As little as a month ago, Hollyoaks remained around the 1 million viewers mark on average for its Channel 4 episode, which airs nightly at 6:30pm. The first look episode which follows at 7pm on E4 pulled in not much less, with figures at the end of May for a dramatic shooting plotline being 726k.

However, the most recent ratings for the soap for episodes broadcast last night show a drastic drop to as low as 366k (431 with +1 included) for the first look episode, which held only a 2.3% audience share.

Hollyoaks is used to being behind big hitters Coronation Street, EastEnders and Emmerdale but yesterday found itself flagging below Doctors and Aussie soaps Neighbours and Home And Away which air on Channel 5.

The main episode on Channel 4 fell to a worrying figure of just 430k (504 with +1 included) according to data supplied from BARB.

Hollyoaks has tried everything to maintain viewer interest including a shock serial killer storyline and the surprise return from the ‘dead’ of Mercedes McQueen but many fans have been dissatisfied with the quality of the show for some time and it is starting to reflect in a really bad way in the quantity of viewers it is pulling in.

To fall behind Channel 5 rivals will not be welcome news for Channel 4, who axed long-running soap Brookside while it still held over 2 million viewers for its final episode broadcast in a graveyard timeslot in 2003.


Read more: http://metro.co.uk/2015/06/27/strugglin ... f-5269020/

Oh dear BK, stop making a hash of it or we will lose the show

To be honest, I was just waiting for this. They have ruined almost everything on the show. If Kirkwood leaves, perhaps things will change, but I'm not optimistic about that either. He's EP, but I imagine a lot of people at the top are responsible.

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They need better writers, script and story people....and by better I mean new ones with fresh ideas to bring the show forward.

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New ideas I am all for but I think new writers etc have to have a good knowledge on the actual characters to know what kind of things they say and do.