Coronation Street and Emmerdale confirm timeline issues amid coronavirus rescheduling
CORONATION Street and Emmerdale have confirmed there will be timeline issues on the soaps due to coronavirus rescheduling.
Earlier this week ITV bosses announced that Corrie will be airing just three times a week and Emmerdale will be cutting down to five so they can both stay on air as long as possible amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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This will however mean that some events will be out of sync – such as Easter – which would normally fall at the same time as it would in real life.
An ITV rep said: "In the coming weeks some episodes of Coronation Street and Emmerdale will understandably be out of kilter due to the temporary transmission pattern for both programmes, which takes effect from Monday 30 March.
"Episodes due to broadcast at Easter and those commissioned and filmed to commemorate VE Day, for instance, won't now air on the dates we'd anticipated. We'd hope the audience will understand the reasons for this and continue to enjoy the shows."
ITV also explained why the characters would still continue drinking in the pubs – despite government advice in real life to avoid them.
They said: "Additionally, as both Coronation Street and Emmerdale film many weeks before they air on ITV, episodes will continue to feature scenes set in The Rovers and Woolpack and other communal areas.
"Although the Government's latest guidelines indicate that people should avoid such public spaces, we'd ask viewers to make allowances for the fact that filming took place before the coronavirus pandemic and to make sure they follow the most recent Government health advice."
While both the soaps have made a change to their schedules they have vowed to keep filming though despite Government advice instructed people to remain at home and social distance.
Coronation Street will be dropping three episodes per week - all of its 8.30pm episodes have been axed - while Emmerdale will be losing one.
Emmerdale will now air weeknights at 7pm while Corrie will follow at 7.30pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings.
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The change will allow the soaps to stay on air until July - even if production has to be shut down.
The news comes as the death toll in the UK hits 145.
Around 1.4 million Brits are expected to be told to self-isolate on Monday due to coronavirus .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that those who are classed as vulnerable will be contacted with the specific actions they need to take.