Yahoo News ITV’s ‘Coronation Street’ Shoot Back on Track After Cast Member Gets Coronavirus
Production on long-running ITV soap “Coronation Street” was temporarily disrupted after a cast member tested positive for coronavirus, but shooting has now resumed.
The disruption happened at the end of last week, but resumed on Monday, with the cast kept apart with the use of two-meter-long sticks.
“We can confirm a member of the ‘Coronation Street’ team has tested positive for coronavirus,” an ITV spokesperson told Variety. “The protocols we have in place for such an eventuality have been implemented and the individual is now self-isolating at home.”
The identity of the team member has not been disclosed.
“Although we do not believe anyone has been within [2 meters] of the individual, as a precaution, the production team who were working with the individual have been notified,” the spokesperson added. “In keeping with health and safety guidance, we have also undertaken an intensive clean of touch points in the cohort area where the individual was working and areas of the building they visited.”
“We believe the situation has been contained and filming continued on Monday.”
“Coronation Street” remained on air during lockdown and resumed shooting with COVID-safe protocols in May at ITV’s studio facilities near Manchester.
However, the number of new cases in the U.K. have seen a resurgence in the last month with some 3,000 being recorded daily. There are several geographic areas of concern noted by the government, some of which are near Manchester.
Overall, however, the U.K. is returning to a semblance of production normality with new projects commencing and existing ones restarting with COVID-19 measures in place. The insurance industry does not cover the pandemic, and the only cover is a $647 million government fund for film and TV production.
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