Johnny Briggs says Emmerdale is Corrie's real rival

[Behemoth]

One of Coronation Street's biggest stars has put the boot in ailing EastEnders by declaring Emmerdale as the ITV soap's closest rival.

Actor Johnny Briggs, 69, who has played Mike Baldwin since 1976, said: "I flicked on to Emmerdale and it was excellent. I see it as a rival to Coronation Street - bigger than EastEnders. For quality, the Street and Emmerdale are on one level - then there's EastEnders."

The BBC soap this month suffered the second lowest viewing figures in its history and was recently trounced by Emmerdale, which this week marks 4,000 shows.

An hour-long ITV1 special drew 9.1 million viewers - nearly three million more than EastEnders. Corrie regularly tops 12 million.

[Treacle]

That's just simply ridiculous. Emmerdale is stronger than EE but this only shows when they go head to head. EE is way out there infront of Emmerdale with press attention and viewing figures on a normal day though.

[callummc]

Well i think he's right at this moment in time ,EE lost it's spark after the excellent christmas day and they've alienated a lot of thrir fans,thanks to the hatchett women,and maybe it'll do them good cos theyv'e been a bit to big for their boots,and beleive me my family have been loyal to EE from day 1 but tonight we are protesting and watching emmerdale,cos den watts will always be the king of walford for us.

[?????]

Emmerdale better than eastenders errrrrr don't make me laugh, i rather watch family affairs than emmerdale. this johnny gezzer who said emmerdale is better than eastenders needs a brain transplant!

also crappy corrie is no better than emmerdale. corrie is like watching pantamine with overdramatic actors. eastenders has more realistic storylines in a week than corrie does all year.

[Siobhan]

I love my EE and would try never to miss an episode but Corrie and Emmerdale are doing something right.. EE was not nominate this year for soap awards but the other two were.. EE is just in a bit of a lull and it think Corrie fans are getting annoyed with the whole Katy crying sessions...
EE will be back on top!!!!!

[badactor]

He's right, eastenders might recover but even die hard fans have to admit it has been in a slump for ages now.

[Treacle]

It still is in a slump but it's going to get better slowly it just needs rebuilt back up again

It's ITV & Emmerdale that are too big for their boots.

[*JSW*]

It still is in a slump but it's going to get better slowly it just needs rebuilt back up again

It's ITV & Emmerdale that are too big for their boots.

Well with EE so weak, Emmerdale is allowed to strut its stuff. I forsee a change in the coming months.....

[Treacle]

Well for Emmerdale it's a great coup being comparable to EastEnders a soap once upon a time it COULDN'T even come close to. I agree they will want to milk it for all it's worth but one day EE will have it's revenge.
EastEnders can definately improve enough to get back on top of Emmerdale because it has the press to advertise anything it does.
It's already beating Emmerdale in the viewing figures during normal episodes.
All they need to do is get rid of the gangster stuff, stabilise the programme, add a bit of humour and then get a good plot going which is advertised and gets the extra viewers tuning in and then hopefully sustain them.
I do however feel it's not going to get back on top of Corrie but these two used to swap places anyways all the time, 1st and 2nd etc...
They should both really be on a par with eachother but offering the viewer different things?

[Meh]

Emmerdale better than eastenders errrrrr don't make me laugh, i rather watch family affairs than emmerdale. this johnny gezzer who said emmerdale is better than eastenders needs a brain transplant!

also crappy corrie is no better than emmerdale. corrie is like watching pantamine with overdramatic actors. eastenders has more realistic storylines in a week than corrie does all year.

Yup, I go for a drink with my local gangster everynight, and my next door neighbours just killed her dad with a mallet - and before I forget did I mention my cousins step dad is a psycho on the run and he's out for revenge?

Its called entertainment and we wouldn't watch it otherwise. Different shows appeal to different audiences so to slag them off just cause they don't appeal to you is nonsence. The ratings speak for themselves.