Editing EastEnders (section)

=== 2010s ===
From 4 February 2010, [[computer-generated imagery|CGI]] was used in the show for the first time, with the addition of computer-generated trains.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/eastenders/2010/02/get-your-anoraks-on-trains-are.shtml|title=Get your anoraks on... trains are coming!|work=[[BBC Online]]|date=3 February 2010|access-date=4 February 2010}}</ref>

{{anchor|25th anniversary}}''EastEnders'' celebrated its 25th anniversary on 19 February 2010. Santer came up with several plans to mark the occasion, including the show's first [[EastEnders Live|episode to be broadcast live]], the second wedding between [[Ricky Butcher]] ([[Sid Owen]]) and [[Bianca Jackson]] ([[Patsy Palmer]]) and the return of Bianca's relatives, mother [[Carol Jackson]] ([[Lindsey Coulson]]), and siblings [[Robbie Jackson]] ([[Dean Gaffney]]), [[Sonia Fowler]] ([[Natalie Cassidy]]) and [[Billie Jackson]] ([[Devon Anderson]]). He told entertainment website [[Digital Spy]], "It's really important that the feel of the week is active and exciting and not too reflective. There'll be those moments for some of our longer-serving characters that briefly reflect on themselves and how they've changed. The characters don't know that it's the 25th anniversary of anything, so it'd be absurd to contrive too many situations in which they're reflective on the past. The main engine of that week is great stories that'll get people talking."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/scoop/a189597/eastenders-exec-teases-2010-storylines.html|title='EastEnders' exec teases 2010 storylines|website=[[Digital Spy]]|first=Kris|last=Green|date=17 December 2009|access-date=17 December 2009|archive-date=18 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100118071756/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/scoop/a189597/eastenders-exec-teases-2010-storylines.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The live episode featured the death of [[Bradley Branning]] ([[Charlie Clements]]) at the conclusion of the "[[Who Killed Archie?]]" storyline, which saw Bradley's wife [[Stacey Slater]] ([[Lacey Turner]]) reveal that she was the murderer. Viewing figures peaked at 16.6&nbsp;million, which was the highest viewed episode in seven years.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8526006.stm|title=Live EastEnders watched by 16.6m|work=[[BBC News Online]]|date=20 February 2010|access-date=20 February 2010}}</ref> Other events to mark the anniversary were a spin-off DVD, ''EastEnders: Last Tango in Walford'', and an Internet spin-off, ''[[EastEnders: E20]]''.

[[File:Bryan Kirkwood.jpg|thumb|Bryan Kirkwood, executive producer (2010–2012)|alt=refer to caption]]
Santer officially left ''EastEnders'' in March 2010, and was replaced by [[Bryan Kirkwood]]. Kirkwood's first signing was the reintroduction of characters [[Alfie Moon]] ([[Shane Richie]]) and [[Kat Moon]] ([[Jessie Wallace]]),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a202145/jessie-wallace-returns-to-eastenders.html|title=Jessie Wallace returns to 'EastEnders'|website=[[Digital Spy]]|date=9 February 2010|access-date=9 February 2010|first=Kris|last=Green|archive-date=10 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100210022633/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a202145/jessie-wallace-returns-to-eastenders.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> and his first new character was [[Vanessa Gold]], played by [[Zöe Lucker]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a209768/zoe-lucker-joins-eastenders.html|title=Zoe Lucker joins 'EastEnders'|last=Green|first=Kris|date=20 March 2010|website=[[Digital Spy]]|access-date=20 March 2010|archive-date=23 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100323082207/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a209768/zoe-lucker-joins-eastenders.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> In April and May 2010, Kirkwood axed eight characters from the show,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a214903/six-characters-to-leave-eastenders.html|title=Six characters to leave 'EastEnders'|last=Green|first=Kris|date=17 April 2010|website=[[Digital Spy]]|access-date=16 April 2010|archive-date=18 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100418210141/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a214903/six-characters-to-leave-eastenders.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a219224/leon-zsa-zsa-to-leave-eastenders.html|title=Exclusive: Leon, Zsa Zsa to leave 'EastEnders'|last=Green|first=Kris|date=11 May 2010|website=[[Digital Spy]]|access-date=10 May 2010|archive-date=14 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100514142428/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a219224/leon-zsa-zsa-to-leave-eastenders.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Barbara Windsor]] left her role of [[Peggy Mitchell]], which left a hole in the show, which Kirkwood decided to fill by bringing back Kat and Alfie, which he said would "herald the new era of ''EastEnders''."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/eastenders/2010/09/bryan-kirkwood-interview.shtml|title=Bryan Kirkwood interview!|date=8 September 2010|first=Joe|last=Harper|work=[[BBC Online]]|format=video|access-date=9 September 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a275070/enders-boss-teases-spectacular-fire-ep.html|title='Enders boss teases "spectacular" fire ep|last=Kilkelly|first=Daniel|date=9 September 2010|work=[[Digital Spy]]|publisher=[[Hachette Filipacchi UK]]|access-date=9 September 2010|location=London|archive-date=10 September 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100910110728/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a275070/enders-boss-teases-spectacular-fire-ep.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''EastEnders'' started broadcasting in [[High-definition television|high definition]] on 25 December 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/eastenders/2010/10/eastenders-to-go-hd-on-christm.shtml|title=EastEnders to go HD on Christmas Day!|last=Lou|date=21 October 2010|work=[[BBC Online]]|access-date=21 October 2010}}</ref> Old sets had to be rebuilt, so [[#Setting|The Queen Victoria]] set was [[Queen Vic Fire Week|burnt down]] in a storyline (and in reality) to facilitate this.

In November 2011, a storyline showed character [[Billy Mitchell (EastEnders)|Billy Mitchell]], played by [[Perry Fenwick]], selected to be a torch bearer for the [[2012 Summer Olympics]]. In reality, Fenwick carried the torch through the setting of Albert Square, with live footage shown in the [[Episode 4466|episode on 23 July 2012]]. This was the second live broadcast of ''EastEnders''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/a628985/corrie-eastenders-emmerdale-which-soap-had-the-best-live-special/|title=Corrie, EastEnders, Emmerdale: Which soap had the best live special?|access-date=27 January 2021|first=Daniel|last=Kilkelly|work=[[Digital Spy]]|date=15 February 2015}}</ref> In 2012, Kirkwood chose to leave his role as executive producer and was replaced by [[Lorraine Newman]]. The show lost many of its significant characters during this period. Newman stepped down after 16 months in the job in 2013 after the soap was criticised for its boring storylines and its lowest-ever figures pointing at around 4.8&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Owoseje|first1=Toyin|title=EastEnders Boss Lorraine Newman Quits As Soap's Ratings Plummet|url=http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/eastenders-boss-lorraine-newman-quits-bbc-soap-495585|website=[[International Business Times]]|access-date=1 May 2017|date=30 July 2013}}</ref> [[Dominic Treadwell-Collins]] was appointed as the new executive producer on 19 August 2013<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/dominictc/status/368410124937101312 |title=Twitter / dominictc: Had an amazing three years|publisher=Twitter.com |access-date=2 May 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/a537973/eastenders-new-producer-shares-gossip-and-teasers-full-text/|title=EastEnders' new producer shares gossip and teasers- full text|date=13 December 2013|access-date=2 January 2019|first=Daniel|last=Kilkelly|work=[[Digital Spy]]}}</ref> and was credited on 9 December.<ref>{{cite web|title=9 December 2013|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03kv3wz|publisher=[[BBC Programmes]]|access-date=1 May 2017}}</ref> He axed multiple characters from the show<ref>{{cite news|title=EastEnders to cut four stars|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/10330181/EastEnders-to-cut-four-stars.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/10330181/EastEnders-to-cut-four-stars.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|access-date=1 May 2017|date=24 September 2013|agency=Press Association}}{{cbignore}}</ref> and introduced the extended Carter family.<ref>{{cite web|title=EastEnders boss: I refuse to tick boxes on race or sexuality|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2015-02-02/eastenders-boss-i-refuse-to-tick-boxes-on-race-or-sexuality|publisher=[[RadioTimes]]|access-date=1 May 2017|date=2 February 2015}}</ref> He also introduced a long-running storyline, "[[Who Killed Lucy Beale?]]", which peaked during the show's 30th anniversary in 2015 with a [[EastEnders Live Week|week of live episodes]].<ref>{{cite news|title=At last: EastEnders will reveal Who Killed Lucy? in 30th anniversary show in February|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13195850.At_last__EastEnders_will_reveal_Who_Killed_Lucy__in_30th_anniversary_show_in_February/|newspaper=[[Herald Scotland]]|date=5 January 2013}}</ref> Treadwell-Collins announced his departure from ''EastEnders'' on 18 February 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/eastenders/entries/dc5a0a28-acd5-4386-9102-c311b9627eda|title=Dominic Treadwell-Collins set to depart as Executive Producer|date=18 February 2016|website=EastEnders News & Spoilers|access-date=22 August 2016}}</ref>

[[Sean O'Connor (producer)|Sean O'Connor]], former ''EastEnders'' series story producer and then-editor of radio soap opera ''[[The Archers]]'', was announced to be taking over the role.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://metro.co.uk/2016/02/18/eastenders-boss-dominic-treadwell-collins-quits-the-bbc-soap-after-two-and-a-half-years-5702945/|title=EastEnders boss Dominic Treadwell-Collins quits after two and half years|last=Duncan|first=Amy|date=18 February 2016|work=[[Metro (British newspaper)|Metro]]|access-date=18 February 2016}}</ref> Treadwell-Collins left on 6 May<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/news/a793299/end-of-an-era-eastenders-boss-dominic-treadwell-collins-shares-emotional-pictures-from-his-last-day/|title=End of an era! EastEnders boss Dominic Treadwell-Collins shares emotional pictures from his last day|last=Babbage|first=Rachel|date=7 May 2016|work=[[Digital Spy]]|access-date=9 May 2016}}</ref> and O'Connor's first credited episode was broadcast on 11 July<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07kxbxw|title=11 July 2016, EastEnders – BBC One|website=BBC|access-date=25 November 2016}}</ref> although his own creative work was not seen onscreen until late September.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/news/a799696/eastenders-find-out-when-new-producer-sean-oconnors-first-credited-episode-will-air/|title=EastEnders date revealed for new boss's first episode|date=30 June 2016|newspaper=Digital Spy|access-date=25 November 2016}}</ref> Additionally, Oliver Kent was brought in as the head of continuing drama series for BBC Scripted Studios, meaning that Kent would oversee ''EastEnders'' along with O'Connor.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://metro.co.uk/2016/12/01/casualty-boss-oliver-kent-is-now-in-charge-of-eastenders-too-6295255/|title=Casualty boss Oliver Kent is now in charge of EastEnders|last=Lindsay|first=Duncan|date=1 December 2016|work=[[Metro (British newspaper)|Metro]]|access-date=10 December 2016}}</ref> O'Connor's approach to the show was to have a firmer focus on realism, which he said was being "true to ''EastEnders''{{'}} DNA and [finding] a way of capturing what it would be like if Julia Smith and [[Tony Holland]] were making the show now." He said that "''EastEnders'' has always had a distinctly different tone from the other soaps but over time we've diluted our unique selling point. I think we need to be ourselves and go back to the origins of the show and what made it successful in the first place. It should be entertaining but it should also be informative—that's part of our unique BBC compact with the audience. It shouldn't just be a distraction from your own life, it should be an exploration of the life shared by the audience and the characters."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://metro.co.uk/2017/05/16/eastenders-boss-sean-oconnor-gives-first-in-depth-interview-on-his-changes-to-the-soap-and-its-future-6638324/|title=Spoilers EastEnders boss first interview on show changes and future|last=Lindsay|first=Duncan|date=16 May 2017|work=[[Metro (British newspaper)|Metro]]|access-date=17 May 2017}}</ref> O'Connor planned to stay with ''EastEnders'' until the end of 2017, but announced his departure on 23 June 2017 with immediate effect,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/news/a831548/eastenders-confirms-producer-sean-oconnor-is-leaving/|title=EastEnders confirms producer Sean O'Connor is leaving the soap effective immediately|last=Harp|first=Justin|date=23 June 2017|work=[[Digital Spy]]|access-date=24 June 2017}}</ref> saying he wanted to concentrate on a career in film. [[John Yorke (producer)|John Yorke]] returned as a temporary executive consultant. Kent said, "John Yorke is a Walford legend and I am thrilled that he will be joining us for a short period to oversee the show and to help us build on Sean's legacy while we recruit a long-term successor."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-40390623|title=EastEnders executive producer leaves programme after one year&nbsp;– BBC News|date=24 June 2017|work=[[BBC News]]|access-date=24 June 2017}}</ref> Yorke initially returned for three months but his contract was later extended.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/news/a857839/eastenders-boss-john-yorke-extends-contract-year|title= EastEnders boss John Yorke extends contract with the soap again|work=[[Digital Spy]]|date=23 May 2018|access-date=26 October 2018|first=Bea|last=Mitchell}}</ref>

In July 2018, a special episode was aired as part of a [[knife crime]] storyline. This episode, which showed the funeral of [[Shakil Kazemi]] ([[Shaheen Jafargholi]]) interspersed with real people talking about their true-life experiences of knife crime.
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/news/a861114/eastenders-viewers-moved-soap-breaks-format-raise-awareness-knife-crime|title=Eastenders viewers moved as soap breaks format to raise awareness of knife crime|access-date=26 October 2018|date= 6 July 2018|first=Chris|last=Edwards|work=[[Digital Spy]]}}</ref> On 8 August 2018, it was announced that [[Kate Oates]], who has previously been a producer on the ITV soap operas ''[[Emmerdale]]'' and ''Coronation Street'', would become senior executive producer of ''EastEnders'', as well as ''[[Holby City]]'' and ''[[Casualty (TV series)|Casualty]]''. Oates began her role in October, and continued to work with Yorke until the end of the year to "ensure a smooth handover".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/news/a863452/eastenders-casualty-holby-city-new-producer-kate-oates/|title=EastEnders confirms new boss as Kate Oates takes over from John Yorke in top job|last=Dainty|first=Sophie|date=8 August 2018|work=[[Digital Spy]]|access-date=12 August 2018}}</ref> It was also announced that Oates was looking for an executive producer to work under her.<ref>{{cite news|last=Davies|first=Megan|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/news/a870672/eastenders-searching-new-executive-producer-kate-oates/|title=EastEnders is searching for a new executive producer to work with Kate Oates|date=15 November 2018|work=[[Digital Spy]]|access-date=16 November 2018}}</ref> [[Jon Sen]] was announced on 10 December 2018 to be taking on the role.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2018-12-10/jon-sen-named-as-new-eastenders-boss/|title=Jon Sen named as new EastEnders boss|last=Brown|first=David|date=10 December 2018|work=[[Radio Times]]|access-date=10 December 2018}}</ref>

In late 2016, popularity and viewership of ''EastEnders'' began to decline, with viewers criticising the storylines during the O'Connor reign, such as the killing of the Mitchell sisters and a storyline centred on the local bin collection.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/elliewoodward/eastenders-has-an-ongoing-storyline-about-bins-and-its-fucki|title="EastEnders" Has A Storyline About Bins And It's Driving Everyone Fucking Insane|last=Woodward|first=Ellie|date=2 November 2016|website=[[BuzzFeed]]|access-date=18 September 2019}}</ref> Since Yorke's and Oates's reigns, however, opinions towards the storylines have become more favourable, with storylines such as [[Ruby Allen]]'s ([[Louisa Lytton]]) sexual consent, which featured [[Episode 5820|a special episode]] which "broke new ground"<ref name="Dainty episode">{{cite news|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/a871649/eastenders-review-ruby-allen-rape-consent-episode/|title=Why EastEnders has broken new ground with Ruby Allen's consent episode|last1=Dainty|first1=Sophie|date=29 November 2018|work=[[Digital Spy]]|access-date=29 December 2018|publisher=[[Hearst Magazines UK]]}}</ref> and knife crime, both of which have created "vital" discussions. The soap won the award for Best Continuing Drama at the [[2019 British Academy Television Awards]]; its first high-profile award since 2016; however, in June 2019, ''EastEnders'' suffered its lowest ever ratings of 2.4&nbsp;million due to its airing at 7&nbsp;pm because of the BBC's coverage of the [[2019 FIFA Women's World Cup]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://inews.co.uk/news/eastenders-coronation-street-and-x-factor-decline-is-driving-down-tv-viewing-figures/|title=EastEnders, Coronation Street and The X Factor decline is driving down TV viewing figures|last=Sherwin|first=Adam|date=18 July 2018|website=[[i (British newspaper)|i]]|language=en-GB|access-date=3 July 2019}}</ref> As of 2019, the soap is one of the most watched series on [[BBC iPlayer]] and averages around 5 million viewers per episode.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.barb.co.uk/viewing-data/four-screen-dashboard/|title=Four-screen dashboard – BARB|publisher=[[Broadcasters Audience Research Board]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishnews.com/magazine/entertainment/2017/10/19/news/eastenders-is-ratings-success-on-bbc-iplayer-1167215/|title=EastEnders is ratings success on BBC iPlayer|date=19 October 2017|website=[[The Irish News]]|access-date=18 September 2019}}</ref> The soap enjoyed a record-breaking year on the streaming platform in 2019, with viewers requesting to stream or download the show 234 million times, up 10% on 2018.<ref name="player" /> The Christmas Day episode in 2019 became ''EastEnders'' biggest ever episode on BBC iPlayer, with 2.14&nbsp;million viewer requests.<ref name="player">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2020/eastenders-iplayer|title=EastEnders has best year ever on BBC iPlayer|access-date= 6 April 2020|work=[[BBC]]|date=19 January 2020}}</ref>