EASTENDERS ratings surged three million in the ratings last night as the coronavirus pandemic continued.
The BBC soap hit a high of 9.32m with an average across the episode of 6.49m – easily the soap’s highest ratings of the last few years.
EastEnders ratings were hugely up last night
Coronation Street also soared to 6.43m people watching its first episode of the night.
In the immediate aftermath of EastEnders’ episode, the Prime Minister’s address to the nation to order a lockdown in all but name was watched by more than 15 million people on BBC One alone.
With other channels added it was watched on television by more than 27 million people making it one of the most watched moments in British television history.
The bumper soap ratings will be of little comfort to the BBC and ITV after the channels were forced to halt production on all continuing dramas over the pandemic.
In an effort to keep the soaps airing for as long as possible, EastEnders will now broadcast just twice a week on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Coronation Street and Emmerdale will air just three times per week each – going out on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings from 7pm.
And on Channel 4, Hollyoaks will broadcast Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays at 6.30pm on Channel 4 and a first look episode following at 7pm on E4.
The reduced schedules mean the soaps should air until at least July when it is hoped production should be back underway to resume.
The behind the scenes teams on the soaps are still working away on scripts and reimagining storylines for the rest of the year.
Corrie bosses are determined to stick to plans for a bombshell 60th anniversary in December, while Hollyoaks will celebrate its 25th anniversary in October.
