Some of the biggest soap stars in Britain reportedly face getting the chop following a drop in ratings and a new cost-cutting drive.
It’s been claimed leading actors in hit soaps like ITV’s Coronation Street and Emmerdale, and BBC’s EastEnders, are in the firing line due to their hefty pay packets over £200,000-a-year.
It comes after Ofcom revealed earlier this month that Corrie, EastEnders and Emmerdale have experienced a steady decline in ratings, a change believed to do with more viewers choosing to watch on-demand rather than live telly.
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A source told The Sun: “There is about to be a bloodbath across Corrie, Emmerdale and EastEnders — and it won’t be pretty.
(Image: BBC)
“All the big three have all been told they need to cut their wage bills by up to 25 per cent. Now there is panic in the green rooms about who could be facing the chop.
“Some of the veterans are terrified they could be next — especially the older generation who are all earning well over £200,000.”
The source went to allege that the corridors are “full of fear” and that working in soaps has never been more “perilous” than right now.
(Image: Richard Saker/REX/Shutterstock)
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Ofcom’s report read: “The number of programmes with more than four million TV viewers has halved over the past eight years, from 2,490 in 2014, to 1,184 in 2022.
“While the number of programmes with large audiences is down across all genres, these declines are a reflection of fewer people watching the main early and late evening TV news bulletins as well as a steady decline in viewing figures for the three most popular soaps: Coronation Street, EastEnders and Emmerdale.”
The BBC splashed £87million on their iconic Albert Square set in Elstree three years ago and scrapped their original set, which was only meant to be in use for two years but had been used since 1984.
Daily Star has contacted ITV and the BBC for comment.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
