Coronation Street made huge changes to their usual filming schedule and filmed several scenes at once ahead of the coronavirus lockdown.
A show boss revealed that the ITV soap hurried filming and writers rewrote scenes ‘at a moment’s notice’ to ensure there was enough scenes for the soap to stay on air as long as possible.
With no clues as to when production would recommence amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the soap crammed in as much filming as possible to ensure that episodes wouldn’t run out.
Hard work: Coronation Street made huge changes to their usual filming schedule and filmed several scenes at once ahead of the coronavirus lockdown
Story Producer Lindsay Williams revealed on fan site Coronation Street Blog that the cast and crew worked hard and fast to film scenes hours before production shut down, stating it was ‘all hands to the pump.’
She said: ‘Writers rewriting scenes at a moment’s notice, producers making split second decisions, crew running around trying to get everything set up to shoot as fast as possible and our amazing cast and directors filming quicker than they have ever before and all in a way that kept everyone as safe as possible.
‘On the last Friday before we halted production we actually shot 7 scenes in just a few hours with some amazing work by the cast who had learned the scenes a few hours earlier.’
Changes: A show boss revealed that the ITV soap hurried filming and writers rewrote scenes ‘at a moment’s notice’ to ensure there was enough scenes for the soap to stay on air as long as possible’
Lindsay added that the changes were a real team effort, adding they cut it close to ensure they had everything they needed for several more episodes.
She continued: ‘It really went to the wire but we managed to get everything we could possibly shoot finished and edited in record time.
‘I think everyone left the building feeling really proud and privileged to be a part of Team Corrie.’
Coronation Street now airs just three times per week, as opposed to the usual six episodes.
Quick turnaround: Story Producer Lindsay Williams revealed on a Coronation Street blog that the cast and crew worked hard and fast to film scenes hours before production shut down, stating it was ‘all hands to the pump’
On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, ITV will now air just one episode of the Manchester-based some rather than the usual double-bills.
Lindsay added that soap fans can look forward to some ‘brilliant stories’ later in the year once filming recommences.
MailOnline have contacted a representative of Coronation Street for comment.
Speedy: ‘It really went to the wire but we managed to get everything we could possibly shoot finished and edited in record time’
Meanwhile, it was recently revealed Coronation Street and Emmerdale actors will be paid for three months despite production being halted on soaps amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Stars of the ITV soaps have come to an agreement with bosses, 16 days after filming was shut down on the shows.
Cast members receive an annual salary, with bonuses for the episodes they appear in. Familiar faces on the soaps are said to earn around £200,000 a year while younger stars can pick up around £100,000 annually.
A Coronation Street spokesman told MailOnline: ‘Coronation Street and Emmerdale have reached an agreement with Equity to provide financial security for regular cast members for the next three months.
Pay: Coronation Street (above) and Emmerdale actors will receive full pay for three months despite production stopping on the soaps due to the coronavirus pandemic
‘The specific details of this agreement will remain private as this is a contractual matter.’
A source added: ‘This is a very fair and consistent deal which treats everyone equally, and is in recognition of the fact we’ll need to hit the ground running once filming safely recommences.’
Equity is the trade union for creative workers and has also secured financial support for actors in dramas such as Holby City, EastEnders, Doctors and Hollyoaks.
Salaries: Stars of the ITV soaps have come to an agreement with bosses, 16 days after filming was shut down on the shows (above Paddy Kirk and Chas Dingle in Emmerdale)
Among Corrie’s top earners is veteran Jack P Shepherd, who is thought to earn around £200,000 a year with his role as David Platt, which he has played for 20 years.
Simon Gregson, who has played Steve McDonald since 1989, is thought to take home around £160,000 a year.
Filming was suspended on the shows on March 23.
Last month Coronation Street and Emmerdale bosses confirmed that the soap’s planned storylines will be affected by their scheduling changes during the coronavirus pandemic.
Unaffected for now: Among Corrie’s top earners is veteran Jack P Shepherd, who is thought to earn around £200,000 a year with his role as David Platt, which he has played for 20 years
Role: Simon Gregson, (left) who has played Steve McDonald since 1989, is thought to take home around £160,000 a year
An ITV spokesperson revealed that episodes that were planned to air around Easter or VE Day in May will inevitably be shown on a different dates, after cutting back on their weekly broadcasts to ration their filmed episodes.
In their statement a spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘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.’
A Coronation Street spokesman told MailOnline : ‘Coronation Street and Emmerdale have reached an agreement with Equity to provide financial security for regular cast members for the next three months’ (above, characters in Emmerdale)