Coronation Street Spoilers: Corrie May Be Cut To Two Episodes Per Week Due To Coronavirus

It has been reported that due to the COVID-19 virus spreading rapidly through the country, ITV is considering rationing Corrie episodes.

Coronavirus is causing problems all over the world and is now likely to affect your favourite soap after ITV considers shutting down production.

Rationing of Coronation Street

The Sunday Mirror reported this week that ITV is considering taking steps to ration episodes of Corrie while production is being affected by the global pandemic. Rather than leave viewers with nothing, the television channel is considering airing just two episodes a week until things become normal again.

ITV is concerned that production could be forced to shut down due to the coronavirus. Problems could come if they cannot get “people behind, or in front of the camera” to make new episodes. They believe rationing episodes is a sensible bet for everyone.

Problems could really arise if the pandemic goes on for an extended period and ITV would then run out of episodes. A spokesman told the Mirror that this was an “eventuality no one wants but is something that could happen.”

Production scheduling

Episodes of Coronation Street are usually filmed around six to eight weeks in advance. This means if a shutdown happens now, the soap could be off the air within two months. However, if they ration episodes out at two a week, this could cover a period of five months, by which time production will hopefully be able to resume normally.

ITV had released a statement last week that they were confident that both Coronation Street and Emmerdale would be able to remain on the air and still in production. However, at this stage, their priority is for the “wellbeing and safety” of their cast and crew along with everyone who works on the shows and in production.

Their statement continued by saying that along with everyone else in the country, while they are in a developing and dynamic situation regarding the coronavirus, they have to take appropriate steps.

So far with the procedures in place and their established contingency plans, ITV is confident they will be able to continue their filming schedule. ITV stresses their aim is to do everything they can to support everyone affected while keeping a close eye on the situation and putting their people first.

Meanwhile, as the public urges Prime Minister Boris Johnson to put the UK on lockdown, 21 lives have been lost to COVID-19. Professor Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer for England, said all victims were in their 70s and over, with underlying health conditions.