The Coronation Street cast are allegedly in turmoil behind the scenes after a source claimed things have turned “toxic” between the stars following a dispute over branded content.
The comments come after recent claims that Corrie stars Samia Longchambon and Sair Khan were cleared to take money-making brand deals by ITV bosses, while others were told they weren’t allowed. The channel has strict rules in place for its soap stars, which means commercial work is only allowed to be done with pre-approval from TV execs.
According to the anonymous actor who supplied the intel, they have had to turn down two offers just this year while mum-of-two, Samia, 42, featured in a reel for Marks & Spencer alongside her Dancing on Ice husband Sylvain Longchambon, to advertise its cafe’s seasonal menu. Sair, 37, was also allowed to post a video of a £2,500 Bertazzoni oven.
Now, speaking exclusively to the Express, a soap insider has revealed that the atmosphere on-set is decidedly dour. They said, "The atmosphere on set has always been a bit tribal. You tend to only really hang around with the people you film with, and with most storylines, you're with the same people for long stretches of time. But yeah of late more recently, it has started to feel toxic. There's a definite hierarchy on set, and some of the less experienced cast don't like it."
According to The Sun, Samia and Sair's deals have enraged colleagues who are feeling the pinch under the soap’s budget cuts and claim that they've had to turn down deals because they couldn't get the approval from bosses. They told the outlet: “It’s one rule for the polished PR favourites, and another for the rest of us. If you’re not part of the golden circle, forget it. They wouldn’t let most of us even do a teeth-whitening collaboration, meanwhile, Samia’s out there posing with pastries. It’s a total p**s take.”
The claims come amid reports that ITV is facing a "cash crisis", with budget cuts being made. Over the past few months, several Corrie cast members announced their departures from the show, including Eileen Grimshaw star Sue Cleaver and Charlotte Jordan, who plays Daisy Midgeley. Colson Smith filmed his final scenes as Craig Tinker this year, while Paddy Bever also said goodbye to his role as Max Turner.
When asked for comment about the claims of toxicity on set, a spokesperson for Coronation Street was quick to shut them down. They responded: "This is completely untrue. Coronation Street is a fantastic and welcoming place to work. The cast and crew are incredibly supportive of one another and regard colleagues as family."
