Coronation Street star Beverley Callard has revealed that soap bosses are ‘panicking’ about running out of episodes during COVID-19 lockdown.
The ITV soap halted production last month just hours before Prime Minister Boris Johnson put the country in lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic.
And the actress, 63, who plays Liz McDonald, says the soap’s producers and writers are fearful that their reserved set of episodes could be used up before restrictions are lifted.
‘Panic’: Coronation Street star Beverley Callard has revealed that soap bosses are ‘panicking’ about running out of episodes during COVID-19 lockdown
Beverley and her co-star Jennie McAlpine who pays Fiz Brown opened up about the problem during an interview on BBC Radio 5 Live.
Jennie, 36, said on the programme: ‘I keep putting it on at half eight, but then I think, “Oh no, Corrie’s not on”.
Suspended: The ITV soap halted production last month hours before Prime Minister Boris Johnson put the country in lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic
‘They’ve limited our Corrie output now, so there’s only three on instead of six.’
She added: ‘I know people might be missing those three episodes but at least it means we’ve got a bit more time.
‘I know our bosses are working really hard every day assessing the situation.’
Beverley then gave her own opinion, chiming in: ‘And they’re panicking like mad aren’t they? But, of course, you can’t not.’
Episode drama: Beverley and her co-star Jennie McAlpine who pays Fiz Brown opened up about the problem during an interview on BBC Radio 5 Live
Thoughts: ‘I know people might be missing those three episodes but at least it means we’ve got a bit more time. ‘I know our bosses are working really hard every day assessing the situation’
She continued: ‘Even if it does come to an end and we run out of episodes, the writers will be going mad, they’ll be excited to create new storylines and everything.
‘Because we’ve got a massive team of writers, so they’ll keep it going.’
MailOnline have contacted representatives of Coronation Street for comment.
Amid the suspension of filming, Coronation Street, as well as Emmerdale, have been cut down to just three episodes a week, airing just one episode on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Worried: Beverley then gave her own opinion, chiming in: ‘And they’re panicking like mad aren’t they? But, of course, you can’t not’
Filming for Coronation Street was halted last month just hours before the government placed the UK in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, with an end date to restrictions yet to be confirmed.
It comes after their fellow Corrie star Andy Whyment warned the soap could go ‘off air’ unless filming recommences by June.
The actor, who plays Kirk Sutherland, admitted the soap potentially has until the beginning of July until they run out of episodes to broadcast.
Off air? It comes after their fellow Corrie star Andy Whyment warned the soap could go ‘off air’ unless filming recommences by June
Speaking on the United Podcast, the actor said: ‘I think we’ve got until the beginning of July in the can.
‘So we need to get back hopefully by the middle of June with a bit of luck, otherwise it’s going to go off air.
‘We’ve cut down from six episodes a week to three episodes a week, obviously to stay, but hopefully we’ll get back.’
No more scenes? The actor, who plays Kirk Sutherland, has admitted the soap potentially has until the beginning of July until they run out of episodes to broadcast
He continued: ‘A lot of the airlines have announced they’re going to start flying again mid-June, so I’m presuming if that’s going to happen then hopefully we should be able to get back to work with a bit of luck, so fingers crossed.’
A Coronation Street representative told MailOnline: ‘We have always stated that with the new scheduling pattern we have enough episodes to keep the show on air into the summer. It is too early speculate beyond that.’
Coronation Street continues Monday at 7:30pm on ITV.
Warning: ‘I think we’ve got until the beginning of July in the can. So we need to get back hopefully by the middle of June with a bit of luck, otherwise it’s going to go off air’