The coronavirus pandemic will hit Coronation Street on 24 July when newly filmed episodes featuring the impact of the health emergency and recorded under strict restrictions are broadcast, although the producers promise the long-running soap will not be turned into a medical drama. Producers say the most noticeable difference for viewers will be in how the show has been filmed. Shooting resumed on Monday under physical distancing measures, including no kissing and actors over the age of 70 barred, appearing in storylines via Zoom calls. The move has ensured that fans of the 59-year-old soap do not run out of fresh episodes to watch. ITV has been rationing broadcasts, cutting the weekly airings from six to three, to stretch a stockpile of episodes accumulated before TV and film production halted nationwide in March. Typically, broadcasters sit on a stock of several months of shows such as Coronation Street and EastEnders but the pandemic has severely depleted that buffer. Coronation Street’s makers said that there will be a noticeable issue with continuity, moving from episodes made before the pandemic to new ones under physical distancing rules, that will be so obvious it will be like “someone has flicked a switch”. “The episode on 24 July is the first one [filmed] after the pandemic hit,” said Iain MacLeod, series producer on Coronation Street. “It will be like a day-night transition in our fictional universe.” However, he added that with blanket media coverage of the health emergency producers were aware that fans probably did not want to see their favourite soap taken over by virus storylines. “We do it with quite a light touch actually,” he said. “What we didn’t feel we wanted to do is that suddenly it was everywhere. I don’t think people tune into Corrie wanting to see more people banging on about the pandemic. We didn’t want to turn it into a medical drama or a soap version of Dustin Hoffman’s Outbreak. The main difference will be the visual element of our world. The most notable symptom people will see will be social distancing measures.” As in real life characters will be seen physically distancing and washing their hands, while cafes and restaurants will be operating as takeaways. MacLeod admitted that they have had to use some camera angle “cheats” in cases where characters who are couples cannot hold hands, kiss or sit together on a sofa, because the actors that play them have to social distance. The characters of actors over the age of 70, who are not allowed back on set yet, will be referred to as self-isolating upstairs or in other rooms. But they will also continue to appear in storylines using Zoom, FaceTime and Skype calls, just as is happening in the real world. “I don’t want Ken Barlow getting sick on my watch,” ITV’s director of television Kevin Lygo said recently, referring to the 88-year old character played by William Roache, who has been on the show since 1960. Props have been cut back to a minimum, so there is less handling and cleaning, and off-set location filming is out, as are “Hollywood spectacular” elements of storyline planned to mark Coronation Street’s 60th anniversary in December. In keeping with government guidelines, the Rovers Return pub will be open for takeaway coffee, tea and food but alcohol will not be consumed on the premises. “I think the viewers will like it,” said MacLeod. “It doesn’t feel like compromised Corrie, it feels like classic Corrie.” Life on set has also changed dramatically with kitchen facilities for cast and crew turned into additional hand washing facilities. The temperature of cast and crew is also being taken when they arrive for filming at the Coronation Street set in Trafford, Greater Manchester. Security guards carry poles to safely enforce physical distances for those who forget, and filming units operate in colour-coded groups. “We were going to use blue and red but there were too many tribal football loyalties relating to those colours,” said John Whiston, ITV’s managing director of continuing drama. “So on Corrie it is green, orange and pink to avoid that. All our social spaces are now anti-social spaces. Seats are taped off, people hang out in their cars or wherever they can find a quiet space. It feels very unnatural. But it is the way we are going to have to do it for now.” A big question for fans is when they will come off their restricted diet of three episodes a week. “I don’t think it will be before the autumn really,” says Whiston. “We will start producing more to build a buffer but my biggest fear is a second lockdown or stoppage so we don’t want to be too aggressive [returning to six episodes].” The BBC plans to resume the filming of EastEnders and Top Gear by the end of the month.