EastEnders boss quits

EastEnders' boss Louise Berridge was forced out last night, paying the price of plunging ratings and dull storylines.

The show's executive producer quit as viewing figures fell to an alltime low of 6.4million from a peak of 30million.

Dubbed The Hatchet during her two-and-a-half year reign, Berridge got rid of characters such as Robbie Jackson, played by Dean Gaffney, Beppe di Marco (Michael Greco), Mark Fowler (Todd Carty), and Lisa Fowler (Lucy Benjamin).

In their place she introduced a string of flop storylines and new families, including the disastrous Ferreiras who were criticised for not being anything like real-life Asians.

She recently conceded that the family's introduction was 'not our finest hour'. EastEnders, now on for four nights a week, failed to be nominated for a television Bafta for the first time this year.

And at the TV Quick Awards earlier this month the London soap won just one gong compared to Coronation Street's four.

Miss Berridge will be replaced by Kathleen Hutchison, currently the Executive Producer of the medical drama Holby City.

A television insider said: 'The writing has been on the wall for Louise for some time. Officially she may have quit, but her position became untenable.'

Berridge, who worked on Medics and the drama Messiah before taking the EastEnders' job, will stay with the BBC, working on 'other projects'.