Coronation Street and Emmerdale will return to six episodes a week later this month.
ITV has confirmed that both soaps will resume the normal scheduling pattern of six episodes a week from Monday, September 14.
It follows the reduction in transmission to just three instalments a week that began shortly after the UK lockdown in March, which was a swift response to ensure both Emmerdale and Corrie remained on air while production was temporarily shut down.
As part of the channel’s autumn season announcement, an ITV spokesperson said: “This news is testament to the incredible work that has been achieved in Manchester and Leeds by John Whiston, Managing Director of Continuing Drama and Head of ITV in the North for ITV studios, and his dedicated and hard-working production teams.
“Both shows continue to film safely whilst adhering to the health and safety guidelines issued by the film and TV industry.”
(Image: ITV)
Corrie and Emmerdale managed to avoid a transmission gap, unlike EastEnders and Hollyoaks, which ran out of episodes completed pre-lockdown before they had time to turn around new content upon resuming production. Both soaps are off air and return in September.
Speaking in early June when Corrie restarted, Whiston hinted it would be September at the earliest before the show could think about going back up to the normal six episodes pattern.
Currently, Corrie airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7.30pm only, but without the double helping at 8.30pm on each of those days. Emmerdale airs the same days at 7pm but used to be on every weeknight, with a sixth episode showing at 8pm on a Thursday double bill.
The soaps have pioneered new ways of working within government guidelines, ensuring the sets are Covid-safe, although Corrie has yet to announce when cast members over 80 years old and child actors will be allowed back.
(Image: ITV)
Recently, Emmerdale tackled their first socially-distanced attempted murder in a cleverly-shot showdown between DI Malone and arch-enemy Will Taylor.
Coronation Street filmed its first socially distanced stunt last month, using a car and an Underworld mannequin.
The dramatic scenes, which were a world first, aired last month and and starred Mikey North and Tina O’Brien, who play Gary Windass and Sarah Platt.
Speaking about the stunt, Mikey said: “The first take was pretty nerve-wracking.
“This was in the very first three episodes that I filmed after lockdown. We have had to alter and change things but I don’t think it has lost any of its intention. Hopefully it will be just as good as it would have been on location.
“I always ask to do my own stunts, it’s one of the best parts of the job. I really enjoy getting bashed about.
“I got to ride on the bonnet of the car and I was quite pleased to have the opportunity to do the stunt myself, because I enjoy that part of the job but I have never done a car stunt like this before.”
Speaking of being replaced by a mannequin, Tina joked that “some say it was an improvement” before explaining how they made the scene look realistic.
“The mannequin is from the Underworld set but when I stood next to it, it was towering over me,” she said.
“We had to saw the bottom of the legs off to make it more realistic and more my height, but we have a very talented director and post-production team so no one will notice when it’s in the show.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing how it looks on screen.”
Emmerdale continues on ITV at 7pm on Friday followed by Coronation Street at 7.30pm
