But EastEnders almost failed to make the screen in favour of a soap opera set in a geriatric caravan park.
Michael Grade has revealed that when he arrived at the corporation in September 1984, as controller of BBC One, there had been plans to run a drama series set on a caravan park for the elderly in the North East.
Speaking to Boom Radio about how Eastenders came into being, Lord Grade says: "They had decided they were going to do a soap opera on BBC One. There was one in development when I arrived, and I asked to see the head of drama series, Jonathan Powell. I said, tell me about this alleged soap opera. And he said: "I've only just taken over... the show I've inherited is set in a geriatric caravan park in the Northeast."
"My face fell. I said, 'Really? Where is that now?' He said, 'I've binned that. We've got a show called EastEnders, based on a square in the East End of London.' 'Oh', I said, 'that sounds a bit better than a geriatric caravan park... I'll leave it to you'."
Lord Grade says he was initially anxious that EastEnders, which has now been running for 39 years and more than 6,820 episodes, might have easily turned out to be a flop - until he was sent the first episode.
"I remember with some considerable trepidation. Putting the cassette in the machine and thinking 'Oh my God, you know, this is a year's commitment . . this could be horrible," he said. "And as the music and the opening titles played, I knew it was okay.
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