How much do EastEnders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale actors get paid? | The Sun

SOAP stars face axe as Coronation Street, EastEnders and Emmerdale bosses are forced to make cuts – but who gets paid the most?

Soap actors earning over £200,000 could be killed off in a dramatic 'massacre' later this year as bosses attempt to claw back much-needed cash.

A soap insider has warned: "There is about to be a bloodbath across Corrie, Emmerdale and EastEnders – and it won’t be pretty."

"All the big three have all been told they need to cut their wage bills by up to 25 per cent.

"Some of the veterans are terrified they could be next – especially the older generation who are all earning well over £200,000.

"Working in soaps has never been more perilous than it is now."

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This means many of the soap's world's longest-serving actors fear they are in the firing line, such as Coronation Street's Bill Roache.

The 91-year-old actor has played Ken Barlow for 63 years and earns £250,000 a year.

Similarly, EastEnders star Steve McFadden, who portrays Phil Mitchell, takes home over £200,000.

Likewise, Emmerdale’s Claire King, who plays Kim Tate, is also earning more than £200,000, along with Chris Chittell, who stars as the soap’s longest-serving character Eric Pollard, who earns £200,000.

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This comes after Ofcom revealed this month that ratings for the UK soaps are at an all-time low.

Ratings show they get over three million hits per episode, compared to a decade ago when they racked up tens of millions of viewers who tuned in weekly.

This could be due to younger fans turning off from traditional TV and using streaming sites instead.

The insider added: "Fewer people watching the ITV soaps means less money from advertising. And for EastEnders, their dismal viewing figures make a mockery of their enormously expensive new set — paid for by the licence fee."

Reports claim the BBC spent a whopping £87 million on a brand new set for EastEnders three years ago.

The source concluded: "The soaps are also having to compete against one another more than ever.

"ITV moved Corrie and Emmerdale to create a 90-minute news broadcast every night, meaning the BBC had to choose which one they compete against.

"They chose the same slot as Emmerdale, but now put episodes on iPlayer at 6am so fans can ­easily watch it to stop the clash. It has become dog-eat-dog."

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