BBC may revamp defunct soap opera ‘Eldorado’

By Mason Jones

IT was labelled the biggest flop in BBC history.

Yet, 20 years later and soap opera Eldorado is rumoured to be making a comeback.

The defunct soap – which has more than recouped its outlay of €12 million through re-runs and sales abroad – could be re-shot in Spain.

The ‘sunshine soap’, which was based on the lives of a group of expats living on the Costa del Sol, has been subject of a massive comeback campaign.

It has led to BBC Director General George Entwistle, 50, being flooded with emails asking for the show to be re-made.

A string of BBC staff have added their support to the campaign which was launched by former soap cameraman Paul Davis.

Incredibly the €2.2m set is still largely intact in the hills above Coin.

Part holiday village, part set, the Ciudad del Cine is hidden in pine trees above the Guadalhorce town.

It still counts its own petrol station, town hall, village square, post boxes and phone boxes.

One BBC member  told the Daily Telegraph: “There are a lot of us who want Eldorado back.

“It was given the chop too quickly and the ratings weren’t that bad and were stabilising just when it was axed, so a lot of people are emailing the new director general to let them know we want it back.

“If he is brave enough to bring it back I think he will see record audiences.”

He continued: “A lot of BBC staff who were around in the 90s have a soft spot for Eldorado and there is mounting pressure for it to return.

“We also get quite a lot of letters and emails from viewers. Give it a few years and I can see it returning.”

A spokesman for the BBC said, however, that there were no plans for the soap to return at present.