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11 Aug 04 13:37 14:37 UK |
A senior member of the EastEnders production team has been burgled, sparking fears that months of plotlines could be revealed.
A laptop containing scripts was thought to have been stolen during the raid, according to the Daily Mirror.
The BBC refused to comment on the matter other than to say a burglary had taken place and that the matter was in the hands of the police.
In 2001, a computer was stolen from an EastEnders scriptwriter.
Following that incident, executives vowed to tighten security to ensure scriptwriters did not become victims of crime.
Speaking about the latest burglary, a spokeswoman said: "A senior member of the EastEnders production team was burgled last night. It is now a police matter and therefore I cannot confirm any further details."
Cyclical success
The soap has been going through a rough time in recent months, facing criticisms for weak storylines and sliding ratings.
The most recent family to join the cast, the Ferreiras, have come in for particularly strong disapproval from some quarters.
Executive producer Louise Berridge recently defended the show saying that "success goes in cycles".
But she admitted that some storylines with the show's Ferreira family were "not our finest hour".
In its fight back against rival soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale, EastEnders will be introducing a new family set to cause conflict with other characters.
The Miller family will include teenage twins, with the girl heavily pregnant at the age of just 13.