# UK Soap and Drama Discussion > EastEnders > General >  Sean O Connor

## Perdita

EastEnders' master of surprise Dominic Treadwell-Collins has done it again - shocking fans by announcing that he's leaving his post as executive producer after two and a half years in charge.

Sean O'Connor, who's currently editor of The Archers, will be taking over the top job after Treadwell-Collins oversees the Mitchells' much-anticipated reunion and Peggy's final farewell. But if you're wondering who Sean is and what he might bring to the wonderful world of Walford, here's 7 facts you should know...

1. He's worked on some of EastEnders' greatest hits

EastEnders fans don't need to worry about the new guy not knowing Phil Mitchell from Ian Beale. O'Connor is actually returning to the show after an 11-year gap, having previously worked in Walford as a director, producer and story producer.

During his last Albert Square stint, he storylined some of the most memorable plots ever, including Trevor's domestic abuse of Little Mo, and Zoe being Kat's secret daughter. And those who like things a little bit gentler shouldn't worry - he also helped to craft the touching relationship between Dot and Jim.

2. Dominic Treadwell-Collins reckons he'll be great

Sure, we'll have to wait and see whether O'Connor can work the same magic in his new role. But one thing's for sure - he already has the golden seal of approval from current exec Treadwell-Collins, who's openly said that he helped to bring his successor on board.

"I needed to find the right person to take over from me," Treadwell-Collins explained today. "This is an incredible, all-consuming show and in Sean, I know that we have found someone who already has Albert Square in his bones and who adores EastEnders as much as I do."

3. He's worked all over Soapland too

O'Connor hasn't just been involved in EastEnders and The Archers - he has a wealth of other soap experience too, having previously produced Family Affairs and Hollyoaks. 

He was also in charge of series three of Footballers' Wives in 2004 and the rebooted version of Minder in 2009, which starred Shane Richie. Assuming the two of them got along, maybe Alfie Moon doesn't need to worry too much about that brain tumour after all...

4. He was accused of sexing up The Archers (but denied it!)

O'Connor's stint on The Archers has seen a number of compelling storylines hit the airwaves, including the flooding of the village and the dark relationship between villain Rob Titchener and his wife Helen.

But his time in charge of the rural show has proved slightly controversial too, with some loyal listeners claiming that he'd turned it into "Farmaggedon" or "EastEnders in a field".

One accusation in particular was that he'd sexed things up too much with an affair between the characters of Roy Tucker and Elizabeth Pargetter. Denying that charge in an interview with The Daily Telegraph, O'Connor said: "They have only had sex twice. That's hardly sexing up." Just twice?! We dread to think what lothario Max Branning will say if that's what the new regime is going to be like...

5. He's not afraid to stand up for himself... even to the BBC's big boss

The row over O'Connor's racier storylines on The Archers even led to the BBC's director-general Tony Hall (pictured above) wading in, admitting that he hoped the show's team would be "thinking about what is happening and making sure that we don't lose what is precious". Ouch. 

But when Hall's comments fanned the flames in the press and he decided to backtrack, no-nonsense O'Connor wasn't shy of admitting that he wasn't too pleased with the Beeb's boss.

"I was a bit annoyed," O'Connor told the Radio Times last September. "But [Tony] rang me at 7.30 in the morning and said that he was terribly sorry. And I said: 'You do know it's getting an extra 3.5 million listeners on the podcast? That it's doing as well as it did in the '50s?' And he said he apologised and we were doing a wonderful job." Sounds like you won that round, Sean!

6. He's confident about his vision... but is keen to respect the past

In another sign that O'Connor could be a formidable force, he was actually unsure about whether to take on the job at The Archers as he feared there'd be too much meddling from higher up.

"I hesitated a little," he told ​The Daily Telegraph. "I wanted to be sure that if I took it on - given that it is such a special thing, and so important to Radio 4's identity and the BBC's identity and perhaps even to Britain's identity - I could do what I wanted to do with it, and that the BBC executives would support my vision."

But, despite some grumblings about life in Ambridge getting just a little bit too eventful, O'Connor has been credited with placing farming back at the show's heart and giving the older cast more to do - a sign that he does respect the roots of whichever show he's working on. "I don't think of it as shaking it up," he said. "I've been trying to refresh it by looking at its history."

7. He's fond of a soap surprise

Does the departure of Treadwell-Collins mark the end of the 'OMG moments' of unannounced returns and shock deaths we've seen in the past few years? Well, apparently not. On the contrary, O'Connor is on record saying that he hates it when the biggest storyline twists are spoiled in advance.

He was also notoriously coy when promoting The Archers' recent 65th anniversary episode, so much so that he'd only tell Radio Times: "I'm ruling nothing in and ruling nothing out." In the end, the birthday edition was slated by some fans as "boring", as the Archer family spent the whole episode debating whether dairy farming had a future at Brookfield farm. Hmm - so much for him turning it into EastEnders!

----------

Dazzle (19-02-2016)

----------


## Perdita

It's been all change at EastEnders this year with a switchover of producers - and it's now been revealed that new boss Sean O'Connor will be credited for the first time from next month.

O'Connor has taken over from Dominic Treadwell-Collins in the post of executive producer and his first credited episode will air on Monday, July 11.

However, EastEnders fans who are keen to see O'Connor put his own stamp on the show will have to wait a little longer.

*Digital Spy* can confirm that the changeover of credit only represents when O'Connor first took charge of EastEnders from a senior management perspective.

Creatively, the episodes on screen still reflect the work of the previous regime for another two and a half months.

An EastEnders insider told Digital Spy: "With episodes storylined and scripted so far in advance, Sean's own work won't start appearing on screen until mid-September."

----------

Dazzle (30-06-2016), parkerman (30-06-2016)

----------


## parkerman

> An EastEnders insider told Digital Spy: "With episodes storylined and scripted so far in advance, Sean's own work won't start appearing on screen until mid-September."


 Just in time for Max's return. Hopefully it will herald a change in attitudes towards the loathsome Ian and Jane!

----------

Perdita (30-06-2016)

----------


## Dazzle

*Why EastEndersâ low key drama and return to roots will be a good thing for the show*

In a week where Emmerdale and Coronation Street are airing massive action packed stunts and Hollyoaks is building up to do the same, it isnât totally unreasonable for fans of EastEnders to be getting a little frustrated around cliffhangers focusing on Kim Fox threatening not to take her driving test and long running strands around bins. 

However, I can see exactly what new producer Sean OâConnor is doing and while an approach of making storylines and dialogue more believable and low key may seem jarring so soon after episodes at Gavinâs horror mansion and the return of Grant Mitchell, it can only be a good thing in the long term for the show.

We may have to be a little bit patient â I donât think it is Seanâs intention to eradicate drama from the show. Whitney Deanâs miscarriage was utterly heartbreaking, for example and the ending for Les and Pam Coker was beautifully handled.

He is making big changes and at the moment, a few fans who are fairly newer to the show are claiming that it is not the EastEnders that they recognise. A fair point â for a long time, EastEnders has relied on big twists, shock endings and misery. Which are all great until they are overused and become diluted.

Before long, the things that shock viewers now will no longer be surprising and if the show wanted to keep up with the pace of constant OMG moments, it would have to keep trying to surpass itself. Before long, viewers expect the shocks and they are therefore no longer shocking. EastEnders would have to bring back Max Branning with two heads after a while to have a chance at trending on Twitter.

Sean, who has worked on EastEnders during some of its best years and has also just been at the helm of one of the most hard hitting and talked about storylines on The Archers ever, isnât trying to turn EastEnders into Last Of The Summer Wine.

Itâs quiet at the moment, granted, but to get the right mix, it first needs to be stripped back to basics and we need to start relating to the characters. Itâs hard to relate to Claudette who killed her husband, bunged Fatboy into a boot to be killed and then escaped her own grave made for her by her son and the man she is now in a relationship with.

Itâs easy to relate to people getting stressed over bin collections or being in debt or finding it a struggle to pay the rent. What Sean is doing now is ensuring the characters he wants us to continue to invest in remain believable so that when something dramatic does come their way, we care about it.

Itâs a long road. A new producer is often tempted to start their reign with a massive stunt and a controversial story or two. Great for the short term ratings and an easy way to clear out the cast they donât think are working. But it sets the tone for their whole tenure and they constantly have to play catch up and aim to surpass how they started.

Kate Oates is taking a different but at the same time, not dissimilar route at Corrie. Known for her helicopter crash in Emmerdale and her big stories, everyone expected her reign at Corrie to start with a bang and some have thought she is playing things a little too safe. But the two main soaps are actually building solid building blocks so that they can become what the fans want them to be.

Letâs not forget EastEndersâ roots. Not every episode ended with a jaw dropping moment. There were plenty of shock storylines along the way with murder, drugs and infideltity playing a part from day one but they were laced through the every day, kitchen sink aspects that kept the show grounded.

That seems to be Seanâs eventual aim with EastEnders. Step one, bring the show back to its simplest form. Step two is when he will then start weaving the drama in and finding the right mix. We have the return of Max, the exits of the Mitchell sisters and Lee and Whitneyâs wedding right ahead. But along the way, itâs a given that we will also see family bickering, money problems, bin dramas and, believe it or not, people being nice to each other too.


_People being nice to each other. Yep, this IS EastEnders (Picture: BBC)_

And thatâs how soaps always used to be when there was less competition and less channels to choose from. Hardened soap fans want a bit of realism as much as they want their drama and the path Sean is taking may seem to be shaky right now â but it is the path to what EastEnders should be and always has been in its strongest eras.

Letâs stick with EastEnders and go along with the ride. The community feel, the writing, the characterisation is all spot on. And when weâre less desensitised to shocks, that will be when they affect us the most.

At the moment, there are storylines affecting a huge number of the cast with Deniseâs baby dilemma, Kimâs driving disasters, Dotâs vulnerability (a story which is really striking a chord), Steven secretly embezzling the Beales, Dennisâ behaviour, Ben wanting to donate his liver to Phil, Jay getting back on his feet, Claudetteâs jealousy, Lee and Whitneyâs wedding preparation and Belindaâs debt to name a few of many. Itâs wrong to say that nothing is going on and these could well be the groundwork for something bigger.

At the end of the way, what should a soap be? Smaller and relatable storylines that sometimes, when appropriate, become a bit more outlandish. Occasional dramas happening to everyday people = soap. Letâs give the new era of EastEnders a chance.

http://metro.co.uk/2016/10/19/why-ea...-show-6201690/



I agree with this article, especially the following quote:




> Itâs easy to relate to people getting stressed over bin collections or being in debt or finding it a struggle to pay the rent. What Sean is doing now is ensuring the characters he wants us to continue to invest in remain believable so that when something dramatic does come their way, we care about it.


SOC is doing a very good job in getting me to care again about characters I'd lost all interest in under DTC.

----------

kaz21 (20-10-2016), parkerman (20-10-2016), Perdita (20-10-2016), tammyy2j (23-10-2016)

----------


## parkerman

Interesting article, Dazzle, and to that extent I applaud what Sean OConnor is doing, but, for me, I'm afraid I still can't get over Ian and Jane.......

----------

Dazzle (20-10-2016), kaz21 (20-10-2016), lizann (20-10-2016), Perdita (20-10-2016), tammyy2j (23-10-2016)

----------


## Dazzle

> Interesting article, Dazzle, and to that extent I applaud what Sean OConnor is doing, but, for me, I'm afraid I still can't get over Ian and Jane.......


I've more or less written it off as ridiculous and out of character writing in my head.  I'm hoping Max's return will put the whole thing to bed once and for all so I can pretend to myself the cover up never happened.  :Big Grin:

----------

kaz21 (20-10-2016), Perdita (20-10-2016)

----------


## lizann

> I've more or less written it off as ridiculous and out of character writing in my head.  I'm hoping Max's return will put the whole thing to bed once and for all so I can pretend to myself the cover up never happened.


 how max return and revenge against not only ian and jane but phil sharon and lauren too is written i think will prove what a success soc is for me  :Stick Out Tongue:

----------

Dazzle (20-10-2016), parkerman (20-10-2016), Perdita (20-10-2016), tammyy2j (23-10-2016)

----------


## lizann

> I've more or less written it off as ridiculous and out of character writing in my head.  I'm hoping Max's return will put the whole thing to bed once and for all so I can pretend to myself the cover up never happened.


 how max return and revenge against not only ian and jane but phil sharon and lauren too is written i think will prove what a success soc is for me  :Stick Out Tongue:

----------

kaz21 (20-10-2016), Perdita (23-10-2016)

----------


## tammyy2j

DTC really snookered poor Sean by the ending of Lucy killer being Bobby and not showing any punishment by Max's family or the even the law on all the guilty not just Bobby  :Thumbsdown: 

I don't like Sean's decision to get rid of the Cokers

----------

Boomerang (23-10-2016), Dazzle (23-10-2016), lizann (23-10-2016), parkerman (23-10-2016), Perdita (23-10-2016)

----------


## Boomerang

I hope his revenge is built up slowly, with things happening to the Beales very subtly before we realise Max is behind it all. 

I don't want him to come back with megabucks though, he's supposed to be destitute having lost everything because of the Beales and Mitchells.

----------

Dazzle (23-10-2016), tammyy2j (25-10-2016)

----------


## Boomerang

I hope his revenge is built up slowly, with things happening to the Beales very subtly before we realise Max is behind it all. 

I don't want him to come back with megabucks though, he's supposed to be destitute having lost everything because of the Beales and Mitchells.

----------


## Dazzle

> I hope his revenge is built up slowly, with things happening to the Beales very subtly before we realise Max is behind it all. 
> 
> I don't want him to come back with megabucks though, he's supposed to be destitute having lost everything because of the Beales and Mitchells.


Yes, it would be too unrealistic if Max returns wealthy.

I like your idea of his revenge beginning subtly.  I've been wondering if Steven's embezzlement will play into it somehow?

Welcome to Soapboards by the way!  :Smile:

----------

Boomerang (23-10-2016)

----------


## Boomerang

Thanks! 

I think Stevens embezzlement is more to do with Peter but you never know. 

I'd quite like Cindy to return at some point, would be interesting to see her interact with Steven. Plus I kind of like the idea that Ian had lost his own children but is close to Cindys children who he didn't actually father.

----------

Dazzle (23-10-2016)

----------


## Boomerang

duplicated post

----------


## Perdita

> duplicated post


Duplicate posts are due to a glitch in the system. If you use the Go Advanced option to post, it only posts once.  Welcome to SoapBoards  :Smile:

----------

Dazzle (23-10-2016)

----------


## Boomerang

Thanks for the tip and thanks for the welcome

----------

Perdita (23-10-2016)

----------


## tammyy2j

Is Jake Wood back filming yet?

----------

kaz21 (25-10-2016)

----------


## Perdita

> Is Jake Wood back filming yet?


 I had expected him back before now but as he still has not returned I suspect it will be a Christmas return for him to Albert Square which will be in an explosive storyline that will rock the cobbles and lives on the Square will never be the same again  :Stick Out Tongue:  :Ninja:

----------

Dazzle (25-10-2016), kaz21 (25-10-2016), parkerman (25-10-2016)

----------


## Boomerang

I'm sure I read somewhere recently that they said Jake Woods return date hadn't been confirmed, I shall see if I can locate where I read it.

----------


## parkerman

> I had expected him back before now but as he still has not returned I suspect it will be a Christmas return for him to Albert Square which will be in an explosive storyline that will *rock the cobbles* and lives on the Square will never be the same again


Blimey! That's some explosive return -  rocking Corrie as well!  :Big Grin:

----------

Dazzle (25-10-2016)

----------


## Perdita

> Blimey! That's some explosive return -  rocking Corrie as well!


  There are quite a few cobbles on Albert Square too, you know  :Stick Out Tongue:  :Big Grin:

----------

Dazzle (25-10-2016), parkerman (25-10-2016)

----------


## parkerman

> There are quite a few cobbles on Albert Square too, you know


 I know there's often a lot of old cobblers on Albert Square. Is that the same thing?  :Big Grin:

----------

Dazzle (25-10-2016), Perdita (26-10-2016)

----------


## kaz21

EastEnders has confirmed the bombshell news that Sean O'Connor IS standing down as producer effectively immediately.

A spokesperson for the show made the announcement late Friday (June 23) that O'Connor was leaving EastEnders to work on a film project with Doctor Who and Sherlock's Mark Gatiss.

O'Connor will be replaced on a temporary basis by John Yorke, who worked as a script editor EastEnders in the 1990s and later took creative control as executive producer from 2000 until 2003.

"I've had an amazing time at EastEnders," Sean said in a statement. "Working with the editorial staff, cast and crew at Elstree has been an absolute privilege. They are the kindest, most loyal and hard-working team in the business.

"But my heart lies in feature films and I'm hugely excited as my film projects are now reaching production. When the BBC asked me to take over at EastEnders, my plan was to stay until the end of 2017 but with production starting on these films sooner than anticipated, I must â with a heavy heart â bid farewell to Albert Square.

"I'll enjoy watching EastEnders go from strength to strength but will miss everybody enormously. Elstree really is a place where you make friends for life."

----------

lizann (26-06-2017), tammyy2j (24-06-2017)

----------


## lizann

he didn't last long

----------


## kaz21

That's what I thought

----------


## parkerman

Too long in my opinion!

----------

lizann (03-07-2017), Perdita (27-06-2017)

----------


## lizann

any truth that steve (phil) behind his sacking over danny (mick) new longer contract and perry (billy) being sacked and killed off

----------


## Perdita

> any truth that steve (phil) behind his sacking over danny (mick) new longer contract and perry (billy) being sacked and killed off


I hope not ...

----------


## Perdita

The BBC has denied the recent rumours that EastEnders had plans to kill off soap veteran Billy Mitchell.

There were reports that boss Sean O'Connor was planning to write out the character, who's been played by Perry Fenwick for nearly 20 years since his first appearance in 1998, until Phil Mitchell actor Steve McFadden stepped in and threatened to quit if they went ahead with the idea â leading to O'Connor's exit.

In a statement, a BBC spokesperson has told Digital Spy: "There is no truth in this story, and these alleged conversations have never taken place."

In the wake of O'Connor's exit (and the temporary appointment of John Yorke), there have been plenty of rumours surrounding the future of the show.

Tabloids reported that a huge cull of characters was planned, and that Dean Gaffney in particular was fearing for his job since Yorke previously wrote the actor out in 2003.

Both rumours were debunked by the BBC and Gaffney, respectively, with the spokesperson telling Digital Spy: "It is far too early for any decisions to have been made."

Gaffney also weighed in and compared the rumours to "the type of rubbish Robbie used to sweep up in the market".


Digital Spy

----------

Dazzle (19-07-2017)

----------


## Dazzle

The ructions going on behind the scenes with certain actors having disappeared or rumoured to have refused to act out storylines explains a lot about EE's quality over the past few months.  It sounds like storylines had to be hastily re-written which never turns out well.  I think the quality's on the up again though so SOC's sudden departure is especially bad timing for him.

----------

