ITV chiefs are plotting a bloodbath on their two flagship soaps by axing one in ten cast members in the latest round of savage cost-cutting.

Proposed plans also include slashing the number of scenes per episode for Coronation Street and ­Emmerdale — after the broadcaster announced it is cutting a further £15million from its total budget.

ITV’s profits have slumped by 44 per cent to £99million for the first six months of this year.

Now insiders have revealed executives are putting pressure on their top soaps to slash their spiralling budgets, cutting the soaps’ cast lists by ten per cent.

Coronation Street has 84 permanent cast members and Emmerdale has 70.

Staffing on both soaps has risen rapidly in recent years, with many actors guaranteed a minimum number of episodes and episode fees per year.

It is also suggested scenes per episode could be cut.

Both soaps have about 20 scenes per show. And the number of cast used each episode could also be trimmed.

A soap source said: “It’s brutal. We’ve known it was on the cards for a while, but they’re really cranking it up now and it’s across the soaps.

They’re looking to save millions and Corrie and Emmerdale are the obvious places. They’re very expensive shows.

“Many who have been there for a long time are reliant on their income staying as it is.

“The amount of cast has ­spiralled out of control and focusing on dialogue, not action, could also save money.”

Some older cast members have full-time contracts with a salary, but the majority are paid by the episode.

It comes amid cuts across the ITV daytime schedule, with hundreds of staff axed from Good Morning Britain, ­Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women.

ITV said of the proposals: “This is complete speculation.”