EastEnders will reportedly go off the air next month as they run out episodes before filming can resume.
The BBC soap cut down to airing just two episodes a week to try and ration episodes that had already been filmed, but sources have now confirmed the show will be absent from screens for sometime in June.
It comes following reports that Coronation Street and Emmerdale are also planning to resume filming in early June after production was halted amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Absent: EastEnders will reportedly go off the air next month as they run out episodes before filming can resume
A soap insider told The Sun: ‘There will be a break for the soap next month.
‘Everyone wants to get back to work of course but the health and safety of cast and crew is the most important thing. It will only happen when it can be done safely.’
MailOnline has contacted representatives for EastEnders for further comment.
Returning? Emmerdale and Coronation Street are reportedly set to resume filming in early June after production was halted in March amid the coronavirus pandemic
The news comes just hours after reports that Emmerdale and Coronation Street are set to resume filming in early June after production was halted amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Sources have confirmed bosses have put together a plan for the cast to return to set next month and film with the use of clever camera angles to ensure stars are adhering to social distancing.
It comes just days after MailOnline confirmed Corrie bosses have put together a ‘return-to-production protocol’ after filming was suspended to follow COVID-19 regulations.
A source told The Sun that bosses are using Emmerdale as the benchmark for filming while adhering to social distancing, as the soap boasts a large set.
It’s thought some of the cast will return to production in smaller groups, with scenes filmed with the use of clever camera angles to ensure stars keep at least two metres apart.
A soap insider said: ‘Production is starting up again in June. Emmerdale is being used as the benchmark for safety guidelines as they have a lot of space and it’s the perfect location to put the social distancing measures into practice.
‘Everyone will be adhering to social distancing and scenes will be filmed with smaller groups.
Keep apart: Sources have confirmed bosses have put together a plan for the casts on both soaps (Coronation Street pictured) to return to set next month
Kept apart: It’s thought some of the cast will return to production in smaller groups, with scenes filmed with the use of clever camera angles to ensure they’re kept two metres apart
‘The teams will be able to film in certain ways which will minimise distancing. The scripting teams are working on creating storylines with fewer characters.’
MailOnline has contacted representatives for Coronation Street and Emmerdale for further comment.
It comes just days after BBC bosses confirmed that filming for EastEnders will resume next month.
Charlotte Moore, the broadcaster’s director of content, said the BBC One soap would be up and running again within weeks, along with Top Gear, with limited crew members and cast asked to do their own hair and makeup.
Important: It’s thought that Emmerdale will be used as the benchmark for ITV’s new COVID-19-safe guildelines due to its large space (exterior of the set pictured)
Moore told The Telegraph: ‘We’ve been looking carefully at how we can safely put some of our shows back into production, and I’m pleased to announce that we plan to begin filming again on both EastEnders and Top Gear by the end of June.
‘We’re also exploring ways to restart shooting on dramas and other major BBC shows.’
She added: ‘Of course, we will work within Government guidelines. Crews will be strictly limited. Cast members will do their own hair and make-up.
‘Social distancing will be in place.’
Earlier this week a spokesperson for Coronation Street told MailOnline that bosses were in the ‘final stages of a return-to-production protocol’ after filming was halted on 23 March.
Filming: Earlier this week a spokesperson for Coronation Street told MailOnline that bosses were in the ‘final stages of a return-to-production protocol’
They’re back! It also comes just days after BBC bosses confirmed that filming for EastEnders will resume within weeks
A representative exclusively told MailOnline: ‘ITV is in the final stages of working with others across the industry on a return-to-production protocol and we are in active discussions with Government on this.
‘We will share further updates in due course.’
Both Coronation Street and Emmerdale scaled back their weekly episodes in a bid to ration those that had already been filming, with both now airing just three shows a week.
There were concerns that both may run out of episodes before filming could resume, with ITV confirming Emmerdale would remain on air until the end of May, and Coronation Street the end of June.
Exciting: Charlotte Moore, the broadcaster’s director of content, said cast will be asked to do their own hair and makeup so they can remain distanced during filming
It has also been claimed that older soap stars could be banned from set with storylines focusing on younger cast members.
Beloved Coronation Street stars Bill Roache, 88, Barbara Knox, 86, David Neilson, 71, and Sue Nicholls, 76, could be told not to return as it’s ‘too risky’.
ITV boss Kevin Lygo recently confirmed that it’s likely older cast members on Coronation Street and Emmerdale won’t return to set for sometime, saying; ‘I don’t want Ken Barlow to get sick.’
Concerns: ITV boss Kevin Lygo also recently confirmed it’s likely older cast members on Coronation Street and Emmerdale won’t return to set for sometime
He also confirmed that the soap will be ‘adapting’ its pre-written scripts to factor in the COVID-19 crisis, he said: ‘They’re being incredibly inventive and creative about re-jigging storylines.
‘Obviously lots of scripts were written for this period of filming, but they’re adapting some. I think we’ve got to accept there’ll be more ‘two people talking in a room’ type stuff.’
While Broadcast magazine claimed that the ITV soap could be making amendments to sets in a bid to adhere to social distancing with ‘one-way systems’ and ‘perspex screens’ during editing.
EastEnders has cut back on their broadcasting, scaling back to just two episodes a week in a bid to ‘ration’ their filmed content.
Hollyoaks also announced in March that filming has been suspended to adhere to social distancing and government regulations amid the coronavirus crisis.
MailOnline has contacted representatives for comment as to when filming will resume.
The Channel 4 soap is said to have enough episodes to last until the end of July and has scaled back its weekly shows from five to just two.
Social distancing: Hollyoaks also announced in March that filming has been suspended to adhere to social distancing and government regulations amid the coronavirus crisis