Coronation Street is to celebrate its 60th anniversary with a live episode, it has been revealed.
Credit: ITV
The news will come today as ITV's Director of Television Peter Fincham speaks at the Salford Media Festival, confirming the plans and explaining how the production will take place in Corrie's new base in Trafford, Manchester.
Filming at the soap's new state-of-the-art production base on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal, the cast and crew received news of the plans this morning ahead of the announcement.
The episode is to broadcast in September 2015, and 'will ensure viewers are tantalised by storylines reaching a dramatic climax.'
Executive Producer Kieran Roberts said: "We're delighted to be marking ITV's 60th anniversary with a live episode from Coronation Street's brilliant new studios and set.
"We're immensely proud of our new home and it's been the most amazing first year of production. The cast, writers, and production team are exhilarated by the prospect of a live broadcast as the programme's 50th anniversary episode was received so brilliantly by the audience".
Producer Stuart Blackburn is to mastermind the live episode whilst continuing to oversee the soap, with his production team pre-recording episodes for next year's summer period, dovetailing into the live episode.
Stuart said: "It's an honour to be at the helm as Coronation Street goes live once more.
"We've a reputation to uphold after the success of the tram crash and I'm going to enjoy working with the storyliners and writers as we plot stories for our live episode in 2015. We'll be doing all we can to eclipse what's gone before".
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