'EastEnders' scrap plans for Spain episodes

EastEnders producers have been forced to scrap plans to film a week's worth of episodes in Spain.

Chiefs had hoped to send the Mitchell family abroad for a special summer storyline, but they were told that it would not be possible due to cutbacks at the BBC.

"There's been a lot of cost-cutting recently and they couldn't justify taking the Mitchells abroad," an insider told the Daily Star Sunday. "They then hoped to keep the same dates and take them to Norfolk but it was even dearer. They're now looking at the south coast.

"The Mitchells are the most popular family in soap, so everyone is excited about filming the special episodes which will be shown in July."