Soap Heaven: EastEnders

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Since 1985 one soap has portrayed life in a close knit east-end community in half-hour spurts twice, and now three times a week. From the beginning, EastEnders was a soap to go where no soap had gone before - it danced with danger as it tackled issues such as teen pregnancy, prostitution, drug abuse, homosexuality, adultery, suicide - each one usually for the first time in a prime-time slot. It was the first soap to address the issue of HIV and AIDS and excels at producing award-winning drama without a shocking effect.
The soap is quintessentially character-based and as each storyline progresses, so do the characters. A cast made up of mixed cultures and lifestyles reflects the true spirit of east-end London and its reactions to them.
The location of EastEnders is Albert Square (Walford), E20 (a fictional borough). The square is a old fashioned London market square - heavily destroyed in the blitz. The community is still as close-knit and as intertwined as back in the wartime as each character has ties to others.
A handful of characters have remained in the soap from the beginning, such as Kathy Beale/Mitchell, Ian Beale and Pauline Fowler, as well as the "golden oldies" who have been off-and-on during the soaps run - Dr Legg and Ethel Skinner. These days, the soap's cast is quickly changing and faces like Tiffany Mitchell, Bianca Butcher, Grant Mitchell and Mark Fowler are becoming the bigger stars of the show.
Just like every normal Eastender, the day ends with a swift half in the local public house, The Vic and a juicy gossip with Auntie Nellie and the walford OAPs.

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EastEnders first debutted in the UK on BBC1 on February 19th, 1985.
It is broadcast in the following countries worldwide:

Australia

New Zealand

United States

Canada

You can write to the EastEnders stars and production crew at the following address:

EastEnders,
c/o BBC,
Elstree Centre,
Clarendon Road,
Borehamwood,
Hertshire,
WD6 1JF