BBC set to create rival ‘woke’ soap to EastEnders to reflect modern Britain

BEEB bosses are hoping to create a woke soap to reflect “modern Britain” and provide competition for struggling EastEnders.

BBC Three controller Fiona Campbell revealed her ambition as the service returns from online only to regular channels from tomorrow.

But a third of people already believe the BBC is too woke.

Fiona said the soap might be set far from London and recruit cast and writers from social media.

She said: “What would it look like? It could be somewhere very specific in modern Britain — Derry or Belfast, Aberdeen or Newcastle.

“I want to showcase a locality in all its glory. I’d like to provide a platform for the cast of the future.

“You can see how many stars came out of early EastEnders.”

Fiona also said the soap would reflect the channel’s focus on “how tough it is to be in your teens and early 20s today”.

And she believes young people — increasingly viewed as wanting only to watch streaming services — still seek “shared experience” TV.

ITV recently said it was boosting its output of Emmerdale and Coronation Street and airing them back-to-back three nights a week.

In contrast, EastEnders has been struggling in the ratings for years.

Viewers are also growing fed up with the BBC and its licence fee.

Almost half say it is not in tune with people outside London.

And this month the Government said BBC funding would be frozen for two years, with talk of abolishing the licence by 2027.