EastEnders spoilers earlier revealed that the BBC had sold off their legendary Elstree Studio. The 16-acre massive site was the home of the iconic EastEnders set that BBC built just two years back! The news also came with a good news, the news was- Albert Square isn’t going anywhere. Now the latest reports say that the cameras have started rolling already. BBC made a deal to lease the Square from the new landlord, Axa. Hence, our beloved soap is rocking the familiar setting and we will continue to witness the EastEnders magic! Keep scrolling to know more!
EastEnders Spoilers: Cameras Start Rolling On the New Set!
According to EastEnders spoilers, the soap has set up shop in brand new Albert Square. The ITV soap has begun shooting on the whopping £86.7m replacement set instead of the original EastEnders set. The original set was located at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire. As per the plan, the set was to be built in only two years. However, the set ended up hosting EastEnders from 1984 till now. Finally, the call for a new set was at an all-time high, and the BBC finally kicked things into gear.
The new set is located nearby and has faced its fair share of hiccups, per EastEnders spoilers. The new set incurred £87m, over budget by £27 million. Moreover, the construction timeframe also blew past schedule expectations by four years. The plan was to wrap up the construction by 2018, however, it only got done last Tuesday. The whopping investment brought upgraded HD filming for viewers and enabled more creative filming possibilities for the EastEnders crew. After filming began in the new Albert Square, a BBC statement said that the production team now has the freedom to explore new areas on screen. Added, “Writers, producers, and directors have greater freedom to drive further creativity.”
It has been challenging sailing for the broadcasting giant. A 2018 report from the National Audit Office bashed the obsolescence of the old set. However, they also pointed out that the new set failed to hit the value-for-money mark envisioned in 2015. Moreover, the following year, MPs on the House of Commons Public Accounts select committee criticised the construction. They stated that it was “flawed from the start,” accusing the broadcaster of being “complacent” and making “fundamental planning mistakes.”
The BBC fired back by pointing fingers at construction market challenges beyond their control. The broadcaster giant also cited the complexities of working on a brownfield site as one reason, as EastEnders spoilers suggested. What’s your take on BBC’s financial extravagance for the new set? Are you excited? Drop your thoughts in the comments! Meanwhile, stay tuned to TV Seasons & Spoilers for all the exciting EastEnders spoilers and updates!