The Burning Question: Fergus Craig

The same reason it’s so good. The practicalities of making five 22 minute long programmes a week, every week on a small budget don’t really lend themselves towards ‘quality’ television. If The Wire had been made under similar circumstances I suspect it would be likened to Holby Blue and not Tolstoy.

Every four days they essentially make a film. When you think that the abomination that is Runaway Bride probably took 18 months to make, Neighbours doesn’t seem quite so shit anymore, does it? I get the feeling that the cast and crew of Neighbours know that they are polishing turds, and that’s what gives the show it’s charm. Much of the Aussie soap is pure tongue and cheek. Harold Bishop having a heart attack caused by him doing a rap. Come on – that’s brilliant! I just finished watching an episode in which Susan Kennedy has agreed to be the surrogate mother for her daughter Libby’s baby.

Ridiculous? Yes. Shit? Maybe. Entertaining. Damn right it is. In my opinion that’s infinitely better than the po-faced miserabilism of Eastenders. In my show I celebrate Neighbours' shittiness and I don’t see what’s wrong with that. Do you?