Emmerdale is expected to drop off air at some point this month, according to ITV's director of television Kevin Lygo.

Filming on the soap was shut down in March due to the coronavirus outbreak and the broadcaster wasted no time in cutting the number of episodes broadcast per week from six down to three.

The measure will only keep it on air until the end of this month, Lygo revealed at the Edinburgh TV Festival, unless filming can resume shortly.

Coronation Street also stopped filming in March and it too has dropped down to three episodes a week but has more episodes banked and is therefore likely to keep running through this month and next.

Last week it was suggested that the UK government is keen for soaps to resume filming as soon as possible in an effort to lift the national mood during the ongoing lockdown.