Emmerdale reduces episodes to three a week alongside Coronation Street amid coronavirus pandemic

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EMMERDALE has reduced episodes to just three a week alongside Coronation Street amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The soaps will now air on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in a huge ITV schedule shake-up after filming was suspended on the shows to ensure the safety of the cast and crew.

Emmerdale has dropped to just three episodes a week

Both Corrie and Emmerdale normally air six episodes a week, but these changes will ensure that they are able to remain on screen until summer without shooting any more episodes.

Taking to Twitter, Corrie shared details of the new schedule, writing: “Update: 23rd March 2020.

“Please note – @emmerdale and Coronation Street will now air on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7pm and 7.30pm respectively.”

They shared picture of the “temporary changes” to make it as clear as possible for fans, with the image also confirming that they will not occur until next Monday [30th March], with this week’s episodes continuing to air as normal.

This image was shared on social media

An ITV spokesperson added in a statement: “Following yesterday’s announcement that filming of Coronation Street and Emmerdale will be suspended, ITV has taken the decision to reduce Emmerdale’s transmission pattern to three episodes per week from Monday 30 March.

“The Yorkshire based soap will air on Monday, Wednesday and Friday with Coronation Street airing at 7.30pm on the same nights.

“The change to Emmerdale’s transmission pattern will ensure we have episodes of both soaps airing on ITV until at least the early summer.”

It was previously announced that ITV bosses had taken the decision to pull production despite their original efforts to remain on screen indefinitely.

ITV bosses had previously tried to continue with production

Soap stars have been told not to come in for work from today as drastic measures are taken to stop the spread of the killer virus.

A spokesman told HOAR: “ITV has sadly taken the decision to suspend production of the soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale with effect from Monday 23 March.

“We’ve been doing our best to carry on filming, whilst adhering to the Government’s latest health guidelines, to ensure we’ve episodes of both soaps airing on ITV until at least the early summer.

“However, the health and well-being of the production teams, actors, crew and their families is of paramount importance to us and we now feel that the time has come to stop filming.

“We’d like to thank our viewers for their support and hope they continue to enjoy both soaps in the coming months.“

Fans were upset by the news but praised ITV for its decision to protect stars.

It comes one week after the BBC announced that they were suspending filming for EastEnders, with the soap dropping to just two episodes a week from four immediately.

Hollyoaks, Holby City, Casualty, and Doctors are also among the shows to have production halted, with Loose Women and Lorraine also being taken off air as of today.

At the weekend, Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway aired without a live studio audience for the first time in history, with the hosts confirming that they will be pre-recording episodes in the future.

Coronavirus has become a global pandemic in recent weeks, with the UK death toll hitting 281 last night – including an 18-year-old boy.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned a UK lockdown as he introduced measures for the more vulnerable members of society to remain indoors for 12 weeks.