Showtime has a good selection of UK and US shows, including UK soaps. I have a showbox hard drive recorder and it is brilliant. Showtime customer service is second to none. When I ordered the showbox they called me the day before the appointment to confirm. The men arrived on the dot and installed the box, even vaccumed up the dust they made from drilling. Before they left, showtime called me and asked if I was happy with the service and if there was anything else they could do. They then followed up a week later to check on it.
You can also get BBC Prime on Orbit, it is mainly repeats of british sitcoms and medical dramas and it has Eastenders. I also get a french channel on Orbit, if I remember the name I will let you know.