Soap plots dropped due to unforeseen circumstances - Soaps

CPW4EVER · 28-10-2009, 00:04

I looked to see if there had been any threads on this topic before but haven't come across any. I was reading in the "Will Suzie Branning be back this year" thread that alot of storylines involving her had to be dropped or rewritten when the actress playing her was let go from the show. Apparently Janine ended up with alot of her stroylines.

I also read that when the Ferreiras were in EE, writers had planned to have the kids murder their bully father and bury him in a shallow grave but then the actor who played Dan had to leave the show due to visa issues and they had to rewrite the storyline and ended up with that awful kidney transplant plotline.

Another one I read about in one of the soap magazines a good few years ago was Peggy sleeping with Dennis Rickman!! Barbara Windsor was involved in a car crash and had to take time off to recuperate so the story thankfully never materialised.

Of the US soaps, Dynasty had a number of rumoured plotlines dropped due to various contract wranglings but the most notable one was the storyline that would have seen Alexis become the queen of Moldavia following the infamous wedding massacre. Alas, Joan Collins decided not to go back to work as she was holding out for more money and the story was dropped. And in it's sister show The Colbys, there were a number of bizarrre rumours circulating following Fallons UFO abduction cliffhanger. First off, had the show returned for a third season, the alien abduction would have been explained as a hallucination. Secondly, Diahann Carrolls Dynasty character Dominique was due to move to LA to The Colbys to run her record label with her son played by Michael Jackson!! The casting of her son was only rumoured but it was widely circulated at the time.

There have been various other storylines that have had to be dropped due to real life death, illness, sacking or otherwise. Does anyone know of any others? And do you think that some of these would have been better than the way the plots actually turned out?

_nomad_ · 28-10-2009, 00:08

One storyline in EE that started and then stopped abruptly was Shirley being tormented by her noisy neighbour Gavin. The actor playing Gavin was axed with immediate effect for something or other.

The Ferreira murder plot sounds like it would have been interesting.

Stupid_Head · 28-10-2009, 00:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by _nomad_

One storyline in EE that started and then stopped abruptly was Shirley being tormented by her noisy neighbour Gavin. The actor playing Gavin was axed with immediate effect for something or other.

The Ferreira murder plot sounds like it would have been interesting.

Did Shirley ever find her cat?

Mandy_Rosie · 28-10-2009, 00:11

Peggy and Dennis? Eww :s

pegasus2 · 28-10-2009, 00:16

I'm sure I remember Corrie having to drop a child abduction storyline with Claire when it coincided with Madelaine McCann's disappearance.

Alex250P · 28-10-2009, 00:16

There was the Corrie storyline where that vicar was suppose to have a fling with Sophie Webster and Blanche wasn't he? And he was like 40/50. But they dropped it in favour for the

spoiler:
Sophie/Sian lesbian plot.

CPW4EVER · 28-10-2009, 00:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by _nomad_

One storyline in EE that started and then stopped abruptly was Shirley being tormented by her noisy neighbour Gavin. The actor playing Gavin was axed with immediate effect for something or other.

The Ferreira murder plot sounds like it would have been interesting.

Yeah, well alot more interesting than the kidney plot. Tony Jordan stated in the same interview where he spoke about the Ferreiras that Den would have remained on the show had the whole webcam scandal happened.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/...5875-16708351/

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mandy_Rosie

Peggy and Dennis? Eww :s

Yes it is cringetastic. I remember people discussing on here whether it would be abbreviated to Dengy or Peggis in the tradition of other soap couplings.

RiDsTeR · 28-10-2009, 00:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stupid_Head

Did Shirley ever find her cat?

Wasn't the cat found dead in like a bin liner or a cardboard box outside her flat?

Stupid_Head · 28-10-2009, 00:16

Corrie also had to drop a storyline where Martin bedded an underage schoolgirl because the actor didn't want to do it, which led to his sacking or did he leave because he was so pissed off.. one or the other.

CPW4EVER · 28-10-2009, 00:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stupid_Head

Corrie also had to drop a storyline where Martin bedded an underage schoolgirl because the actor didn't want to do it, which led to his sacking or did he leave because he was so pissed off.. one or the other.

I think the writers wanted him to fall for an even younger girl than the already controversial girlfriend Katie Harris. When the actor refused, they wrote that plot where Martin became a football mascot and spent his latter days on the show dressed in a chicken costume.

Seamus2008 · 28-10-2009, 00:34

I can think of two recent ones at the moment:

Summer's abduction by Rob and May in summer 07... They had to reshoot the ending because of what happened with Madeline McCann. Shame because I would have loved for May to have Summer... I thought Dawn didn't deserve her... But in the end I didn't have much choice and I thought Dawn was good with Summer... I would have liked to see Summer growing in the Square.
I've also read that in late 07 Jim relationship with two of his sons (Jack and Max) was to be further explored. It was supposed to be something really interesting but as John had a stroke at the same time, it prevented them from doing it. I just hope that we'll see more of the Brannings as a family unit in the forthcoming months.

Alex250P · 28-10-2009, 01:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seamus2008

I can think of two recent ones at the moment:[list][*]Summer's abduction by Rob and May in summer 07... They had to reshoot the ending because of what happened with Madeline McCann. Shame because I would have loved for May to have Summer... I thought Dawn didn't deserve her... But in the end I didn't have much choice and I thought Dawn was good with Summer... I would have liked to see Summer growing in the Square.
LIST]

It was similiar with the Corrie abduction storyline - Where Ashley and Claire's baby was abducted, he was meant to be missing for months, but it conincided with the dissapearance of Maddy McCann and they had to re-shoot at the last minute.

BumbleSquat · 28-10-2009, 03:01

If all the Suzy Branning stories being given to Janine rumours are true - then I wonder what Janine would have been doing if Suzy didn't leave?

The Ferreira murder storyline sounds like it would've been amazing though. I bet the actors involved were just as annoyed not to act out those scenes. They probably would've been still in the show now. Also, when I first heard about this storyline the first thing I thought was that the writers didn't put their ideas to waste and used them for Den's murder instead.

Also, weren't Zoe Slater and Anthony Trueman supposed to get married back in 2002?Michelle Ryan had to leave due to exhaustion so they dropped the story and instead made out that Zoe had disappeared and left him completely out of the blue?

Bleaney · 28-10-2009, 03:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by BumbleSquat

If all the Suzy Branning stories being given to Janine rumours are true - then I wonder what Janine would have been doing if Suzy didn't leave?

Not all of the storylines, but most. Janine was to have been a lot more involved with the Butcher/Jacksons, and various low level schemes. In fact Suzie's departure has been great news for Janine as a character, as its allowed her to play with the 'big characters' so to speak.

actual_soap · 28-10-2009, 08:01

In Home & Away, all reference to Duncan being kidnapped was cut oout in the UK due to a real-life kidnapping, i'm pretty sure it was James Bulger.

I wonder how the Carla / Tony / Maria story would have paved out if Alyson King and Samia Smith didn't get pregnant.

JEFF62 · 28-10-2009, 08:34

Interesting to read the Tony Jordan article about Leslie Grantham. A bit different to what the man himself claims. I went to a Leslie Grantham book signing three years ago and he stated that he was on an 18 month contract from the start and it was always the plan to kill the character off for good at the end of the 18 months. I think I tend to believe Mr Jordan more.

Nuisance · 28-10-2009, 08:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by CPW4EVER

Yes it is cringetastic. I remember people discussing on here whether it would be abbreviated to Dengy or Peggis in the tradition of other soap couplings.

Or Penis

twistedmorals · 28-10-2009, 08:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stupid_Head

Did Shirley ever find her cat?

Boots was murdered. the character and actress suffered because both Dan and Gavin were e
axed in quick succession so she3 had no one to interact with and just disappeared.

We also had a stronger storyline for Sasha and Adi but had to be toned down the only hint we have is that she worked as an escort and had a snake.

It would of been more like the Chyred storyline but we were not allowed.

twistedmorals · 28-10-2009, 08:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by pegasus2

I'm sure I remember Corrie having to drop a child abduction storyline with Claire when it coincided with Madelaine McCann's disappearance.

Was EastEnders Mad May and Rob were supposed to kidnap Summer and take her to Majorca but was way too close at the time.

*JoJo* · 28-10-2009, 10:26

There was also a Home and Away storyline involving a shooting in the school which had to be either stopped completely or cut out here because of (I think) Dunblane or possibly it was later and was one of the US high school shootings. Most likely there will never be a kidnapping style storyline in any of the soaps because of Maddie McCann, some things are just too close to home.

Theatress · 28-10-2009, 10:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by JEFF62

Interesting to read the Tony Jordan article about Leslie Grantham. A bit different to what the man himself claims. I went to a Leslie Grantham book signing three years ago and he stated that he was on an 18 month contract from the start and it was always the plan to kill the character off for good at the end of the 18 months. I think I tend to believe Mr Jordan more.

I think you'll find Mr Grantham's version is correct

JSemple3 · 28-10-2009, 10:51

What about the Violet in Corrie she was supposed to have Aids? I don't remember that going out.

chinchin · 28-10-2009, 11:06

I realise that Casualty is not quite a soap, however Charlie Fairhead was supposed to fall in love with a man, however this story was dropped due to hostile public reaction.

DiscoP · 28-10-2009, 11:34

Was the whole Sean Slater killing his father storyline dropped after Rob Kazinsky decided to leave? They seemed to be setting that up for a big reveal after Sean admitted it to Tanya but then it was hardly mentioned again and Stacey and her mum still seem to think that he died of natural causes, or was this storyline always meant to be rather ambiguous?

killiegirl · 28-10-2009, 13:52

In EE, wasn't Zoe due to marry Anthony Trueman, but the storyline was rewritten after Michelle Ryan had a breakdown?

28-10-2009, 00:04	#1
CPW4EVER Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 277	Soap plots dropped due to unforeseen circumstances I looked to see if there had been any threads on this topic before but haven't come across any. I was reading in the "Will Suzie Branning be back this year" thread that alot of storylines involving her had to be dropped or rewritten when the actress playing her was let go from the show. Apparently Janine ended up with alot of her stroylines. I also read that when the Ferreiras were in EE, writers had planned to have the kids murder their bully father and bury him in a shallow grave but then the actor who played Dan had to leave the show due to visa issues and they had to rewrite the storyline and ended up with that awful kidney transplant plotline. Another one I read about in one of the soap magazines a good few years ago was Peggy sleeping with Dennis Rickman!! Barbara Windsor was involved in a car crash and had to take time off to recuperate so the story thankfully never materialised. Of the US soaps, Dynasty had a number of rumoured plotlines dropped due to various contract wranglings but the most notable one was the storyline that would have seen Alexis become the queen of Moldavia following the infamous wedding massacre. Alas, Joan Collins decided not to go back to work as she was holding out for more money and the story was dropped. And in it's sister show The Colbys, there were a number of bizarrre rumours circulating following Fallons UFO abduction cliffhanger. First off, had the show returned for a third season, the alien abduction would have been explained as a hallucination. Secondly, Diahann Carrolls Dynasty character Dominique was due to move to LA to The Colbys to run her record label with her son played by Michael Jackson!! The casting of her son was only rumoured but it was widely circulated at the time. There have been various other storylines that have had to be dropped due to real life death, illness, sacking or otherwise. Does anyone know of any others? And do you think that some of these would have been better than the way the plots actually turned out?

28-10-2009, 00:16	#6
Alex250P Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 608	There was the Corrie storyline where that vicar was suppose to have a fling with Sophie Webster and Blanche wasn't he? And he was like 40/50. But they dropped it in favour for the spoiler: Sophie/Sian lesbian plot.

28-10-2009, 00:34	#11
Seamus2008 Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 791	I can think of two recent ones at the moment: Summer's abduction by Rob and May in summer 07... They had to reshoot the ending because of what happened with Madeline McCann. Shame because I would have loved for May to have Summer... I thought Dawn didn't deserve her... But in the end I didn't have much choice and I thought Dawn was good with Summer... I would have liked to see Summer growing in the Square. I've also read that in late 07 Jim relationship with two of his sons (Jack and Max) was to be further explored. It was supposed to be something really interesting but as John had a stroke at the same time, it prevented them from doing it. I just hope that we'll see more of the Brannings as a family unit in the forthcoming months.

28-10-2009, 00:08	#2
_nomad_ Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Yabbie Creek with Cnst. Avery Posts: 583	One storyline in EE that started and then stopped abruptly was Shirley being tormented by her noisy neighbour Gavin. The actor playing Gavin was axed with immediate effect for something or other. The Ferreira murder plot sounds like it would have been interesting.

28-10-2009, 00:11	#4
Mandy_Rosie Forum Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Hampshire/Yorkshire Posts: 240	Peggy and Dennis? Eww :s

28-10-2009, 00:16	#5
pegasus2 Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Services: Freeview and Foxtel Posts: 962	I'm sure I remember Corrie having to drop a child abduction storyline with Claire when it coincided with Madelaine McCann's disappearance.

28-10-2009, 00:16	#9
Stupid_Head Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 8,689	Corrie also had to drop a storyline where Martin bedded an underage schoolgirl because the actor didn't want to do it, which led to his sacking or did he leave because he was so pissed off.. one or the other.

28-10-2009, 03:01	#13
BumbleSquat Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Donegal, Ireland Services: 02 Mobile Broadband, Sky Digital Posts: 2,685	If all the Suzy Branning stories being given to Janine rumours are true - then I wonder what Janine would have been doing if Suzy didn't leave? The Ferreira murder storyline sounds like it would've been amazing though. I bet the actors involved were just as annoyed not to act out those scenes. They probably would've been still in the show now. Also, when I first heard about this storyline the first thing I thought was that the writers didn't put their ideas to waste and used them for Den's murder instead. Also, weren't Zoe Slater and Anthony Trueman supposed to get married back in 2002?Michelle Ryan had to leave due to exhaustion so they dropped the story and instead made out that Zoe had disappeared and left him completely out of the blue?

28-10-2009, 08:01	#15
actual_soap Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: locked in the diary room Services: Sky Digital / TalkTalk Posts: 3,423	In Home & Away, all reference to Duncan being kidnapped was cut oout in the UK due to a real-life kidnapping, i'm pretty sure it was James Bulger. I wonder how the Carla / Tony / Maria story would have paved out if Alyson King and Samia Smith didn't get pregnant.

28-10-2009, 08:34	#16
JEFF62 Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,233	Interesting to read the Tony Jordan article about Leslie Grantham. A bit different to what the man himself claims. I went to a Leslie Grantham book signing three years ago and he stated that he was on an 18 month contract from the start and it was always the plan to kill the character off for good at the end of the 18 months. I think I tend to believe Mr Jordan more.

28-10-2009, 10:26	#20
JoJo Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 766	There was also a Home and Away storyline involving a shooting in the school which had to be either stopped completely or cut out here because of (I think) Dunblane or possibly it was later and was one of the US high school shootings. Most likely there will never be a kidnapping style storyline in any of the soaps because of Maddie McCann, some things are just too close to home.

28-10-2009, 10:51	#22
JSemple3 Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 2,169	What about the Violet in Corrie she was supposed to have Aids? I don't remember that going out.

28-10-2009, 11:06	#23
chinchin Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: England Posts: 14,169	I realise that Casualty is not quite a soap, however Charlie Fairhead was supposed to fall in love with a man, however this story was dropped due to hostile public reaction.

28-10-2009, 11:34	#24
DiscoP Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 102	Was the whole Sean Slater killing his father storyline dropped after Rob Kazinsky decided to leave? They seemed to be setting that up for a big reveal after Sean admitted it to Tanya but then it was hardly mentioned again and Stacey and her mum still seem to think that he died of natural causes, or was this storyline always meant to be rather ambiguous?

28-10-2009, 13:52	#25
killiegirl Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 51	In EE, wasn't Zoe due to marry Anthony Trueman, but the storyline was rewritten after Michelle Ryan had a breakdown?