ITV announces Catchphrase will resume filming next week with social distancing – its first entertainment show to return after lockdown
ITV has announced that Catchphrase will start filming again next week, their first entertainment show to resume following the coronavirus hiatus.
The popular game show, hosted by Stephen Mulhern, will see contestants and crew members having their temperatures tested daily and working ‘bubble’ groups.
STV Productions will record 10 episodes of the show which will be broadcast on ITV in the autumn.
Making a comeback: ITV has announced that Catchphrase will resume filming next week after a hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic
Host Stephen Mulhern said: ‘We were always due to start filming now so it’s great that we are in a position that we can do so.
‘It feels so good to be back in the studio and it’s taken a huge amount of work from the crew and all at STV Productions who make the show and ITV who broadcast it to get us back up and running safely. We can’t wait to start.’
New safety measures include online health declaration forms, set changes, new make up rooms, working ‘bubble’ groups, staggered start times and changes to the catering service.
Much-missed: The popular game show will be the first ITV entertainment programme to restart
Big hit: The original series, which ran from 1986 to 2002 was first hosted by Northern Irish comedian Roy Walker (pictured in 1994)
Crew will maintain safe social distancing and everyone on set will have their temperatures checked daily throughout filming.
There will be no live audience for the recordings and the studio will be cleaned every day to limit any potential infections.
The show, which first aired in the UK in 1986 with Roy Walker at the helm, sees contestants attempting to identify a well-known phrase from an animation.
The original series ended in 2002 but it was revived in 2013 under Stephen Mulhern.
New rules: Measures will be in place on set to stop the spread of the virus including social distancing
Smash hit: The show sees contestants attempting to identify a well-known phrase from an animation
ITV’s Head of Entertainment Commissioning Katie Rawcliffe said: ‘All the teams have worked incredibly hard to get us back filming and the production team have protocols in place in line with Government guidelines to make sure that we are doing this in as safe a way as possible for the crew, contributors and everyone involved.
‘We can’t wait to get going and Stephen is the perfect host to kick off entertainment post lockdown’
STV Production’s Creative Director, Entertainment, Gary Chippington said: ‘A number of measures have been put in place and social distancing will be adhered to – but be in no doubt, the fun and antics that viewers expect from each and every episode of Catchphrase will very much be central to the mix. We’re thrilled to be going back into studio.’