‘Coronation Street’ and ‘Emmerdale’ have put 500 members of staff on furlough due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The two ITV soaps have both paused filming and reduced their weekly output during the crisis, and the two programmes are now said to have each placed around 250 members of staff on the scheme, which will see the government pay 80 per cent of their wages, and their workplace has the option to top it up to 100 per cent.
Furloughed staff members – said to include script editors and storyliners – are thought to be set to receive their "full ITV salary".
A Broadcast report stated: "ITV Studios took the decision to stand down the crew working on ‘Coronation Street’ and ‘Emmerdale’ on 23 March.
"No further filming has taken place since that date and because the soaps have shut down members of the crew have been notified that their roles are being furloughed in line with the Government’s scheme for those who can’t work during the coronavirus crisis.
"This affects approximately 250 crew members on each of the soaps and additional office based staff including script editors, researchers, storyliners and casting. Furloughed staff are receiving their full ITV salary."
An ITV Studios spokeswoman added to Digital Spy: "Because the soaps have shut down, members of the crew have been notified that their roles are being furloughed in line with the government’s scheme for those who can’t work during the coronavirus crisis."
Both ‘Corrie’ and ‘Emmerdale’ are airing just three times a week in an attempt to ensure the shows will remain on air until early summer.
Coronation Street and Emmerdale ‘furlough hundreds of staff’
