SOAP SHORTAGE
AS Covid-19 wages war on our TV schedule, changes have been made to EastEnders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale in order to ensure the soaps remain on air as long as possible.
The serial dramas have been hit by reduced schedules but thankfully haven’t been cancelled altogether. So when are they on this week? Here's everything you need to know...
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EastEnders
The BBC have confirmed that EastEnders have now ceased production entirely due to the coronavirus pandemic.
As a result the soap is having its number of episodes drastically cut, from its usual four per week to two.
Those days will be Monday and Tuesday at 7:30pm, starting tonight (March 23), the BBC has confirmed.
A BBC spokesperson said in a statement: "In light of the spread of Covid-19, after much consideration, it has been decided that filming on EastEnders will be postponed until further notice. The decision was made after the latest government update.
"We will continue to follow the latest news and advice from the World Health Organisation and Public Health England.
"We have also taken the decision to reduce the amount of episodes we broadcast each week to two, so that we can ensure the audience can continue to enjoy EastEnders in their homes for as long as possible."
Coronation Street
ITV have announced they are suspending filming of Coronation Street and Emmerdale amid the pandemic.
Corrie is reducing its number of weekly episodes, from five per week to three.
It will air at 7.30pm on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays as usual, but there will no longer be any double episodes.
The schedule shake-up will begin on March 30, 2020.
An ITV spokesperson explained: "In the coming weeks some episodes of Coronation Street and Emmerdale will understandably be out of kilter due to the temporary transmission pattern for both programmes, which takes effect from Monday 30 March.
"Episodes due to broadcast at Easter and those commissioned and filmed to commemorate VE Day, for instance, won't now air on the dates we'd anticipated. We'd hope the audience will understand the reasons for this and continue to enjoy the shows."
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Emmerdale
ITV has also changed its schedule to keep Emmerdale airing as long as possible.
The soap will air at the usual time of 7pm tonight (Monday March 23).
But from March 30, 2020, Emmerdale will no longer air every weekday.
Instead, the soap will only air on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7pm.
ITV released this statement: "The change to Emmerdale’s transmission pattern will ensure we have episodes of both soaps airing on ITV until at least the early summer.”
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An ITV spokesperson also addressed the fact that the soap will still show characters drinking and socialising in Emmerdale’s The Woolpack and Coronation Street’s The Rover’s Return, despite Government advice to avoid pubs.
They said: "As both Coronation Street and Emmerdale film many weeks before they air on ITV, episodes will continue to feature scenes set in The Rovers and Woolpack and other communal areas."
"Although the Government's latest guidelines indicate that people should avoid such public spaces, we'd ask viewers to make allowances for the fact that filming took place before the coronavirus pandemic and to make sure they follow the most recent Government health advice."