Corinne Hollingworth

**Corinne Hollingworth** (born 25th May 1952) was the executive producer of *EastEnders* during two seperate periods. Her first stint was from Episode 684 (27th August 1991) to Episode 815 (26th November 1992), and she later returned to the show as executive producer from Episode 1095 (20th February 1995) to Episode 1311 (4th July 1996). During her time as executive producer, Hollingworth played a significant role in shaping the direction and success of the show, her second tenure earning a BAFTA award for 'Best Drama Series'.

Born on May 25th, 1952, Hollingworth began her career in television in 1979. Her first job was an assistant floor manager on the television adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel, *Pride and Prejudice*.

Hollingworth's association with *EastEnders* began in the early years of the show, when she started working as a Production Assistant. Her talent and hard work soon caught the attention of the show's producers, and she was subsequently promoted to the role of Associate Producer, beginning with Episode 346 on May 31st, 1988. Hollingworth worked closely with Julia Smith and Mike Gibbon on the production of the show, a role she held until Episode 511 on December 28th, 1989, when she was promoted to the position of Producer. In this new role, she worked alongside Michael Ferguson, and played a key role in the new direction of the show Ferguson was taking it. After Michael Ferguson's departure from *EastEnders* in late 1991, Hollingworth took over the role of Executive Producer for the show in a joint-position with Pat Sandys. As Exeuctive Producer, she was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the show's production, including casting, writing, and directing. Some key storylines during this time included Eddie Royle's murder and Sharon Watts and Grant Mitchell's wedding. She also introduced popular characters such as Mandy Salter and Nigel Bates.

Between her two stints as Executive Producer of *EastEnders*, Hollingworth served as the Series Producer of *Eldorado*, a soap opera created by the same team that had produced *EastEnders*. Despite the show's initial hype and high expectations, *Eldorado* struggled to find an audience and was facing cancellation. Hollingworth was brought in to try to turn things around, and she made several promising changes to the programme, including imporving the writing and introducing new characters. Her efforts paid off, as the show's viewership increased by a million. However, despite these improvements, the BBC eventually made the decision to cancel *Eldorado*, marking it as one of the most short-lived and ill-fated soap operas in British television history.

Following the cancellation of *Eldorado*, Hollingworth went on to become the Producer of the long-running medical drama, *Casualty*. Her tenure on the show was marked by a number of successful storylines and popular episodes, and she is widely credited with helping rejuvenate the show and keep it fresh and engaging for viewers. In addition to this, she oversaw the introduced of several new characters and storylines that helped keep the show relevant and engaging to viewers.

In 1995, Hollingworth returned to *EastEnders* for a second stint as Executive Producer. Notably, her work on the show earned it a BAFTA award for 'Best Drama Serial'. Hollingworth's second tenure on the show saw the introduction of several memorable characters, including the Hills family, the extended family of the already established character Kathy Beale, and the Branning family. One of the most controversial storylines during Hollingworth's time on the show was the romantic relationship between father and daughter, Bianca Jackson and David Wicks. This storyline caused widespread outrage among viewers and critics alike, but it also helped to generate significant buzz and attention for the show. Another notable storyline during Hollingworth's second tenure on the show was Arthur Fowler's wrongful imprisonment. This storyline helped to raise awareness of important issues such as mental health and the justice system, and it proved to be one of the most impactful and memorable storylines in the history of the show.

In 1997, she joined Channel 5 as Controller of Drama and successfully launched the series *Family Affairs*. After six years with the channel, Corinne made a move to ITV where she held the position of Head of Continuing Dramas. During her time at ITV, she played a vital role in the success of shows such as *The Bill* and *Heartbeat*, and also had some input on long-running soap operas like *Coronation Street* and *Emmerdale*. Corinne left ITV in 2008.