Joe Duttine has revealed his ‘Coronation Street’ character’s wedding had to be rewritten due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The 49-year-old actor’s alter-ego Tim Metcalfe – whom he has played since 2013 – was set to marry Sally (Sally Dynevor), but filming restrictions related to the current health crisis means plans for the nuptials have been changed.
Speaking to TV Times magazine, he said: "They’re had to rewrite a lot as we’re not having more than two or three people in a scene.
"Tim and Sally were supposed to be getting married, but with COVID-19 it will have to be a different type of wedding.
"It’s a shame, Tim’s horse has gone – I really fancied him riding into the reception on it!"
‘Corrie’ stars have resumed filming this week, after shooting was suspended back in March, and Joe has been finding ways to keep busy.
Revealing he’s been discovering fun things to do with fiancee Sally Carman, he added: "I’ve been walking a lot, cleaning bird poo off my car a lot, cooking and trying to be a bit healthy…
"Sally and I spent a lot of time in the Yorkshire Dales, but now we’re back in Manchester, which is difficult for me. I’m a country boy."
It was previously confirmed that while ‘Corrie’ will reference the pandemic, bosses won’t be too heavy-handed with the issue on screen.
John Whiston, Managing Director of Continuing Drama for ITV, explained: "We will be referencing it, but we will be doing it relatively lightly.
"We’ve got new protocols. The two-metre distance is going to be paramount. We’ve got people with poles to go around prodding actors to make sure they stay two metres away from each other. We’ve had to make a lot of this up ourselves as there are no real guidelines for it [at the time]."