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Old soaps you remembered and like

(101 Posts)
Cumbrianmale56 Sun 05-Apr-26 17:48:35

OK, I've seen numerous soaps come and go over my lifetime, but always wonder which ones Gransnetters watched and enjoyed over the years that are no longer with us.
My guiltiest pleasure has to be The Young Doctors, which became a cult thing when I was at school over 40 years ago. Think of General Hospital made in Aus in the seventies with even cheaper sets and some real ham acting, corny plots and a killer theme tune. I do recall one episode where a Rod Stewart lookalike( well sort of) came into hospital for treatement and behaved like a big head. Eventually he came good and gave the nurses free tickets to his concert. Cue, a couple of flashing spotlights, fake applause and cheering and some bad singing.
More seriously, I was a big fan of Angels, the BBC soap about yoing nurses that covered subjects like alcoholism, adultery and racism( 7pm as well back in the day). I can recall one episode where a Chinese nurse was mocked for being a virgin and, of course, loads of laughter from a group of 14 year olds who were watching Angels.
So what were your guilty soap and not so guilty soap pleasures back in the day?

Kate1949 Sun 05-Apr-26 17:52:50

Crossroads.

Cumbrianmale56 Sun 05-Apr-26 18:01:03

Kate1949

Crossroads.

15 million viewers at its peak in 1978, so loads of people must have enjoyed it. Always remember some storyline about a cleaner being a suspected KGB agent.

NotSpaghetti Sun 05-Apr-26 18:20:54

Never got into soaps.
Interesting that I like some series now.

Astitchintime Sun 05-Apr-26 18:32:56

I like The Cedar Tree. It was screened in the early afternoons during the 1970-80’s from what I can remember.

Streaky Sun 05-Apr-26 18:41:31

The Sullivans

Bukkie Sun 05-Apr-26 18:44:15

Neighbours.

tanith Sun 05-Apr-26 18:46:05

Neighbours.

Dylis Sun 05-Apr-26 19:10:28

My Mum loved Crossroads and we always watched it every evening. I think I had a bit of a school girl crush on Sandy!
She also listened to Waggoner's Walk on the radio at tea time. I can't remember who, what or where it involved but clearly remember the theme tune!

Tess46 Sun 05-Apr-26 19:11:00

Crossroads because the acting and the wobbling sets were so awful it made me laugh! Miss Diane anyone?..

pinkprincess Sun 05-Apr-26 19:54:36

Dylis

My Mum loved Crossroads and we always watched it every evening. I think I had a bit of a school girl crush on Sandy!
She also listened to Waggoner's Walk on the radio at tea time. I can't remember who, what or where it involved but clearly remember the theme tune!

I loved Waggoner's Walk, I was a young mother in the 70s when it was on and it takes back to those happy days,I would listen to it while I was making my tea for my two toddlers and before putting them to bed.Happy memories.
Angels was on when I was a student nurse in the 60s, there was always a group us watching it in the television room in the nurses' home.

TheSunRisesInTheEast Sun 05-Apr-26 20:12:36

I liked watching Crossroads with my mum. She'd let me get ready for bed then sit on the couch with her to watch it. I didn't want it to end, because it would then be time for me to go to bed. I loved the theme tune.

Kate1949 Sun 05-Apr-26 20:17:38

At the time of Crossroads I waa always being told I looked like Miss Diane!

Kate1949 Sun 05-Apr-26 20:20:50

I worked in Birmingham city centre and would regularly see the cast members of Crossroads. Noele Gordon used to swan around in her Rolls-Royce trying to get noticed.

Cumbrianmale56 Sun 05-Apr-26 20:57:08

Tess46

Crossroads because the acting and the wobbling sets were so awful it made me laugh! Miss Diane anyone?..

Benny, the woolly hatted farm labourer who became a handyman at the Crossroads motel. I can remember him going to find a screwdriver and not being seen for 6 months
Another soap that I sort of watched was one called Rooms, set in a row of decaying bedsits in London. It had an amusingly named character called Brian Kettle.

dragonfly46 Sun 05-Apr-26 21:14:44

Neighbours. I used to watch it with DD when she came in from school.

EllieAnne Sun 05-Apr-26 21:15:17

I liked angels and the cedar tree. Also remember one called Newcomers.

Kate1949 Sun 05-Apr-26 21:28:11

Anyone remember Compact? I have a vague memory of that.

Bukkie Sun 05-Apr-26 21:36:45

Triangle with Larry Lamb and Kate O' Mara.

Grannydaisy1 Sun 05-Apr-26 21:44:47

I used to love Take the High Road and I actually went to see where it was filmed. It was a beautiful village but I've forgotten the name know

REKA Sun 05-Apr-26 21:46:00

I loved El Dorado!

Grannydaisy1 Sun 05-Apr-26 21:46:05

Not know, now sorry

MT62 Sun 05-Apr-26 22:04:38

Peyton place. I remember it would be on when we came home from school in the 70s.

sodapop Sun 05-Apr-26 22:13:49

Kate1949

Anyone remember Compact? I have a vague memory of that.

Yes I remember that Kate1949 a very early soap about a magazine as I recall. David Hunter was a bit of a heart throb in it.

Shelflife Sun 05-Apr-26 22:21:02

Astichintime. I also enjoyed The Cedar Tree. I remember putting my two children down for an afternoon nap before settling down to watch - it was a bit of me time! Happy days .