New TV safety rules could give kiss of life to on-screen intimacy

Television actors could soon be kissing, dancing, strangling or indeed doing anything with and to each other that requires close proximity, following the publication of new safety rules for the industry.

Broadcasters including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky have helped develop guidance for producing television when cast and crew need to work more closely than 2 metres apart.

The five-page document sets out detailed arrangements “whereby pairs and/or small groups of people would be able to interact in much closer contact”.

It goes into detail about the establishment of close contact cohorts (CCCs) and how its members should be easily identifiable, possibly with colour coding.

Members of each CCC should be tested about 48 hours before arriving on set and follow a strict list of further guidelines.

Concerns had been raised among broadcasters that returning to normal television production would be impossible without some limited form of close contact.

Programme makers have tried a number of ways to get round the problem. The Hollywood Reporter recently revealed that the US daytime soap The Bold and the Beautiful had resumed filming using real-life partners as love-scene doubles when kissing was required.

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One of the UK hits of lockdown has been the BBC comedy Staged, which was able to be filmed in the way it was only because it involved real-life acting couples in the form of David and Georgia Tennant, and Michael Sheen and Anna Lundberg. However, such solutions could only ever be sticking-plaster measures.

A BBC spokesperson said: “Getting TV production back up and running safely is our priority. The BBC has already produced popular shows during lockdown following social distancing – from Have I Got News For You to Talking Heads. But, if we are to get back to producing the range and quality of programmes that the public love, which reflect real-life interactions, we are going to need to film scenes and show where people are closer than 2 metres apart.”

An ITV spokesperson said: “ITV has continued to be at the heart of informing, entertaining and connecting the UK through the Covid-19 crisis, and production teams continue to work hard to bring back many more loved shows.

“Working with partners across the industry, this advice builds on the industry-wide guidelines published in May and reflect the evolving situation we all find ourselves in. Above all, the guidance is there to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all those who work on the programmes.”

The document applies to England and Northern Ireland, and will apply to Scotland from 30 July. Wales has its own guidelines.

As well as drama, the guidance could potentially be used by shows such as Strictly Come Dancing, which the BBC says will return this year, albeit with a shorter series.