Soapworld
Schedule changes announced for Coronation Street and Emmerdale
Coronation Street and Emmerdale’s scheduling pattern is changing due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Filming continues on both soaps in Manchester and Leeds, but ITV is cutting the number of episodes it airs of each per week to ensure there is no shortage should production have to stop.
Emmerdale will air Monday to Friday at 7.00pm, losing its extra Thursday episode, whilst Coronation Street will be on three times a week with episodes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7.30pm.
The new schedule comes into play from Monday 30th March.
In a statement, the broadcaster said that the continued transmission of both soaps was a priority and that it was following advice from the Government and Public Health England.
“The continued transmission of both soaps is a priority for all of us at ITV and to our audiences who enjoy the shows. [However] the latest health advice from the Government and Public Health England is making filming both shows a real challenge – particularly with cast and crew members who are over 70 or have underlying health conditions.
“Through a mix of changes to production and scheduling we are confident that we can keep broadcasting new episodes of both shows over the coming months. On the production front we are filming with fewer cast and crew and we’re scaling back location shooting whilst adhering to the Government’s guidelines. From a scheduling point of view we will reduce the planned 12 episodes a week to eight episodes a week from Monday 30 March.” – ITV Statement
The BBC announced earlier today that it was suspending filming on its continuing dramas.
The coronavirus pandemic has also seen filming on shows such as Line of Duty and Peaky Blinders grind to a halt, while live productions like Loose Women and Jeremy Vine have been forced to do without a studio audience.
The PM has urged brits to avoid gatherings and crowded places, such as pubs, clubs and theatres, to work from home where that is an option, and to avoid non-essential travel.
