Coronavirus: Filming on Line Of Duty & Peaky Blinders halted

16 March 2020, 21:53 | Updated: 17 March 2020, 12:16

The BBC have confirmed that the outbreak has halted work on the new series of both of the popular TV shows.

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The BBC have confirmed that filming on both the new series of Line of Duty and Peaky Blinders has been stopped as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak.

Production on the two TV shows has been halted after the virus - known as COVID-19 - spread further around the world.

A BBC spokesperson told The Guardian: "In light of the spread of COVID-19, after much consideration, the producers - Caryn Mandabach Productions and Tiger Aspect Productions - of Peaky Blinders S6 have postponed filming, and World Productions on Line of Duty S6 have suspended filming, both in consultation with and supported by the BBC.

"We will continue to review all productions on a case-by-case basis and will continue to follow the latest news and advice from the Foreign Office, World Health Organization and Public Health England."

In a tweet, the BBC added: "We will keep you updated with further developments in due course." Filming on the sixth series of the police drama starring Adrian Dunbar, Martin Compston and Vicky McClure started in Northern Ireland last month.

Reaction on Twitter was swift. "Mother of God!" said one commentator, taking on board one of the catchphrases of Ted Hastings, played by Dunbar. "Noooooooooooo!!! Now we’ll never find out the identity of ‘H’ !" said another, while one comment summed up the situation: "I thought 2020 was a bad year. Now it’s the apocalypse as far as I am concerned."

The Line Of Duty-based memes came thick and fast:

The sixth series of Peaky Blinders - which stars Cillian Murphy and Helen McCrory - was also due to begin shortly.

This isn't the first time of the Line Of Duty filming schedule has been sent into disarray.

While shooting the last series, a dodgy prawn curry nearly caused havoc with shooting after the cast and crew were struck down with food poisoning "like a domino effect".

Stephen Graham (John Corbett) and Rochenda Sandall - who played gang member Lisa McQueen in the BBC thriller - were among the stars who began turning "pasty and sweaty" after chowing down on the fishy food on their break.

Rochenda said: "We all had the prawn curry on a night shoot, and we all started to go a bit pasty, a bit sweaty.

"I said to Steve, 'Are you all right mate?' And he said, 'Oof, I feel a bit rough, mate.'

"I went, 'What did you have for dinner?' And he went, 'Oh, the prawn curry.' And the same with Ali [Natkiel, Lee Banks], he went, 'I've had the prawn curry as well.'

"It was like a domino effect between all the crew."