Crossroads (British TV series)

Crossroads
2003 title sequence
Also known as
  • Crossroads Motel
  • Crossroads King's Oak
GenreSoap opera
Created by
Written by
  • Michala Crees
  • Ivor Jay
  • Rosalie Grayson
  • Raymond Bowers
  • David Garfield
  • Edward F. Barnes
  • Arthur Schmidt
  • Alan Wiggins
  • Aubrey Cash
Directed by
  • John Scholz-Conway
  • Dorothy Denham
  • Alan Coleman
  • Jack Barton
  • Teddy Abraham
  • David Dunn
  • Malcolm Taylor
  • Geoff Husson
  • Mike Holgate
StarringList of characters
Opening theme
  • Tony Hatch (1964–1987)
  • Raf Ravenscroft & Max Early (1988)
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes
  • Original series: 4,510
  • Revived series: 320
  • Total: 4,830
Production
ProducerReg Watson
Production locations
  • Alpha Studios, Aston (1964–1969)
  • ATV Centre / Central House, Birmingham (1969–1988)
  • Television House / Carlton Studios, Nottingham (2001–2003)
Running time30 minutes (including adverts)
Production companies
Original release
NetworkITV
Release2 November 1964 (1964-11-02) –
4 April 1988 (1988-04-04)
Release5 March 2001 (2001-03-05) –
30 May 2003 (2003-05-30)
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Crossroads (later known as Crossroads Motel and Crossroads King's Oak) is a British television soap opera that ran on ITV over two periods – the original 1964 to 1988 run, followed by a short revival from 2001 to 2003. Set in a fictional motel (hotel in the revival) in the Midlands, Crossroads became a byword for low production values, particularly in the 1970s and early 1980s. Despite this, the series regularly attracted huge audiences during this time, with viewership numbers reaching as high as 15 million viewers.[1]

It was created by Hazel Adair and Peter Ling, and produced by ATV (until the end of 1981) and then by ATV's successor, Central Independent Television until 1988 when it was axed. The series was revived by Carlton Television in 2001, but due to low ratings it was cancelled again in 2003.

  1. ^ Cornell, Paul; Day, Martin; Topping, Keith (1996). The Guinness Book of Classic British TV (second ed.). Enfield, UK: Guinness Publishing Ltd. pp. 32–36. ISBN 0-85112-628-6.