ITV has confirmed that it is suspending production on its signature soaps, Coronation Street and Emmerdale.
In a statement posted on Sunday afternoon, they explained that they would be stopping filming as of Monday 23 March.
They said: “ITV has sadly taken the decision to suspend production of the soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale with effect from Monday 23 March.
“We’ve been doing our best to carry on filming, whilst adhering to the Government’s latest health guidelines, to ensure we’ve episodes of both soaps airing on ITV until at least the early summer.
“However, the health and well-being of the production teams, actors, crew and their families is of paramount importance to us and we now feel that the time has come to stop filming.”
They added: “We’d like to thank our viewers for their support and hope they continue to enjoy both soaps in the coming months.”
Earlier this week, it was previously reported that as a result of the pandemic, both Coronation Street and Emmerdale would be cutting the number of episodes aired every week.
ITV also said the shows would feature scenes intended to “remind people of public health issues”, in particular the importance of washing their hands.
The BBC confirmed on Wednesday that they were shutting down production on EastEnders, as well as other continuing dramas like Holby City, Casualty and Doctors, “until further notice”.
In the last few weeks, the coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating effect on the entertainment industry, with a number of big films having their release dates pushed back.
High-profile events like the Glastonbury festival and the Eurovision Song Contest have also been cancelled fully.