Spanish sun sets on 'Eldorado'

The axe fell on the BBC's pounds 10m Spanish soap opera Eldorado last night, writes Martin Wroe.

Alan Yentob, new controller of BBC 1, announced that after the first year's batch of 156 episodes had been screened in July, the thrice-weekly soap would end. Two hundred jobs will be lost.

Mr Yentob said the decision had been 'very hard' but that despite recent improvements the soap, which cost pounds 87,000 an episode, had 'still not engaged the affection and attention of viewers to a level to warrant investing in a further year's production'.