BBC Breakfast studio

BBC Breakfast spoke to cast from Coronation Street and Emmerdale ahead of Corriedale (Image: BBC)

BBC Breakfast presenters Jon Kay and Emma Vardy sat down with cast members from Coronation Street and Emmerdale ahead of Monday’s groundbreaking Corriedale episode.

ITV bosses unveiled plans last year for an unprecedented soap crossover, bringing together Coronation Street and Emmerdale for the first time in an hour-long special titled Corriedale. The episode will also launch ITV’s fresh ‘soap power hour’ scheduling arrangement for both programmes.

Monday’s BBC Breakfast featured Coronation Street’s Julia Goulding, who portrays Shona Platt, Emmerdale’s Isabel Hodgins, who plays Victoria Sugden, and Iain MacLeod, executive producer overseeing both soaps and Corriedale.

During the chat, presenter Emma found herself rebuffed whilst attempting to extract some exclusive revelations. The host enquired: “Can you give us any other sneaky hints as to what goes on, just to whet people’s appetites a little bit more…”

Iain replied: “Erm… I can feel the press officer’s eyes in the back of my head as we speak!”

BBC Breakfast

Monday’s BBC Breakfast featured Coronation Street’s Julia Goulding and Emmerdale’s Isabel Hodgins (Image: BBC)

 

Emma quipped: “Come on, we’re trying to get a scoop!”

Iain added: “I don’t want to give too much away, it’s honestly something I think if you know nothing about either show, you can tune in and enjoy it. I’m not a fan of spoilers.”

Emma then questioned both Julia and Isabel about the challenge of keeping secrets. Isabel revealed she typically tells spoiler-hunters: “Oh, if I tell you, it’ll ruin it for you, let the surprise happen on air!” Emma joked: “Using all my journalistic skills here!”.

BBC Breakfast

Corriedale airs tonight at 8pm on ITV and ITV X (Image: BBC)

Discussing Corriedale, Isabel revealed: “This was all kept very secret” with Julia confirming: “Yeah, definitely was, very cloak and dagger!”.

Later in the conversation, presenter Jon was rebuffed when he probed about potential rivalry between the rival programmes.

Jon enquired: “Was there rivalry between the Corrie cast and Emmerdale?”.

Julia responded: “No, I wouldn’t say so!” prompting Jon to press: “Oh, come on!”.

Julia elaborated: “No, I think both shows worked together as such families, coming together, we just formed one giant family and I think that’s basically how we all felt, I think.”

Iain then chimed in: “I got the sense everyone was really keen to impress their opposite numbers on the opposite side of soaps so if anything everybody raised their game in terms of their professionalism and their acting and everything, everyone was right up there. It was a real joy to behold.”

BBC Breakfast continues everyday at 6am on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Corriedale airs tonight at 8pm on ITV and ITV X.