More than 40 years after EastEnders first aired, some fans may not know that another British soap opera attempted to replicate its success in the 1990s. Eldorado ran for only a year, from July 1992 to July 1993, and followed the lives of British and European expatriates living in the fictional town of Los Barcos on the Costa Eldorado.
The soap's brief run and costly production
The set was situated near the village of Coín, and after the show ended, fans could tour it. It was later converted into a hotel complex, which has also closed, but has been used for other productions.
The BBC wanted another EastEnders, but set in sunnier climes like Australian soaps Neighbours and Home and Away. Eldorado, originally named Little England, centred on a group of Brits living in an enclave off the Spanish coast. The show ended after 156 episodes and reportedly cost the BBC nearly £10 million.
Cast and creators
It featured former EastEnders stars Polly Perkins, who played Rose Cotton, and Derek Martin, known for his role as Charlie Slater, as well as Hollyoaks star Jesse Birdsall and The Office's Julie Fernandez.
The series was created by Tony Holland and produced by Julia Smith, both known for co-creating EastEnders. The first episode was written by Tony Jordan, who also worked on EastEnders.
Revival hopes and streaming history
Jordan was previously open to a revival. He told The Guardian in 2011: "It's a fantastic brand – although obviously not in the way it was first done, and I wrote the first episode so I'm allowed to say that."
Repeats aired on UK Gold in the late 1990s and early 2000s and were later added to BritBox, which was axed in 2021. Last year, the series was streamed again by UKTV channel U&Drama, but it is no longer available on demand.
The show's synopsis reads: "A group of British ex-pats live in Los Barcos. Focusing on their lives, loves and attempts to make a new life for themselves."
