EastEnders to go upmarket, says producer

EastEnders faces being invaded by yuppies.

The show's executive producer John Yorke says the soap will have to go upmarket because Albert Square is so desirable.

He says EastEnders is currently "unrealistic".

"If we were absolutely true to life it would be much more yuppifed than it actually is," Mr Yorke said.

"Albert Square is a very desirable place to live, its got the Square and beautiful houses."

Mr Yorke was a guest speaker in a debate on soaps.

He also revealed that producers were alarmed at the amount of interest in the Who Shot Phil Mitchell? storyline.

"When it became as big as it did, we were horrified. We thought everyone was going to be really disappointed," he said.

Former soap actress Emily Perkins said it was much more acceptable for people to admit liking soaps compared to ten years ago.

TV expert Stuart Jefferies told the conference: "There's a hunger for a community that we don't have anymore."

Psychologist Andy Evans said soaps had contributed to creating new communities within society.

"The internet has shown you can fracture a community and what you get is a huge global community," he said.

The debate was chaired by Miranda Sawyer at the two day conference on the changing face of news in the 21st century.