Corrie & COVID {Part 3 of 3} - 6 things we learnt on Corrie Press Day

After an hour of corrie cast chat, techy talk, and filming secrets, the corrie zoom press call came to an end. I closed my laptop down and had ten minutes of quiet contemplation. Planning these blog posts, I thought I'd split it in three, and save the best until last!

Do scroll down to the end where I give you my 6 most important corrie COVID facts I learnt on attending this virtual press day event!

Series producer Iain Macleod was most contemplative and impassioned when asked about how COVID-19 has affected the writing process "The storylines are still the same on the whole with a couple of exceptions. What we have had from people who have read the new script, if you did not know these have been simplified, you’d never know. It doesn’t feel like compromised Corrie but classic Corrie so it was reassuring to hear. We needed to stay true to what it is and not turn it into a soap version of a medical drama or cinematic pandemic film. It will subtly reflect the world we live in now"

Iain also gave us juicy insight into a stunt that is still being filmed (despite COVID 19) using camera trickery "We are embarking on a post-pandemic cast stunt. Two characters will look like they are in close jeopardy and right on top of each other but will be 2 metres apart at all times, we are currently looking into how that will play out"

Iain was also asked about Corrie's 60th celebrations and how they would be affected by the pandemic?

"What we have had to strip out for our 60th is the Hollywood spectacular elements as we didn’t have time to build and install what we had originally planned. What we have discovered beneath the spectacular is a strong community story which has resurged under lockdown. There’s a real sense of street community now. We’ve got a huge human interest story which emerges from something on-screen which has been engaging. A classic soap love triangle is also in there and we still have some unmissable storylines. If we do lockdown again, we will still have those episodes, it will just transmit later. But I'm confident we can have some classic Corrie episodes for the anniversary and Christmas"

My 6 most important Corrie facts I learnt on attending this press day event;

1. Location filming is suspended indefinitely! Corrie bosses have said that if any sets need building - they can build them on-site!

2.COVID-19 shall be first referenced on-screen from July 24th.
It's been promised that this will be a 'light touch' as opposed to anything serious or hard-hitting, and will be reassuringly familiar!

3. Corrie's 60th celebrations are still planned to air in December

4. We shall have 3 episodes a week for some time yet, although 6 episodes a week is the long-term plan, post-pandemic.

5. 'Britain's Got Talent' Final week Corrie spectacular is not happening in 2020. The drama that was planned specifically for that week shall be pushed forward to later this year.

6. Some older cast members will be featured in storylines on-screen via facetime, zoom, and video calls

Huge thanks to our editor Glenda Young for letting me zoom in and join this privileged event! If you enjoyed this, I do write weekly episode reviews of Wednesday's Corrie and the occasional opinion piece. I am @rybazoxo your cobbles connoisseur and budding corrie-ologist!

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Corrie, Covid19 & Cast Chat! Corrie Press Day {Part 2 of 3}

I’ve never tried to use zoom before, not once. I've never even heard of it until this virus volcano erupted everywhere! I work from home in the day job, and on the internet, so largely autonomous all round. Therefore, just thinking about joining this live corrie press event, with all these people present, plus corrie VIP's - my fear, excitement, and nerves are all over the place! I have a fairly new laptop and strong wifi connection so no worries there at least. But, they will see my face, right? My subtle little twitches, flicks of my lockdown hair, vaping like Liz Mcdonald in The Rovers beer garden - frightening, but oh so exciting! I’m even sat strategically so maybe people can see my framed corrie cast cards/rovers beer mats, on my bedroom wall? I imagine not but it's a load of framed titbits that I've amassed via writing for this blog so why not, eh? 

Of course, this press day is all about COVID 19 and we can rejoice that Corrie is back filming (with no break in transmission) from 8th of June. With Nick (Ben Price BP) and Leanne (Jane Danson JD) currently involved in Oliver’s illness storyline, the actors have both filmed scenes this week and are asked how it feels to be returning to the studio after lockdown? 

BP  “It’s split into two - the bit before the set and once you get on it. As actors we are then back on the home turf - the writing is excellent! The weird part was losing the physical aspect. Jane was doing an incredible job in a scene, beautifully played and my instinct, hand on heart, was for Nick to hug her. We couldn't do that obviously but we shared glances and expressions which works too. It was great being back on the studio floor. We had ten scenes and we flew along, it was nice"

JD - “To echo everything that Ben said, we've worked together for 10 years, so we trust each other. There was an element of excitement and didn't feel too different apart from the physicality. We can read each other so well, and in fact, got through the day in the normal amount of time. We are a family and a team so we've got even closer now’’

You have a huge storyline at the minute with Oliver {played by twins}, how will you act the storylines without a young cast member on set? 

JD- “The twins are amazing and rose to the challenge so it’s not ideal but we just have to do our best. The looks are played off the characters – it’s a bit disappointing not to have them as the story is about Oliver but so far so good. I hope we can get them back but safety has to come first”

BP - “I slightly feel the scenes we play with a child anyway are restricted as to when they’re not there, you’re having the real adult conversations. I don’t think you lose a lot really – when we’re around that bed because you’re adults talking about a child who is very ill, it’s watered down and there’s a lot that can’t be said. The scenes are more interesting between Nick and Leanne speaking from their heart”

How does it feel applying your make-up? 

BP - I'm not very good with props. I spend hours in make-up normally (laughs). I have to reduce it down to 2 minutes. I’ve had a home haircut – but David runs a barber, I must’ve seen him! 

JD - “Because of my storyline I haven’t had much make-up as Leanne is going through a miserable time. But it’s our hair for the ladies – we’re not all blondes! I had to get my husband to do the roots a few times to keep it the same with Leanne – it would have looked strange. It’s just adapting -we’re plodding along really, that’s what it is”

How did it feel when you realised Corrie wouldn't be going off-air due to COVID 19?

JD - “It felt like I was leaving when we first shut down. To go back into a building that was getting fuller again was lovely. Everyone was so courteous to each other and helpful and selfless – they were super kind to us. At the end of the day, unprompted, there was a round of applause and that was emotional. That usually only happens on special occasions like someone leaving or going on maternity leave. It was emotional to get the ball rolling”

BP - “ It means a lot to me, to Jane, the work to get us to that point – I was under no illusion of how many hours that took. I am very proud to get back to entertain and tell these stories. It’s a vital show. It was almost like one of the lives – there were nerves, we did it, it was possible – and so many casts texted me asking how it got on and there was just relieved to be able to say that we’re back!”

So what did you think of that? Keep em’ peeled for part 3 as I divulge the latest on-set gossip, how the older cast will be kept on screen, a post-pandemic stunt, more from series producer Iain Macleod, and how COVID 19 will affect big Britain's Got Talent Final week…

I am @rybazoxo your cobbles connossieur 

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All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License