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| Eldorado | |
|---|---|
&sq=Envato&lang=en&file=File:Eldorado_Logo.jpg){kind=logo} Eldorado opening titles | |
| Genre | Soap opera |
| Created by | Tony Holland[1] |
| Directed by | Stephen Butcher Mervyn Cumming |
| Starring | Jesse Birdsall Jill Benedict Patricia Brake Julie Fernandez Polly Perkins Derek Martin Campbell Morrison Leslee Udwin Sandra Sandri Roland Curram Buki Armstrong Faith Kent Kathy Pitkin Darren Newton Jon Morrey Franco Rey Stella Maris Framboise Gommendy Kim Romer Matt Wilkinson Nanna Moller Bo Corre Iker Ibanez (Iker Ortiz de Zárate) Nile Bradshaw Roger Walker Daniel Lombart William Lucas Hilary Crane Josh Nathan Alex Leam |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 156[2] |
| Production | |
| Production locations | Coín, Spain |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production companies | BBC Cinema Verity J.Dark y J.Todesco |
| Original release | |
| Network | BBC1 |
| Release | 6 July 1992 – 9 July 1993 |
| Infobox instructions (only shown in preview) | |
Eldorado (English: “The Golden”) was a British soap opera created by Tony Holland, from an original idea by John Dark and Verity Lambert of a glamorous, upmarket soap focusing on wealthy British expatriates, similar to US soaps Dallas and Dynasty. The show ran for only one year, from 6 July 1992 to 9 July 1993. Set in the fictional town of Los Barcos on the Costa Eldorado in Spain and following the lives of British and European expatriates, the BBC hoped it would be as successful as EastEnders and replicate some of the sunshine and glamour of imported Australian soaps such as Home and Away and Neighbours.[3]
A co-production between the BBC and independent production company Cinema Verity and J.Dark y J.Todesco, Eldorado aired three times a week in a high-profile evening slot on the mainstream channel BBC1, filling the slot vacated by Terry Wogan's chat show Wogan, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7.00 pm.
In spite of a high-profile advertising campaign on television, radio and in the press preceding the launch ('Are you ready for Eldorado?', read by actor Campbell Morrison), the programme was not initially a popular hit with viewers or critics. Following a radical overhaul, ratings improved, but it was too late to save the programme and it was cancelled by BBC1's new controller, Alan Yentob.[4]
- ^ Holmwood, Leigh (29 November 2007). "EastEnders creator Holland dies". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
- ^ Wroe, Martin (10 July 1993). "Faithful few mourn the passing of 'Eldorado': Last Night: Pink fruit juice eases fans' sorrow as the BBC washes its hands of the costly Spanish soap". The Independent. London. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
- ^ Kaye, Jeff (22 September 1992). "The BBC's Stiff Upper Lip Quivers". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
- ^ Leapman, Michael (24 October 1993). "Eldorado: The Final Reckoning: Unfortunately for the BBC, the sun hasn't quite set on the Eldorado story. The unlucky soap left behind it a squabble over contracts and some unhappy actors who have taken their cases to court. If they win, who pays?". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 29 August 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2010.