The BBC plans to resume production on “EastEnders” and “Top Gear” by the “end of next month,” the broadcaster’s content director Charlotte Moore said.
There will be a scaled-down approach on set to stay within government guidelines, including no professional hair and makeup.
“We’ve been looking very carefully at how we can safely put some of our shows back into production, and I’m pleased to announce that we plan to begin filming again on both ‘EastEnders’ and ‘Top Gear’ by the end of next month,” Moore wrote Thursday in a blog post. “We’re also exploring ways to re-start filming on more dramas and other major BBC shows as soon as possible.”
“This is great news for viewers, but it’s also essential for the success of the many independent companies around the country who make these programmes and who have felt the economic shockwaves of this pandemic,” she continued. “It’s a sign of what we do to support this sector in every part of the UK that getting our shows back on the road will include filming from Cardiff to Dumbarton, Birmingham to Belfast.”
“Of course, we will be working within government guidelines,” Moore said. “Crews will be strictly limited. Cast members will do their own hair and make-up. Social distancing measures will be in place.”
In her blog post, Moore said the UK’s film and television industry was the “fastest growing part of the British economy” before the coronavirus struck. She also said that series like “The Repair Shop,” “Race Across The World,” “Masterchef” and “The Great British Sewing Bee” have all “achieved their highest ever audiences” during the pandemic lockdown.
Read Moore’s full blog post here.
It is believed that COVID-19 first came to the UK in late January, though transmission was not documented until one month later. Much like the United States, industries across-the-pond began to shut down in March.