EastEnders’ Expensive New Set Almost Finished

EastEnders spoilers tease that the epic revamp of the BBC show’s set is closer than ever to completion. On Wednesday photos emerged from the nearly £90 million set of workers packing up their equipment.

Fans of the show can expect to see new and improved versions of the soap’s iconic Queen Victoria pub plus a host of new shops and an upgraded marketplace.

EastEnders spoilers – The New Set Is Almost Ready

The set of the show’s fictionalized East London area was beset with issues after the COVID-19 outbreak and the country’s subsequent lockdowns in 2020.

Glossy new pics show that there are many newly-built houses and apartments and many of Albert Square’s legendary landmarks have been redone for the new set. This includes Ruby Allen’s night club, the Mitchell brothers’ garage, and the Beale’s fish and chips shop.

Last March the BBC was accused of “complacency” at the fact that the massive build reached an amazing £87 million tab.

EastEnders Spoilers – The New EastEnders Set Is Nearly Complete

The expensive do-over was nicknamed E20 after the soap’s fictitious postcode. It has to date gone over £27 million over its initial budget and will not be completed in its entirety until May 2023, almost five years late.

UK MPs blamed BBC bosses for the overbudget, overdue set. They said they mismanaged the construction and underestimated the type of project management skills needed. According to the public accounts committee, the corporation signed a poorly written contract that resulted in increased costs.

EastEnders Spoilers – The BBC Has Been Blamed For Costs And Delays

The committee discovered that the contract negotiations took much longer than planned, in part due to a disagreement over the type of bricks to be used for the set. It was reported that the corporation spent £50,000 on brick samples alone.

Actions of this type led the MPs to say they were, “disappointed by the BBC’s complacency in managing this project, particularly in its early stages.”

They alleged that the BBC, “underestimated the scale and complexity of the project, including how it would age the new sets so that they either exactly replicate what viewers are used to, or look realistic where there are new locations.”

In terms of the brick, the new set is comprised of a front lot which is a brickwork lookalike of the current set as well as a back lot which will show additional locations to, “better reflect modern East End London.”

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