The BBC has threatened a group of US EastEnders followers with legal action after they named a fan website BBCAmerica.

The EastEnders fans have been using the site to demand that the BBC offer two weekend showings of the soap series, including one in its original Sunday afternoon slot.

BBC lawyers have now told the campaigners to take down the site bbcamerica.us - an internet address similar to the corporation's own bbcamerica.com.

Actor Todd Carty, with the soap since 1990, is soon to leave

A spokesman for BBC America said: "Like any responsible corporation we have taken steps to protect our brand image."

The BBC moved the London-based soap from its Sunday slot because of declining US ratings, said the spokesman.

The move caused protests from the show's US fans and the corporation agreed to restart Saturday broadcasts from 7 September.

But the fans - 1,200 of whom signed an online petition - still want the show to return to Sundays.

Loyal viewers

A spokesman for the Save the Soap campaign said: "We appreciate the move of EastEnders from Friday to Saturday.

"But why not show it on both days?"

In an open letter to the BBC on the website, Save The Soap said that the patience of the soap's "loyal viewers" was being tested.

"EastEnders is great viewing, the number one show in the UK. With some effort it can be a success over here, but it needs promotion."

"Promote EastEnders, make it something that your channel is proud of rather than embarrassed and has tucked away in an impossible timeslot."

The website currently claims that it is has been temporarily suspended "due to aggressive legal tactics from the BBC and its lawyers".

The petition has now been moved to www.diverdown.org.