Eastenders is a well-known soap opera that offers both entertainment and educational content. It is set in the fictional neighborhood of Walford, featuring Turnip Road, George Street, and Bridge Street. The show airs four times per week, along with a Sunday omnibus. In case of missed episodes, Eastenders is repeated on BBC Three without violent scenes. However, these scenes are included in the omnibus on BBC Three at 10pm when younger viewers are expected to be asleep.
The primary aim of eastenders is to impart information to the audience regarding significant matters like cancer, bipolar disorder, Aids/HIV, teenage pregnancies, abortions, and bereavement. The show achieves this by employing realistic storytelling techniques which not only inform but also educate viewers about important issues. One memorable storyline that exemplifies this occurred on Christmas Day in 2006, when the audience witnessed the death of Pauline Fowler. This particular storyline raised awareness about cancer and had a profound impact on the viewers.
Another purpose of Eastenders is to entertain the audience with well-known storylines. For example, one storyline that captivated the audience featured Max Branning being buried alive by his wife Tanya Branning. This attracted a strong audience of 11 million viewers. Another storyline depicted Billy drinking himself to death, which left his close relatives and friends in bereavement. This storyline helped the audience understand the experience of losing someone close to them, providing both entertainment and information about bereavement. Although Eastenders is primarily targeted at females and teenagers, it also has male viewers. The soap is designed to appeal to this specific audience by providing intriguing gossip that easily sparks conversation.
