And when the British can’t watch the lives of real people with glee，they have another source of entertainment to fall back on—the soap opera.British soap operas are very different to US TV dramas.For one，they are normally longer running.The two most popular，Coronation Street and Eastenders，have been running for 48 and 24 years respectively.Both are broadcast several times a week，so remarkably there have been more than 7,000 episodes of Coronation Street.

　　The most obvious difference is that，unlike US dramas，the British soap operas focus on the real world.There is little glamour，the stars are rarely rich，and they normally have boring jobs.Perhaps the appeal is that the lives of the characters often mirror the lives of the audience—but with some drama added.This means the viewer can relate to the characters and feel the pain and happiness they go through on the show.

　　Because these soap operas last for decades，the cast is ever changing.The shows rarely focus on one or two main characters.Like the real world，people come and go all the time.However，there are exceptions.Coronation Street’s William Roach,76，has played the role of Ken Barlow since the very first episode of the show in 1960，and he is still a regular.

　　The choice of which soap opera you follow is often cultural：People from the north of British tend to watch Coronation Street as it is set in Manchester.People from the south generally prefer East­enders，which is set in the east of London.The show is generally considered grittier and is aimed at a younger audience.

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