Coronation Street have banned kissing scenes over coronavirus fears.
Bosses of the ITV soap are trying to minimise contact between actors so that production isn't shut down because of the outbreak.
Any scenes involving two characters getting intimate or having a smooch are being re-written so there is "limited physical contact".
Corrie producers are desperate to keep the soap up and running so they are not taken off air - causing a major schedule shake-up.
They concede that changes to storylines are inevitable but it is a sacrifice they are willing to make to stop the spread of coronavirus.
A soap source told The Sun : “All of the soaps are desperate to keep running. If they disappear out of the schedules there’s huge gaps which is a major headache.
“ Coronation Street shoots about six to eight weeks in advance, so viewers might see some kissing in the next month or so, but the scenes they’re shooting right now will have nothing of the sort in. They are taking no chances.
“The longer they can keep cast and crew well, the better, and if a storyline has to suffer slightly by losing a kiss so be it.”
ITV bosses will be using their soaps to remind viewers on important issues at this time such as hand-washing.
Speaking about Coronation Street and Emmerdale, ITV Studios creative director John Whiston said: "Because we script and shoot so far in advance we don't generally reflect contemporary issues.
"However we are going to use the soaps to remind people of important public health issues such as the need to wash their hands. We'll try and do more such messages going forward."
But a spooky scene on Monday night's episode where Geoff made a comment about Yasmeen washing her hands was a "complete coincidence".
The twisted pensioner reminded wife Yasmeen, who he had forced to clean the bathroom, to wash her hands thoroughly.
Before eating breakfast, Geoff said: "Hey, wash your hands first you’ve just had your arm jammed up a u-bend."
On today's This Morning, soap expert Sharon Marshall revealed the scene was written in December before the coronavirus outbreak reached the UK.
She said: "Last night in Corrie, because I was watching it, I saw Yasmeen washing her hands and Geoff go to her, 'I hope you're singing Happy Birthday while you're doing that'.
"So I thought, wow, how did they manage to get that in? Complete coincidence. That was written back in December, it was filmed in January."
* Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7.30pm and 8.30pm on ITV
