CORONATION Street’s cast are holding set tours on their days off in a bid to make cash.
Stars working for the crisis-hit soap have begun showing fans of the show
around the studios in a new “money-spinner”.
Colson Smith, Samia Longchambon and Maureen Lipman have already surprised viewers by taking them on their set tours.
And with news of contracts being shortened and scenes in the Rovers Return being cut down, more actors are likely to sign up.
A source tells The Sun: “Corrie are farming out £500-a-day studio tour slots to cast members so they can earn extra cash at weekends and on their days off.
“It’s a good money-spinner for the cast, especially now budgets have been cut and group scenes in the Rovers have been cut down.”
The Sun revealed this week how the stars of Coronation Street have been barred from the soap’s famous Rovers Return pub.
Each time a character appears they are due a per-episode fee, which can mount up for actors on lucrative deals.
Several years ago, viewers would see the whole community in the pub during the weekly episodes, even if they didn’t speak.
But now, they are not being asked in.
Soaring telly production costs and a fall in advertising is to blame.
The rising costs are putting future of the UK’s most-watched soap at risk and plunged it into crisis.
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Cast members have even complained they are being “worked like dogs”, due to long days and the tightening purse at ITV.
A show insider said: “The cast loved the days when lots of scenes were filmed in the Rovers because it didn’t matter if you had 10 scenes in an episode or just sat in the pub – you’d get paid the same.
Playing a barmaid or the landlord was a dream gig and would guarantee you got paid a fortune because it didn’t matter if you just served someone in the background – you got paid for the episode.
“The bar staff obviously had to be in all Rovers scenes so it was a great earner for them. But those days are now long gone – it’s just too expensive.”
Meanwhile, Charlotte Jordan is the latest star to walk away from Corrie, announcing this week that she has quit.
The actress, who had been tipped as ‘the new Michelle Keegan’, plays Daisy Midgeley and follows a line of cast members to either walk out or receive the chop.
A show source told The Sun: “Charlotte quitting is just the tip of the iceberg. Corrie is on its knees financially and bosses are being forced to make hard decisions.
“TV production costs have soared by more than 50 per cent, while the advertising market funding them has all-but collapsed.
“The cast are not happy but ITV have no choice but to slash costs.”
