Jay Hunt to axe Hollyoaks?

Incoming Channel Four chief Jay Hunt could axe teen-soap Hollyoaks in a bid to stamp her mark on the broadcaster.

 

 

 Incoming Channel Four chief Jay Hunt could axe teen-soap Hollyoaks in a bid to stamp her mark on the broadcaster. Jay Hunt left the BBC late last year in order to take up her post as the new chief of Channel Four – a role she will start next week. During her time as controller of BBC One she was responsible for revamping and moving Countryfile to prime-time and for axing Last of the Summer Wine.

 

Tabloid newspaper The Sun claims that Jay Hunt could axe Hollyoaks as one of her first duties upon taking office at Channel Four. It was revealed earlier this week that producer Paul Marquess is moving on after just a year in the role and is to be replaced by Gareth Phillips. During Marquess’ tenure as producer on Hollyoaks he has axed most of the cast and introduced a wide range of new characters but ratings continue to be a problem for the soap.

 

However, cancellation rumours were also in the tabloids shortly after Marquess took the role last year and broadcaster Channel Four insisted the soap’s future was secure – something that have one again said. Since the demise of Brookside in 2003 Hollyoaks is Channel Four’s last remaining soap and axing it would be a bold moving given the regular audience the delivers to the broadcaster every day – including do its digital channel E4 through repeat and first look episodes – as writers ATV Today’s chief soap editor, Shaun Linden, below.

 

“It is highly unlikely that Channel Four would axe Hollyoaks given its regular audience it delivers to the broadcaster not just on the main channel but also E4 and 4OnDemand. It’s true its ratings have been up and down over the past year but Hollyoaks still delivers a regular and sizable young audience to C4/E4 which is what advertisers like. This story isn’t particularly new and just like the previous time it was touted in The Sun there’s little true to it” – ATV Today’s chief soap editor Shaun Linden.

 

Has Paul Marquess done a successful job turning around Hollyoaks? Do you like the changes the soap has undergone in the past 12 months or do you feel the changes have only made the situation worse? Are there too many new characters who you don’t care about? Post your comments on Marquess’ time at Hollyoaks below.