The primetime soap may not have its peak 30-million audience, but its humour, warmth and the certainty that someone on the square is having a worse day than you have helped it to reach an extraordinary milestone, writes Fiona Sturges
EastEnders, the UK soap opera, is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Launched in 1985, the show was a departure from the glamorous, American-inspired soaps of the time, instead focusing on the lives of working-class characters in Albert Square. Despite declining audiences compared to its peak of 30 million viewers in the 1980s, the series remains a cultural institution. Over the years, it has faced criticism for controversial storylines, but its humor, warmth, and relatable characters have helped it endure.
