Mark Fowler

Louise Berridge: In the Spotlight

Ellie caught up with the former Executive Producer to talk EastEnders and find out what Louise has got up to since leaving the show.

Louise Berridge was Executive Producer of EastEnders for two and half years from 2002 until she quit in September 2004. In this exclusive interview with Walford Web, Ellie recently caught up with Louise to discuss life after EastEnders, her first novel and to reflect on her time with the show.

It’s been over six years since we last heard from you, what have you been up to since?

Spotlight
Submitted by admin on 3 March 2010 - 1:00am

Watching a Ghost Town

I have watched EastEnders faithfully in the US since it first aired here. Now, I am one of the lucky few whose local Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is still broadcasting EastEnders. Unfortunately, we are about six years behind and only showing two episodes a week. Pulling out my calculator, I have deduced that this means that we will never, ever catch up to the current British episodes.

Postcards from America
Submitted by admin on 23 July 2009 - 12:00am

The Big Issues?

EastEnders has always handled certain issues in a very sympathetic and largely successful manner. The recent Downs Syndrome story involving Billy and Honey was bold and unexpected. They didn't shy away from the reality of such a situation and it encouraged the viewer to confront individual prejudices and suppositions.

The Walford Files
Submitted by admin on 2 April 2007 - 2:34pm

11 November 2002

Now that I've said a few complimentary words about the recent EastEnders storylines, I have to do exactly the opposite on 2 others. Not everything in EastEnders is perfect, & as far as I'm concerned, the major mistakes being made in the writing need pointing out.

Postcards from America
Submitted by admin on 11 November 2002 - 1:00am

22 August 2002

For those EE fans out there following my Postcards, I want to apologize for the last few weeks with nothing new to say. To be honest, I am bored of griping about the current quality of EE. Unfortunately, the latest episodes have given me little positive drama to comment on. However, so many new observations have been springing to mind over the past few weeks, that even if I'm back to whinging, I thought I'd share them with the Walford Web readers, and see if anyone else feels the same way.

Postcards from America
Submitted by admin on 22 August 2002 - 12:00am

28 July 2002

When it was recently announced that John Yorke was vacating the producer's chair at EastEnders, and new producer Louise Berridge would be helming the show, hopes were high that storylines would be improving. After all, it was John Yorke who had steered the show into its current emphasis on murder, mayhem, and illicit sex. It was John Yorke who master-minded the Slater family and then made them the central characters on EastEnders. And it was Yorke's terrible idea to make Jamie Mitchell & Sonia Jackson a couple as well as have Sonia suddenly go bonkers and kidnap Chloe.

Postcards from America
Submitted by admin on 28 July 2002 - 12:00am

15 June 2002

While watching the recent episodes featuring Sonia's kidnapping of Chloe/Rebecca & the subsequent efforts of Dot to talk sense to Sonia, a feeling of déjà vu came over me. I'd seen these scenes before, I just knew it! Then it came to me: the first EastEnders episodes I ever watched, circa 1989 featured another troubled teenager-turned mother who was befriended by Dot. Am I the only viewer who remembers the Disa O'Brian storyline?

Postcards from America
Submitted by admin on 15 June 2002 - 12:00am

30 January 2002

Well, EastEnders is at it again, involving it's viewers in not 1 but 2 legal storylines simultaneously. Of course, one story is a criminal investigation (the "attempted murder" of Trevor Morgan by his wife Little Mo) & the other is a custody battle between birth-father Phil Mitchell & the baby's legal parents Lisa Shaw & Mark Fowler. Two very different stories, yet being a long-time EE watcher, they bring familiar questions to my mind.

Postcards from America
Submitted by admin on 30 January 2002 - 1:00am