WITH both soaps churning out six episodes a week, you would think the crew on Coronation Street and Emmerdale are well-paid for their efforts.
Well, one of them is. I hear there is trouble afoot on the cobbles, as the production team on Corrie has discovered their counterparts over in the Yorkshire Dales are getting more dosh.
In fact, things have got so bad behind the scenes that the crew are talking of joining the trade union Unite to fight back.
A soap source said: “The crew on Corrie are fuming as they’ve learned that the Emmerdale crew are on better deals, getting paid more for less hours, and are getting loads of overtime.
“In some instances, there’s as much as £10,000 between people doing the same job on different crews.
“There’s talk they might be getting pay rises in January but the crew say it’s still too little, too late.
“Plus it doesn’t bring them in line with Emmerdale. A rep from Unite is meant to be coming up in the next few weeks to chat to them about their options.”
Clearly the bosses at Coronation Street are rattled. After I went to them with the story, a spokeswoman insisted: “There is parity across both ITV soaps.”
However, in the days that followed I’m told that an email was quickly circulated around the senior crew telling them to “shut their mouths” over pay issues, and that “someone” had been talking to The Sun.
Six episodes a week sounds back-breaking work. I think ITV chiefs should dig into those deep pockets and make it right.
Sky limit for duo
THERE’S double helpings of everyone’s favourite presenting duo, And McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, next month.
Ant & Dec’s DNA Journey, airing on ITV on November 10 and 11, will see the lads travel to Ireland and the US to explore their ancestry.
Then they’ll head to the Australian jungle because it’s been confirmed that I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! is back on November 17.
The pair must have racked up serious air miles this year.
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