Coronation Street and Emmerdale have included an on-air disclaimer to explain why pub scenes are still featuring during the coronavirus outbreak.
Following the government's advice that members of the public should avoid pubs, clubs, restaurants, cinemas and any other establishment where social gatherings occur, both soaps have been criticised for airing communal scenes.
But before both shows aired their respective episodes on Friday night (March 20), a disclaimer explained that the soaps are filmed many weeks in advance, which is why pubs will still feature in some scenes.
Related: Coronation Street and Emmerdale cut their number of weekly episodes amid coronavirus crisis
"As Emmerdale is filmed many weeks in advance, and a lot has changed in that time, soaps will continue to feature scenes set in The Woolpack and other communal areas," read the disclaimer before Friday's episode of Emmerdale. "Please continue to follow the most recent government guidelines and health advice."
The same message was reiterated in a statement from ITV, which read: "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.
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"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."
In another statement shared on Emmerdale's official Twitter account, it was announced that both soaps would experience timeline issues due to the change of their broadcast schedules.
The statement read: "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."
Emmerdale and Coronation Street air weeknights on ITV.
The information in this story is accurate as of the publication date. While we are attempting to keep our content as up-to-date as possible, the situation surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to develop rapidly, so it's possible that some information and recommendations may have changed since publishing.
For any concerns and latest advice, visit the World Health Organisation. If you're in the UK, the National Health Service can also provide useful information and support, while US users can contact the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
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