Coronation Street’s iconic Rovers Return pub looks set to be closed when filming resumes in a bid to reflect the current times.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, production on the ITV soap halted last month to protect the health and safety of the cast and crew.
If the pub is shut, it will be for only the third time in its history, with producers reportedly keen to mirror the situation in real life and demonstrate how the COVID-19 crisis has affected life on the cobbles.
Closed: Coronation Street’s iconic Rovers Return pub looks set to be closed when filming resumes in a bid to reflect the current times
A source told The Sun: ‘Producers think it would be slightly weird not to at least acknowledge the huge disruption the crisis has caused.
‘How much it is acknowledged will all depend on when cast and crew are allowed back on set.
‘They’re hopeful they will be able to begin work on new episodes soon, but one way on nodding to the lockdown is shutting the Rovers.’
They added that show bosses wanted to make sure that the soap reflected the ‘reality of the world watching.’
Shut: If the pub is shut, it will be for only the third time in its history, with producers reportedly keen to mirror the situation in real life and demonstrate how the COVID-19 crisis has affected life on the cobbles
Since the long-running soap began in 1960, the pub has only been closed in 1986 and 2013, after storylines saw the building ravaged by fires.
MailOnline has contacted a representative of Coronation Street for comment.
It comes after Coronation Street Andy Whyment warned that the soap could go off air if filming doesn’t recommence by June.
The actor, who plays Kirk Sutherland, admitted the soap potentially has until the beginning of July until they run out of episodes to broadcast.
Speaking on the United Podcast, the actor said: ‘I think we’ve got until the beginning of July in the can.
Real life: ‘Producers think it would be slightly weird not to at least acknowledge the huge disruption the crisis has caused. ‘How much it is acknowledged will all depend on when cast and crew are allowed back on set.
‘So we need to get back hopefully by the middle of June with a bit of luck, otherwise it’s going to go off air.
‘We’ve cut down from six episodes a week to three episodes a week, obviously to stay, but hopefully we’ll get back.’
He continued: ‘A lot of the airlines have announced they’re going to start flying again mid-June, so I’m presuming if that’s going to happen then hopefully we should be able to get back to work with a bit of luck, so fingers crossed.’
A Coronation Street representative told MailOnline: ‘We have always stated that with the new scheduling pattern we have enough episodes to keep the show on air into the summer. It is too early speculate beyond that.’
Last orders? ‘They’re hopeful they will be able to begin work on new episodes soon, but one way on nodding to the lockdown is shutting the Rovers’
Soap stalwart Bill Roach however insisted the show will never go off air – partly because ITV have already cut the number of episodes that are aired per week at the moment.
Speaking to Piers Morgan on Good Morning Britain alongside his daughter Verity on Monday, the 87-year-old soap stalwart said: ‘I gather we have quite a while. It was going out six times a week and now rationed to three.
‘I think we had about two months [already filmed]. So I think about four months of new stuff.’
Off air? Corrie star Andy Whyment warned the soap could go ‘off air’ unless filming recommences by June
Contradiction: Soap stalwart Bill Roach however insisted the show will never go off air – partly because ITV have already cut the number of episodes that are aired per week at the moment
Addressing fears that the show could come off the air if the cast and crew are unable to film more scenes, Bill said that classic episodes could be revisited.
Speaking from his home in Wilmslow, he said: ‘We’ve got 60 years to draw on so I don’t think we’ll be going of air even when they run out.
‘Plenty they could be showing and doing. I think probably three more months.’
Amid the suspension of filming, Coronation Street, as well as Emmerdale, have been cut down to just three episodes a week, airing just one episode on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Filming for Coronation Street was halted last month just hours before the government placed the UK in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, with an end date to restrictions yet to be confirmed.
All quiet: Filming for Coronation Street was halted last month just hours before the government placed the UK in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, with an end date to restrictions yet to be confirmed