Coronation Street star Antony Cotton reveals he’s back on set as he shares snap of his dressing room

Coronation Street star Antony Cotton revealed he was back on set on Monday as he shared a snap of his dressing room to Instagram.

The Sean Tully star, 44, was quick to insist that the ITV soap ‘hasn’t started filming yet’ and he only came in to pick up some belongings.

Coronation Street suspended filming in March to following lockdown and social distancing regulations amid the coronavirus crisis. 

Antony posted a picture of his dressing room alongside and sent excitement fans into meltdown.

To which the actor had to clarify in his caption the soap hadn’t started filming again, he said: ‘Hold your horses! We haven’t started filming yet. I went in to pick up some stuff from my dressing room. Some old nylons and couple of lippys….’

Fans were quick to share both their excitement and speculation that the soap could be returning imminently. 

One person said: ‘OMG IS IT BACK ON?!’

A different fan put: ‘YESSSSS it’s back on schedule.’ 

Another follower commented: ‘Please let this mean what I think it does.’

While a different account added: ‘Does this mean filming has started again, hope so x.’  

Emmerdale and Coronation Street are reportedly 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.

‘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.

Last 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.

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.

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’.