What’s REALLY going on with your favourite soap – insiders reveal the secret battle sparked from ratings bloodbath
Find out which soap still has the pulling power for stars and who is really struggling
WHILE soap fans are glued to the explosive feuds playing out on screen, an even bigger battle is raging behind the scenes.
As viewers watch their favourite characters go head-to-head in front of the cameras, they have no idea of the real-life war being fought behind closed doors – and it is all over one thing.
With ratings suffering a bloodbath and budgets being squeezed more than ever before, bosses at Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks are pulling out all the stops to land familiar faces who can create headlines, attract viewers and give their shows a much-needed boost.
But with less money available to splash out on huge actor salaries, the soaps are finding themselves fighting for the same pool of talent.
A source says: “There’s a huge battle now to get the biggest names and talents. It really is war.”
The battle has become so fierce that soaps are no longer just competing for viewers – they are fighting each other for the faces soap fans already know and love, with some actors even crossing enemy lines to appear on rival shows.
Hollyoaks recently pulled off a major coup by convincing former Coronation Street favourite Brooke Vincent to return to acting, after a seven year break, to play rehab counsellor Abigail Matthews.
The actress, who played Sophie Webster on the cobbles for 15 years, had been previously urged by former co-stars including Sally Dynevor and Colson Smith to make a comeback, but a deal with Corrie never materialised – no doubt much to Hollyoaks bosses’ delight.
The Chester-based soap landed another huge signing from a rival earlier this year when former Emmerdale star Matthew Wolfenden joined the cast as newcomer Jonah Keane, dashing the hopes among fans that he would return as shop owner David Metcalfe.
Meanwhile, we recently revealed how Coronation Street bagged iconic actress Frances Barber, 68, for a guest role.
A show insider said: “With her pedigree, bagging Frances is a huge coup for Corrie bosses.
“She’s an iconic actress who steals every scene she’s in. It’s only a guest role for now, but who knows what could happen in the future.”
And that is where the real headache begins for soap bosses – landing a big name is one thing, but keeping them is another.
As soaps face one of their toughest financial periods in decades, bosses are being forced to make dramatic cuts.
This year ITV cut back Coronation Street and Emmerdale’s episodes from six hours a week to five in a bid to reduce costs, while Eastenders and Hollyoaks also face mounting pressures.
With fewer episodes to fill and smaller budgets, soap bosses are having to be far more clever about where they spend their cash, making short term guest stints from big-name stars an attractive option.
The days of handing out lengthy contracts to famous faces and hoping they become the next big soap success story are quickly disappearing.
Last year Emmerdale boasted a major win with two high-profile signings – Casualty star Jaye Griffiths and EastEnders actor Joe Absolom – but they were only brought in for limited stints.
In EastEnders, comedy actress Ronni Ancona was signed to play twisted villain Bea, but her six-month stint will be coming to an end in upcoming episodes.
Our insider says: “There used to be plenty of money in soaps, but that’s not the case anymore, so every penny has to count.
“The days of handing out three-year contracts to big names to lure them into soapland and hoping it works out are over.”
Emmerdale have called in the big guns with the return of Patsy Kensit, as the ruthless Sadie King, after two decades away from the Dales.
While EastEnders has seen a revolving door of former fan favourites coming back, but again only for short appearances.
Ross Kemp recently reprised his iconic role as tough guy Grant Mitchell, while Jon Lee and Gemma Bissix – who incidentally has also appeared in Hollyoaks – recently returned as part of Nigel Bates’ funeral storyline.
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star La Voix even made a special one episode cameo appearance in Albert Square, while Heartbeat legend Jason Durr has been signed for a short stint as a new love interest for Linda Carter, played by actress Kellie Bright.
Former EastEnders villain Chris Coghill, who played manipulative Tony King, joined Emmerdale for what was initially a limited role as Robert Sugden’s estranged husband Kev, but he made such an impression on viewers and bosses that he was brought back for a more permanent stint.
Our mole adds: “These days it’s more likely to be a three or six-month stint, and if someone clicks with fans then there’s a chance of more, like Chris Coghill in Emmerdale.
“EastEnders can offer more money and longer contracts, but Corrie has prestige and a lot of actors want to tick that box.
“Emmerdale is known as one of the nicest shows to work on and actors can have a quieter life there without as much attention.
“But with more cuts coming, it’s only going to get more fraught. This isn’t a battle for awards anymore – it’s a fight for survival.”
