soap row
Emmerdale bosses accused of giving soap stars ‘preferential treatment’ for coronavirus checks over staff
by Amanda DevlinEMMERDALE bosses have been accused of giving soap stars "preferential treatment" for coronavirus checks over staff.
Actors were offered temperature tests - but journalists, office and tech employees were not.
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The Mirror reports ITV has now changed its mind and confirmed all colleagues at ITV Yorkshire will be checked when they enter the building.
It followed backlash to an email sent out by the head of ITV in the north that said it “won’t necessarily be the same for everyone”.
An insider told the paper: “It’s daft. They all still have to use the same door handles as us to get in the building – but if we’ve got it, tough.”
ITV has now confirmed: “All colleagues at ITV Yorkshire can have their temperatures checked as they enter the building.”
Emmerdale returned to filming last week at the studios in Leeds after shutting down production over the pandemic.
The soaps production team have commenced a phased return to filming by recording six new episodes featuring characters during the lockdown.
However it will not be a return to normal - because just two or three characters will feature.
The Sun Online revealed that bosses hope the six special episodes will bridge the gap between pre-shot episodes and a fuller return to filming and avoid the soap going off air.
Filming was underway yesterday on Wednesday involving a pared back crew to ensure health and safety protocols and social distancing measures are strictly adhered to by the team on set.
The six episodes will be recorded over a two week filming period.
New ways of working to protect the crew and cast have been introduced by ITV Studios in accordance with pan-industry return-to- production protocols for TV drama which ITV’s Health and Safety team and medical advisers have been working on in consultation with the Government.
The measures will include social distancing, filming units staying together to work in designated studios with crew using their own sanitised equipment, office staff continuing to work from home to ensure fewer people on the ground, no location filming, scripts featuring a smaller number of actors and fewer scenes to avoid camera moves.
Bosses are said to be constantly assessing their approach on set over the coming weeks and months.