As stated on the previous page, Head of Programmes at the time, Charles Denton was planning to axe Crossroads outright, however after talking with producer Jack Barton he decided to let Jack try and modernise the series somewhat, however, it came with an extra condition - Noele Gordon would have to go.

Jack Barton was under the impression Denton wanted the series to be more like Coronation Street, where the soap was the star, rather than one leading character. In reality the idea was simply to remove the main reason Crossroads was so popular. Once Noele was out of the show, surly the ratings would soon follow, and then ATV would have a reason to axe the series.

On the 22nd June 1981 ATV announced Noele Gordon had been 'sacked' from not only Crossroads, but also ATV, who she had worked for since 1955. Noele had become a power at the station over the years, investing in the company and indeed reaching the status of a director on the board. But with her good friend and former manager Lord Lew Grade gone she was one of the last senior staff from the inception of the station to still be 'laying down the law'.

Some staff have suggested that the new ATV management wanted to see the old school out, so they could make way for a more profitable company, the older ATV staff were there to make programmes for viewers, the new executives were more interested in making money only.

Noele Gordon talks about her sudden and unexpected departure from ATV: "The news that I was being fired from Crossroads shattered me. After playing the principal part of Meg Mortimer for 17 years I was hurt and humiliated by the manner of my dismissal.

My manager had gone to ATV to discuss the renewal of my contract for 1982. It seemed a routine formality, until Charles Denton, the company's Controller of Programmes, announced 'All good things must come to an end.' My manager telephoned to break the news. At first I couldn't grasp it. I had harbored suspicions that I was being eased out because I seemed to have been given less and less to do, but when I had queried this the producer had told me: 'Just be patient, darling. In a few weeks' time you'll be complaining of overwork.' I had never dreamed I would be sacked out of hand. I put down the phone in tears. I poured myself a glass of wine but was too upset to drink it. I cried all that night.

I never asked to be consulted on how Meg would go, though I did tell the producer I would not be party to her committing suicide because that was not in Meg's make up. But none of us ever wants to know the future development of the story beyond the script that has to be learnt, because if you know too much about it you might act the part quite differently. It was quite enough to know Meg was to go."

Just like in 1968, the Crossroads fans were up in arms over the leaving of Meg from the series, and just like 14 years earlier the protests began. Fans launched a ‘Meg Is Magic’ campaign: with demonstrations outside ATV Centre. The Sun newspaper started a 'Save Our Meg' petition and Noele Gordon herself released a special magazine, 'Goodbye Meg' to say a personal thank you to all her fans for their years of support.

In the end however the decision was final, and Noele was to all set to complete her final recording in April of 1982. She however asked for her contract to be cut back by six months after she accepted an offer to star in a musical. ATV agreed on an early release and her final appearance in the show actually aired in November 1981.

The end of Meg Mortimer also saw the end of the motel as we knew it. A week before we finally saw Meg sail off on the QE2, the motel was burned to the ground and everyone thought Meg had died in the inferno. Of course this wrecking spree was all part of modernising the series and improving the look of the show.

1982 saw the 'up-market' sets for the new-look Crossroads Motel revealed. The fire was part of Jack Barton's plan of updating the show for life after Meg. It also coincided with a new on-screen name for ATV Midlands. ACC, owners of the station had to sell 49% of its shares in ATV to make the station 'more regional.' The new era of ATV also saw more regional programmes and an improved news service. The final change to reflect this new more Midlands-based set up was the name change to Central Independent Television.

Behind the scenes little changed, it was basically ATV in new clothes, however the name change to Central Television (its short hand name) gave the programme controllers an excuse to erase all trace of the old ATV Midlands from the airwaves, something they had wanted to do since 1978. Children's Saturday mornings show Tiswas was cancelled at the end of its run; it was only the first in the final cull of all ATV programmes. Only three survived beyond 1982, Family Fortunes - which had been developed by the new management at ATV in 1979 from the American series Family Feuds, Bullseye, which by all means was a Central programme - it just happened to launch while ATV was in its final weeks; and of course Crossroads was still there dying its slow death one member of the management hoped.

In 1984 the soap celebrated reaching another television first, the only drama serial to have 4000 editions. Jack Barton asked Central for more money, they declined. He asked for a film crew on a regular basis to do more location scenes, they declined. He asked for more time in the studios, as now they had better editing facilities the mistakes could be re-recorded and edited out. Central declined his request. The problem was, although Meg's departure had dented the audience figures, Crossroads was still performing well in the ratings. The new look motel, and the larger cast was actually working, much to the dislike of Charles Denton.

In 1984 he placed his next ploy on the table to try and make Crossroads fail: He told Jack Barton that the soap would be moved from Studio 1, the large studio at ATV Centre, to Studio 2, which was half the size of Studio 1. Jack Barton, was put in an impossible situation. It wasn’t long before he ‘retired’ although was offered a role on the soap as a ‘series consultant’ something he declined after initially accepting when he found out what changes were in store for Crossroads.

1985 saw the final Jack Barton version of Crossroads air. Things were never to be the same again. From March onwards the original theme tune, which had been used for just over 20 years, was replaced with a 'stylish' new version. The old production formula was ditched and revamped into a more modern format - this is something fans and critics agree that was long overdue, it took Crossroads from the most old fashioned and out-of-date programme on ITV to the most modern looking.

The third revamp in the style of Crossroads was the most dramatic in the shows history, it also saw the programme renamed to Crossroads Motel. New producer Phillip Bowman aimed to make Crossroads glamorous, sexy and trendy. The motel would be part of a chain of hotels, with upmarket guests and classy management. He drew a line, and told the press it was a "new show" but would very much carry on the traditions of the old Crossroads.

"Soap opera goes back a long way, I'm sure critics from time in memorial up to Dickens criticised 'the serial' which has now assumed the title of 'soap' due to the involvement of Proctor and Gamble, back in the early days, back in America in the 1930s. Soap opera will always be criticised at various levels, its the rate of time we have to produce it, the frequency of which it is shown and the sheer volume precludes excellence one may wish for in say a single play or a film. But soap opera has its own standard of excellence; by the way it engages everyday people in the lives of everyday people on the screen. It must have been a very successful format, or it wouldn't have lasted this long." Phillip Bowman, speaking in November 1985.

Bowman's most disliked change was when he axed Ronald Allen and Sue Lloyd from the show (David and Barbara Hunter) to make room for some of his new cast, he also intended to bring back Noele Gordon as Meg, who had last made a return to the show briefly in 1983. Noele did sign a new contract, and took part in some of the Crossroads events in late 1984, such as being a cast member at the farewell party for leaving producer Jack Barton. With Nolly unable to attend the recordings in January '85 the character of Stan Harvey was revived, and he practically word for word said what was originally intended for Meg.

The sets were after only three years repainted and revamped, the storylines were also made sexier; the soap was aiming to be Dallas at teatime. It is true that many of the older fans were not impressed by the changes, they felt it could have all taken place a lot slower, and they felt that more of the old cast should have been kept on, but new fans loved it, and critics too warmed to the reincarnated Crossroads.

Its at this time that the big-wigs at Central Independent Television changed. New bosses, who didn't have a dis-like towards old ATV programmes, were now in charge; for drama it was Ted Childs who embraced Crossroads and went out of his way to try and make the show work for a 1980s audience. All this meant Crossroads was safe, well for the foreseeable future anyway.

For the first time since the departure of Lord Lew Grade Crossroads seemed to be liked by the station bosses and the fans, it was now looking years ahead of its near ITV rivals Coronation Street and Emmerdale Farm. Crossroads Motel was performing well in the ratings, in fact the ratings were rising for the early evening slot, it was generating huge cash still through export sales and advertising. It seemed nothing could go wrong for the soap now, things were finally working out.

Well maybe things were too good to be true. In the summer of 1986 Phillip Bowman was sacked from Crossroads and moved elsewhere at Central. It had nothing to do with Crossroads Motel on air; simply Phillip had been having an affair with his secretary at the television station. Once it was made public, Central felt they had no option but to remove the married (but separated) producer instantly from the 'high profile' show.

In the Autumn of 1986 Central Independent Television was proud to introduce the world to its new producer for Crossroads Motel: poached from the BBC Birmingham-based Archers radio soap, William Smethurst was the man Central wanted to take Crossroads into the 1990s.

They offered him a long contract, promised a bright future for the soap, and then told him to change the soap, to make it appeal to a wider, more affluent audience.

Andy Allen, Head Of Central TV Production instantly set his agenda for Crossroads Motel, and basically as far as he was concerned it wasn't going to be anything Crossroads for much longer. The show had been stuck in its “1960s” format so long people assumed it was just an awful programme. Even the recent changes hadn’t moved the show forward enough in his eyes.

New man in charge, William Smethurst was an acclaimed writer: He had been praised for turning The Archers radio soap around in 1978. The BBC soap had suffered a dip in ratings, which he reversed. However after eight years he moved on to Crossroads. He was briefed with what needed to be done, and it seems the new producer was a new excuse to give the soap yet another makeover after just two years.

William was the public face for all these changes that Central were imposing on the soap; he was the one who took the flack from the press, they called him "Barmy Bill" when a confidential document was leaked revealing plans to totally transform the soap into something called Kings Oak. The leaked document said most of the old cast were to be sacked, and a whole new look - including the removal of one of soaps most well-known theme tunes was to happen in late 1987.

It was later reported that William had boldly stated that within six months of him taking over Crossroads the show would be unrecognisable from the days of old. This was also put across in the programme by new owner Tommy Lancaster, who wanted to make Crossroads more upmarket. Real life and fiction were blurring into one. Cast on the show, even those recently brought in by former producer Phillip Bowman were removed from the programme on a weekly basis.

With the popular cast leaving the ratings for the show decided to follow them. A show, which had until the departure of Noele Gordon commanded 16 million viewers, and in the previous re-launch found a fan-base of 12 million, now was only reaching between 8 and 10 million. Too many changes in such a sort time, was it Crossroads anymore? Some people didn’t know what to make of all the sudden twists and turns.

Of course the one question the producers and Central failed to ask at the time was: 'is all this necessary?' No, it clearly wasn't needed as far as many fans were concerned. Crossroads had commanded a large and loyal fan-base since day one. It had the same kind of viewers as EastEnders, Brookside and Coronation Street. It made bucket loads of money year-on-year.

Of course William Smethurst was simply carrying out orders 'from above' and whether he wanted to make such drastic changes so quickly were not really up to him, he had been asked to do the revamp - and so he did - after all that was his job. But for Crossroads fans, and the press, William was to be the one who would be accused of making the changes because he wanted to, not because he had to.

A new thorn in Crossroads' side had slowly crept in. Andy Allen, the new Head of Production at Central Television, was of the Charles Denton ilk. He hated Crossroads. It was Allen who was finding excuses, reasons and flaws in the show that 'needed' addressing:

Crossroads wasn't attracting the right kind of audience. The 6:30pm viewers were homemakers, the unemployed, low-paid workers and the retired. Fine for Granada and Yorkshire Television and their soaps, but not, it seems, for Central bosses. They wanted the show to appeal to executives and high-flying business bosses: none of the kind of people who were at home at 6:30pm at night or interested in soap operas.

During Jack Barton's era, despite what the stand-up comics and critics may say, Crossroads was the soap to watch, in 1987 Crossroads had become the soap to avoid, many long-time fans were unimpressed with such drastic changes, new fans were in the minority.

Kings Oak actually isn't such a bad idea, as a spin-off in the same way hospital soap Holby City is to medical drama Casualty. Crossroads running side-by-side with Kings Oak would have worked fine, who knows, eventually may have even become more popular and replaced it completely. But replacing one of the most popular and well-known soaps almost instantly with something practically unrecognisable just didn't work.

We know Allen’s excuses are just that, as every time he’s been asked why he axed the soap he’s had a different reason each time!

"The audience was older than for any of the other soaps and Crossroads still had the most awful reputation for shoddy quality. This wasn't really fair as Phillip Bowman had made amazing changes to the way it looked. The lighting was superb, for example but it was nowhere near enough. Perhaps I was naive to think that if I improved the scripts, improved the acting I'd get a higher quality product and escape the Crossroads image. The older viewers became very fretful, and I can't blame them really." Smethurst said.

Emmerdale Farm at that time was clearly the most 'old fashioned' soap on ITV at that time, since 1972 it had kept the same kind of feel, same small kind of cast and was seen as 'boring'. It mainly revolved around a farmhouse and a pub. And in those days most regions showed Emmerdale and Crossroads at the same 6:30pm slot. Crossroads in that slot always got higher ratings - and that has never been beaten by any other show in that time-slot since!

Crossroads, Kings Oak is the only soap that sacked so many popular cast. All the other soaps have held onto their most cherished characters. Not Crossroads, it simply wouldn't do. In the Kings Oak era we had to have a clever soap, intelligent storylines and sophisticated dialogue.

All fine and well at 8pm at night, but Crossroads was never intended to be intellectual, it was a soap to relax to, to eat your tea to, to ease into the evening with. After so many sackings, it came as quite a surprise when in 1987 Ann George, as Amy Turtle was brought back into the show after 12 years. Sadly she was the only old face to return, and this half-hearted measure to hark back to the shows glory days didn't do much to appease fans.

In the summer of 1987 Central Television held a party for the Crossroads, Kings Oak production team and crew. Andy Allen promised the programme a bright future, the changes maybe were done all too soon and too fast, but in the long term it seemed Central could see eventually it would work.

An omnibus edition was planned for Sunday afternoons, it was all systems go for the all new Kings Oak series.

Crossroads was thought to be working-class although it had been one of the few soaps to actually feature every background, more so than Coronation Street or Emmerdale Farm. But the powers above the production team wanted the soap to be more upper class, to appeal to a more affluent cliental, yes that’s right, the kind of people who don't tend to watch soaps.

Early in 1987 the shows name was updated to Crossroads, Kings Oak; keeping the former titles and music, but it was the cast sackings and quick departures that soon had the old fans in the main switching off, the new fans that they were aiming at didn't bother to tune in at this stage as it was still very much appearing as Crossroads. Soap clearly beneath them.

New opening titles were filmed during the summer and a brand-new theme tune was commissioned to accompany the all-new Kings Oak series, to launch on September 7th 1987. Then the bombshell news that shook even the die-hard Crossroads fans: Who hoped one day a new producer would put things right, and restore Crossroads to its glory position of supreme tea-time soap - Andy Allen axed the show outright on the 2nd July 1987.

His excuse being that Crossroads, Kings Oak had offended the old fans so much they no longer watched, and new fans wouldn't watch it because it wasn't appealing to them in any form. According to Allen, Crossroads was out-of-date and quaint. All excuses were laughable from beginning to end. (And all this was said before the Kings Oak era had even been given a chance!)

Crossroads since 1985 had become fresh and modern, and had always been at the forefront of up-to-date plots. Its quite ironic that after the shows axing was announced the ratings rose. Maybe the disgruntled old fans were tuning back in to hopefully try and save the soap. In its final months Crossroads, Kings Oak regained its audience share of 11 and-a-half million viewers. The new opening titles and theme launched, the new sets were revealed, but sadly, no reprieve was given.

The show was to end - forever. Even more annoying in the fact Crossroads had met all its new targets, audience share, ratings and the right adult age and background they were aiming to attract. Even advertisers came out in support of the serial:

"The over-55s are a growing section of the population and a valuable market because they frequently have no mortgage to pay and no children at home to support. It is still a very popular programme. If Central were able to change the audience profile to younger viewers then that could be of interest, but I would want to look very closely at what is going to replace it." Commented Donald Byles, media director at the advertising agency, J Walter Thompson in 1987.

It didn't end because of poor ratings even though that was the official line given by Central (and reported by ITN), it didn't end because of William Smethurst's changes - although they were deemed unhelpful to the series - given time Kings Oak most likely would have worked, and Smethurst would have been crowned the saviour of a ailing soap. But he had the rug pulled from under him, and his challenge of saving the soap taken away. Why? Because Andy Allen didn't want it saved, if he had Allen would have given the show longer to transform, time to change and develop into Kings Oak. They knew the changes rushed in would offend and alienate, and then the excuse to axe would be finally there.

If Crossroads had been a Granada or Yorkshire Television programme it would never have ended. They always gave their soaps full backing, something that can't be said about Crossroads, not after Lew Grade left ATV anyway.

"It wasn't Crossroads they took off. Crossroads had been killed off years before. You cannot suddenly say I'm going to play to a totally different audience, to ignore the existing loyal viewers.. ..you can't slaughter the cast and take out all those old familiar friends.

It was never a chore for me or the people I worked with. We loved it, that's why it hurt when people slagged us off. My aim was to make viewers happy, to help them while entertain them.

After all these years I still derive satisfaction from the fact that there's a four-bedded unit in a Birmingham hospital for people suffering from kidney disease that Crossroads founded. We gave Downs Syndrome children a sense of pride when we showed a [DS] child and gave an idea what her life was like. Parents wrote in to say they held their heads up high after we did that.

My successors took a totally different outlook. They weren't interested in the family aspect, the caring aspect. It was all pretty pictures and smart speeches. Smethurst has changed it beyond all recognition. ..I can hardly believe what was done." Said Jack Barton, Crossroads' producer during its most popular period.

Crossroads came to an end with a 75-minute special on April 4th 1988. A grand total of 4522 editions had been aired on ITV; and a legacy created that went far beyond a videotape archive. Crossroads was the only soap to really change the world, it gave so many chances to those who maybe would never have had them, such as the various projects and funds the show generated for hospitals and charities. It was more than soap; it was a show that used its popularity to make real changes in the real world.

Crossroads was a victim of its own success, it was never going to erase its past, and to try so was foolish. Since the axing the Kings Oak era has all but been forgotten. But you can't blame Bowman or Smethurst for the decline from 1986 onwards. Despite what the press led the fans to believe, they did their jobs, they did what they were asked to do, they didn't want the soap to end, anyone who worked on Crossroads was proud to be part of the team. Sadly the company bosses that owned the show were not so proud of their soap.

The golden years of the 1960s through to the early 1980s are held up as Crossroads' most fondly remembered era. In its most popular guise Crossroads was a trend setter, laughed at for some of its what are now thought of as ground breaking storylines, yet it lead the way, it set the agenda, it brought many firsts and above and beyond anything else gave great enjoyment to its fans. The show is a legend of ITV, and has found an almost cult status.

It is of little comfort to fans that Andy Allen has in recent years said axing Crossroads was his biggest mistake, although for the first and last time we agree with him. In another strange twist, ITV have now added classic episodes of the soap from the 1970s to its itv.com website, and have even advertised this fact on various other websites with promotions. Crossroads has finally been accepted as part of the ITV furniture.

© Crossroads Appreciation Society 1988-present
Written by Mike Garrett, Tom Dearnley-Davidson, Douglas Edward Lambert and Ian Armitage