Hollyoaks trailblazes the way in UK soap ratings

Mar 6 2008 by Alistair Houghton, Liverpool Daily Post

LIVERPOOL production company Lime Pictures is set for another bumper year after Channel 4 said Hollyoaks was the only UK soap opera to grow its audience so far this year.

The broadcaster says Hollyoaks, made by Childwall based company, saw viewing figures rise 6% in January and February compared to the same two months in 2007.

The show is now averaging 2.1m viewers an episode while Channel 4 says other soaps including Eastenders and Coronation Street have seen viewing figures fall. Hollyoaks’ strong performance so far in 2008 maintains the success achieved in 2007, which saw Hollyoaks audience share rise 6% year on year on Channel 4 and up 53% on E4.

This ratings success comes in the week when Hollyoaks actress Summer Strallen made her debut as Maria in the stage version of Sound of Music in London’s West End. The on-screen storyline featured her audition for the part with Andrew Lloyd Webber