‘BIG SAVINGS’ Emmerdale facing major changes to cut costs, ex-soap boss warns

Peter Fincham, the channel’s Director of Television before current boss Kevin Lygo, has revealed he believes that the soap could soon be moving toΒ Manchester.

The Woolpack pub exterior on the Emmerdale TV set.

🌐 π‘Ύπ’†π’ƒπ’”π’Šπ’•π’†: π‘ͺπ’π’“π’“π’Šπ’†π’π’†π’˜π’”.π’Šπ’π’‡π’ – π‘Άπ’‡π’‡π’Šπ’„π’Šπ’‚π’ π‘΅π’†π’˜π’” π‘ͺ𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒍

Emmerdale could soon be filmed outside Yorkshire for the first time – pictured the WoolpackΒ 

The Rovers Return Inn on Coronation Street.

🌐 π‘Ύπ’†π’ƒπ’”π’Šπ’•π’†: π‘ͺπ’π’“π’“π’Šπ’†π’π’†π’˜π’”.π’Šπ’π’‡π’ – π‘Άπ’‡π’‡π’Šπ’„π’Šπ’‚π’ π‘΅π’†π’˜π’” π‘ͺ𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒍

The soap could move as part of a production merger with Coronation StreetΒ 

He has predicted that the recent devastating cuts to daytime television, and the loss of hundreds of jobs, would lead to executives looking at similar measures with their two biggest soaps, which are made in locations just 50 miles apart.

Talking on The TV Podcast, Peter said: β€œYou’ve got Coronation Street being made in Manchester, Emmerdale in Leeds.

β€œCould you imagine, rather like the daytime consolidation, that ITV will decide to have them both made in the same place under one umbrella? Big savings.

β€œYou still keep Emmerdale set in Yorkshire, but it could be made in Manchester and Salford, which is a bigger hub for ITV.

β€œI don’t think that’s inconceivable β€” it might be being planned as we speak.”

Merging the two shows in any way once seemed unthinkable, but recently ITV announced that it would air an episode next year where the soaps would have a joint storyline.

The news came around the same time ITV announced a merger of production betweenΒ Good Morning Britain, Lorraine,Β This MorningΒ andΒ Loose Women, with the expected loss of more than 200 jobs behind the scenes.

Currently,Β EmmerdaleΒ is made just north of Leeds whileΒ Coronation StreetΒ is largely filmed at MediaCity in Salford, having previously been at the Granada Studios in Manchester for decades.

Peter continued: β€œThe new hub for Coronation Street in Salford, it cost many, many millions of pounds and it was better facilities for all the people who worked on it in the old place in the middle of Manchester.”

A spokesperson for ITV hit back at Peter’s suggestion of a soap filming merge, saying: β€œITV has no plans to merge the productions of Coronation Street and Emmerdale.

β€œBoth are uniquely set in Manchester and Leeds, and that production model will continue for the long term. It’s pure speculation to say otherwise.”

ITV Daytime Shake-Up: Major Changes to Lorraine and Loose Women Revealed

ELLA RAE WISEΒ was all smiles as she stepped out to filmΒ The Only Way Is EssexΒ inΒ Portugal.

The reality star will come face to face with ex-boyfriendΒ Dan EdgarΒ in the upcoming series, airing on ITVX, which marks the reality show’s 15th anniversary with a trip abroad.

A woman in a blue bikini and matching skirt poses by a pool.

🌐 π‘Ύπ’†π’ƒπ’”π’Šπ’•π’†: π‘ͺπ’π’“π’“π’Šπ’†π’π’†π’˜π’”.π’Šπ’π’‡π’ – π‘Άπ’‡π’‡π’Šπ’„π’Šπ’‚π’ π‘΅π’†π’˜π’” π‘ͺ𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒍

Ella Rae Wise was all smiles as she stepped out to film for The Only Way Is Essex in PortugalΒ 

Jordan Brook and Sophie Kasaei relaxing by a pool.

🌐 π‘Ύπ’†π’ƒπ’”π’Šπ’•π’†: π‘ͺπ’π’“π’“π’Šπ’†π’π’†π’˜π’”.π’Šπ’π’‡π’ – π‘Άπ’‡π’‡π’Šπ’„π’Šπ’‚π’ π‘΅π’†π’˜π’” π‘ͺ𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒍

Sophie Kasaei looked cosy with boyfriend Jordan BrookΒ 

Photo of Amy Childs at a pool party in the Algarve, Portugal, filming for the new series of TOWIE.

🌐 π‘Ύπ’†π’ƒπ’”π’Šπ’•π’†: π‘ͺπ’π’“π’“π’Šπ’†π’π’†π’˜π’”.π’Šπ’π’‡π’ – π‘Άπ’‡π’‡π’Šπ’„π’Šπ’‚π’ π‘΅π’†π’˜π’” π‘ͺ𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒍

Chloe Meadows sipped on a drinkΒ 

Two men playing with a soccer ball in a pool.

🌐 π‘Ύπ’†π’ƒπ’”π’Šπ’•π’†: π‘ͺπ’π’“π’“π’Šπ’†π’π’†π’˜π’”.π’Šπ’π’‡π’ – π‘Άπ’‡π’‡π’Šπ’„π’Šπ’‚π’ π‘΅π’†π’˜π’” π‘ͺ𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒍

Roman Hackett and Sammy Root enjoy a ball gameΒ 

Junaid and Joe Blackman, from the TV show TOWIE, holding hands and walking.

🌐 π‘Ύπ’†π’ƒπ’”π’Šπ’•π’†: π‘ͺπ’π’“π’“π’Šπ’†π’π’†π’˜π’”.π’Šπ’π’‡π’ – π‘Άπ’‡π’‡π’Šπ’„π’Šπ’‚π’ π‘΅π’†π’˜π’” π‘ͺ𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒍

Junaid Ahmed stepped out hand in hand with boyfriend Joe BlackmanΒ 

While the last series saw Ella and Dan become β€œofficial” ahead of her stint onΒ Celebrity Big Brother, it was revealed in April the two had split β€œamicably”.

But that will be put to the test as the cast were seen gathering poolside in the Algarve.

Joining Ella were Sammy Root and Roman Hackett, who enjoyed a ball game as Chloe Meadows sipped on a drink.

Sophie Kasaei looked cosy with her boyfriend Jordan Brook while Junaid Ahmed step-ped out hand in hand with boyfriend Joe Blackman.

Others including Elma Pazar, Harry Derbridge, Amber Turner, Dani Imbert and Amy Childs are also on the trip.

SHERI’S DRAMA A SAFE BET

MICHAEL SOCHAΒ andΒ Sheridan SmithΒ play two casino workers on the run from a local gangster, and the police, in upcoming drama The Cage.

A first look at the new series, which will air on BBC One and iPlayer, sees the duo as the show’s Matty and Leanne, dressed for their job at a gambling mecca in Liverpool.

Michael Socha and Sheridan Smith in the BBC drama, *The Cage*.

🌐 π‘Ύπ’†π’ƒπ’”π’Šπ’•π’†: π‘ͺπ’π’“π’“π’Šπ’†π’π’†π’˜π’”.π’Šπ’π’‡π’ – π‘Άπ’‡π’‡π’Šπ’„π’Šπ’‚π’ π‘΅π’†π’˜π’” π‘ͺ𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒍

Michael Socha and Sheridan Smith

After it is discovered they have both been stealing from the business, the pair are on a terrifying collision course.

For the five-parter, the actors will be joined byΒ House Of The Dragon’sΒ Barry Sloane, Dope Girls’ Geraldine James, Extraordinary’s Shaun Mason and The Power Of Parker star Louis Emerick in the high-stakes, high-energy series.

DEATH Valley will return for a second series.

The BBC murder mystery comedy drama, which starsΒ Timothy SpallΒ and Gwyneth Keyworth as unlikely crime-solving partners, is set to start filming again this autumn in Wales.

The first series is currently airing on BBC One on Sunday evenings.

RICHARD: MY PAST SO RACY

BEING a man of the cloth doesn’t mean thatΒ Reverend Richard ColesΒ has forgotten all about his rock ’n’ roll past in the Eighties.

If anything, theΒ I’m A CelebrityΒ star is still haunted by the bad decisions from his youth as a member of band The Communards.

Richard Coles in Australia before entering the "I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!" jungle.

🌐 π‘Ύπ’†π’ƒπ’”π’Šπ’•π’†: π‘ͺπ’π’“π’“π’Šπ’†π’π’†π’˜π’”.π’Šπ’π’‡π’ – π‘Άπ’‡π’‡π’Šπ’„π’Šπ’‚π’ π‘΅π’†π’˜π’” π‘ͺ𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒍

Rev Richard Coles is still haunted by the bad decisions from his youth as a member of band The CommunardsΒ 

Richard told Rylan on his How To Be In Love podcast: β€œAfter the band reached its highest point, and we were taking a break, that was when sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll came together for me, and I went to Ibiza.

β€œThere was one summer I went with a bunch of people, and we took ecstasy and acid, everything really, and got barred from Avis car rental for life because we got through a lot of vehicles.

β€œThen I bought a speed boat, and I don’t know where it is, but I did buy a speed boat.”

BRUVS’ LEAP OF FAITH

THE contestants have now been whittled down to four pairs for tonight’s tense finale ofΒ Race Across The World.

Melvyn and Brian, Caroline and Tom, Elizabeth and Letitia and Fin and SionedΒ will battle it out to win the BBC One contest.

Finalists of BBC's Race Across The World.

🌐 π‘Ύπ’†π’ƒπ’”π’Šπ’•π’†: π‘ͺπ’π’“π’“π’Šπ’†π’π’†π’˜π’”.π’Šπ’π’‡π’ – π‘Άπ’‡π’‡π’Šπ’„π’Šπ’‚π’ π‘΅π’†π’˜π’” π‘ͺ𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒍

Race Across The World finalists: Melvyn and Brian, Caroline and Tom, Elizabeth and Letitia and Fin and Sioned

But just because things are hotting up, and requiring more physical energy than ever, it doesn’t mean the show’s oldest ever contestants, brothers Melvyn and Brian, are going to struggle.

Melvyn joked: β€œI’m 66 but that doesn’t mean I can’t do a parachute jump or a bungee jump!

β€œThe wife wouldn’t be happy, but that doesn’t mean I can’t do it – don’t think you’re too old to do stuff..”

Brian added: β€œWe knew going into the race it would be tough and we would probably be out of our comfort zone.

β€œBut, it’s no surprise to me, I always knew that we could do it.”

Race Across The World airs at 9pm tonight.

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