Coronation Street actor Bill Roache has spoken about the possibility of older cast members being temporarily written out of the soap.
It has previously been suggested by ITV that more vulnerable cast members, including those who are elderly, may not be able to return to work as soon as production resumes in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic in order to ensure their safety.
Roache, who plays the soap's only remaining original character Ken Barlow, has told BBC Radio Derby that the set will be "very, very different" when the cast are able to return, adding that he is not expecting to be called back to work immediately.
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"They've said it's all going to be very, very different. Scenes will be about the lockdown so people will be isolating," he said. "Scenes will be shot more simply with less people. Obviously cameras and booms will be placed where there's a required distance, so it's all going to be very, very different when we do get back.
"I think we the senior members of the cast won't be called back for some time, sadly. I'd like to get back. So we'll just have to see how it goes. But they're anticipating starting mid-June."
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ITV head of studios Kevin Lygo recently said at the ED TV festival that producers of both Corrie and Emmerdale will be taking numerous safety precautions when production resumes, adding that they are being particularly careful in the cases of actors who are potentially more vulnerable.
"Some people who are in a dangerous zone, if by age or health reasons, they won't be there, I'm sure, for a time," he said. "I don't want Ken Barlow to get sick on my watch. We will be very careful and mindful about what's happening."
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Roache's castmate Maureen Lipman, who plays Evelyn Plummer, also recently shared her feelings on the potential plan, calling on producers not to "ditch the oldies".
"I had a word with the producer last week online and I said: 'Don't ditch the oldies because the oldies are what Corrie is about'. Otherwise we might as well call ourselves Hollyoaks."
Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 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 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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