Eldorado(1992)

Eldorado was a British soap opera that aired for just one year, from July 1992 to July 1993. Set in the fictional Spanish coastal town of Los Barcos, the series followed the lives of British and European expats against a backdrop of Mediterranean glamour. The BBC hoped to replicate the success of Australian imports like Home and Away, broadcasting three times weekly on BBC1 in a prime evening slot. Despite a major promotional push across television, radio and print, Eldorado struggled to find an audience with viewers and critics alike. A radical overhaul boosted ratings temporarily, but the show was ultimately cancelled by BBC1 controller Alan Yentob. The co-production between the BBC and independent company Cinema Verity remains a notable example of ambitious British television that failed to connect with its intended market.