{{Short description|British magazine covering soap operas}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}} {{Infobox magazine | image_file = Inside_Soap.jpg | image_caption = First issue cover (October 1992) | logo = File:Insideearly.jpg | logo_size = 100px | editor = Sarah Ellis | editor_title = | staff_writer = | frequency = Weekly | circulation = 42,215 (ABC 2023) <ref name=abc1/><br />Print | circulation_year = | category = [[Soap operas]] | company = [[Hearst Magazines UK]] | publisher = | firstdate = October 1992 | country = United Kingdom | based = London | language = English | website = {{url|http://www.insidesoap.co.uk/}} | issn = 0966-8497 }}

'''''Inside Soap''''' is a weekly soap opera and television listings magazine published in the United Kingdom. The magazine is currently released every Tuesday. It covers storylines of British and Australian soap operas that are broadcast in the [[United Kingdom]], including ''[[Coronation Street]]'', ''[[Doctors (2000 TV series)|Doctors]]'', ''[[EastEnders]]'', ''[[Emmerdale]]'', ''[[Hollyoaks]]'', ''[[Home and Away]]'' and ''[[Neighbours]]'' as well as drama ''[[Casualty (TV series)|Casualty]]''. Since 1996, the magazine has hosted the [[Inside Soap Awards|''Inside Soap'' Awards]] ceremony each year.

==History== ===Profile and early years=== ''Inside Soap'' was launched in Australia in 1992, published by the Sydney-based Attic Futura.<ref>'Etcetera' ''Sydney Morning Herald'' 20 August 1992 p. 21</ref> Attic Futura was sold to [[Pacific Magazines]] in 1993 by which time the magazine had been successfully launched in the UK.<ref>Ian McIlwraith 'PacMag taps teen market' ''Sydney Morning Herald'' 4 May 1993 p. 38</ref> The magazine was then relaunched in Australia in 1998.<ref>Margaret Easterbrook, 'Drama as TV Week axes local writers' Melbourne ''Age'' 1 July 1998 p. 3</ref>

In 1996, the British ''Inside Soap'' changed from a monthly to a fortnightly publication.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Games |first1=Alexander |last2=O'Carroll |first2=Lisa |title=In the air |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80236211/ |website=[[Evening Standard]] |access-date=25 June 2021 |pages=61 |date=13 March 1996|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>

In September 2002, [[Hachette Filipacchi]] began publishing the magazine after the company purchased Attic Futura.<ref name=insidesoap1/> In late 2003, Hachette Filipacchi decided to increase their output of ''Inside Soap'' and began publishing it weekly.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Byrne |first1=Ciar |title=Red and read all over |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80239132/ |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=25 June 2021 |pages=72 |date=15 December 2003|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref> The publisher's decision to publish weekly strengthened sales and by September 2005, the magazine reached 182,618 units in circulation.<ref name=insidesoap2>{{cite web |last1=Whitlock |first1=Kevin |title=So what's on telly tonight? |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80246371/ |website=[[The Independent]] |access-date=25 June 2021 |pages=98 |date=26 September 2005|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>

Each year, the [[Inside Soap Awards|''Inside Soap'' Awards]] ceremony is held, where awards are given to the cast and crew of the soaps. In September 2004, the ''Inside Soap'' Awards were broadcast on [[Sky Group|Sky's]] television channel [[Living TV]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Darke |first1=Kimberley |title=Digital highlights |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80239484/ |website=[[Evening Standard]] |access-date=25 June 2021 |pages=44 |date=29 September 2004|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>

Editors of the magazine have included Vicky Mayer, Jonathan Bowman, Steven Murphy and Gary Gillatt.<ref>{{cite web |title=Creative, media & marketing |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80236989/ |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=25 June 2021 |pages=46 |date=28 June 1993|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Kingston |first1=Peter |title=Question: What do you call a radio station that's preparing to launch its first soap? Answer: Radio 3 - seriously |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80237405/ |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=25 June 2021 |pages=64 |date=13 July 1998|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>

''Inside Soap'' prints stories covering all soap operas broadcast on British television in detail. It includes a feature to inform readers of dates different stories occur titled "what happens when". It also includes terrestrial and digital television listings.<ref name=insidesoap2/>

===Circulation=== By 1994, the magazine's circulation had reached around 120,000.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bellos |first1=Alex |title=Close to the edge |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84689486/ |website=[[The Observer]] |access-date=4 September 2021 |pages=127 |date=13 March 1994|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref> In 1995, ''Inside Soap's'' publicity claimed that it was the fastest growing consumer magazine in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web |title=Creative, media & marketing |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80237228/ |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=25 June 2021 |pages=46 |date=9 January 1995|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref> In August 1996, it was announced that ''Inside Soap'' sales had risen. From January to June 1996, they had gained a fifty-four percent rise in sales according to year on year comparison data.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Glaister |first1=Dan |title=Now it's lads on top |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80237719/ |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=25 June 2021 |pages=39 |date=5 August 1996|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref> By 1998, it was a market leader in its sales category and by September 2003 it still held its top ranking position.<ref>{{cite web |title=Creative, media & sales |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80238389/ |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=25 June 2021 |pages=243 |date=25 July 1998|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref><ref name=insidesoap1>{{cite web |last1=Cassy |first1=John |last2=Brockes |first2=Emma |title=Shooting for the stars (again) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80238711/ |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=25 June 2021 |pages=82 |date=16 September 2002|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>

In the 2000s and 2010s, ''Inside Soap'' remained one of the most circulated television listings magazines in the UK. It endured a sales decline on a yearly basis. In February 2008, it was reported that ''Inside Soap'' was the seventh best selling television listings magazine in the UK. Its circulation grew by 5.7 per cent during the previous period to 200,045 copies sold per issue.<ref>{{cite web |title=Magazine ABCs: TV Choice is top actively-purchased TV mag |url=https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/magazines/magazine-abcs-tv-choice-is-top-actively-purchased-tv-mag-40283/ |website=[[Press Gazette]] |access-date=12 October 2024 |date=14 February 2008 |archive-date=19 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119150635/https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/magazines/magazine-abcs-tv-choice-is-top-actively-purchased-tv-mag-40283/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It's sales fell to 195,125 for the first half of 2008, which was reported to be a 1.9 per cent loss.<ref>{{cite web |title=Magazine ABCs: TV Choice remains top listings title |url=https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/magazines/magazine-abcs-tv-choice-remains-top-listings-title/ |website=[[Press Gazette]] |access-date=12 October 2024 |date=14 August 2008 |archive-date=19 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119150625/https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/magazines/magazine-abcs-tv-choice-remains-top-listings-title/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The sales declined by a further 5.9 per cent (188,273 sales per issue) for the latter half. It was also the sixth best selling listings magazine of the year.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ponsford |first1=Dominic |title=Magazine ABCs: TV Choice remains top telly mag |url=https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/magazines/magazine-abcs-tv-choice-remains-top-telly-mag/ |website=[[Press Gazette]] |access-date=12 October 2024 |date=12 February 2009 |archive-date=19 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119150658/https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/magazines/magazine-abcs-tv-choice-remains-top-telly-mag/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Inside Soap's'' sales share fell by 5.8 per cent with 177,304 sales in the second half of 2009.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Luft |first1=Oliver |title=Magazine ABCs: Radio Times over 1m as TV titles dip |url=https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/magazines/magazine-abcs-radio-times-over-1m-as-tv-titles-dip/ |website=[[Press Gazette]] |access-date=12 October 2024 |date=11 February 2010}}</ref> For the first half of 2011, the magazine's sales dipped by 5.7 per cent to 165,022 copies sold. This made ''TV easy'' the sixth best-selling magazine from the genre.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ponsford |first1=Dominic |title=2011 consumer magazine circulations: Full breakdown |url=https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/magazines/2011-consumer-magazine-circulations-full-breakdown/ |website=[[Press Gazette]] |access-date=12 October 2024 |date=18 August 2011 |archive-date=19 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119150915/https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/magazines/2011-consumer-magazine-circulations-full-breakdown/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In the latter half of 2012, sales fell to 150,270, a 4.2 per cent drop.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mag ABCs: TV choice stays number one in top 100 list of best selling UK magazines |url=https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/magazines/mag-abcs-tv-choice-stays-number-one-top-100-list-best-selling-uk-magazines/ |website=[[Press Gazette]] |access-date=12 October 2024 |date=14 February 2013 |archive-date=19 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119150620/https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/magazines/mag-abcs-tv-choice-stays-number-one-top-100-list-best-selling-uk-magazines/ |url-status=live }}</ref> By 2013, it was still the sixth best selling listings magazine, down 7.7 per cent selling 142,682 copies in the first six months.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mag ABCs: TV Choice stands firm on top of pile as listings rivals lose circulation |url=https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/magazines/mag-abcs-tv-choice-stands-firm-top-pile-listings-rivals-lose-circulation/ |website=[[Press Gazette]] |access-date=12 October 2024 |date=15 August 2013 |archive-date=19 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119150620/https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/magazines/mag-abcs-tv-choice-stands-firm-top-pile-listings-rivals-lose-circulation/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Its print sales decline continued in the 2020s. In 2022, it shifted an average of 51,300 per issue.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pressgazette.co.uk/media-audience-and-business-data/media_metrics/magazine-circulations-2022-abc-print-digital/#magazine-abc|title=Magazine ABCs for 2022: Full breakdown of print and digital circulations|last=Majid|first=Aisha|date=21 February 2023|work=[[Press Gazette]]|access-date=4 July 2023|archive-date=4 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230704010744/https://pressgazette.co.uk/media-audience-and-business-data/media_metrics/magazine-circulations-2022-abc-print-digital/#magazine-abc|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2023, its average sales per issue were 42,215 with a 17.7 per cent decline on the previous year.<ref name=abc1>{{cite web |last1=Maher |first1=Bron |title=Magazine ABCs 2023: Full breakdown of titles shows 12.4% circulation fall |url=https://pressgazette.co.uk/media-audience-and-business-data/media_metrics/magazine-circulations-2023-abc/ |website=[[Press Gazette]] |access-date=13 October 2024 |date=21 February 2024 |archive-date=24 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240924180856/https://pressgazette.co.uk/media-audience-and-business-data/media_metrics/magazine-circulations-2023-abc/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Official website|http://www.insidesoap.co.uk}}

{{Hearst}} {{UK TV magazines}}

[[Category:1992 establishments in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Magazines about soap operas]] [[Category:Magazines established in 1992]] [[Category:Magazines published in London]] [[Category:Weekly magazines published in the United Kingdom]]