BBC plans "US version" of 'EastEnders'

The BBC is working on a "US version" of its flagship soap EastEnders set in Denver, Colorado, the Mirror reports today.

BBC head of drama Mal Young told the newspaper: "I realised the one thing missing on TV over there is a working class drama. I've been thinking about developing EastEnders for the past few months."

Young chose Denver over any of the major cities in the US to avoid the "glitz and glam" of the usual skylines in New York and Los Angeles. He is working closely with the production team to ensure that the new venture is a success.

Young continued: "It's important that I'm still attached to them [the production teams] to ensure the essential elements which make them such a winner in Britain are not lost in translation."