Coronation Street to air first kiss between stars since start of pandemic

Coronation Street has announced plans to air its first kiss between two stars since the start of the pandemic.

Wednesday night’s episode, which was written by Damon Alexis-Rochefort, will see footballer James Bailey, played by Nathan Graham, and love interest Danny Tomlinson, played by Dylan Brady, embrace as part of a storyline marking Pride month.

Actors Graham and Brady became part of a tested cohort so they could work closer than two metres for the scene.

The storyline will see James face questions from journalists about his sexuality after pictures of him and Brady are leaked online.

During his promotion press conference, he will announce he is gay while Danny watches the broadcast on television.

As James enjoys a celebratory drink in the Rovers Return, Danny will arrive and reveal he has watched the press conference and wants to be with him before they share a kiss.

Earlier this year, a regular extra and his wife stood in for actors Alan Halsall and Ruxandra Porojnicu when their characters Tyrone and Alina started an affair with a kiss on a bench in Victoria Gardens.

The stars were never seated on the bench together and instead were filmed having the conversation separately and the footage was later composited together during post production to give the illusion that they were next to each other.

Another pre-tested close cohort was formed for a fire stunt during the 60th anniversary episodes and for the scenes where Kevin and Debbie Webster were locked in a freezer together.

The kissing scene will air on ITV on June 30.