Faves are all about us

TV expert Professor John Cook says long-running favourites all have one thing in common.

“They reflect back on people’s lives,” said John, Professor in Media at Glasgow Caledonian University.

“The soaps like EastEnders and Coronation Street are about the goings-on in cities most people live in.

“And viewers love Casualty because the NHS is vital to everyone and we all hope a Charlie Fairhead will be there if we go into hospital. “Lifestyle shows work because we have gardens or homes or hope we might have something valuable in the attic.

“They might not be the shows that the critics write about or win awards but they are the ones people love and come back to day after day.”