Ingenious EastEnders plan cannot prevent soap shortage

BBC Studios is readying a number of ingenious measures to get EastEnders back into production – but it will not be enough to prevent the soap from temporarily falling off-air.

The producer began concoct plans to circumnavigate lockdown conditions as soon as it was forced to call a halt to filming in mid-March. It is now working towards restarting production at the end of June but the time-frame involved mean the show will ‘go dark’ for a short period.

The BBC is understood to have enough episodes in the can to tide it over until early summer, having reduced the TX volume from four to two a week, following the production freeze.

EastEnders has a turnaround time of six-to-eight weeks and while BBCS will work as quickly as possible to minimise this window, the lockdown episodes are unlikely to be delivered until mid-August at the earliest.

Despite the anticipated gap, cast and crew are understood to be extremely pleased to be re-entering production.

BBCS, which opted not to furlough any staff during the hiatus, has comprehensive workaround production plans in place. These include scripts, that limit the amount of group scenes and clever editing techniques that enable scenes to appear to be more populated than they actually are.

Other measures include ripping out set walls to create more space to observe social distancing guidelines and reducing the number of crew on-set.

Cast will apply their own make-up, with the costume team giving directions from a remote location, such as the gallery.

Elsewhere self- isolated ‘pods’ of workers will be established, meaning actors, directors and cameramen work together on an exclusive basis, rather than talent mixing as previously occurred.

Execs are also looking at how best to use the space available on the large lot on Elstree Studios to maximise the distance between filming units.

Meanwhile, ITV Studios is also working towards restarting production of Coronation Street and Emmerdale in “the coming weeks”. While it is yet to commit to a firm date it could beat BBCS back into production.

A spokeswoman said: “We are in the final stages of working with others across the industry on a return-to-production protocol and we are in active discussions with government on this.

“The health and well-being of our people and those who work with us has always been our highest priority and remains so as we look to restart production on shows where we suspended filming.”

Top Gear revs up

Elsewhere, Top Gear is to restart filming early in June as it readies for its BBC1 autumn debut – albeit with a question mark over its studio-based segments.

This element is typically filmed closest to TX to enable a 500-strong audience in the Dunsfold hangar to watch the completed VTs and links from co-hosts Freddie Flintoff, Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris.

The key factor is whether social distancing restrictions will have lifted sufficiently in time for this year’s run.

In previous years, the weekly audience studio recordings happen very close to transmission and often continue while the show is on-air, allowing exec producers Clare Pizey and Alex Renton to keep an open-mind.

Around half of Top Gear’s VTs are understood to have been filmed prior to lockdown and the remainder will continue largely as planned. Some international films have already been completed leaving just domestic packages to shoot, while the nature of the format, in which the presenters tend to stay in their own vehicles, lends itself to self-isolation.

Equally the outdoors nature of the show and its heavy use on fixed-rig cameras will help BBCS ensure staff remain safe.

Unveiling the plans in the Telegraph yesterday (14 May), director of content Charlotte Moore said: “We want to serve our audiences and help TV production get back on its feet, but the number one priority will remain the safety and well-being of production teams and those who work with them.”