Coronation Street bosses were not going to let a virus stop them releasing a cast photo to mark the soap’s 60th anniversary.
The 14 actors who play the seven longest-serving and the seven newest characters were photographed individually in a Covid-secure studio and then brought together using computer trickery.
A spokeswoman said: “The actors were Photoshopped to give the impression of being together. There has never been a cast image quite like it!”
It has become a Corrie tradition to put out official cast photos to mark milestones since it started on ITV in December 1960.
They usually feature the full line-up, following the famous shot to launch the first episode, below.
Veteran William Roache, 88, who plays Ken Barlow, appears in both having appeared regularly for the full sixty years.
Salford-born Tony Warren debuted the soap on ITV, and more than 10,000 episodes later, the Guinness World Record-holding show has seen 57 births, 146 deaths and 131 weddings alongside affairs, murders, secrets and lies.
Average viewing figures still top 7 million per episodes, and Corrie has been sold to 135 countries worldwide.
Soap fans will be treated to an extra helping of their favourites during this year's festive period, with ITV confirming special Christmas episodes for Coronation Street.
And it will be an action-packed month as Corrie celebrates their 60th anniversary with a week full of earth-shattering revelations and gripping drama in the run-up to a Christmas to remember.
A special episode dedicated to the powerful women of Weatherfield will also be in the schedule at Christmas time, entitled Queens of The Street.
But most fans will be looking forward to the epic week of episodes set to celebrate its anniversary.
A number of big cobbles storylines have been bubbling away during the last year, and will come to a dramatic head during the festive period.
*Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7.30pm and 8.30pm on ITV
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