In recent months we’ve seen huge changes to ITV soap Emmerdale and one noticeable difference has been the reduction in child actors.
Many have been asking on social media why that is the case and, like a lot of things at the moment, it has been brought on by coronavirus.
Entertainment journalist and soap expert Sharon Marshall has explained why children will mostly be absent Emmerdale and Coronation Street for the foreseeable future.
Speaking on This Morning, Sharon explained the current approach to filming soaps and the changes which have needed to be introduced.
She said: “One of the things you’re going to see across Corrie and Emmerdale is no children.
“The reason why is of course you’re going to need chaperones on the set with children so the less people on set the better, we’re trying to cut it right down. So there might be a lot of hide and seek going on.”
Child actors are required to have a chaperone on set with them while they are working.
But the changes and new social distancing guidelines mean soap fans won’t get to see some of the young stars for a while.
Other changes, coronavirus brought to Emmerdale included a reduction of episodes being shown, isolation specials and and feature editions looking back at some of the programme’s most famous families.
