CORRIE bosses have axed filming for the first time in ten years after three tragedies hit the soap in as many weeks.
Cast and crew are in mourning after Kym Marsh’s baby boy and Bill Roache’s wife died last week — shortly after vision mixer Therese Meek passed away suddenly.
Producers will close the Street set tomorrow so all staff can attend a memorial service for Sara Roache, 58, who died of a suspected heart attack ten days ago.
Filming was last cancelled in 1999 when Bryan Mosley — who played shopkeeper Alf Roberts — passed away aged 67.
The show was thrown into further turmoil on Thursday after Kym — barmaid Michelle Connor — was left devastated by the loss of little Archie, her son with Hollyoaks hunk Jamie Lomas.
The tot died seconds after being born 18 weeks prematurely at a Manchester hospital.
A show source said: “We have never known anything like this. Some people say there’s a jinx on the show but we see it as a combination of bad luck and coincidence. The priority is to look after the welfare of our cast.”
Meanwhile, show chiefs have decided to rewrite scripts to give their grieving stars as much time off as they need.
Crunch meetings are due to be held this week to work out how their scenes can be reorganised.
Both Kym, 32, and Bill, 76 — who plays Ken Barlow — were involved in major plot lines.
In one scene involving Kym — originally due to be shot today — her lines will now be split between three other Street actors.
Other key storylines expected to change involve Bill’s screen lady friend Martha Fraser (Stephanie Beacham) and Michelle’s plot involving Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) and Peter Barlow, played by Chris Gascoyne.
A Corrie spokesperson said: “We will have to tinker with scripts but we will be back to filming on Wednesday.”
Spirits at Corrie’s Granada studios in Manchester reportedly hit “rock bottom” following the tragedies.
But an insider told how moods were slightly lifted when actress Alison King — conniving Carla Connor on the ITV1 hit — gave birth to a baby girl.
The 35-year-old is now on maternity leave and is expected back in Weatherfield in the early autumn.
Jack P Shepherd, 20 — who plays troubled David Platt — is also on leave after becoming a new dad.
Wanda Opalinska, who stars as factory worker Wiki Dankowska, has also had a baby.
This is all so sad
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