AMP in the post
State Governor Approves Restart
As previously reported, the California governor approved filming to resume production no earlier than June 12, but only if and when others gave the approvals. What this means is that production cannot resume unless the county, city, health departments, guilds, and unions give the okay. The state giving the green light was the first step in the right direction, though.
It was predicted by Soap Opera Digest that The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful could be the first soaps to resume production.
Los Angeles County Gives Green Light
According to Variety, Los Angeles County is preparing to issue the guidelines for film and TV production restarting. While this is another great step in the right direction, local authorities still have to sign off. There is also the rising COVID-19 infection rates, which could have an impact on filming.
AMP in the post
The Bold and the Beautiful: Filming Restart Needs More Approvals
Even though B&B and Y&R have state and county approval to resume filming, there is still the city to deal with. The health department will want to make sure that certain protocols are in place. Then, there are the guilds and actors unions that will get involved before stars start coming back to the soap sets.
Production Will Slow and Costs May Increase
The publication also explained that production costs could increase by 20 percent due to the new safety measures. It will also slow the speed of production, which means we will wait longer for new episodes than expected.
AMP in the post
“Before entertainment production can get underway, union representatives must still agree to job-by-job protocols… The rules call for regular COVID-19 testing, temperature screenings, and symptom monitoring. The industry plan also recommends the use of masks and other protective equipment, the deployment of hand-washing stations, and increased training. The extra safety measures are expected to slow the pace of production, and increase the cost by as much as 20%.”
When Could The Young and the Restless Return?
Variety suggested that some productions could resume in July and others in August. There are other predictions that soaps might not come back until September. However, Y&R and B&B don’t have as much red tape as Days of Our Lives and General Hospital. So, it is very likely that they could be back on the set before summer ends. But as for when we will see those episodes on TV, it all depends on how much the new safety measures slow down production.
Be sure to catch up on everything happening with Y&R and B&B right now. Come back here often for The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful spoilers, news, and updates.