course, our theatre company will have it's opening and closing night on Friday, February 19!"
Filming
In case of any serious problems during transmission, a rehearsal for the episode was filmed, including each version of the reveal scene. Santer explained that the tape would not be used for minor problems such as cast members forgetting their lines, in which instance: "we'll power on using our improvisational skills. It's really just for technical backup in case of a proper crisis." The live broadcast took 400 camera shots to film, and 36 camera operators. Typical episodes of EastEnders utilise just four camera operators. Two outside broadcast trucks were hired to remotely direct and monitor the episode from, and three golf buggies were used to transport cast between sets, as the minimum length of time actors had to move from one set to another was just 131 seconds.Ashdown explained that filming "EastEnders Live" to look like a typical episode of EastEnders was difficult, giving the example of a scene involving a ringing mobile phone. In a usual EastEnders episode, the viewer would see a shot of the phone and know who was calling. In the live episode, the caller would have to be visually or audibly obvious, as a result of the camera set-up and inability to edit scenes. He described the episode's biggest limitation as the weather, explaining that "EastEnders Live" begins with a direct pickup from the previous episode of EastEnders, with the same characters in the same outside location, leaving the crew hoping for a dry night. Sound was also a problem, as sound quality is better using boom rod
Boom operator (media)
A Boom operator is an assistant of the production sound mixer. The principal responsibility of the boom operator is microphone placement, sometimes using a "fishpole" with a microphone attached to the end and sometimes, when the situation permits, using a "boom" which is a more intricate and...
s than radio microphones, but booms often dip into shot during the filming of EastEnders. Ashdown commented that the production crew would be using booms where possible, but that all cast members with dialogue would be given a radio microphone as backup.
Broadcast
On the day of broadcast, The Mirror reported that EastEnders producers may have to re-write the episode or run a pre-recorded rehearsal tape rather than go ahead with the live transmission, as Turner was suffering from the fluInfluenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
and was unable to speak. In the event, Turner recovered enough to appear, though was given permission to whisper her lines if necessary. She was able to deliver her dialogue as planned, however was too ill to appear on EastEnders Live: The Aftermath following the episode. Turner commented that nothing could have stopped her from appearing in the episode, as the cast had worked so hard on it, and it was "such a big part of TV history". Several errors were made during the transmission. Barbara Windsor
Barbara Windsor
Barbara Ann Windsor, MBE , better known by her stage name Barbara Windsor, is an English actress. Her best known roles are in the Carry On films and as Peggy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders....
as Peggy incorrectly called Janine "June" and Maslen stumbled over several of his lines. During the final scene, a camera was visibly jostled, sound became muffled and some zoom shots "misfired". Following Bradley's death, Clements' fingers were seen to move, and Wood was observed inserting his fingers into his throat to help him retch. The script called for Wood to be sick, though there was not enough time for him to put the liquid into his mouth, and he stated that a person would put their fingers into their throat anyway, "to get it all out". During a scene in which Roxy and Ronnie argued in the Minute Mart, Womack took a bottle of paint stripper
Paint stripper
Paint stripper, or paint remover, is the generic name given to solvent mixtures designed to remove paint and other finishes and also to clean the underlying surface. The principal active ingredient is usually dichloromethane...
from the shelves, but forgot to stop at the counter to pay for it before exiting.
Santer, who stood down as executive producer after the episode's transmission, succeeded by Bryan Kirkwood
Bryan Kirkwood (producer)
Bryan Kirkwood is a Scottish-born British television producer. He was the producer of teen Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks from 2006 until 2009 and has been the executive producer of the BBC soap EastEnders since 2010.- Personal life :...
, commented that he was happy, relieved and proud with the broadcast. Santer stated: "I just think everyone did brilliantly tonight—the cast, the crew, everyone. It's everything I wished for and more. I'm thrilled with how it went. It was quite remarkable. Everything went to plan. I spotted a couple of little wobbles but what I was proudest of was the recovery. The technical crew, the cast—every time we maybe veered slightly off course, they pulled it back round." Santer explained that he had always intended for Stacey to be revealed as Archie's killer, and was never tempted to air a different conclusion, despite at least ten characters having strong motives. Turner was surprised to learn that Stacey was the killer, and hoped that viewers would sympathise with her character, observing: "She not only has to deal with the guilt of what she did but she also knows that she's inadvertently responsible for Bradley's death. I think that's going to hurt her more than anything."
Pre-broadcast commentary
In the weeks preceding the transmission of "EastEnders Live", the episode prompted a series of retrospective articles in the British print media, examining EastEnders development over its 25 years of broadcast. Critical commentary was mixed. The GuardianThe Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
Dan Sabbagh observed that the storylines which will culminate in "EastEnders Live"—Ricky and Bianca's remarriage and the Archie Mitchell "whodunnit"—have seen the show undergo a revival, overtaking rival soap opera Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
in the ratings for the first time in over three years. Tim Teeman of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
highlighted the Archie storyline as representative of male characters in EastEnders offering an "essential foil" to their female counterparts, who he appraised as being "key" to the show's success, using the example of Archie's relationship with his wife Peggy
Peggy Mitchell
Margaret Ann "Peggy" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Peggy was initially played by Jo Warne when she first appeared on 30 April 1991, featuring in the series on a recurring basis over several weeks. Peggy was reintroduced in 1994, recast and was then played by...
and daughter Ronnie
Ronnie Mitchell
Veronica Elizabeth "Ronnie" Branning is a fictional character from the British BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Samantha Womack. Ronnie and her sister Roxy were introduced by executive producer Diederick Santer in July 2007; Ronnie is the "ice" to Roxy's "fire"...
. He felt that the episode deserved high viewership, deeming EastEnders "a brilliant drama".
Conversely, Alison Rowat of The Herald
The Herald (Glasgow)
The Herald is a broadsheet newspaper published Monday to Saturday in Glasgow, and available throughout Scotland. As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 47,226, giving it a lead over Scotland's other 'quality' national daily, The Scotsman, published in Edinburgh.The 1889 to 1906 editions...
felt that the current storylines indicated "the best days of EE are over", commenting: "Contrast it with the ever sprightly Coronation Street, where the scenes featuring Gail “Black Widow” McIntyre and her lucky white heather husband have been perfect soap fare. What does EastEnders have? Another murder investigation in a place that has a higher homicide rate than The Wire
The WIRE
the WIRE is the student-run College radio station at the University of Oklahoma, broadcasting in a freeform format. The WIRE serves the University of Oklahoma and surrounding communities, and is staffed by student DJs. The WIRE broadcasts at 1710 kHz AM in Norman, Oklahoma...
Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
. Andrew Billen of The Times refuted claims by the BBC that "EastEnders Live" was not a "gimmick" but in fact proof of the soap's "innovative vigour". Billen deemed the live episode a "reactionary move", observing that Coronation Street had aired a live episode for its 40th anniversary in 2000. He reminded readers: "live television drama is nothing new but rather harks back to the earliest days of television and, beyond them, to theatre itself." The Mirror Jane Simon hoped for multiple errors during the transmission of "EastEnders Live", commenting: "It's time EastEnders gave us a laugh."
Gambling
In a world first, online gamblingOnline gambling
Online gambling, also known as Internet gambling and iGambling, is a general term for gambling using the Internet.-Online poker:Online poker tables commonly offer Texas hold 'em, Omaha, Seven-card stud, razz, HORSE and other game types in both tournament and ring game structures...
company Bodog
Bodog
Bodog is an online entertainment brand launched in 1994 by Calvin Ayre.Originally the company traded at but the brand was later divested and intellectual property rights were assigned to and consolidated in BodogBrand.com...
offered live odds during the episode, allowing viewers to continue to bet on the identity of Archie's killer as events unfolded. Although "in-running" betting is common during sports events, it had never before been offered for a soap opera. Odds on the killer's identity changed frequently in the fortnight preceding the transmission of "EastEnders Live". On 5 February, the clear favourite was Stacey, with odds at Bodog of 2/1. By 9 February, Stacey's odds had shortened to 6/4, though the character dropped into third place by 12 February, usurped by her brother Sean Slater
Sean Slater
Sean Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Robert Kazinsky. Sean left the Square temporarily on 27 March 2007, as Kazinsky was suspended from work for two months. He returned on 28 May 2007...
(Robert Kazinsky
Robert Kazinsky
Robert Kazinsky is an English actor and model. He is best known for his appearances as Casper Rose in Sky One drama Dream Team in 2005/2006 and Sean Slater in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders from 2006 to 2009.-Background:Kazinsky was born in Haywards Heath, West Sussex, England, the son of...
) at odds of 9/4, and Ben Mitchell (Charlie Jones
Charlie Jones (actor)
Charlie George Jones is a young English actor. Jones has been a student in the Anna Fiorentini theater and drama school.He is probably best known for his portrayal of Ben Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which he played for four years from 2006 to 2010. According to the Internet Movie...
) at 7/2. On 14 February, the unlikely favourite became Tracey the barmaid (Jane Slaughter
Jane Slaughter (actress)
Jane Slaughter is a British actress who is best known for playing the recurring background role of Tracey in EastEnders since its first episode on 19 February 1985...
), a background character whose odds shortened considerably from 40/1 to 11/4. Sean moved back into first place on 16 February, with odds of 2/1, and remained there until the eve of broadcast.
Bookmakers estimated that over £1 million would be spent gambling on the outcome of the storyline. Ladbrokes
Ladbrokes
Ladbrokes plc is a British based gambling company. It is based in Rayners Lane in Harrow, London owned by Bhavin Kakaiya. From 14 May 1999 to 23 February 2006, when it owned the Hilton hotel brand outside the United States, it was known as Hilton Group plc...
experienced its busiest ever 24 hours of gambling on a television series ahead of the episode's transmission, taking £100,000 in bets on 30 different characters, while William Hill
William Hill (bookmaker)
William Hill plc is one of the largest bookmakers in the United Kingdom. Its headquarters is in the north London suburb of Wood Green and in Leeds, West Yorkshire. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-History:...
took £500,000, surpassing the amount placed on Dallas
Dallas (TV series)
Dallas is an American serial drama/prime time soap opera that revolves around the Ewings, a wealthy Texas family in the oil and cattle-ranching industries. Throughout the series, Larry Hagman stars as greedy, scheming oil baron J. R. Ewing...
Who shot J.R.?
Who shot J.R.?
Who shot J. R.? is an advertising catchphrase that American network CBS created in 1980 to promote the television series Dallas.In the final scene of the 1979–1980 season, the character J. R. Ewing, played by Larry Hagman, was shot by a hidden assailant. The episode, titled "A House Divided", was...
storyline in 1980. Spokesman Rupert Adams commented: "The BBC were amazing keeping this quiet. We have broken even which in a market like this is amazing. We have had a roller-coaster but have enjoyed every minute."
Ratings
"EastEnders Live" was watched by a cumulative audience of 19.9 million viewers. Its original screening averaged 16.41 million viewers, attaining a 57% audience share. Three repeats on BBC TwoBBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
and BBC Three
BBC Three
BBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
in the week of broadcast lifted the televised total to 18.8 million viewers, with a further 1.1 million watching the episode on BBC iPlayer
BBC iPlayer
BBC iPlayer, commonly shortened to iPlayer, is an internet television and radio service, developed by the BBC to extend its former RealPlayer-based and other streamed video clip content to include whole TV shows....
. The episode became the most watched show of the year to date. EastEnders Live: The Aftermath drew a total of 11.6 million viewers. It was watched by 4.54 million people on its initial airing, attaining a 15.9% audience share and becoming BBC Three's highest rated programme ever, as well as the most-watched multichannel programme of the day. The documentary drew a further 6.6 million viewers over four repeat broadcasts, and 0.5 million viewers via iPlayer. The original broadcast was the third highest rated television episode of 2010 in the UK, beaten by a 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
match between England and Germany, and the final of the seventh
The X Factor (UK series 7)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent; the winner of which receives a £1 million recording contract with the Syco Music record label. The seventh series started on ITV on 21 August 2010 and ended on 12 December 2010. The winner was Matt Cardle and...
series of The X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
.
Santer was delighted by the viewing figures, stating: "To get this incredible response from the audience is truly remarkable—these numbers go far beyond what we ever hoped for. I am so proud of our cast and crew for their incredible performance last night. This rating is the icing on our silver anniversary cake." Jay Hunt
Jay Hunt (BBC)
Jay Hunt , is a United Kingdom-based television executive, appointed to the new post of Chief Creative Officer, Channel 4. She is a former controller of BBC One.-Early life:...
, controller of BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
commented: "[The] extraordinary live episode was a fitting celebration of 25 magnificent years for EastEnders. The audience were clearly gripped by one of the greatest soap whodunnits ever." Discussing the ratings for EastEnders Live: The Aftermath, controller of BBC Three Danny Cohen
Danny Cohen
Danny Cohen is the current Controller of BBC One, the BBC's flagship television channel in the United Kingdom. He is the youngest person to be appointed as Controller of the channel.- Education :...
appraised: "It is an amazing testament to the EastEnders team and the brave and brilliant drama they provided." Yorke responded to the high consolidated ratings with the statement: "The best birthday present EastEnders could possibly have is to know that 25 years in it can still grab the biggest audience in the UK. It's a real tribute to the show's creators that a quarter of a century on, everybody's still talking about it."
Critical response
The episode won in the "Best Single Episode" category at the 2010 British Soap AwardsBritish Soap Awards
The British Soap Awards is an annual awards ceremony to honour the best of British soap operas.The first event took place in 1999 and takes place in May each year. Although it is an ITV production, the events were held at the BBC Television Centre, in London until 2010. The 2011 awards relocated to...
, and was nominated in the "Best Live Event Coverage" category of the Broadcast Digital Awards 2010. It received mixed reviews from critics. Tom Sutcliffe
Tom Sutcliffe (broadcaster)
Thomas Sutcliffe is a British journalist and arts broadcaster.Sutcliffe studied English at Emmanuel College, Cambridge...
of The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
rated "EastEnders Live" 4 out of 5, noting that there were "a couple of moments where the seams showed", but that "half the fun in watching was seeing if you could spot them". He praised EastEnders for not "playing safe" by including stunt work, and commented that Ian Beale's line: "I wish we could go back and do it all again. Do it right this time." could potentially have been "a horrible hostage to fortune", however felt that: "in the end they more than got away with it." Tim Teeman of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
also rated the episode 4 out of 5, calling the revelation of Stacey as Archie's killer a "genuine surprise", and commenting that "EastEnders Live": "sometimes creaked under the weight of its own ambitions – but who cares, gold stars for effort." Teeman praised Clements and Turner, feeling that they "excelled themselves despite the odd strained pause", though noted that in the aftermath of Bradley's fall, "the perils of live TV became apparent", commenting that: "The direction slackened at just the wrong moment, and you were left hoping someone would get to a bit of script to ward off any more bizarre shots of Jack and Max fighting to free themselves from a policeman's soft grip."
Mike Higgins of The Independent deemed the episode "a technical triumph", praising the "smooth, almost flawless" and "fluent" production. Shane Donaghey of The Belfast Telegraph
The Belfast Telegraph
The Belfast Telegraph is a daily evening newspaper published in Belfast, Northern Ireland by Independent News & Media.It was first published as the Belfast Evening Telegraph on 1 September 1870 by brothers William and George Baird...
also called the episode a "triumph", opining that it could not possibly have lived up to the hype surrounding the storyline, but that transmitting live gave EastEnders "an energy it normally lacks, with great violence, excellent direction". He summarised: "the story gripped so well you forgot to look for the cock-ups, before a genuinely shocking denouement that you never saw coming amid all of the hype." Pat Stacey of the Evening Herald
Evening Herald
The Evening Herald is a mid-market tabloid evening newspaper published in Dublin, Ireland by Independent News & Media. It is published Monday-Saturday, and has three editions — City Edition, City Final Edition and National Edition...
felt that revealing Stacey as Archie's killer was "a slight let-down" and "a little bit predictable", calling the episode "a triumph of logistics over logic". However, Stacey wrote that aside from the "damp-squib" ending, "EastEnders Live" was "surprisingly enjoyable [...] even for a committed 'Endersphobe like [her]self." She felt that transmitting live "added a tangible layer of tension" to proceedings, lamenting: "If only EastEnders was this exciting all the time." The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
Nancy Banks-Smith
Nancy Banks-Smith
Nancy Banks-Smith is a British television critic; she began writing for The Guardian in 1969. In 1970 she was recommended for the Order of the British Empire, which she declined.*1951- 1955: Northern Daily Telegraph, reporter...
similarly felt that transmitting live made for "tension, not clarity", commenting that bookmakers would be "absolutely delighted" with the outcome, but that viewers would be "incredulous". Cate Devine of The Herald
The Herald (Glasgow)
The Herald is a broadsheet newspaper published Monday to Saturday in Glasgow, and available throughout Scotland. As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 47,226, giving it a lead over Scotland's other 'quality' national daily, The Scotsman, published in Edinburgh.The 1889 to 1906 editions...
was similarly critical, describing the episode as "30 minutes of cheesy dramatic counterpoint", and highlighting the "ropey lighting and poor sound effects."
External links
- "EastEnders Live" at BBC Online