Quick - Eastenders is on.

Why are "soap operas" so called?  Although when we hear the expression today we think of various popular TV programmes, it well predates television.  It goes back to the 1920s when Proctor & Gamble had the bright advertising idea of sponsoring certain US radio programmes which were broadcast daily, thus keeping their name constantly in the public mind. The company were of course best known at the time as the manufacturers of soapflakes for washing clothes - hence the name.