Production has also stopped on Home and Away due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“ITV has taken the decision to suspend production of the soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale with effect from Monday 23 March,” a statement from ITV read.
“We’ve been doing our best to carry on filming, whilst adhering to the Government’s latest health guidelines, to ensure we’ve episodes of both soaps airing on ITV until at least the early summer.
“However, the health and well-being of the production teams, actors, crew and their families is of paramount importance to us and we now feel that the time has come to stop filming.
“We’d like to thank our viewers for their support and hope they continue to enjoy both soaps in the coming months.”
Last week, the broadcaster announced that it was reducing the number of episodes of both soaps it airs per week with a new schedule – designed to keep the soaps on air for longer – coming into play from Monday 30th March.
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 BBC suspended filming on its continuing drama portfolio – which includes EastEnders, Casualty and River City – on Wednesday (18th March), with EastEnders set to air twice a week for the foreseeable future.
Australia’s Seven network also announced today that filming has been similarly halted on Home and Away.
“Seven Studios advised today that it would halt filming of Home and Away immediately. It confirmed that no cast or crew had tested positive for COVID-19, but that the decision was made due to the increasing logistical hurdles related to the COVID-19 situation.” – Seven spokesperson via TV Tonight
