{"id":29437,"date":"2023-01-30T14:38:22","date_gmt":"2023-01-30T13:38:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1776793"},"modified":"2023-01-31T03:14:37","modified_gmt":"2023-01-31T02:14:37","slug":"reduce-eastenders-to-three-episodes-a-week-says-russell-t-davies","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/reduce-eastenders-to-three-episodes-a-week-says-russell-t-davies\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cReduce EastEnders to three episodes a week,\u201d says Russell T Davies"},"content":{"rendered":"

Davies was speaking ahead of the debut of his series Nolly, which focuses on the star of popular British soap Crossroads, which ran from 1964. <\/p>

By James Hibbs\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Monday, 30 January 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

With Russell T Davies examining the world of soaps in his new ITVX<\/a> drama series Nolly, the writer has said that if he were put in charge of EastEnders<\/a> he would cut down its weekly episode count.<\/p>\n

In a wide-ranging feature for The Times<\/a> alongside one of Nolly<\/a>\u2018s stars, Mark Gatiss, the returning Doctor Who<\/a> showrunner was asked what he would do with the BBC soap.<\/p>\n

Davies said that he would \u201creduce East<\/span>Enders\u00a0t<\/span>o t<\/span>hree episodes a week and you\u2019ve creat<\/span>ed 100 spot<\/span>s of t<\/span>elevision a year\u201d.<\/p>\n

He continued: \u201cI\u2019d use t<\/span>hose t<\/span>o give\u00a0East<\/span>Enders\u00a0writ<\/span>ers \u2013 invent<\/span>ive t<\/span>eams who have creat<\/span>ed enough divorces and chases and drugs and murders \u2013 t<\/span>o writ<\/span>e sit<\/span>coms and come up wit<\/span>h game shows.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Jessie Wallace as Kat Slater and Shona McGarty as Whitney Dean in EastEnders.<\/span><\/figcaption> BBC\/Jack Barnes\/Kieron McCarron<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Davies\u2019s new series Nolly focuses on Crossroads star Noele Gordon, played by Helena Bonham Carter, who at the height of her popularity on the long-running soap, was axed from the show.<\/p>\n

According to ITV, it will also look at \u201chow the establishment turns on women who refuse to play by the rules, the women it cannot understand and the women it fears\u201d.<\/p>\n

Davies previously spoke exclusively<\/a> with RadioTimes.com<\/a> about the series, and said: \u201cIt\u2019s a story of a queen losing her crown, of a woman falling from grace and having it all taken away from her by men. So even if I\u2019d invented this story, I\u2019d be very proud of it because it\u2019s a great story of a woman in the workplace fighting.\u201d<\/p>

Meanwhile, Davies is also currently working on the 14th season of Doctor Who<\/a>, which is set to debut next year following three 60th anniversary specials this November.<\/p>\n

In the same interview with The Times<\/a>, Davies said he wanted to \u201cmake all of the back catalogue\u201d of the series available on iPlayer, adding: \u201cIt\u2019s our heritage, it deserves to be there so kids can fall in love with Doctor Who like they love Friends.\u201d<\/p>