Emmerdale and Coronation Street only have WEEKS left on air as ITV bosses say they will run out of episodes amid COVID-19 lockdown
- Head of ITV Kevin Lygo confirmed that Emmerdale will remain on-screens until the end of May, with Coronation Street set to air until sometime in June
- He added that they are hoping to resume filming in some capacity once the nationwide lockdown is relaxed
- ITV also confirmed that they will be filling much of the summer schedule with repeat programming
- Katie Rawcliffe, head of entertainment at ITV, said it is also possible that the Britain’s Got Talent’s live shows will go ahead without an audience
- ITV also confirmed that similar measures are being considered for shows such as The Masked Singer and The Voice
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
Emmerdale and Coronation Street will have just weeks left on air as they begin to run out of filmed episodes, ITV bosses have revealed.
On Thursday the channel’s boss Kevin Lygo confirmed that Emmerdale will remain on screens until the end of May, while Corrie will stay on air until the end of June.
Last month both soaps cut down their weekly broadcast of episodes as they were forced to halt production due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Worrying: Emmerdale and Coronation Street will have just weeks left on air as they begin to run out of filmed episodes, ITV bosses have revealed
Speaking during an online Q and A at the Edinburgh TV Festival, Kevin revealed that are currently plans for Emmerdale to stay on air until the end of May.
The soap recently cut its weekly broadcasts from seven episodes to just three to try and ration episode the cast had already filmed.
Meanwhile Coronation Street is set to finish its bank of filmed episodes at the end of June, meaning both soaps could go off-air by the summer.
Will it be back? On Thursday the channel’s boss Kevin Lygo confirmed that Emmerdale will remain on screens until the end of May, while Corrie will stay on air until the end of June
Which UK shows have stopped filming?
EastEnders
Line Of Duty
Peaky Blinders
Doctors
Casualty
Holby City
River City
Pobol y Cwm
Hollyoaks
Vera
Call The Midwife
The Only Way Is Essex
Lorraine
Loose Women
Emmerdale
Coronation Street
Kevin confirmed that there are plans being put in place so they could resume filming of some capacity once lockdown restrictions are eased.
He added that it’s likely older cast members won’t return to set for sometime, saying; ‘I don’t want Ken Barlow to get sick.’
Kevin also confirmed that producers will rewrite storylines so they can limit the amount of cast members involved, and will use camera tricks to film while adhering to social distancing.
Corrie also reduced its broadcasts to just three episodes a week to try and ration filmed episodes, with the cast usually filming up to six weeks in advance.
Last month both soaps were forced to halt their production due to ongoing fears surrounding the coronavirus, joining a long list of shows whose filming have been placed on hold.
Back soon? Kevin confirmed that there are plans being put in place so they could resume filming of some capacity once lockdown restrictions are eased
During the Q and A, Katie Rawcliffe, head of entertainment at ITV, said it is also possible that the Britain’s Got Talent’s live shows will go ahead without an audience.
She said: ‘It looks like we will have to do some shows without audiences. This whole experience has brought out more creativity in people and the best in people, we all have to think a bit harder about how we do things.’
Katie went onto reveal that the audition episodes of Britain’s Got Talent also failed to air, adding: ‘The live shows we are hoping to do later this year, we are still in stages of planning and are talking about what might be possible.
‘We are very much in pre-production, as are the rest of the shows for the rest of the year.’
No crowd? During the Q and A, Katie Rawcliffe, head of entertainment at ITV, said it is also possible that the Britain’s Got Talent’s live shows will go ahead without an audience
Katie said they are also looking at similar measures for shows such as The Voice and The Masked Singer along with pre-filming the shows.
Kevin went onto say: ‘I think we can get around generally speaking, an audience, it’s where, with Britain’s Got Talent, where you have groups of people performing together, how are we going to do that, that’s going to be the real test.
‘There’s that bunch of Indian kids, the dance troupe… that will be a severe challenge.’
He added: ‘The Masked Singer (was) a pre-recorded show, is more manageable for us and the production staff to do, in an enclosed, guarded space.’
The Masked Singer became a huge hit when it debuted earlier this year, and ITV have already confirmed it will be returning for a second series.
Taking a break: Kevin also said they are considering axing the summer series of Love Island, as it would send out the ‘wrong signal’ to viewers
Meanwhile The Voice was set to kick off its live shows when the lockdown began, so ITV announced they would be postponed until a later date.
Kevin also announced that it’s possible this year’s summer series of Love Island could be axed as it would send out ‘the wrong signal’ to the country adhering to social distancing measures.
He said: ‘We’re approaching the moment of is it feasible? Will Majorca open its doors?’
The channel boss added that they wouldn’t want to send the wrong signal to viewers when the country is asked to stay and home and keep at least two metres apart’
‘What signal might it be sending out if we’re doing a show where everyone is crammed together slavering over each other, and the rest of the world is told not to go near anyone in the park?’ he added.
Kevin also said that they are hoping to reach a decision on the new series of Love Island ‘very soon,’ and there would be a ‘big commercial impact’ if the series failed to go ahead.
Due to the lockdown few ITV shows have continued airing as planned, with only daytime staples Good Morning Britain and This Morning remaining on-screen.
Both shows have been airing with a scaled-back crew and their presenters adhering to social distancing measures.
Soldiering on: Due to the lockdown few ITV shows have continued airing as planned, with only daytime staples Good Morning Britain (pictured) and This Morning remaining on-screen
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